Chapter 41
RAIN
Idrove while Tyler was on his phone. Most of the people he called answered, and they sounded like old friends of his sister’s.
They were excited to hear from him. Most wanted to catch up, but he tried to keep it short.
We checked an apartment building first, and he ran in by himself.
He came back out five minutes later, and off we went again.
At the end of the seventh call, he said, “Yeah. No. It’s great to hear your girls are doing well.
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Thanks. Yeah, if you hear from her, give me a call.
Thanks again.” After hanging up, he cursed, rubbing his forehead.
“Fuck’s sake. The problem with my sister is that she has a whole network of people I don’t know.
Some of them don’t even have phones. I’ve called all the people I can think of, but I’ve not been back here to socialize in a fucking decade. ”
I needed to concentrate with the traffic. I couldn’t sort through this with him at the same time, so I turned into a cafe’s parking lot.
“What are you doing?”
I pulled into a slot and put the car in park. “Let’s go through the basics. Her best friends.”
He held up his phone. “I called them.”
“Okay. Family members?”
“It’s just her and me. And Zoey.”
“No cousins?”
He shook his head. “No one. The woman who helped us didn’t have family or kids. And that was only for a few years. She’s down in Florida. It was really just Skylar and me growing up. She didn’t get close to any of my billet families.”
Their parents died in a car crash.
My chest squeezed, and I cleared my throat. “Okay, work friends. Who are they?”
He thought for a moment. “She has two jobs. She works at a bar part time. She doesn’t need the money, but my sister is stubborn.
I bought their condo. I pay for their medical insurance.
She works so she has something to do while Zoey’s in school, and now she’s getting older.
Her social life is more active. She also works full time at a nursing home. ”
“Your sister or Zoey?”
“My sister.”
“You don’t know who your sister’s work friends are?”
“Do you know your siblings’ work friends?” he shot back.
“Yes, because it’s blasted on Instagram and TikTok. I’d rather not know, but when I took this job, that meant I had to tune into the lovely world of the NHL again.”
He stopped short, frowning at me before he burst out laughing. “Jesus.” He chuckled. “The joys of having celebrity brothers, huh? You and my sister could probably vent over a whole box of wine.”
“I’d rather not.” I gave him a pointed look.
He cursed softly. “Shit. I forgot that Ski and Daniel dated. I mean, I didn’t forget. I hate that fucking asshole. He’s part of the reason she got hurt, but I keep forgetting the details. Does that make sense?”
Ski. I’d heard him use the nickname before, but my mind had been caught up with other worries. Now, more memories flooded in.
I must’ve made some sort of face because he asked, “What?”
I shrugged. “It’s nothing. Just…Daniel used to tease her about being called Ski.
I heard him sometimes in the house, bitching about it.
He didn’t understand it, and she wouldn’t let him use it.
Said it was just for you.” I laughed, but it was bitter.
“He hated that, being told he couldn’t do something.
Sad part is that he didn’t even really care.
Not about your sister. Not about the nickname. He just didn’t like being told no.”
“Oh.”
“Can we go to one of your sister’s jobs?”
He nodded. “Let’s try the bar first. She works in the kitchen at the nursing home, and she’s adamant about not letting people know she’s related to me, said her co-workers wouldn’t handle it well. She’s more likely to make friends with co-workers at the bar.”
I nodded as he looked up the address, and once he typed in the name, I knew where it was. I pulled out and swung my car around in the right direction.
“You know the place?” he asked.
“I’m assuming there’s only one Hank’s Tulip in Oakes, Minnesota, so yeah. I know where it is.”
I pulled out onto the street. I didn’t tell him it was the bar a couple friends and I had tried to sneak into in high school. That was when I was still trying to make friends, have friends, keep friends. That was before I learned friends were not worth it.
My phone rang. The dashboard announced that Mal Benoit was calling.
I reached for the ignore button, but Tyler got there first and hit accept.
I cursed under my breath and hit him anywhere I could reach.
He tried to dodge my hands, but he was too busy laughing.
“Hello?” Mal said when no one said anything.
“You little fuck,” I mouthed at Tyler.
He laughed silently and pointed to the dashboard.
“Rain? Are you there?”
I cleared my throat. “Yes. Hey. Hi, Mal. How’s it going? I’m in the car.”
“Hi. I wanted to check in. You know, see how you’re doing. And if you wanted to grab that glass of wine sometime?”
My hands tightened on the steering wheel, and for a moment, I was transported back to that bathroom, back to that moment I’d seen Dane. I pulled in a ragged breath. “I’m, uh…”
Tyler’s eyes narrowed.
I ignored him. “I’m okay, Mr. Benoit.”
“Mal. Please. After—please call me Mal, Rain.”
“Of course.” I smiled. “Mal.”
Tyler rolled his eyes. “Mal?”
I gave him a look as I straightened in my seat. “Anyway, I’m doing fine. After what we talked about.”
“Of course. That’s good. Listen, uh, there’s another reason I was calling. First, I meant the offer as a friend. I can’t imagine—”
I coughed to shut him up and raised my voice. “Yeah. It’s okay. I don’t want to rehash it.”
“Of course. Of course, but…” He cleared his throat.
“We’ve got more of the eastern teams coming.
We’re playing Griffin’s previous team early next week and then Montreal after Thanksgiving.
With the holiday, and knowing about your situation, I wondered if you wanted to watch the game with me?
In the owner’s suite.” When I didn’t reply right away, he added, “No one has to know you’re there. Just you, watching the game.”
A tornado took root inside of me, churning and twisting and causing all sorts of damage.
Daniel.
He’d be here, the day after Thanksgiving. They were playing that Friday night against the Grays.
Dane was one sort of monster. Cold. Ignoring me. But Daniel. He was a different beast.
“I…” I forgot who else was in the car for a moment. My voice dropped, and I held onto that steering wheel so tightly, trying to focus on my driving. “Maybe. Maybe? Can I make a decision later?”
“Of course. And I meant it about a glass of wine as well.”
“Thank you, Mal.”
“Of course. And if there’s anything the team or I can do for you, just let me know. Have a good night.” He signed off first, leaving the car in silence.
Daniel.
If I went to the game, I’d have to see him again. In person. The day after Thanksgiving. Our dad had been there for Dane’s game. Would he be at Daniel’s too? Did our dad even still live in Minneapolis?
“Mal, huh?”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “I almost forgot you were in the car. Can we rewind a few minutes?”
“Har har. So…” He turned to face me.
I glanced over. He wasn’t going to let this go. I was still going to try. “Can you not?”
“Not a chance. You and the owner of an NHL team? Why’d you fuck me when you can fuck him instead?”
My mouth dropped open. “Tyler!”
He raised an eyebrow. “I said what I said. What are you doing with me?”
“Well, right now, we’re looking for your sister. Or did you forget Skylar?”
“I raised my sister. I’d never forget her.” He thought a moment and cringed. “Except I did for a bit, but I was distracted. By you. You distracted me.”
I was about done with members of the opposite sex blaming me for their mistakes. “You might want to rephrase that statement. Right now.”
He continued to study me. “I said what I said. What are you doing with me? He’s a billionaire, you know.” He leaned closer, dropping his voice. “And if he says he wants to be friends, he’s lying. He wants to fuck you. He just might keep you around a bit longer afterward. That’s all that means.”
“You are such a jackass.”
“Yeah. I am, but I’m not lying. That man doesn’t want to be friends. Are you fucking him already?”
“Stop talking. Please.” The bar came into view, and I hit the turn signal. I’d never been more grateful to see a bar in my life. “We’re here.”
Tyler kept quiet until after I parked and shut the engine off. Then he leaned over. “If you’re fucking us both, keep it clean. Safe sex and all.” He was out of the car before I could even process what he’d said. His door slammed shut.
As soon as I did, I exploded after him. “Hey!” I yelled.
He ignored me, already halfway to the entrance. He’d shoved his hands into the front of his hoodie, pulling the sweatshirt tight around his shoulders. He’d put a ballcap on low and his hood up over the back of his hat.
All signs indicated that he wanted to go in under the radar, but just as I caught up with him, the front door opened and a bouncer stepped out. “If you’re going to call me a slut, then use the actual word,” I hissed. “Don’t be a passive-aggressive little bitch about it.”
Tyler whirled around.
I swallowed, meeting his gaze head on.
“Pretty sure I was clear,” he said. “You fucking him or not?”
“No, I’m not.” I stepped closer, digging my finger into his chest. “For the record, I have done nothing since I met you. I told you who I was. I was honest with you.”
“Not fucking fast enough.”
I winced as if I’d been slapped.
He cursed under his breath. “I didn’t mean that.”
I shook my head, woodenly. “No. Say it. You meant it, and I am sorry it took me that long. I did tell you, though. I came clean. Right now, you’re the one with the problem.
You’re the one who can’t choose, so I’m saying it.
Either get your head together and choose to move on—with me or without me.
I am so done with being shit on by hockey players.
” I stepped away from him, ignored the bouncer, whose jaw was on the floor, and went inside Harry’s Tulip.
I took a moment to absorb the giant flowers on the wall and all around the bar. Techno music blared, neon lights pulsed. Many of the guys were walking around shirtless. My heart rested easy, because no matter the jackass behind me, I felt safe here.
Tyler stepped up next to me, also looking around. “This is a gay bar.”