Chapter Thirty-Seven
TOMMY
Even though Jenna still hasn’t given the green light for me to officially date her, the past ten days of my life have never been so easy. Or drama-free.
“That has to be some kind of record,” Archer comments, pulling off his pads as we all get ready for the showers.
We just nailed Philly to the wall, and my goalie is in a particularly good mood, having secured yet another shutout.
I take a seat on the bench and start unlacing my skates.
I’ve no idea what he’s referring to, but I hope he’s about to thank me for putting in my best performance of the season so far—maybe even since I signed for the Blades.
Archer might have made the shutout, but no one was getting through our defensive line. I was on fucking fire tonight.
My goalie shakes his head, tossing his jersey into the wash bag set in the center of the locker room. “A whole game and not one punch thrown. I’m starting to think Philly lost that game through shock more than our own performance.”
From beside Archer, Jack snorts a laugh. It isn’t designed to antagonize or berate me. It’s friendly. “How does it feel?” he asks me.
“How does what feel, Cap?” I reply, head down and focused on my skates.
“To be growing all soft?” he clarifies.
I lift my head up and smirk at him. “I’ve got zero idea what you’re referring to.”
With a towel wrapped around his waist, Jack folds his arms over his chest, eyeing me carefully. He’s all golden retriever. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Jack Morgan since I moved to Brooklyn, the guy loves it when there’s a love story blooming.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Let’s just say, Kendra announcing that she’s pregnant wasn’t the only surprise revealed that night.”
Emmett sidles up next to Jack, a broad grin across his face.
Over the past few weeks, he’s been more forthcoming in conversation in the locker room and generally looks more relaxed than I’ve ever seen him before.
I don’t know why that is, but I like it.
I like Emmett to be honest, he’s a good guy and a great player and I want to get to know him better.
“When they left your place, Tommy and Jenna definitely didn’t hate-fuck. Oh no, it was slow and passionate.”
For the first time in my life, I blush in front of my teammates. Dropping my head, I stand from the bench and start working on my pads. “How about you all focus on your own relationships?” The second the words leave my mouth, I know I fucked up.
“Wait.” Archer cups his hand around his ear, pretending like he can’t believe what he just heard. “Did someone say relationships?!”
Jack claps his hands together, full fucking love-guru mode activated.
I roll my eyes and blush a-fucking-gain.
“Do you looooove Jenna Miller?” Jack dances over to me like a ballerina, a smile popping the dimple in his cheek. “She’s got you wrapped around her little finger; I could tell by the puppy-dog eyes you gave her at my place.”
“We aren’t dating,” I confirm, not bothering to deny that I have feelings for her since it would be a lie.
But do I love Jenna? I think there’s a fair chance I’m heading that way. And when I reach my final destination, I’ll likely crash and burn when the feeling isn’t reciprocated. Either way, I know I’ll never want to leave.
“But you want to date her?” From nowhere, Sawyer joins the conversation, and suddenly, I’m surrounded by four hockey players.
“I’m not discussing my love life with you,” I bite out, fighting against a tidal wave of intrigue.
“It’s okay.” Archer shrugs a shoulder, casting his eyes around our group. “I can get my bulletins from Darce. Jenna is keeping the girls updated.”
And just like that, I’m now the one desperate for information. “Wait, what?”
Archer rolls his jaw around, satisfied he now has me hooked.
He isn’t wrong.
“Jenna apparently told the girls that you want to date her,” Archer replies, drawing an excited gasp from Jack and a raised brow from Sawyer and Emmett.
I smirk, but it isn’t for the benefit of my teammates; it’s more to myself. Jenna is talking to her girlfriends about me. While I know absolutely nothing about dating and relationships, I do know that when a girl is caught up over a guy, she generally turns to her friends for advice.
Yeah, she’s into me.
And because my girl obviously doesn’t mind others knowing where we’re at, I decide what’s the harm in talking to a few guys about matters of the heart?
“Jesus Christ, this is fucking weird for me,” I announce, pushing a hand through my sweat-soaked hair.
Sawyer looks confused. “You mean talking to people about emotions or just talking to people in general?”
I can’t help but laugh at my own expense.
“Oh my God.” Jack points at the center of my chest. “Did I just witness Tommy Schneider laugh?”
“You sure did, Jack. I’m still processing the phenomenon myself,” Emmett replies.
“Fuck off,” I volley back.
“Annnd normal service has resumed,” Archer quickly counters.
I fight back another laugh and reset my focus on Jenna. “I won’t bore you with the details, but—”
“No. Please go ahead and bore us with the details. We want to know it all, from start to finish.” Jack steps forward.
Sawyer drops his head between his shoulders. “I say this with the greatest respect for my captain. But, please, shut the hell up, Jon, and let the guy speak.”
I offer Sawyer a thankful look.
“Jon?” Jack’s head darts to Sawyer. “My name is Jack.”
Sawyer just grins at him. “Sorry about that. I got the two of you mixed up for a second. You’re like the same person.”
Jack narrows his eyes at him, and, yep, I laugh again. What I’ve also come to learn is that while Coach Morgan may be Jack’s stepdad, they’re also like two peas in a pod, and this winds the hell out of my captain.
Handy to know.
“So, yeah, I have feelings for Jenna.” I cut to the chase.
“I’m in unknown territory because I’ve never been remotely interested in a girl before.
Trouble is, we didn’t get off on the right foot with each other, and now I’m trying to make up for being an asshole.
We might’ve started out hating each other, but that changed over time.
We’ve been meeting up …” I pause and rephrase to something more accurate.
“Well, I’ve been showing up at her apartment because I can’t seem to stay away. ”
I run a hand down my face, parting my fingers to eye my teammates, who stand, waiting patiently for me to continue.
“Up until I met Jenna, every person I’d ever known had been convinced I was an asshole.
” I huff out a breath and flick my eyes to Sawyer.
Bar Jenna, he’s the closest anyone has ever come to seeing beneath my bullshit.
“I get why she hated me since I’d punched her brother and treated her like shit, but I think I know why I did. ”
“Why?” Archer asks quietly.
I shake my head, remembering the way I told her that she was too old to interest younger guys like me.
“Because she intimidated me, and conversely, I seemed to have zero effect on her. She stood up to my gibes.” I scratch at the back of my neck.
“Planted surf ’n’ turf in my hotel room late at night so I’d stand in it when I got up and tried to work out what the fuck the smell was. ”
“What?!” Jack bursts out.
I wince. “When we were in Boston, I kind of slid her dinner into her lap. The same surf ’n’ turf I then stood in later that night.”
I look around at the four of them, all red-faced.
“Go ahead. Laugh.” I motion around the group.
Raucous laughter fills the locker room.
I wait a few beats for them to gather themselves. Like fucking kindergarteners.
“For a long while, it was back and forth like that. We’d fuck, and then she’d flee, hating herself for being with me, but equally unable to say no.” I look down at the floor. “I was the same.”
When I lift my head, Jack and Archer are exchanging a glance.
“What?” I ask.
Jack waves my question off. “It’s just your reference to fucking and fleeing. Archer used to do that when he was a playboy.”
Jack might be dismissing the phrase, but it isn’t totally irrelevant, and I know it.
“I think that’s why Jenna intimidates me.” I swallow and think about the real possibility that she could decide I’m not worth the risk and move on to someone else. I wouldn’t blame her if she did. I’m not exactly boyfriend material.
Even though I know I could be with her.
“She’s uber confident and sure of herself in bed.
She’s fucking fine to look at and super smart in general.
Add in that she’s a pro soccer player and about to be captain.
” I swallow hard. “I don’t stand a goddamn chance, do I?
Jenna was convinced that I was playing a game with her heart and head, but …
” I smile to myself, knowing I’ve been outplayed in every way possible.
“She was playing me all along. Even if neither of us knew it.”
Sawyer claps a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it in his palm, and I blink several times. What is it about this guy that stirs something deep inside of me?
I look up at him, not caring that he can probably see the emotions I’m feeling. This guy is a true father, the blueprint of how you should treat a son. Between him and Collins, Ezra is a lucky little dude.
Jenna was right again when she said that if I stopped acting like an asshole and actually gave people a chance, I might see the good in them.
Right here, in the Blades’ locker room, I feel myself fall for her a little harder.
“I’m royally fucked,” I say, dropping my head and pinching the bridge of my nose. “My feelings are getting stronger for her, even when she isn’t around or trying.”
Jack clears his throat, stepping toward me as Sawyer takes a pace back.
“You aren’t fucked, buddy. You’re just on your way to the greatest fucking redemption I’ve ever witnessed.
” He casts his hand around the room. “Every guy in here can see and appreciate the work ethic you’re putting in for the team.
You swallowed your pride and got on with being the player we knew you could be.
” He edges even closer, dropping his voice to keep our conversation private.
“And on a personal note, my respect for you soared when you did what you did to protect Jenna from that fucker.”
He doesn’t say Ethan’s name, and he doesn’t need to.
“I can tell the depths of your feelings just by the way you look at her.”
I simply nod at him, right as the locker room door pushes open and Coach Morgan walks in.
He scans the room, and his search finally ends when he lands on me, standing alongside my teammates. His face warms the second he takes in my surroundings, and then he quickly resets his demeanor, thumbing over his shoulder. “Grab a shower, Schneider. I need to talk with you in my office.”