Chapter 28
The diner smelled like butter and coffee; the low hum of conversation filled the space around us as we walked in. Frankie sat across from me in the booth, her chin resting in her hand, pretending to be unimpressed as I stole a drink off her milkshake for the third time.
But I knew the truth.
She was loving every second of our alone time.
It didn’t happen often, and that was okay, but when we could make it happen, it felt extra special.
It was the luxury I had of being off during the week, so I could steal Frankie away for a little lunch date in between her crazy schedule.
“Tell me something I don’t know about you,” she said, her green eyes sharp like she was testing me. Maybe expecting something bad in response.
I leaned back, smirking, “What do you want? Embarrassing stories about me puking on my first date? Or the fact that my mom still sends me holiday pajamas?”
She rolled her eyes, but I caught the smile tugging at her lips. “Fine, your real life. Before I met you as an adult. I know the firehouse stories, and the hockey stories, but what about you? What about your childhood?”
“You’re going to hate me for saying it, but I had an amazing childhood, and still talk to my parents a couple times a week.
My mom was a stay-at-home mom when I was growing up, and our house always smelled like cinnamon rolls and warmth.
She baked every morning during school, making something hearty and filling for me and my sister.
My dad worked in finance, crunching numbers for big companies and making it home for dinner every single night. He never missed a game either.”
She blinked, “That’s disgustingly wholesome.”
“See,” I laughed, scratching the back of my neck, “I told you that you’d hate it.
My parents moved south a few years ago. They’re obsessed with their life in Arizona, and I can’t blame them.
They swear its paradise for retirees. They come back up here a few times a year, but when they do, my Mom still insists on cooking for me, and Dad still tries to out skate me. ”
She shook her head, “So you really did grow up with the perfect family.”
“Pretty close.” I leaned forward, brushing my hand over hers on the table. “And that’s why I knew I wanted this. With you. With Trav. With the kids. It’s not just about finding a partner, it’s about building a home. The kind I grew up in, only—louder.”
She snorted, squeezing my hand. “We’ve got the louder part down.” Leaning back on her side of the booth, she took a deep breath. “My childhood wasn’t like that at all.”
“What was it like?”
“It was—” she looked down at the table and tilted her head a little as if she was lost in a memory.
“Sad.” Taking a deep breath, she blinked it away and looked back up at me.
“My dad left when I was little, and my mom was on her own. Which, to her credit, she rocked at. She taught me at a very young age that a woman didn’t need a man to survive. She could do it on her own.”
“But,” I pressed gently.
“But she wasn’t happy. She never had true support from anyone, and I saw that. So when I was a teenager, I started looking for it. I didn’t realize it at the time, obviously, or I would have picked a better,” she paused, “I would have picked better.”
“You were a kid.” I reassured her, “And you didn’t know his true colors until it was too late, Frankie. That’s not your fault.” When Travis told me what Danny had done to Frankie in the past, it all made so much more sense to me.
The hidden truths, her inability to trust, and the obsessive need to take care of everything, all on her own.
“Maybe not,” She hummed, leaning forward on her elbows and looking me right in the eye, “But I’m doing it better this time around.”
I grinned, leaning toward her, “Is that so?”
“I think so.” Her green eyes tracked their way from my eyes to my lips and back. “I feel like I’ve hit the jackpot. Even if a big part of me feels like I don’t deserve it.”
“Then I guess I’m going to make sure that you understand just how much you do deserve it. From now on. Travis and I both will.”
“I’m happy to let you.” She smiled and then leaned in to kiss me.
It was one of the first times she had initiated any affection in public outside of the rink. But I was here for it.
Leaning my head to the side, I slid my hand around the back of her head, deepening the kiss until she melted into me.
“Eli,” She whispered, pulling back just enough. “Think we can get our meal to go?”
I growled, leaning back in my seat, catching the hunger in her eyes. Without another thought, I raised my hand, flagging our waitress down, “Can we get our food to go, please?”
“Sure thing, sugar.” The old lady said with a wink, “It’s just coming up now.”
As she walked away, I watched Frankie shift in her seat, eyes blazing and a soft blush on her cheeks.
“What are you thinking, Black Cat?” I asked, watching her.
“I’m wondering if you can drive safely if I give you road head on the way to the cabin.”
“Jesus,” I groaned, running my hand down my face. “Yes. Yes, I can.”
“Good,” She stood up slowly from the booth, running her hands down her thick thighs as she stopped at the end of my booth and leaned over me.
“Because I plan to let you have me however you want me until Trav gets home from work. Then it’s his turn.
And we both know I love watching you both lose control around me. ”
“Fuck, baby.” I hissed, standing up and pushing her back as our waitress brought our containers over. I threw down more than enough money to cover it and took them from her with a smirk. “Let’s get home.”
Frankie chuckled as she all but ran out of the diner with me hot on her trail and the waitress cackled behind us.
“Young love is so damn cute.”