Chapter 18
EIGHTEEN
SUTTON
- Present Day -
I t’s been a week since my run-in with Cal after the team’s first game of the season, and thankfully, I haven’t heard from him since.
Good. This’s a good thing, Sutton. Remember that.
Granted, not two days later, the guys were packing up to fly out for a series of away games, which could also be why I haven’t heard anything but either way, it gave me some much needed breathing room.
Maybe we can just move on from this, leave the past in the past and act like the adults we both are. There’s no reason to rehash events that can’t be changed. And this reunion was painful and awkward, which I expected, but it could’ve been so much worse.
Jonah’s been checking in with me constantly to make sure I’m okay, though.
Never mind the fact that I should probably be more concerned about how he is doing.
At least, if the daggers Cal was shooting his way during our reunion were any indication.
Cal seriously looked like he was about ready to punch Jonah by the time we left.
And I would know, having seen Cal punch people more than once over his years of playing hockey.
Still, even on the rare occasion when he was pushed to that point, Cal almost never initiated the fight.
In fact, the only time I can remember him being the first to throw a punch was way back when we were kids and I was being bullied.
Well, and that one night , but I refuse to even let myself think about that .
So instead, I’ll continue to sit here, curled up on the sofa with a cozy blanket, a nice cup of coffee that I got from that cute shop a few blocks over, and the new book that I purchased along with my drink, while I listen to the patter of the rain on the window behind me.
Seriously, if there was ever a time I needed a good rainy day read, this would be it.
Work was shit today, I just couldn’t get my mind to focus.
Every time I tried playing the first few chords, I would get so lost in thoughts of the past week that I would suddenly find myself playing a jumbled mess that did not even remotely sound like the song I was trying to work on.
And when I switched over to piano? Well, I had no better luck there than I had with my guitar.
Seriously, this damn song is not going to write itself, and I know it is so close to being finished.
It just needs . . . something . I just need to figure out what that something is.
After too many hours of fighting against my own anxiety and searching for the muse that has stayed in hiding since returning to Seattle, I finally gave up in search of some caffeinated inspiration.
hat’s how I found heaven in the form of the cutest little hole-in-the-wall book/coffee shop combo that I’ve ever been to.
I’d been walking around for I don’t even know how long, searching for a new hidden gem to inspire me.
I’ve never been a huge fan of the more sterile corporate coffee franchises, always preferring to find something more unique, and if I could support a small local business in the process? Well, that’s even better.
When I walked in, the smell of books and coffee hit me like a freight train, and after placing my order, I couldn’t resist wandering through the chaotic stacks of books that were stacked in a deceptively deliberate manner that made them appear like they had been casually left and forgotten.
Piles of books lined tables and sat in stacks in-between the overstuffed rows and rows of shelves.
Amongst all this, there were cute shabby-chic odds and end furniture pieces spread throughout the room for patrons to just sit and relax with a good book while they enjoyed their order.
New books were interspersed between well-loved and worn titles.
Hell, even the name of the shop, The Magic Bean Stop was perfectly fitting for such an enchanting haven.
After spending more time browsing than I probably should’ve, I left with coffee in hand and no fewer than five books, because honestly, how can a person choose just one ? And now, as I settle into my spot, soaking in the mood, I can’t decide which book to start with. Go figure.
With a shrug, I reach down, selecting one at random off the coffee table and quickly flip to the beginning.
“To all the good girls who-” My cheeks are flaming as I finish reading the dedication page. Okay. Wow. So, we’re just jumping right into it, I guess. A wide grin spreads across my face as I turn the page.
“Whatcha reading?”
The screech that leaves my mouth is nothing short of shameful as the book flies out of my hands.
“Jesus! You scared the shit out of me!” Clutching at my imaginary pearls, I breathe hard as I glare daggers at my friend. My friend who is now laughing so hard he has tears streaming down his face, and has literally collapsed into a heap on the couch next to me.
“Oh. My. God. You should have seen yourself just now!”
Glowering, I search half-heartedly for something to throw at his face, but the only thing in sight are my precious new book babies. Well that, and my half-empty coffee cup. Hmm . Nope. Not worth it.
Collecting himself, he swipes at his eyes, trying to catch his breath, and I settle for continuing to glare daggers at him, my arms crossed over my chest in righteous indignation.
“Ya done now? You know, a good fake boyfriend would never try to scare his girlfriend just for kicks and giggles.”
“Aw, don’t be like that, Farley. It was funny as hell, and you’d think so too if it hadn’t been, well if it hadn’t been you being the one that I scared.
Sorry about that by the way. Honestly, I wasn’t even trying to be quiet when I walked in here.
I literally dropped my bags by the door and practically stomped across the room, but you were so absorbed in your book that you didn’t even notice.
I couldn’t pass up an opportunity like that. I mean really, can you blame me?”
Sighing, I drop my arms as he pulls me into his side. I grumble under my breath but he just hugs me tighter.
“Yeah, yeah. Welcome home. I missed you too, I guess.” My tone is begrudging, but I can’t stay annoyed with Jonah for too long.
Warmth from his arm draped across my shoulder has me snuggling in closer to his side, and he reaches over to pick up the blanket that’d fallen to the floor, casually draping it over the both of us.
“How were your away games?” I tell myself I don’t want to know.
That really, I just want to check in on my friend, be the good “fake girlfriend” that I’m supposed to be, and make sure he’s doing okay settling into his new team.
But I don’t think I am fooling either of us at this point.
“You adjusting to the new team alright? ”
His arm tenses slightly around my shoulder as he responds. “Uh, yeah. It’s been fine.”
“Fine?”
“Yep. Fine.”
His tone is clipped, unlike his usually carefree tone, and I shift, trying to crane my neck to get a good look at his face.
“Jonah DeAndre Davies, that is not the confident and chipper sound of a man who is happy he’s finally playing for his dream team. Spill it. Now.”
He sighs, and I watch as he shakes his head, a bemused expression on his face.
“It’s fine. Really, Baby Girl. Nothing to worry about.”
I narrow my eyes at him, doubtful.
“What aren’t you saying?”
He just shakes his head, leaning forward slightly to pick up the remote from where it was resting on the coffee table.
Turning on the screen, he settles back into the cushions, pulling me closer into his side. As our current show we’ve been obsessively binge-watching comes on, I reluctantly give in and snuggle into his side.
“Fine. I’ll let it slide for now. But don’t think for one second that we aren’t circling back to this conversation later, mister.”
He stays silent, but as the show begins, I feel a whisper of a kiss placed against my temple and I close my eyes, soaking in the comfort of him .