14. Mitch
CHAPTER 14
MITCH
ABOUT AN HOUR LATER
M y skating needs work. Sure, I’m paired with Caleb on the D-line during most games, and yeah, I’ve run some successful power plays this season so far, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement. So today I’m using our optional ice time at the practice rink to run some drills. The only other guy out here right now is Thomas, and he’s working on his wrist shot at the other end of the ice.
I guess you could say Thomas is my best friend. He’s helped me through some hard stuff, and I like to think that I’ve helped him too. We’re usually super open with each other about pretty much everything, so when he showed up today while I was getting changed, it took every ounce of control I had to not immediately blurt out that I hooked up with Stacey. Thomas knows how I feel about her; he even orchestrated us working together on Caleb and Cassie’s wedding so we’d have to spend more time together. So not telling him feels so strange, but I have to respect Stacey’s stance on this. Even if she said it won’t happen again, and even if we’d never actually be together anyway, I still need her to be willing to spend time with me for this wedding and Rebounds for Rescues .
Why had she said it won’t happen again like it was such a sure thing, though? She’d said it as if I would be in complete agreement, which I’m definitely not. I’m not saying I want to be in a relationship with her or something. I can’t really handle those well on top of the rest of the shit I’m dealing with. But even before last night happened, I knew I’d want it more than once. And now that I’ve tasted it—tasted her —I can’t get her out of my mind. I’m trying to work on my skating, but my mind keeps slipping to last night.
Mitch, Mitch, Mitch ...
Jesus Christ, she’d been so sexy. How am I supposed to sit in a car with her for four hours today without wanting to drag my lips across her entire body?
“Earth to Mitch,” a voice says with annoyance.
“Huh?” I look up to see Thomas standing just a few feet away from me.
“I’ve been trying to get your attention, dude,” he says. “You good?”
That’s the thing. Despite Stacey apparently not wanting me again, I am good. I’m so good, actually. Because at least I got one night with her. But I can’t fucking tell him. This is going to drive me nuts.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, trying to be nonchalant.
“Alright,” he says, clearly not actually believing me. “Do you want to grab lunch?”
“I have to pick up Stacey for our wedding venue tour,” I say. “I should probably get showered, actually.”
“You’re welcome for that, by the way,” he says as we skate towards the bench.
I let out a little chuckle. If only he knew .
“You’re not mad about it, right?” he asks while we waddle down the hallway towards the entrance to the dressing room.
“Why would I be mad about it?” I ask. “It does make a lot of sense, even if we were both a bit taken aback by the idea at first.”
“Because sometimes it seems like you hate her as much as she hates you,” he says. “I know you don’t, but you clearly get under each other’s skin a lot.”
We do. And it led to the most incredible night of my life.
“She knows I don’t hate her,” I say. “We talked about it.”
I don’t mention the fact that we talked about it the same night I happened to also grind up on her on a Miami dance floor, because even if Stacey only said she didn’t want people to know about the sex, that feels like it’s connected. And it feels like a moment that should just be ours, if I’m being honest.
“Really?” he asks. “How did that go?”
“Fine,” I say, not wanting to elaborate for fear of giving away too much. “I think we’ll be okay.”
I start taking off my gear and check my phone. I have a text from Stacey.
Stacey: Make sure you dress nicely, Mitch.
Even seeing her type my name over text does something weird to me. I’m transported back to last night again, and now I know for sure that I am not going to be able to act normal around her today. The question is, will she be able to? And if not, what on earth are we going to do about it?