Chapter 9
DECLAN
Ihook my hands under the arms of an eight-year-old who just fell on the ice. As soon as he is up on two feet, he’s gliding away from me as if nothing happened. That’s pretty much what kids do, bounce back. Or at least, that’s what I’ve noticed the last two days of helping at the kids’ summer camp.
They skate around without a care in the world, and I’m kind of jealous. Being stuck in the crossroads of your life isn’t exactly a clear-minded experience.
Skating to the boards, I watch as the group of mostly boys skates around to warm up. I don’t have a clear plan about what I’ll teach them today, but I feel like taking shots at the net is a basic good start.
“Don’t forget that lunch is at one,” Connor reminds me from off the ice.
I glance at him and see that he’s busy surveying his to-do list on his tablet.
To my surprise, Ford didn’t have to rope Connor into being a camp coordinator; he volunteered.
Of course, he negotiated his hourly wage, so it’s not exactly volunteering.
“Lunch?” I cock a brow.
He looks at me as if I’m crazy. “Yeah, with the kids. Some days you can do your own thing to have a break, but today is team building, so enjoy your peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, or cheese sandwich if you have a peanut allergy. If you really feel like you want to live it up, then have a juice box too.” His tone is mundane.
I rub the back of my neck and blow out a breath. I forgot, and I was kind of looking forward to lunch with Violet. Now I’ll have to find a new time and wait even longer to see her.
“Not a problem,” I lie. “Okay, make sure they’re all lined up in five minutes. You should get your skates on, I want your help this morning,” I tell him.
Connor looks up from the screen. “Really? You want my help?”
“Isn’t that why you’re here, Mr. Varsity Hockey Player?” I flash him a grin, as I can tell my request is boosting his ego a bit. In truth, he has talent, and he’s going places. I feel confident enough to give him a little responsibility.
“Okay, I’ll be right back.”
I nod my head, and I quickly step off the ice to grab my phone from my bag. Quickly, I scroll down my contacts, then touch the screen to type.
Me
How caffeinated are you today? I won’t be able to escape for lunch. What about room service at dinner time?
The moment I hit send, I realize that a dinner time slot is slightly risky. It leaves a gray area about what to do for the night—stay or go. It’s the ambiguous no-man’s land of fuck-buddy protocol. She sees the message instantly, and the dots move.
Violet
Oh, dinner…
Huh, she must be thinking it too.
I guess it could work.
7?
Sure.
Alright, see you then. Slightly disappointed I never got a photo…
I throw in a crying emoji.
I had no free hands…
I chortle a laugh and quickly look around to check that nobody is taking notice of me.
I can help you later.
How courteous. ;)
Have to go teach these kids, but I’ll see you later, if that bird doesn’t get to you first…
Good luck! And if Nugget hasn’t killed me by now, then I think we’re safe.
I smile to myself and place my phone back in the bag.
Violet is someone who I think, when all is said and done, after our little round of weeklong fun ends, that she could be a friend.
It’s easy to talk to her, never makes me feel a need to impress, and she’s funny.
The drop-dead-gorgeous factor can’t be denied either.
Only this week, I remind myself.
I don’t do relationships. Hell, I can’t even figure out what makes me happy careerwise right now, but if I ever did a relationship, then I suppose I would want the woman to be exactly like Violet.
I guess her future husband will be one lucky man.
The idea of her with someone else causes a sour feeling in my stomach, but I can’t think for too long.
Connor returns and sits on the bench to remove the skate guards.
“We’re going to do two lines. I need your help keeping the kids in order. After everyone has a turn, then we need to collect the pucks and do another round. I don’t want too many pucks lying around on the ice, it’s too much of a hazard with the kids,” I explain.
“Sure.”
Connor heads out onto the ice, but as I begin to move, I hear Ford call my name. I smile when I see him walking down the stairs.
“Go ahead and start, you got this,” I call out to Connor.
“Putting my son to good use?” Ford grins before leaning against the boards.
“Absolutely. What has you in a good mood?” I wonder, as he seems happy today. Then again, Ford is normally very content these days.
Ford glances out onto the ice then back to me. “I was getting my coffee from Jolly Joe’s. Remember the place where they put jellybeans in your coffee, and you never know which color you’ll get?”
I wince from the idea of it, sounds disgusting.
“Anyway, the local real estate agent mentioned that this one house is going up on the market soon. If you’re interested, then she can get you in before it hits the market.”
“Why would I do that?” I play, entertained.
He slaps a hand against my shoulder. “Because if you are serious about the Spinners training here, then the Dizzy Duck Inn just won’t do. Besides, doesn’t the idea of fresh air and a lake house sound like a nice little escape?”
My brows bounce because he isn’t wrong. “Send me the number of the agent, and I’ll consider it.”
“Great. You know Violet was a city girl until she moved here, and I think it’s been great for her. A different scene completely changed her life. I mean, I’m sure having people she knows around helps. But you know people here.”
There is something about his sentence that piques my interest. “Why did she need a change of scene?”
Ford scratches his cheek. “Everyone has a rough patch at some point. I guess I never told you about her car accident.”
Immediately, I’m invested to learn more. “No, what accident?”
Ford waves me off. “It’s a long story, but she’s fine now.” He indicates with his head to the group on the ice. “Connor may need some help. He’s outnumbered, and those eight-year-olds are circling him. Time to go awe them.”
I’m uneasy now. I want to discover what Violet never mentioned. In a feral sort of way, I feel responsible to know all her secrets, considering I am one of them.
But now isn’t the moment for me to play detective. Thankfully, I’ll see her tonight.
Violet shakes out her hair as she steps into my room. “It’s pouring out there.”
“Luckily, I have no plans of leaving these four walls,” I tell her as I help her out of her rain poncho which has parrots on it.
That’s what I like about her, she brings humor to everything, including the things she hates.
“I didn’t order room service yet, wasn’t sure what you would want to eat.
No joke, I ate peanut butter and jelly for lunch. ”
“Grape or strawberry jelly?” she interrogates.
I scoff a sound. “Grape, of course. To be honest, I forgot how much I missed such a classic sandwich.”
She giggles and walks to the table to grab the menu, taking notice of the paper crane I made while I waited for her. “They actually have a really good plate of nachos here. The steak is good too—oh, and the pumpkin tortellini is to die for.”
“Just order a few things.” I walk to the mini fridge to grab a beer, and I hold up the bottle of wine, but she shakes her head.
“I drove here, and it’s raining. And staying the night is kind of out of the boundaries.” She clicks the inside of her cheek.
I grin at her logic, because I was wondering if she picked up on the obstacle of a dinner meet-up, but once again, she is making this too easy for me.
She closes the menu. “Okay, you will be ordering us nachos and two steaks.”
“I’m ordering?” I walk to her and grab the menu from her.
Violet pokes a finger into my chest. “Yes, because I already snuck my way up here to avoid Ted at reception. The last thing I need is someone recognizing my voice then starting the Lake Spark gossip train.” She holds her finger up into the air. “Gotta love our little Lake Spark bubble.”
“I guess. But lucky us, the inn went digital, and we can order via the TV.” She gives me an unimpressed pout. “Which I’m excellent at using, so I will handle that order right now,” I assure her, and her smile returns.
Two minutes later, we have food ordered and an ETA of forty-five minutes.
“Whatever shall we do while we wait?” Violet’s tone is flippant as she begins to unbutton her blouse. The view sends a spiral of heat straight to my dick.
My voice lowers, and I step closer to her. “Getting you on your knees is an idea. Just throwing out options.”
Violet’s eyes dance as she tips her chin up. Instantly, I hook my finger under her jaw to bring her lips to mine.
Relief fills me, because apparently the craving to kiss her all day was of a higher magnitude than I realized.
It’s the way she whimpers into my mouth because our lips refuse to part. Better yet, it’s her murmur when our tongues untangle for a second, while she drapes her arms over my shoulders and my hands frame her hips, pulling her tight to me. I like it all.
We fall back onto the bed, and I yank down the blouse, stealing a glimpse of her purple bra in the process. Fucking lace.
I’m far too fortunate.
She begins to tug on the bottom of my t-shirt. “Was my mouth on your cock an option too?” she purrs.
Extremely fortunate.
“Absolutely, but I’ve been dying to fuck your pussy for far too long. Maybe a quick round?” I toss her over my lap to ensure she’s straddling me. I want her to feel my hard dick thrusting between her legs.
But in a split second, the beautiful glint in her eyes entraps me, and suddenly, everything Ford said earlier runs through my brain.
The confident woman on top of me has a past, a puzzle piece that I want to find, when I have no right to.
Her face and movement still when she notices that I’m surveying her more intently, causing her eyes to narrow. “You okay?” she whispers.