Chapter 44
FLIP
Ialmost worked up the nerve to tell Tally about Fiona, but then I thought about how much stress she’s already under.
It’s unfair to put more on her plate just to get this thing off my chest. I also don’t want to do it in public, so I kept my mouth shut.
But when she’s through exams and settled, I’ll be honest with her about that piece of my past, even though it scares the absolute shit out of me.
I glance over my shoulder. Tally has been in the bathroom long enough that I start to worry. My phone buzzes with a new message.
Tally
I have a problem.
Flip
Do you need me?
Tally
I need a new dress and new panties.
I frown and push my chair back. What the hell is going on in that bathroom?
Flip
Coming to you.
I weave through the tables and walk down the hall, scanning the row of individual bathrooms. Three are occupied.
Flip
Which bathroom are you in?
Tally opens the door a crack. Her lips pressed together in a thin line, and she looks like she’s barely keeping it together.
“What happened?” I reach out to touch her hand. “Tell me what you need so I can fix it.”
She rolls her eyes to the ceiling, chin trembling. “It’s embarrassing.”
I try to lighten the mood. “Connor fucked a sandwich when we were teenagers to piss me off. It can’t be worse than that.” That I fucked his T-shirt first is irrelevant under the circumstances.
“I got my period,” she whispers, a single tear tracking down her cheek. “And my dress is ruined.”
It’s pale blue satin with a gauzy overlay. “Let’s see what we can do.”
“I don’t think there’s anything that can be done. Not here, anyway.” Another tear slides down her cheek, voice laced with panic. “I can’t walk out of here like this.”
“You won’t have to. Can I come in so I can help?”
Tally steps back, and I push through the gap in the door, locking it behind me. I can already see the problem reflected in the mirror. Her panties sit on the edge of the sink. It looks like she tried to rinse them and dry them with the hand dryer.
But the large spot on the back of her pale blue dress is the real problem.
It will be impossible to hide. We might be able to rinse it, but without the proper tools, it’s unlikely we’ll get all the blood out, and it could take a while—long enough for people to notice and ask questions.
She doesn’t need the negative attention.
“I have a potential solution.” I shrug out of my jacket. “Try this on.”
Tally slides her arms through it, unfortunately it’s a sports jacket.
“It doesn’t cover it.” I loosen my tie. “My shirt will, though.”
“What will you wear?”
I unfasten the buttons. “My jacket.” It’s not ideal, but it’s better than the alternative.
I help her out of her dress, and she puts her panties back on, lines them with toilet paper, and shrugs into my shirt. It’s massive on her, but it’ll do in a pinch. I take the sash from her dress and cinch it around her waist.
I shrug back into my jacket, adjust my tie, and fasten the buttons. “It’s a fashion statement, right?”
She worries her bottom lip. “What if people notice?”
I’m used to the negative speculation, and I’d rather have it aimed at me. “Your comfort is more important.” I smooth out her hair and kiss her softly. “You ready to go home?”
She swallows and nods.
I fold her dress to hide the stain and sling it over my arm, then link the other arm with hers. “I’ll get you in the car, then manage the bill, okay?”
“Okay. I’m sorry we didn’t get to eat dinner.”
“There will be plenty of other opportunities.” I open the bathroom door.
“I’ve got you.” I step out into the hall first and put a protective arm around her.
The only way to get to the rear entrance is by going the way we came.
Through the kitchen to the service entrance might be our option to avoid the most people.
I pull Tally closer, kissing her temple. “Head down, okay, kitten?”
She makes a noise of acknowledgement.
I walk her briskly down the hall. We almost make it to the kitchen unnoticed, except a random dude rounds the corner, phone in hand, blocking our way for a few precious seconds. His gaze bounces between me and Tally, eyebrows pulling together before popping high. “Flip Madden?”
“Hey, man.” We skirt the dude, and I hustle her through the kitchen doors.
Thankfully our server happens to be right there. I explain the situation in the vaguest of terms and he helps us get out with as little exposure to patrons as possible. I’m still worried about the guy in the hall, though.
“Want to take bets on how your dad plans to kill me?” I joke as I help Tally into the car.
“Probably with your own hockey stick,” Tally whispers.
“It would be apt.”
Once Tally is safely tucked away, I return to pay the bill. People take pictures of me in my suit jacket minus a shirt. Hemi will be pissed, but priority one is taking care of my girlfriend and getting her home and into comfortable clothes.
I join Tally in the car and set our boxed dinners on the back seat. “How you doing?”
“I’m mostly embarrassed and annoyed that Mother Nature ruined a really nice dinner and an expensive dress.”
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You don’t have control over your period any more than you do the moon cycle.” She laughs, and I squeeze the back of her neck. “And I’ll send the dress to the dry cleaners.”
“I thought I had another day to go,” she mutters.
“You need me to stop at the drug store to pick up supplies?”
She shakes her head. “I have stuff at your place.”
“Okay, good. So home it is.” I pull into traffic. “You want me to pick up dessert since we didn’t have a chance to order any?”
“Oh, maybe. I would give my left pinkie toe for one of Rix’s chocolate lava cakes.”
I smile. “You’re in luck. I have a few in my freezer. You want me to stop for anything else?”
She folds her hands over her stomach. “I think I’m okay.”
“You think of anything, you just let me know.”
A little while later, we pull into the underground lot. I’m thankful the elevator is empty and stays that way on the trip up to my apartment, even though most of the people in the building know me and wouldn’t post pictures on social media to create drama.
The people in the restaurant are a different story. That’s tomorrow’s problem, though. I’ll message Hemi later, once Tally is taken care of.
I let us into my apartment, and Tally disappears into the bathroom. While she cleans up I pull the lava cakes out of the freezer and turn the oven on. Tally reappears a few minutes later wearing joggers and one of my T-shirts.
“Better?” I run my hands down her arms.
“Much.”
“Feel like finishing dinner?”
“Definitely.”
We grab plates and cutlery, and I open the boxes.
“So.” I spear one of the seven artfully arranged green beans and offer it to Tally.
She nibbles the end. “I gotta be honest. The presentation is great, even boxed up.” I pop the rest of the bean into my mouth.
“And it tastes awesome, but the portions are small.” I motion to my cupboard.
“I was thinking maybe some spiral KD might be a decent addition.”
“That sounds like literal heaven.”
“Awesome. I’ll break out the good stuff, just for you.” I kiss her cheek.
Tally and I make the noodles together and put the lava cakes in to heat while we polish off dinner.
“Why are these always so good?” Tally spears a cheesy noodle and pops it in her mouth, followed by one of the maple-braised carrots.
“Comfort food? When I was a kid, we used to buy elbow noodles, powdered milk, and cheese sauce in bulk. It wasn’t until I went to the Hockey Academy that I learned most people just used the KD packets and bagged milk.”
Her expression softens. “Bagged milk was more expensive.”
“By a lot, yeah.” We were always trying to stretch grocery money. “And my appetite was endless.”
“It must have been so hard.”
I shrug. “It was all I knew.”
“Is it difficult to go out for a nice dinner like we did tonight? Places like that are super expensive.” Tally strokes the back of my hand.
“It used to be. At first, I worried it was all going to disappear.” My upbringing, coupled with what happened with Fiona when I signed my contract, exacerbated my fears for a long time.
Again, I’m tempted to tell Tally the real reason, but tonight has already been hard enough on her.
“Rix has been great about helping me invest,” I explain.
“And I have security after nine years in the pros, which makes it easier.”
“It’s wild that you’ve been doing this since you were my age.” Tally rubs her abdomen and winces. “I should have taken a painkiller as soon as I got here.”
“You getting sore?” I push my empty bowl away.
“Yeah. Nothing a couple pills and a heating pad won’t solve.”
“There are other ways to remedy that problem.” I want the closeness that comes with taking care of her.
She narrows her eyes. “I’m not going for a walk right now.”
“I’m not talking about a walk, kitten.”
She frowns.
“Orgasms help alleviate cramps,” I explain.
“I’m bleeding.”
I shrug. “Natural lube.”
“You’re serious.” She blinks up at me. “Are you serious?”
“I’m a hockey player, Tally. I’m not scared of blood, and my libido is always at a level ten.” I turn her to face me and push her legs apart. “You want a natural analgesic? I can help with that.” I run my hands up her warm thighs. “You were pushing my buttons earlier, let me push yours.”
She rolls her bottom lip, cheeks flushed. “It’ll be messy, though.”
“I have plenty of dark towels, and I would love to make you feel better.”
She runs her hands over my chest. “I would love that, too.”
I stand, pick her up and pause to turn off the oven before I carry her through the apartment. On my way to my bedroom, I grab dark towels from the bathroom closet and wet a couple of washcloths.