CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE LUCY
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
LUCY
Icannot believe him.
My blood is boiling, but I shelve it for now as Tucker and I get everything packed up to be loaded onto the bus and taken to the plane. How dare Theo pull the shit he did tonight? It’s not his place nor is it his concern.
This is my job. He can’t interfere like that. Not only does it put my career in jeopardy, because I’m clearly a distraction for him, but it also makes it awkward with him inserting himself into places where he does not belong.
His job is on the ice. Period. That’s where his focus should be. What goes on with the organization’s staff does not involve him… including me.
There’s a soft knock on the door that Tucker left ajar as he’s been carrying things out to the bus. “Hey Luce, can I come in?”
My stomach does a somersault in betrayal at the sound of his voice. Damn him for having such an effect on me. Or, damn me for being so affected by him.
I close the lid to the last container, slowly turning around as a heavy sigh leaves me. “I have to get this out to the bus.”
“I’ll carry it for you,” he offers, his voice gentle, eyes unsure, as he chances a step forward, pushing the door open more. “You shouldn’t be carrying it.”
His comment strikes a nerve and I cross my arms over my chest. “Theo.” I inhale, rolling my shoulders back. “I know.” He means well and I need to curb my irritation. He only has my best interests in mind. “Tucker’s got it.”
The muscle in Theo’s jaw tightens. He shifts his weight on his feet, running his hand through his hair, his expression unreadable and eyes filled with something that resembles regret.
“Excuse me,” Tucker’s voice cuts through the tense air as he stops outside the door. Theo moves out of the way, looking like a fish out of water as Tucker strolls over to get the last box. “This is it, right?”
I nod at him and look over at Theo. “I’ll see you on the bus, Theo.”
“Yeah, sure,” he mumbles quietly, forcing a small smile onto his lips before excusing himself from the room.
Tucker glances at me. “Go easy on him, kid. He’s just keeping an eye out for you.”
I grab my bag, hoisting it over my shoulder as I fall in step with Tucker, slipping out of the equipment room and heading down the hall. “I know, but he can’t do stuff like this. He can’t interfere with my job like he did tonight.”
“You’re right, but it’s not something any of us considered,” he offers as we make our way out to the bus.
Everyone else is already on, waiting for the two of us.
Tucker hands the container to another staff member standing by the side of the bus.
“No one thought about the dangers of you standing that close to the ice.”
“I’m sure I would be fine,” I argue, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder as we get onto the bus.
Tucker shakes his head as we sit down together. “We can’t risk it, Lucy. It’s too dangerous.”
I glance over my shoulder, glancing toward the back of the dark bus as the door slowly shuts and the driver starts the ignition. Theo sits near the middle on the opposite side, but I catch his stare through the gaps between the heads of the seats.
My stomach does a somersault, my heart stumbling over itself as I turn back around, leaning my head against the window. Tucker’s right. Maybe not every risk is worth taking…
But some are.
Settled in my seat with soft pop music playing through my headphones, I look out the window as the plane starts to move, heading toward the runway.
I’m in the back row and the seat next to me is empty.
I try to keep my distance from the players who normally sit in the front of the plane.
Everyone seems to have a certain seat, and we all know how hockey players are with their superstitions.
I’m not going to be responsible for throwing someone off their game because I sat in the wrong seat. Although, I suppose I am responsible for throwing someone off their game… just for an entirely different reason.
The cord to my headphones shifts, tickling the side of my face and as I turn my head, I startle, jumping in my seat as the left earbud is plucked from my ear. Theo settles into the seat next to me, sliding it into his ear and securing his seatbelt.
“What are you doing?” My voice is hushed in the dark plane. “You sit up there.”
Theo tilts his head. “Am I in someone’s seat?”
My eyebrows cinch closer together. “No.”
“Good, then,” he says, scratching at the back of his neck.
“I wanted to talk to you about earlier.” His voice is quiet and the plane hums, the entire cabin vibrating as we get closer to the runway.
“I’m sorry for overstepping. I saw you by the bench and all I could think about was a puck hitting you.
In the stomach, in the head. Anywhere it could hit you, it wouldn’t be good. ”
I stare at him for a moment, my eyes scanning his features under the lights from outside the plane.
His lips are tugged down into a frown, distress swirling in his irises.
I reach for his hand, slipping mine into his, lacing our fingers together.
“It’s okay,” I say softly, giving him a gentle smile. “I understand.”
His eyes widen and then his face scrunches. “Wait, you’re not mad?”
“No.” I laugh softly, shaking my head. “I was, but I wasn’t thinking about how you were feeling. I wasn’t considering how dangerous it is for me to be out there.” The plane starts to move again, the engine growing louder as we begin to accelerate.
“Fuck, I hate takeoff,” he mutters, pressing his head back against the seat, squeezing his eyes shut. His grip on my hand tightens and the plane rattles, the engine roaring as it picks up more speed.
Theo blows out a breath, his lips in the shape of an O as he starts to breathe heavily. I’ve never noticed him like this, this anxious about flying. It surprises me, considering how often he’s on a plane for work.
I squeeze his hand back, leaning into him. “It’s okay. It’s almost over.”
His head is still pressed against the back of the seat. He turns to look at me, his eyelids fluttering open. “It feels like the plane’s going to fall apart every time.”
“It’s not,” I promise him, my thumb absentmindedly stroking his. “Everything’s intact and look,” I nod my head toward the window, “we’re already in the air.”
He looks around me, just for a fraction of a second, releasing a sigh of relief as his body visibly relaxes. “Thank god.”
I pull the shade down with my free hand and my other is still in his lap. “Can I ask something of you?”
Theo’s eyes are locked on mine. “Always.”
“Next time something comes up, can you discuss it with me, instead of interfering with my job like that?”
His face blanches. “I didn’t mean for it to be like that, Luce.”
“I know.” I nod, knowing he’s telling the truth, because I know him. I know his heart and the way he operates. “I’d rather be the one to handle it, instead of it coming from you.”
He swallows hard. “Yes, of course,” he says, his voice quiet. “I am sorry.” He lets out a ragged breath. “I don’t want you to ever feel like I’m trying to tell you what to do or anything close to that. I worry about you because I care about you, Lucy. A lot.”
My breath catches in my throat and my heart races. “I know you do.” My chest tightens, his words a vise grip around my rib cage. “I care about you, too.”
A slow smile lifts the corners of his lips. There’s a touch of sadness to it—something unreadable lingering in his gaze—but it dissipates. “You should try and get some sleep,” he says softly, releasing my hand as I suddenly move it to conceal a yawn. “We have a few hours until we’re home.”
Home.
“You’re right,” I agree, feeling the exhaustion settling in. I lift my phone and hand it to him. “Do you want to listen to something different?”
He shakes his head. “No, that’s okay. I like this.”
“Okay.” I smile, setting my phone down on my lap. I close my eyes, leaning my head back against the headrest, adjusting my body multiple times trying to get comfortable. I huff out a breath, shifting again, opening my eyes to find him staring at me with a ghost of a smile.
“Come here,” he whispers, unstrapping our seatbelts and lifting the armrest before tugging my body near his. He envelops me, leaning against the seat, angling his body backwards with me tucked in against his chest.
“What if someone sees us?” I whisper, my eyes wide as I look past him. “I could get in a lot of trouble.”
Theo shakes his head. “Fuck them. I dare them to say something,” he murmurs, pressing his lips to my forehead. “I’ll never let anything happen to you, Lucy. No one is awake enough to care, anyways.”
I lift my head enough to look around the plane.
It’s quiet and everyone looks to be asleep or preoccupied.
We’re tucked away in the back corner of the plane and technically, what we’re doing isn’t wrong.
Against my better judgement, I settle in against him, resting my head against his chest. His heart drums beneath my ear, steady and strong.
His arms wrapped around me, protective and safe.
And the sound of his beating heart lulls me into a deep sleep.