Chapter 30 #2
“Wait,” my daughter yells.
“What’s the matter?” Adeline says, always patient with her.
“You didn’t say I love you.” Her voice is so small, so sad. Fuck. I swear if I could pull my heart out of my chest and hand it to her, I would.
Adeline drops down again and takes her hands. “I love you always. And I’ll call you tonight. With your daddy.”
Beaming, Avery throws her arms around her.
I’m done for.
Before I can get my wits about me, Adeline strides out the door. She insists we take separate cars, saying she has to make a stop, though she’s vague about where and why I can’t come with her.
Maybe it’s for the best anyway. The solo drive, with only music for company, should settle me.
And it should help me wrap my head around what I need to do to make what just happened in that house more of a reality. Avery and Adeline and me.
If we could find a way to be together, would she really want that?
I get so lost in my thoughts that I miss the exit for the airport. When I realize, I take my time, continuing in the wrong direction for several more minutes before circling back. By the time I pull into the reserved parking lot, Adeline’s car is parked and she’s nowhere in sight.
Bag in hand, I head for the private terminal where the reporters traveling with the team have congregated.
I spot Bobby first. He’s sporting sunglasses inside—clearly feeling like shit after all those shots last night.
Then Bray, who is leaning in really close, probably giving him an earful.
I take a step in their direction so I can witness the smack down, but I pull up short when Adeline’s voice rings out behind me.
“Why, Savannah? Why here?”
I whip around, finding Savannah hovering around Adeline, fixing her makeup.
And my girl looks absolutely miserable.
“Because he was going to be late, and you can’t waste this gorgeous outfit.” Savannah motions to Adeline’s hot as fuck suit.
“I’m at work, Sav. I need these guys to respect me, not look at me like I’m a contestant on The Bachelorette.”
Her redheaded friend snaps a hand to her hip. “You’re the damn lead, not a contestant. Own it.”
Adeline whines. “You know what I mean.”
“Smile,” Savannah commands. “It’ll be over in a few. Oh, look. The contestant is here.”
I frown. The contestant?
“Adeline.” The sound of her name—my fucking name—on someone else’s lips makes anger flare to life in my veins.
“Scott,” she says to the man she went on a date with two nights ago.
I glare at him. He’s dressed in a navy suit, his brown hair slicked back, and I swear to god he’s wearing blush. He’s also got a bouquet of roses. Red ones.
My lips tip up in a smirk without my permission.
While many girls would love that, Adeline isn’t one of them. She hates roses. They make her sneeze.
As if on cue, he holds them out, and she sniffles. Sneezing, she takes a step back. “Allergic,” she gets out before another sneeze overtakes her.
I chuckle, the sound catching her attention, and she glowers at me.
“I’ll take those.” Savannah plucks the bouquet from his hand and steps out of the shot the photographer is clearly trying to capture.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” Scott says.
Adeline gives him a kind smile. “It was really sweet of you to bring them. But I’m kind of surprised to see you here.”
Slipping his hands into his pockets, he nods. “You mentioned you’d be traveling for the next two weeks, and I wanted to see you before you left. I tried to get tickets for yesterday’s game, only to discover they were sold out. I didn’t realize that would happen.”
I roll my eyes. It was our season opener. Does this guy know anything about Boston hockey? Our fans are ruthless and dedicated. There’s never an empty seat.
“That’s very sweet. Had I known, I would have gotten you a ticket. I kind of have a connection.”
He laughs like she’s said something funny when all she’s done is state the obvious.
Idiot.
The thought was supposed to stay inside my head, but when Adeline’s gaze cuts to mine again, I wonder if I’ve said it out loud.
I smirk.
“Maybe you can get me one in the future. After our second date.” He gives her a hopeful smile.
I hold my breath, my hands clenched into fists. Come on, Adeline. Tell him to take a hike.
“Oh. You want to go out. With me?” she stutters awkwardly. “Again?”
He steps closer. “I had a really good time the other night. I thought you had a good time too.”
Yeah, with me in the closet, buddy. Now back the fuck away from my girl.
Adeline gives him a smile I don’t recognize. It’s almost…shy.
What the hell? She doesn’t do shy. Why the fuck is she acting like that? Does she have a thing for him? No. She fucked me. And even though we can’t be more than friends right now, we’re going to figure it the fuck out.
She doesn’t know that, but she will.
Fuck.
What if she really likes him?
“I had a great time.” Her words are so soft I almost miss them.
Scott leans in, and I swear to god my throat closes. “I really want to kiss you,” he says, voice low, gaze roaming over her face.
Pain radiates through my chest. I’ll die if she kisses him. I’ll fucking die.
Adeline sets her hand against his chest, pushing him back a fraction. “I’d prefer it if our first kiss wasn’t in public.” Finally, she stands a little taller, her confidence returning. “I’m kind of at work.”
I blow out a relieved breath.
“Oh shit, sorry,” Scott mutters. “First the flowers, now this.”
Popping up on her toes, she presses a kiss to his cheek.
I swear it’s like a sucker punch. Ducking, I stare at the floor. I can’t watch their goodbye.
I’m lost in my tangled thoughts, trying to catch my breath, when Adeline steps up next to me.
“JJ,” she hisses.
With a look over my shoulder, I note that Savannah and the camera crew are following Scott out of the terminal. Good.
“Yeah?” I say, focusing on Adeline.
“What are you doing?” she whispers.
“Standing here,” I say, my words clipped, my frustration threatening to bubble over.
“You can’t look at me like that.”
I frown. “Now I’m even looking at you wrong?”
“You know what I mean.” She sighs heavily.
Jaw clenched, I stare her down. “He called you Adeline.”
She shrugs. “It is my name.”
“No one calls you that.”
“You do,” she says haughtily.
“Adeline.”
“See? You just did it right there,” she snaps.
“You know damn well why I call you that,” I growl out, voice low, shoulders so tense I know I’ll need a massage before the game tomorrow.
Her body sags, and for a moment she looks so goddamn broken. Fuck. “I’m sorry,” I say quickly, my chest aching.
Her eyes meet mine. “JJ, I—we—” She shakes her head.
“I know, okay.” I scan our surroundings to make sure no one is watching or listening. When I confirm it’s just us, I give it to her straight. “But Adeline, that’s mine.” It’s desperately ridiculous to claim a goddamn name. Her name. But I do it anyway.
She rolls her lips, the anger draining from her expression. “I’ll tell him to call me Addie.”
The relief is brief, but it hits hard. “Thank you.”
“We should get on the plane,” she says, nodding at the line of men who are doing just that.
As we walk toward the gate, bags in tow, I can’t help but pry a little. “So you guys really didn’t kiss the other night?”
Her eyes go wide. “I was still flush from your orgasm…I wouldn’t…”
I nod, biting down on a smile. “Good.”
“It doesn’t mean—”
“I know. Just give me this one thing to be happy about for a moment.”
A long breath escapes her, but she dips her chin. “Okay.”
“JJ. Addie.”
We turn, and when I notice Gavin rushing down the hall toward us wearing a panicked look, dread pools in my gut.
“Jesus,” he says as he stops. “This day has been a goddamn nightmare.”
“What’s wrong?” Adeline asks.
As far as I know, she doesn’t know about Bray and Vivi, whatever was going on there, but I wouldn’t have expected Gavin to bring it up to her, not here. Then again, he did sound extra pissed this morning.
“Sidney was in an accident on the way home last night.”
Heart dropping, I dig my phone out of my pocket. “Is he okay?”
Gavin shakes his head. “Yeah. Except he’s got a broken leg. He’s out…for at least the season.”
“Fuck,” I mutter, navigating to his contact. Sidney and I have been playing together for six years. He’s like my older brother.
“I wouldn’t,” Gavin says, nodding at my phone. “I stopped by the hospital on the way here. He’s on lots of pain meds and sleeping now. His wife’s there.”
“Good. I should tell her if she needs anything—”
“Beckett’s on top of it already, as is Sara.”
“What do you need from us?” Adeline asks.
“You’ll be playing for this series,” Gavin tells me.
No surprise there. “Not a problem.”
“And we’ll have to call Dirk up,” he says to Adeline. “Do you want to make the call, or do you want me to?”
An instant wave of disgust hits me. No fucking way.
I wait for Adeline to say the same thing, but she just nods. “Of course. I’ll make the call.”
Gavin blows out a long breath. “Fuck this day. Thanks.”
Adeline smiles in response, but the moment Gavin steps away, her expression falls.
“Are you going to tell them what happened,” I grit out, “or am I?”
Avoiding my gaze, she shakes her head. “Please just drop it.”
I lean in close, anger getting the best of me. “He’s not playing with us, Adeline. You’re not coaching him. Not a fucking chance. So are you going to tell them, or am I?”