Chapter 23
Twenty-Three
Tweetie
I walk down the aisle of the plane to the usual seats I sit in with Conor, Rowan, and Henry, hoping to catch some sleep because I’ve slept like shit the last couple nights.
“Hey, Tedi. Welcome,” Coach Buford says.
There goes my nap.
“Thanks, Coach.” She walks by our row and sits two down by the window.
I fight my body’s reaction to ditch my friends and go sit next to her. Rowan sits across the aisle from me, eyeing me as though he’s waiting for me to do just that.
“Listen up,” Coach says, as everyone finds their seats. “Tedi’s joining us for this away game to get to know you guys better. So, if you got an email from her about meeting with you, you adhere to her schedule and be cooperative in the interviews. She’s doing this as a favor to you, so you don’t have to give up any personal time with your family when you’re at home.”
“Thanks, Tedi. Jade and Bodhi thank you too,” Henry says to her as he slides into the seat next to Rowan.
“Kiss-ass,” I murmur.
“I’m appreciative.” He buckles his seat belt and pulls out his phone, no doubt messaging Jade how much he loves her.
Conor is scrolling through his phone beside me, then unbuckles his belt and slides past me. “I’m first up. Sorry, Tweetie, you’ll have to find someone else’s hand to hold during takeoff.” He laughs and walks down the aisle, taking the seat next to Tedi. “How’s Decker doing?”
I slide over to the seat Conor was just in and shift to stare out the window.
“I’m sorry you didn’t get picked first,” Rowan says.
I flip him off.
“Seriously, don’t hurt Conor. We need him.” Henry pockets his phone as the flight attendants close the door, readying us to leave.
I didn’t get an email, so I guess she’s not going to get to know me. Then again, she knows everything there is to know. I haven’t changed in the three years we’ve had no contact.
The plane pushes off from the terminal and heads toward the runway.
Now I know the anxiety people feel on a plane. The suffocation that makes it feel as though you can’t breathe. Because I’m on this plane with her for the next two hours, and I have to try to pretend everything is normal.
After the plane barrels down the runway and we’re in the air, I try to rest my head on the small pillow. I wiggle to try to get comfortable, but when Conor slides into the seat next to me and I see McCormick take his place, I forget trying to sleep.
“Message for you, sir.” Conor drops a piece of paper on my lap and fastens his seat belt.
“What’s this?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. Sally asked me if you like-liked Tedi during study hall and said to give it to you.”
Rowan and Henry chuckle, their eyes on the note now in my hand.
Why would Tedi send a note to me instead of just talking to me? Have we really lost our way that much?
I open the letter, and my gut twists at seeing her handwriting again.
My room after check-in. Room 532. ~ Tedi
“Hmm… looks like being an asshole is working for you.” Conor looks at the guys. “Our little boy got an invite to her room,” he whispers.
“Now hopefully he doesn’t blow it.” Henry picks up his phone again.
“Doubtful. He refuses to grow up.” Rowan picks up his phone, doing the same as Henry. They’re probably playing some game on an app and competing with each other.
“You guys can all go fuck off,” I grumble.
The plane lands, and when I get into the terminal, I can finally breathe, being away from her. We file onto the bus, and Tedi sits up front with Coach Buford, thanking him for letting her do the interviews during the away game. The note burns a hole in my pocket.
What could she possibly want with me? There’s no way she… nah, she’s not looking to hook up with me. There’s no way. But if she was, would I want to? Fuck yeah, why did I even think twice about that? Sex with Tedi was always off the charts. I’ve missed it over the years. More than I care to admit.
Basically every other girl I’ve fucked since her, and there have been a lot, was in an effort to get her off my mind. To find someone else who measured up. But they never did. They never even came close.
We get our room keys, and I head up to the room I share with Conor. He drops his bags and plops on the bed as soon as we get in the room.
“Now, honey, remember, abstinence is the best form of birth control.” He finds the remote and turns on the television. We have about two hours before we have to show up to the rink.
“Screw you.” I walk out of our hotel room and find the hallway completely empty.
Taking the elevator down to the fifth floor, I follow the signs until I’m outside her door. I lift my hand to knock but lower it. What am I doing? This is a really bad idea. Tedi and I in a hotel room?
My stomach is a riot of nerves and anxious energy as I lift my hand again, my knuckles ready to knock on the door when it swings open.
“Jesus, Tweetie, what the hell are you doing?” Tedi walks away, and I put my foot out to stop the door from shutting.
She’s changed out of her dress slacks and blouse and into tight-ass workout pants and a T-shirt. She looks fucking hot, and I really wish this was a booty call even though it would fuck with my head even more.
The farther I get into the room, the more I see, and I realize that she’s got a suite.
“How did you know your room number?” I ask.
“Because I booked it myself and checked in on the app. Why does it matter?”
“It doesn’t, but I was curious.”
She sits at a small table, and my gaze shifts to the door that must lead to the bedroom area.
“Why do you want to see me?” I ask, ignoring all my instincts when it comes to her and sitting across the table from her.
“I didn’t want to tell you this on the plane.”
My body goes into high alert. My gaze flies to her left ring finger, but it’s bare. Then again, maybe they eloped or went to city hall or something and didn’t have time to get a ring. “What?”
She’s quiet. Whatever she has to tell me, she doesn’t want to. It’s written all over her face, and her body language screams it.
I’m thrust back into that hotel room three years ago when things between us fractured for the last time.
“Bud wants me to center the campaign around you,” she says.
I don’t really see why that’s bad until she continues.
“He wants it to be portrayed as this is your last year with the league. Like, will you get signed for next year or not?”
My blood boils. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” I bolt up from my chair and turn, pushing a hand through my hair.
“He’s an asshole, Tweetie.” She’s behind me immediately, her hand on my back. “If he doesn’t know what he has, then he shouldn’t be a GM.”
I can’t even listen to her try to pick up my spirits.
“Did he say that he isn’t going to extend my contract?” I circle around, and she’s quick to shake her head. Slight relief soothes my blood.
“No. I asked him point-blank, and he wouldn’t tell me, but he made it seem like he’s…”
“Just fucking say it, Tedi.” I prop my hands on my waist.
She swallows and her eyes glisten with wetness. “He seemed like he was on the fence.”
My head falls back. “Fucking hell.”
She places her hands on my arms. The impulse to wrap my arms around her and pull her in is a living, breathing entity inside me.
“He’s probably playing a game,” she says. “I don’t trust him, and neither should you.”
“I have to go.” I step back, and her hands fall off me. As much as I hate it, it’s necessary if I’m going to keep my head on straight.
“Just wait. Let’s talk about this.” She follows me to the door, and when I put my hand on the knob, her hand covers mine. “Don’t leave.”
I close my eyes to center myself, but her chest to my back feels so good, so right. All I want to do is push all this pain away by sliding into her. To let her soothe the unbearable anger rising up inside me.
Fuck Bud Caldron.
I turn and rest my back on the door. Both of our hands slide off the doorknob.
“I’m so pissed.” I scrub my face with my hands.
“I know. I was mad for you, but you need to channel it into your game tonight.”
God, she looks so good. I’ve been starving for the sight of her, and my gaze dips down her body. I swear I hear a slight moan slip from her lips. My hands fall to her hips before I can stop myself.
“Tweetie.” Her voice is barely a whisper, her eyes wide.
I step forward, turning her so her back is to the door, then I rest one arm above her head and keep the other one on her hip. “You know it’s always been you, right?”
I don’t know why I say it. It’s the truth, no doubt, but why I’m confessing it to her here, I don’t know.
She shakes her head and puts her hand on my chest. “You’re just upset.”
“I’m fucking so pissed off that I could tear this room apart.” My gaze doesn’t leave hers. When I lean down, her hand falls from between us. “Tell me to stop.”
I’m practically begging her to save me from myself before I cross this line I’m not sure I’ll make it back from. Her chest rises and falls, but her eyes never leave mine.
I’m millimeters from her lips, and I can taste her breath. Her breasts brush my chest with each deep inhale, and I want this more than my next goal.
“We can’t.” She pushes me back.
I blink several times, and my stomach sinks. “Fuck, Decker.”
“Yeah… Decker.” Her head shakes as if she were as lost as I was.
“Yeah. God, sorry.” I run my hands through my hair and step farther away.
Kissing Tedi behind Decker’s back would be really shitty. I’m a lot of things, but I’m not that guy. And I know for a fact that Tedi’s not that girl.
“I’m gonna go. Thanks for telling me.” I open the hotel room door so I won’t say fuck it, pick her up, and take her to the bedroom.
“I’m sorry. For what it’s worth, I think he’s crazy.”
I nod, step out, and walk down the hall.
I don’t hear the door shut behind me, and I feel her eyes on me the entire way to the elevator, but I never turn around for fear that my self-control will crumble.