Chapter 18 – Victoria
eighteen
Victoria
Jaxon:
We are eating at noon, even if you aren’t here.
I pick up the phone in my lap and turn it over, seeing the text as I have coffee on my deck. The sun is coming in and out of the clouds as I lift the cup and put it to my lips.
I went to the game last night but opted out of going to the bar with my brother and our friends afterward.
The last thing I wanted was to see Zane.
I was still pissed at him about the showdown we had at his house over a week ago, when he stood there not giving me anything as I put it all on the table.
I couldn’t help but be mad at him even though I had no reason to be pissed at him; I only had myself to blame.
I finish my coffee and then head to the bedroom to get ready for lunch.
I know my parents are still in town, as is my uncle Nico, who is one of my father’s best friends and the owner of the Dallas Oilers hockey team.
I slip on a pair of loose-fitting white pants with a brown belt and a tight, gray high-neck sleeveless top that hits right above my waist. I slip on my brown Hermes shoes before heading to the bathroom to do my hair and then apply some mascara and some blush on my cheeks.
Might as well look good even if I don’t feel it inside.
I spray my perfume on both sides of my neck, and then on my wrists before slipping on a couple of gold bracelets and then my silver-and-gold Rolex watch I got for my graduation. I head to the door and get into the SUV, putting on my sunglasses as I make my way over to Jaxon’s.
The driveway is full of cars, and I know I’m going to be told I’m late, even though I look over and see I’m technically one minute early.
I get out of my SUV, grabbing my purse in one hand and the phone in the other.
I walk up the steps as my hair blows in the soft wind, not bothering to ring the bell.
I step in and the smell of food immediately makes my stomach growl.
Even from the doorway, voices can be heard all the way to the front of the house as I start walking toward the family room.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the favorite child has arrived,” I announce, walking into the room with my hand in the air and stopping when I look over and see Zane standing there.
I shake it off and turn to my parents. “Please, don’t all rush me at once. ”
I put down my purse on the side table, hearing my father laugh as he comes to me. “Hello, favorite child.” He takes me in his arms.
“It doesn’t count after the fact, Dad,” I tell him as I hug him.
“Well, she’s definitely my favorite,” my Uncle Nico says, walking over to me and I give him a side hug. “How are you doing?”
“Well, since I left you yesterday, I hopped on a plane and went to Sunday service with the Pope,” I joke with him, feeling eyes on me. “He sends his love.”
He throws his head back and laughs. “That’s good to know.” He drops his hand from around my arm. “Thank you for making me laugh when all I want to do is throttle Phoenix.” He mentions his son, who I think plays for Nashville now, but I could be wrong.
“Ohh, what did he do?”
“I’m trying to get him to come play for Dallas and he’s rejecting my deal,” he hisses, mentioning the team he has owned since his father gifted it to him as a joke.
The Oilers were at the bottom of the standings, and he took over, becoming the youngest owner in the history of the NHL, and he clawed his way to the top.
“Could be worse.” I smirk. “He could have had a one-night stand with your best friend’s daughter and got her pregnant.” I wink at him as he shakes his head.
“I mean, it could be that,” he replies to me as I make it around the room, saying hello to my mother first.
“I guess we know who your favorite is,” I tease her as she stands next to Jaxon.
“I love you all the same,” she assures me, and I roll my eyes.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” I mumble, “but you do more for him.” I say hello to my Aunt Becca, who stands beside my uncle now, his hand around her shoulder; her hand folding up to link their fingers together.
“I was with him the longest,” she snaps, making me and Jaxon burst out laughing, and then he kisses her cheek.
“Where is my nephew?” I ask, looking around and not seeing Ariella, but seeing Zane standing there next to my father. “Hi,” I say, holding up my hand, “nice to see you again.”
“Zane.” He points to his chest, and I stupidly picture him without his shirt on.
“Yeah, I heard.” I try not to smile at his joke. “Good news is, now that I know, there is no need for you to wear a name tag.” I turn to the side as I hear Ariella.
“Is that your Auntie TT?” she says and Zane is momentarily forgotten as Jagger enters the room.
“There’s my man.” I hold out my hands and he runs into them as I swing him up and around.
“He just ate,” Jaxon warns, “so unless you want him to yack all over you—”
“He would never,” I reassure him, kissing his neck. “Would you vomit on me?”
“He loves me a bit more than you, and he threw up in my mouth once,” Jaxon shares and I shake my head.
I feel Zane’s eyes on me and when I look over, I see him staring at me.
I quickly look away from him, kissing Jagger’s head.
“Do you want to go and play with your toys?” I ask him, moving out of the kitchen because my heart is beating even faster than normal.
I try to swallow down the lump and then nervously put Jagger down in the living room next to his toys.
“Let’s eat,” Jaxon urges and I make my way to the table, trying to be as far away from Zane as I can, but everyone pairs up and it leaves me right beside him at the end of the table, next to Ariella.
I focus on the plate in front of me, eating maybe five or six bites before putting my fork down. I put one arm on the table and then hold my chin with the other as I take in the conversation around me. But all I can do is focus on the fact that his arm is practically touching mine.
I push away from the table. “Jagger, want to come with me and play?” I ask, looking at him in his highchair as he tries to escape. I pull him out of it, walking over to the sink to wash his hands and his face. “There, now let’s go play with the ball.”
“Ball,” he says to me, “ball.”
“Yeah, ball,” I say, walking into the living room with him.
“Where is the ball?” He walks over to the basket in the corner with his balls as he picks up the red one.
“The red ball,” I say, feeling Zane’s presence nearby.
“Where is the stick?” I ask him of his little plastic hockey stick.
“Bring Auntie TT a stick,” I tell him. He walks back and drags a second stick behind him as he hands it to me when he makes it to me.
“Thank you.” I walk to get a ball and use the small stick to hit it to him.
He walks behind the ball and swings at it and the ball goes flying to the kitchen, hitting Zane on the leg.
“Good shot.” Zane gets up and picks up the ball before walking it over to Jagger.
Squatting down in front of him, Zane’s holding the ball in his hand, his big hand holding the ball.
“Here is your ball,” he offers to him and then looks over at me.
“You going to hit it again?” he asks Jagger.
I’m expecting him to leave and go back to the table, but he just stays there squatting beside him.
He gets up and goes behind Jagger, holding his hand under his as he moves the stick back and then forward, hitting the ball, making Jagger shriek and put his hand in the air. Zane laughs at him as my mother gets up from the table.
“Who wants ice cream?” she asks, her eyes directly on Jagger.
He drops the stick like it’s a hot potato before running away from Zane and me.
I shake my head and walk over to the basket, putting my stick in it.
I avoid looking at him as the gang starts to clean up the table.
I have never felt so nervous around anyone before and I hate how off-kilter he makes me feel.
I turn, grab two plates off the table, and walk to the kitchen, putting them on the island, where my Aunt Becca is rinsing them off before placing them in the dishwasher.
I go back to the table as I see the guys still sitting around the table.
Pulling my chair out and listening to the conversation in front of me.
“When the team is united and on the same page,” Zane says, looking over at Jaxon, “they are almost unstoppable.”
“You’re right,” Nico says. “Been watching the last couple of games and if they take the lead, it’s a sure thing they will win. It’s if they go down a goal, it’s like they are chasing the puck instead of playing the puck.”
“Every single time,” Zane says, shaking his head, “they need to stop playing other people’s hockey and play their own.”
“It’s hard for you to sit back and tell them this and for them to listen,” my father says, “but how hard is it to sit there and watch them fuck up?”
“There are no words. I get more heated than anyone because I know they are better than that.” He and Jaxon share a look.
“I will say,” Jaxon now starts, “in all of my coaches that I’ve had, he’s the only one who makes sure that the guys are okay mentally. Forget that he himself is getting railed in the press.” My eyes go to Zane and all he does is look down. “He makes sure that the guys are okay.”
“There are not many coaches like that in the league,” Nico says. “You’ll get through this rough patch.”
“Rough patch.” Zane laughs. ‘If only it was a rough patch and not that I’m driving on a gravel road with no tires.”
I push away from the table now and start clearing the plates.
The guys leave the table as I walk over to the fridge to fill up my glass with water before turning and smacking straight into Zane.
The glass of water spills all over the both of us.
He hisses out, his hands going to both my arms to stop me from tumbling farther on him.
“Nice,” Jaxon says, shaking his head, “and you wonder why I’m the favorite of the bunch.”
“Shut up,” I snap, stepping back from Zane and seeing the front of his shirt soaking wet. “I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault,” he mumbles as Ariella comes over and hands him a cloth.
“That isn’t going to help,” Jaxon notes. “I’ll go and get you a shirt.” He starts to walk away.
“Well, she needs to change.” Ariella points to me as I see my shirt is drenched too. “Go and get one of my shirts, and you can give him one of Jaxon’s.”
“Um,” I start to say, “I’m fine.”
“You’re soaking wet.” My mother laughs. “Go and change.”
“Be careful,” Zane warns, putting his hand on my elbow, “the water is all over the floor.”
“I’m fine,” I mumble and want to shake his hand off me, but all eyes are on us and the last thing I need to do is explain to the crowd what is going on.
“Let’s get you a new shirt.” I push aside the nerves and the lump in my throat as I step around the puddle of water. His hand drops from my elbow as I walk ahead of him. “This way,” I direct, heading up the stairs and away from everyone, just the two of us.
He follows one step behind me as I walk to Jaxon’s walk-in closet and open his drawers to find a T-shirt. “Is a T-shirt fine or would you like something else?”
“A T-shirt is fine,” he answers softly as I grab one and walk over to hand it to him instead of throwing it at his face. “Here you go.”
I hold out the shirt for him as a pit grows in my stomach. “Thank you,” he says softly, my eyes looking down at his hands gripping the shirt.
“I’m sorry.” I look up at him, both of us still holding onto the shirt. “I didn’t see you.” The tension in the closet is enough to suffocate me.
“You’re so beautiful.” The words I think shock even him.
My heart feels like it’s about to come out of my chest. “I—” he says as he steps closer to me, “I miss you.” I look down, shaking my head, not wanting to hear the words.
“I…” The hand he is holding the T-shirt with comes up as he touches my face.
“So fucking beautiful.” His eyes shine in a way I’ve never seen before.
“I can’t do this with you, Zane. I know that I said I was okay with whatever but after getting to know you, I’m not. Unless you are ready to claim me and be with me, you need to let me go,” I state, hoping like fuck he says something that will make me drop the fucking shirt and touch him.
“Victoria.” He’s said my name before in a variety of ways, but this time he sounds broken. His fingertips move over my cheek as his head bends, and I can feel the kiss coming. I know I should push him away, but the pull to him is stronger than I am.
“Zane,” I whisper his name right before I feel his lips about to touch mine.
“I’ll get Jagger his jacket.” I hear my mother’s voice from down the hall and Zane quickly steps away from me, giving me my answer.
I shake my head. “I’ll let you change in here,” I tell him, walking out of the closet, grabbing the first shirt I see of Ariella’s and walking out of the bedroom.
I come face-to-face with my mother, who is holding Jagger’s jacket in her hand. “Are you okay?” she asks me, taking in my face.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” I clear my throat. “I was just—” I try to think of something. “So embarrassing.” I shake my head, putting on a fake smile. “I’m going to get out of this shirt,” I tell her.
She nods, walking to the stairs as I make my way to Jagger’s bedroom. “We’ll be in the backyard when you are done,” she says as she starts to walk down the steps.
“I’ll meet you guys there.” I look over my shoulder, seeing Zane coming out of Jaxon’s bedroom. I stare at him one more minute before I close the door and my head falls forward on the wood. “It’ll pass,” I tell myself.