Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
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When I walk into the Turtle Tide, the aroma of fresh seafood, french fries, beer, and all the accompanying spices shifts my saliva glands into overdrive.
Nautical-themed objects and signs cover the wood-paneled walls, and light blue tweedy fabric patterned with dark teal anchors or seashells covers the booth cushions.
Soft globe lights covered in rope dangle over the tables, and yacht music plays softly in the background. The place is warm and cozy, and I understand why it’s such a popular hangout for the team.
A waving hand draws my attention to a table at the back of the restaurant. I recognize Sophie’s big smile, pink top, and near-black bangs right away. Mia’s blonde head and Lily’s honey brown one both turn in my direction as well, both smiling as they wave me toward the table.
As I approach, I take in the French doors leading to a patio, which give a full view of powdery white sands and the aqua blue ocean beyond.
I arrived almost a week ago, and I’ve yet to explore the beach, let alone the nuances of this cozy town.
I’d planned to ask Wade to take me for that sunset walk, but he wound up getting injured.
Perhaps this weekend I can go by myself.
Or even better, perhaps my new friends might like to make a day of it.
I slide into the booth next to Sophie, letting my purse strap fall to the bench seat. She pulls me into a hug while the other two ladies continue to smile at me.
“I’m so glad you came.” She squeezes me tighter before releasing me.
“Me too.” I tuck my hair behind my ear, my nerves making me feel a bit on edge.
Or maybe I’m hangry? I wound up so busy working on the Date a Hockey Player event that I never ate lunch.
And then Rebecca asked me to handle a social media hiccup involving one of the rookies, who took the crown from the team’s new mascot, Stingin’ Ray, and posted a video of himself parading around the locker room wearing it.
When I explained he’d jumped the gun in revealing the new mascot, he frowned and said it was only the crown.
He had a point. Instead of taking the video down, I reposted it on the team feed as a small hint about the big reveals planned for the game on Saturday.
The fans ate it up, reposting and sharing, while posting guesses what it could be in the comments.
Nothing like a little intrigue to get our stats pumped up.
My favorite speculated that the crown was for Payton, along with an honorary title of royalty in Sarabella. The thread of replies had so many hilarious suggestions, I tucked it away for future reference, just in case.
Yeah, that was my day—crazy yet great, because Rebecca said my pivot to make a blunder appear intentional was brilliant. And I may have preened a little over her praise.
I pick up the menu. “What’s good here?”
All three reply at the same time, “Everything.”
We all erupt into giggles, which diffuses my nervousness about fitting in with these three women.
They’ve done nothing to make me uncomfortable.
Quite the opposite, actually. The shy girl I used to be in school returned with a vengeance after the whole Chase debacle, bringing back my insecurities in a major way, so this feels like an upgrade in comparison.
“We already ordered some hushpuppies.” Just as she says this, the server arrives with a tray holding a red basket lined with checkered paper and three glasses of white wine.
Mia slides her glass closer. “We didn’t know if you preferred wine or beer. Or water.” She adds the latter as an afterthought.
“Wine sounds great.” I smile at the server. “I’ll have the same.”
She nods and leaves.
After taking a sip, Lily lowers her glass. “So, Aubrey Marie Sutton, what’s your story?”
How does she know my middle name? I’m almost positive that the subject didn’t come up last night. “How did you know Marie was my middle name?”
Mia waves her off. “Don’t mind her. She’s a bodyguard—”
“Former bodyguard,” Lily interjects.
“Whatever.” Mia rolls her eyes. “As I was saying, don’t mind her. She investigates everyone she meets.”
I didn’t have a chance to ask Lily about her profession last night.
On that first day at the arena, Payton explained what had happened earlier in the season when his title as an heir apparent wound up leaked to the press.
He kind of glossed over his fiancée being his bodyguard, though.
“Payton mentioned you were his bodyguard.”
Lily pauses mid-sip and puts her glass down. “He loves to pull that card out every chance he gets.”
After I thank our server for the wine she places in front of me, I return my attention to Lily. “He didn’t go into detail. Did you really have to protect him from a threat?”
“Only from himself and the press, thanks to a rival who has a bone to pick with him and revealed Payton’s true identity to the paparazzi.”
Sophie dips a hushpuppy into a creamy orange sauce. “You should have seen her take charge. Even I was shaking in my shoes.”
Lily dons a maniacal grin. “Now I get to put all those skills to work for the team.”
“Playing bodyguard?” I can easily imagine her bossing those guys around.
She snorts. “Sometimes. But not really. I handle security at the arena.”
Mia groans.
We all turn to face her.
She bounces her gaze to each of us. “What?”
Sophie gives her a pointed stare. “Why are you upset?”
“I’m not.” Her tone borders on a whine. Next, she lets out a harrumph and drops her chin into her hands. “Fine. I’m envious. You all have such exciting jobs. Sophie’s a photojournalist. Lily’s head of security over the arena, and the new girl here does PR for the team.”
Sophie rolls her eyes. “Here we go again.”
Mia sits up straight, stiff as a board. “What does that mean?”
“You’re always complaining about how boring your job is, but you know you love it.”
“I didn’t say I hated it. Just that it sounds dull compared to you three.”
Lily gives her a pointed look. “Then don’t compare. Be proud of the fact that you’re shaping minds for the future.”
“True.” Mia lifts her glass to take a sip.
Sophie takes it from her. “New girl?”
Mia cringes, then dons an apologetic expression. “Sorry, Bree. I was being sarcastic. Soph will tell you I’m a snark queen. Just my MO.”
Appreciating her apology, I smile. “No worries. I get it. My job may sound glamorous, but it’s not. Especially with hockey. The smell alone has me rethinking my career choice many a time.”
All three laugh and nod their agreement because they know full well. I settle in, enjoying the camaraderie forming among us as we talk about everything and anything. The conversation never lags, not even when our meals arrive.
I’m on my second glass of wine, something I rarely do, when I notice Lily keeps staring at me. I focus on finishing my scrumptious fried shrimp and oysters, but she continues to study me.
Finally, I sit back and touch my cheek as I return her stare. “Do I have tartar sauce on my face?”
Lily shakes her head. “No, just wondering when you’re going to tell us what happened last night.”
Feeling pinned, I push my wine glass away.
Sophie rests her hand on my wrist. “The thing you have to understand about Lily is that she doesn’t beat around the bush, but know that her directness always comes from a place of caring.”
Emboldened by my liquid courage, I slide my eyes to Sophie. “Wow, I can see why you’re a journalist.”
“Photojournalist.”
Lily leans catty-corner across the table toward Sophie. “I still struggle to grasp the difference between the two, since you write the articles that go with your pictures.”
Sophie waves her off, but faces me. “You don’t have to share anything you’re not ready to talk about, okay? We just want you to know we’re here for you. And if we can help, I hope you’ll let us.”
Mia and Lily both nod at me with compassionate smiles.
Lily’s brows lift. “Oh, I know. I could tell you about the time I had to help a client get dressed after I found them passed out naked in the bathroom. That was pretty bad.”
Mia diverts her gaze to Lily. “You never mentioned that one. Male or female?”
“Male”
“Attractive?”
“Very.”
“Then what made it so bad?”
“He totally missed the toilet.”
“Ewww,” all three of us say in unison.
I sigh. “Thanks for trying, but it’s a long and complicated story.”
Sophie slides my wine glass back to me. “We have all evening.”
For the next hour, I tell the story of how Chase and I reconnected when I started working for the Texas Stars, and how things progressed to us secretly dating and the resulting toxic relationship. I gloss over some details because I’m still too embarrassed.
Sophie squeezes my arm. “Wait. Let me wrap my brain around this. He basically used your relationship to manipulate you into handling his social media to make him look better for sponsorships and to get the attention of the Dallas Stars management?”
I nod, leaving out how I willingly went along with it until I quit my job and tried freelancing until I could figure out my life.
“And he cheated on you, too?” Mia jumps in.
Heat creeps up my neck and into my face, which I cover with my hands.
“I know. I was so stupid. When I questioned things, he would reassure me that he loved me and that it was all for our future. But the more I did for him, the more he asked until I was just in too deep.” I drop my hands.
“I ended it the minute I found out he was cheating on me, though.”
Adding that last part does nothing to lessen my extreme embarrassment. I didn’t intend to share all the sordid details, including my mortification, but between the wine and their compassion, the spew just kept coming.
Lily’s the one who reaches out and squeezes my wrist this time. “Do not blame yourself for what he did to you, Bree. He gaslighted you. That’s worse than the cheating part in my book.”
Mia nods her agreement, and I think she has tears in her eyes. “He sounds like a sociopath.”
Sophie takes my other hand into hers and holds it. “We’re here for you. Whatever you need to move past this, okay?”
A burn starts behind my eyes, more out of gratitude. I expected a little judgment, considering how irresponsible I feel for allowing myself to wind up in such an awful situation, but these women are completely on my side.
The massive weight I’ve been carrying sloughs off my shoulders and joins the fried crumbs on the floor. Talking about what happened and opening up feels so cathartic. Like, I can finally move past this and get on with my life.
Later that evening, we parted ways, saying our goodbyes in the parking lot. As I head toward my car, Sophie calls out to me.
I stop and turn around to find her walking toward me at a fast pace.
She stops in front of me, glances down, and pushes her hair behind one ear. “Listen, I hope you’re not mad at Luke for asking me to do some investigating.”
So that’s how Wade found out. I let this bit of information sink in, trying to decide how to feel about it. I’m not mad at Sophie, but I am very curious as to why Luke would ask her to do that.
She must take my silence as a sign that I’m upset with Luke because she suddenly looks bereft. “Luke takes his captain duties to the extreme sometimes. He said Wade was concerned about what happened to you in Texas, so he thought this might help.”
“No, it’s okay. I understand. I haven’t talked to Wade about it yet. But I will,” I add, but I don’t know if I’m saying that for her or for me.
After sharing more than I intended and then being affirmed that it wasn’t all in my head, I feel ready to talk to Wade. And I should before he hears any more rumors and does something ridiculous like ask one of his hockey buddies to rough Chase up. Or does it himself.
He wouldn’t do that, would he?
A hesitant smile forms on her face. “Wade really cares about you a lot, Bree.”
I let out a weary laugh. “Maybe too much sometimes. You should see how protective he is of his sisters, too.”
She studies me for a moment. “Somehow, I don’t think it’s the same.”
What is she talking about? “Why do you say that?”
“I saw the way he looked when he stormed over last night.”
Stormed? I had my back to him, so I missed that, but he did drag me into the bedroom like a Neanderthal. Funny thing is, I kind of liked it.
“What—what did he look like?” My mouth goes dry as I try to imagine Wade in a protective fury…over me.
“Jealous.”
I shake my head. “Not possible. Wade and I are like brother and sister.”
Sophie barks out a short laugh. “Trust me. Brothers do not look at their sisters like that.”