Chapter 14
MAREK
I hate leaving Nikki again, but we have a practice this morning. A light practice, supposedly, and a meeting to watch video of last night’s game.
I almost kissed her.
Shit.
But I’m not beating myself up over it. She almost kissed me, too. I read the look on her face, the way she moved toward me. I felt the sexual tension buzzing around us. It wasn’t just me.
What is up with that? She clearly told me she’s not interested. Was that a lie? Or… I don’t know. I shove a hand into my hair as I drive to the arena. I decided to bring my own car today so I can make a quick exit.
After our win last night, everyone’s in high spirits. Which means it’s time for shenanigans.
When we’re getting changed for practice, Benny tries to put his jersey on and can’t get his right arm through the sleeve. He starts jerking his arm and then dancing around. “What the fuck!”
“What’s wrong, Benny?” Trev asks innocently.
“This fucking sleeve is…” Benny shakes it then finally gives up and takes off the jersey. Turning it inside out, he sees the sleeve is taped together at the wrist. “Fuuuuuck.”
Everyone else cracks up laughing.
Then it’s my turn. The first time I lift a water bottle to my mouth, the whole thing pours onto my face and jersey.
Some asshole loosened the lid. It’s a classic prank.
“Who did this?” I yell and get a lot of guffawing in response.
I look around for Trev, but he’s way down at the other end of the ice.
After practice, when Crusher goes to check his phone, he discovers that every contact in his phone now has an image of Hakim lying on a beach, grinning.
Even I’m laughing, despite my concerns about Nikki.
Today’s lunch buffet includes chicken parm.
We all carefully avoid the one piece of chicken that has no cheese or tomato sauce, because that’s made specially for Archie, our, uh, eccentric goalie.
He has to have mayo for the chicken, which is weird.
He also eats his spaghetti with just butter and parmesan cheese, no sauce.
I take my chicken and a big serving of salad which is thinly sliced brussels sprouts with almonds and dried cranberries. I then sit and start shoveling it in.
“Jesus, you starving today, or what, Smitty?” Crusher asks me.
He, Dilly, and Benny are the only ones who know Nikki’s staying in my condo. I shoot him a warning glance and say, “I have to be somewhere.”
“Oh, yeah? Where?”
After a beat, I say, “I have a colonoscopy appointment.”
Benny chokes on a piece of chicken.
“Ohhh,” Crusher says. “That’s not fun.”
“I had one once,” Turks says. “Not the worst experience of my life, but it was up there.”
Most of the guys groan but Archie cracks up. “Good one, man!”
“Wait.” Crusher frowns. “Don’t you have to do a lot of prep for a colonoscopy? Like, you can’t eat?” He points his fork at my plate. “But you’re eating.”
“It’s a new kind of test.” I’m really scrambling here. “They use a laser.”
The guys all give me weird looks.
I shoot Benny a help-me-out-here glare.
“This chicken parm is good!” Benny says enthusiastically. “Hey, did you guys watch Crossroads of the Heart yesterday?” He looks at Crusher and Dilly.
That’s the soap opera a bunch of them watch all the time.
“Yeah.” Crusher is distracted, thank fuck. “I can’t believe Nash is the father of Everette’s baby.”
“I don’t know,” Dilly replies. “I really thought it was Forrest.”
I tune out that convo and finish up my lunch so I can get home to Nikki.
I hate that she’s having nightmares. I hate that she doesn’t want to do anything except sleep and shower.
I hate that she’s sad. I have this terrible feeling of helplessness because I’d do anything to help her but there’s nothing I can do.
Other than be there for her. I can’t change the past and I hate that, too.
But I’m waylaid on my way out of the arena by Alfie (Carson Alford but we call him Alfie).
“Hey,” he says. “I need to talk to you.”
I turn to him. For the first time I notice he looks like shit. “What’s up?”
He glances right, then left. We’re in a corridor, alone. “I was wondering if I could come crash at your place for a while.”
I frown. “What do you mean, for a while?”
He rubs the back of his neck. “I need to find a place of my own.”
I stare at him. Does that mean… “Oh, shit.”
His Adam’s apple bounces up and down. “Ayla and I are splitting up.”
Dismay settles in my gut like a rock. “Shit,” I say again. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah.” His jaw clenches. “Me, too.”
I know things have been hard for them since their son died. It’s been over a year, though, and I thought they were getting through it. But I guess not. “Fuck, I’m sorry, man, but you can’t stay with me.”
“Oh.” His face falls. “Why not?”
What the fuck do I say? I’m harboring a fugitive pop star? “If I tell you, you can’t tell anyone else.”
His eyebrows fold down. “Huh?”
I sigh. “I know it sounds weird. I have someone staying with me. But it’s secret.”
“A woman?”
“Yeah, but not like… well, not what you think. It’s Nikki Sullivan.”
His head jerks back. “Holy shit. Seriously?”
“Yeah. The media is hounding her after what happened at her concert so I brought her to my place. No one knows she’s there. Other than Benny and Mabel. And Dilly and Crusher. And now you.” Shit. That’s a lot of people who know. “So, yeah, sorry, man. My spare room is occupied.”
He gives his head a shake as if he can’t quite believe what he’s hearing, then nods, his mouth a glum line. “Okay, I get it. I’ll get a hotel room.”
“Ugh. That’s not ideal.”
“I know. But I’ll find an apartment soon.”
“What about Hakim? He lives alone and has that big place over on Washington.”
He tilts his head. “Yeah. Maybe. I’ll check with him.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
“Good luck to you, too.” A ghost of a smile passes over his lips. “I can’t believe you’ve got your celebrity crush stashed away at your place.”
“Ha. It’s bizarre, right? And I better get back to her. She’s kind of having a hard time dealing with things.” I clap a hand on his shoulder. “Later, skater.”
At home, I find Nikki in her room, as usual, watching TV. The door’s open but I knock anyway and she sits up when she sees me. “Hi.”
“Hey. How are you doing?”
She shrugs. “Okay. I was just watching this show, Crossroads of the Heart.”
I blink. “Huh.” I pause. “How about that walk?”
She blows out a breath. “I don’t know.”
I step closer. “What’s the problem?”
“I’m tired. Also I don’t want to see people.”
“I don’t think you have to worry about seeing people. There won’t be that many out, and we’ll bundle you up. And we don’t have to go far. If you’re tired, we’ll come home.”
She appears to mull that over, then says, “Okay.”
Whew. It’ll be good for her to get out. “Dress warm, it’s freezing out.”
This fact does not make her happy. She’s used to spending a lot of time in California now, I guess. “Don’t be a wimp. You grew up here. You’re tougher than this.”
A ghost of a smile crosses her lips. “Right. I am.”
I smile back and leave the room, closing the door behind me so she can get ready.
It doesn’t take her long. She appears dressed in black leggings, socks, and a fitted black turtleneck sweater, carrying a pair of knee-high black boots. How does she look so goddamn sexy in such a plain outfit?
“Do you have a hat I could borrow?” she asks.
“Yeah, sure.” I have a bunch of knit beanies. I grab a couple out of the closet and give her a choice. She chooses the black one. “Going for the full cat burglar look, I see.”
She gives me a tiny smirk and eye roll as she sits to pull on the boots.
With sunglasses, her jacket, and a scarf around her neck, it won’t be easy to recognize her.
We set out down to the walkway along the river. The sun radiates golden light in the clear blue sky, but the temperature is chilly. Across the river, the tall buildings of Manhattan gleam and glint in the sun.
“It’s a lot busier down here in the summer,” I tell Nikki as we walk. “There are kayaks and paddle boards at a place over there.” I gesture to the pier. “And a place that does sailing tours.”
“Oh, that would be cool. Do you stay here in the summer?”
“Actually, no. I go home to Sherrinford. But I’m back and forth a bit. There’s a lot to do here.”
“Yeah, there is.” After a moment of walking in silence, she asks, “How was your practice?”
I tell her about the pranks that transpired and she actually laughs. And I fucking love that. My new mission in life: make Nikki laugh.
“One time on a road trip we swapped out all of Crusher’s toiletries—like, his shampoo, body wash, deodorant—for condiments from the hotel dining room.”
She laughs. Love it. “You told me about racing the luggage carts in the hall.”
“Oh, right.” I grin. “Sometimes you just have to let off a little steam.” I fill my lungs with crisp, fresh air. “It’s nice to get out, even if it’s cold.”
“It is.” She slants me a look. “You were right.”
“What’s that?” I cup my ear. “What did you say?”
She punches my shoulder and I laugh.
We pass by the playground with toddler swings and a play structure where a few kids are running around. Then Nikki abruptly turns away from me and beelines over to a fence.
“Hey, where are you…” I trail off as she stops and stares into the off-leash dog park.
I follow her. There are a few dogs running around, and a small one staying near its owner. A guy throws a tennis ball and two golden retrievers bound after it.
“Look at those dogs,” Nikki says wistfully. “Aren’t they beautiful?”
“Yeah. I guess.”
“That little guy is shy.” She points at the smaller white dog. I think it’s a terrier. “He’s so cute.”
“Or she.”
“True.” Her smile is soft and the most genuine smile I’ve seen since I showed up at her place.
“You like dogs?”
“I love them. I wish I could have one, but I’m away too much.”
“I think big stars who travel a lot have dogs.”
“Bigger stars than me. Richer stars than me.”
“Oh, come on. You’re huge now.”
She shrugs. “I don’t feel like it.”
“What would make you feel like you’ve made it?”