44. Stefan
44
STEFAN
Wren and I are back in New York for the underprivileged kid thing. Kallen is still pissed at me because if looks could kill, I’d be six feet under right now, but if anyone should be pissed, it’s me. For the last week, my phone and email have blown up with his people and mine trying to come up with a game plan for today. Luckily for me, Wren has everything sorted.
“It’s go time,” Wren says, walking up to me. I want nothing more than to pull her into my arms and kiss her, but we’re still hiding our relationship. It’s funny, you’d think it would be me wanting to hide us, but all I want to do is hold her hand in public and attend an event with her on my arm as my girlfriend and not in the background as my handler/image consultant. “Do you know where Kallen is?”
Looking around, I find him and Chelsea together. They really do make a cute couple and I’m glad to see her happy … but I don’t give two fucks about him. He can fuck a hockey stick sideways for all I care. Pointing him out, the two of us walk over to the happy couple.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Wren says with a smile, “but, Kallen, it’s time for you guys to give your speech.”
“Sure,” he replies. He looks to Chels and sternly adds, “We’ll finish this later.”
Kallen and I follow Wren to the front of the room. We stand to the side of the makeshift stage and Wren begins explaining what’s about to happen and the timeline of events. Kallen is not paying attention and his lack of respect for Wren and what we’re doing pisses me off.
“Focus, Jones,” I snap under my breath so only he can hear.
With the plan of events locked in, we have a few moments before this thing officially starts. So I take the opportunity to head to the restroom but before I make it to the men’s room, I bump into Chelsea when she exits the ladies’. She looks like shit but when she sees me, her face pales further.
“Shit, Stefan, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.”
“Are you okay, Chels?” I reach out and rest my hand on her arm in concern. She drops her gaze to where I’m touching her and quickly pulls her arm free.
“I’m fine, Stefan.”
“You look a little green, Chels. You sure you’re okay?” She nods again to reassure me. “I thought for a minute there you had a bun in the oven.” Her eyes widen and I realize that she is. “Fuck me, you’re pregnant?”
“Yes,” she hisses, “but Kallen doesn’t know and you can’t tell him. Don’t be a douche and ruin my Christmas surprise.”
“You’re the worst secret keeper ever. How does he not know?” I question because Chelsea Maxwell, well, Jones, is the worst secret keeper ever.
“Please,” she begs, ignoring my secret jab. “I ... I, please don’t tell Kal.”
“Don’t tell Kal what?” the man in question asks when he joins us.
“That she’s still in love with me,” I cockily taunt him.
“Yeah, I call bullshit on that.” He looks to Chels. “What are you not telling me, babe?”
The two of them chat about her recent bouts of sickness and I wait for the moment to click in his brain, but he must be dumber than I thought because he still has no idea. Me being me, well, I can’t help but be a douche. “Maybe she’s pregnant.”
Chelsea glares at me and Kallen stands next to his wife in shock, but it soon morphs to excitement and now I kind of feel bad for ruining her surprise. I think back to when I found out that I was going to be a dad, even if it was a lie, I was so excited. No one should have a moment like this taken from them so I tune back into their conversation, and I decide to help Chels. Fake gagging, I push between them and race into the bathroom behind us, pretending to vomit.
“Maybe you both have food poisoning?” Kal suggests and to keep up the ruse, I fake spew again. There’s a knock then Kallen asks, “You okay, D?uchmen?”
“Fine,” I yell out.
Wren comes barreling in. “Stefan, Oh My God, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I reassure her. Then I whisper, “I’ll tell you later. Now let’s get this thing over with, we have a hotel room to christen.” Her cheeks darken and we exit the bathroom. Kallen leaves Chelsea with her friend and we give our speech.
I’m not really paying attention to what Kallen’s saying but my ears prick when he says, “Sometimes you’ll come across people you clash with, and that’s okay. It’s how you deal with those people that shows the kind of person you really are. Like a puzzle piece, the right pieces fit together perfectly and with the help of those around you, you get the complete picture.”
Shit , I hiss to myself that’s going to be hard to top. Taking the spot in front of the microphone, I take a deep breath and begin. “I think Kallen summed up everything perfectly, and he’s right, we may be different but together we’re part of one big picture. Sometimes that final piece may be hard to place but when you do, it’s perfect in every way. And with that being said, I’ll wrap things up but before I do, I need to offer an apology.” This is my way of finishing the puzzle that is New York and my troubled past. “I need to apologize to my former teammates and my old coach. I really was a douche when I was playing here in New York. I thought my shit didn’t stink and the world owed me. I hurt a lot of people along the way. Sorry for not being the teammate and man I should have been, but I guess it worked out well because you married a pretty great chick.” Turning to face my nemesis, I add, “Kallen, you’re pretty great too. I know we’ve had our differences, on and off the ice, but that’s all in the past and I hope one day we can become friends.” He looks shocked at my words but nonetheless, he smiles and nods. I’ll take that as a win. “I also need to thank Wren for keeping my ass, I mean butt, in line and putting up with me.” I catch her eye and wordlessly, we say what we mean to each other. Then I look back to the crowd. “Most of all, Kallen and I need to thank you guys, our fans. Without fans like you, we wouldn’t have the desire to win. You guys cheering us on is always the push we need to play at our best. Sure, some of you root for the wrong team.” The Crushers in attendance boo and I chuckle. “And yes, I know I used to be a Crusher, but I’m now with the far superior team.” Now it’s my teammates turn to cheer. “But rivalry is good, when it’s handled professionally and left on the ice. I think Kallen will agree with me, life is much simpler when we don’t have management, or Wren, riding our butts.”
Kallen steps up to the microphone. “I don’t know about Wren riding my butt ’cause, well, I’m not a douche, but I do have a wife and father-in-law who keep me in line.”
Leaning into the mic, I shove him away. “Boys and girls, don’t hook up with the coach’s daughter because the coach will push you harder, on and off the ice.”
“It’s worth it if you ask me.” Kallen must spy Chels because he gets this look on his face, and it’s one I recognize; it’s one of unequivocal love. Pushing that aside, I get back to my speech. “Life is hard and we aren’t always going to get along with everyone, and that’s okay. But we need to treat each other with respect. Life is difficult enough without making it harder for ourselves by focusing on the negatives.” Finding Wren again, I stare at her as I say, “A wise woman once told me to show respect to everyone, even those who don’t deserve it because it reflects on you and your character in how you treat them.” Looking to Kallen at my side, I focus on him. “Jones, I’m sorry for being a jackass to you.” Then I find Chelsea. “And, Chels, I let my insecurities fester and it wasn’t until I was about to lose it all that I realized, only I can change what happens in my life and dragging you down with me, what a shi—crappy thing to do.”
“I…ummm, wow, I don’t know what to say,” Kallen stammers from next to me.
“You don’t have to say anything, just know I’m sorry and I’m sure you’ll make a great dad.” My eyes widen at my slip of the tongue and then I quickly tack on, “One of these days.”
“Thanks, man, and truth be told, I’m sorry too.”
“What are you sorry for?” I furrow my brows because Kallen hasn’t done anything wrong. All the animosity between us was because of me and my insecurities.
“I’m not sure exactly but after you’re heartfelt speech, I felt like I needed to say it too. I’m sure I did just as many douchey things as you did.”
“Let’s leave the past in the past and focus on the future?” I offer him my hand and he shakes it.
The crowd claps and when I look up, Chelsea is walking toward us and I notice she’s wiping at her eyes. “You guys, that was amazing,” she says when she reaches us.
“I meant it, Chels, I’m sorry. I was horrible to you when we dated and the things I did to you, I’m ashamed of myself.”
“As you said, it’s in the past. I’ve moved on … and I think you might have too.” She head nods toward Wren who is talking with one of the organizers, but her eyes are locked on me. She quickly averts her gaze when she realizes we are watching.
“I’m trying, but she’s stubborn.” I need to get her to admit we are a thing publicly because this hiding, it’s not sitting well with me. Secrets never stay secrets, trust me, I know. I want us to tell the world on our terms but if secret is all I can get for now, I’ll do it because she’s worth it.
“Is she worth the fight?” Chelsea asks and smiles because it’s like she was just in my head.
“Yeah, she is.”
“Then don’t give up,” Chels tells me. “Be the man I first fell in love with, and she’ll have no choice in the matter.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Because I’m happy and, Stefan, that’s all I ever wanted for you. Sure, you and I didn’t work out and you did the worst thing possible to a girl, but I never wanted you to be alone and unhappy. Everyone deserves happiness, Stefan, even douches who cheat.”
“Thank you,” I tell her.
She shocks me when she wraps her arms around me and whispers, “And thanks for earlier.” She pulls back. “It was eye-opening all around.”
“It really was,” Kallen agrees. “Thanks for making this fun, I was really dreading it.”
“You and me both.” I nod in agreement. “As it turns out, you’re not so bad after all, but just know, the next time we play you guys, I’m going to wipe the ice with your ass.”
“And the douche is back,” he teases.
“Once a douche, always a douche.” Saying goodbye, I step around them and walk over to Wren.
“Wanna get out of here?”
“Yeah, but one question, what’s going on between you and Chelsea?”
Filling her in on what transpired in relation to her being pregnant, she smiles up at me. “That was a really nice thing you did.”
“I can be nice.”
“I know you can … I just wish you showed this side more often.”
Me too , I think to myself as we walk out of the event that was eye-opening in more ways than one, because I realized today that I love this woman more than I love myself.