Chapter 35
KENDRA
Rise Up—better known as Kendra’s meeting room.
The place is way quieter than I’ve seen it before though, and it doesn’t take me a second to spot all black with a mass of pink hair sitting on a stool in the window.
“All right, Kendra?” Ed—the café owner who Jack has introduced me to a few times when we’ve snuck in here for a post-sex treat—waves his hand at me.
“Hi,” I reply and make my way to him as he motions for me to approach.
I prop my hands on my hips when a scone comes into view. “Let me guess who put you up to this.”
Ed chuckles and hands me the plate. “He said you’d be here this afternoon and asked me to have your favorite ready. Cream on top, right?”
“Yes. Yes, that’s right,” I say on a defeated breath, pretending I’m not fucking swooning the entire time.
“Oh, and tea for one.” He sets a tray with a ceramic pot, cup, and saucer down in front of me.
I frown. “Wait, you don’t even sell this kind.” I pick up the tea bag and look at the paper tag hanging from the string. “Yorkshire? I’ve never had this brand.”
Ed shrugs and smiles. “Jack asked me to get it in especially, so I did. Selling like crazy, to be honest.”
Yeah, I’m in love with him.
Flutters shimmer throughout my body as the memory of him telling me how he feels comes racing back. He’s falling for me too. The guy who said he didn’t do serious when it came to girls is falling for me.
I set the scone on the tray and take the whole thing from Ed. “How much do I owe you?”
He drops his shoulders, and he knits his brows, giving me a look that needs no further interpretation.
“Was he in here this morning?” I ask.
He nods and takes a sip of his own Yorkshire tea, and I fight back a laugh.
Jack Morgan—slowly turning New York British.
“Stopped by when we opened. Said he needed to stock up for his week away series.”
My heart sinks as I remember him leaving me in bed this morning.
One whole week. Seven long days. He spent the entire time inside me last night, determined to make up for how much he’d miss me.
Still wasn’t enough. It’s not like I can distract myself with soccer since we have four rest days after a stacked playing schedule and ahead of a crazy run of matches before the holidays.
It looks like I’ll be busying myself with TV repeats and waiting on an email confirming what I’m praying for—a place in the national squad this February.
“Question.”
I look up at Ed as he sets his cup down and smiles.
“When you two tie the knot, you’ll be coming to me for the cake, right?”
I stare back at him, not speaking since I’m unsure how to answer that question. I’m only just getting my head around how fast I’m falling.
“Are you coming over or what?”
I spin around to find Collins drumming her fingers on the bar in front of her.
She smiles as I make my way over and set the tray down in front of me. “What is this? Alice’s tea party?”
I snort and pick up my scone, taking a bite and humming with appreciation. “Want to try it?” I offer her the other half.
She scrunches up her nose and picks at her brownie. “I’m good, thanks.”
“Did you ever hear from Mr. I’m Not Married?” I ask, getting straight into it since I get the impression Collins doesn’t stand on ceremony. She’s the kind of girl who doesn’t do small talk either.
She shakes her head. “No. I did send him an invoice for the parts he kept coming back for though.”
“Obviously,” I say, bringing the cup to my lips and hating the fact that this is the best tea I’ve ever tried.
Damn him.
Collins winces. “Didn’t go over too well with the boss though.”
“Why? You did nothing wrong.”
She winces harder. “I added Asshole Tax.”
I choke on my tea, a few splashes hitting the window in front of us, and I quickly wipe it away with a napkin.
“And, yeah, that was the end of that job.”
“Wait, so you’re unemployed?”
She shrugs like it’s no big deal. Maybe it isn’t. I know very little about her.
“Are you some kind of millionairess and jobs are just for fun?”
She stirs a spoon of sugar into her coffee and laughs. “No. Not all of us are pro soccer players.”
When we spoke over the phone, Collins told me she assumed I was a hockey player and that’s how I’d met Jack. I quickly corrected her with soccer, still, it’s obvious she thinks I’m rolling in cash.
Dream on, Kendra.
“Yeah, the big bucks are reserved for the men,” I reply.
“Ah, yes, it’s a man’s world. I forgot that part. Silly me.”
I love her.
Still stirring her coffee, she sits back in her stool and brushes some brownie crumbs from her jet-black jeans. “I live my life how I want. I don’t spend much time in one particular area, and therefore, I don’t place any particular importance on a job. It’s a means to an end.”
As much as I respect her and kind of envy her attitude, I can’t help my heart from sinking a little. “So, you won’t be staying in New York?”
She shrugs and then laughs. “Depends if I can find a new job.”
I laugh along with her. “But seriously, I’ve spent half of this year worrying about money. What will you do?”
Her brown eyes find my own. Her carefree expression is kind of refreshing. “I don’t know how much of my life you’re interested in knowing.”
I’m taken aback by that. Why would she think I wouldn’t want to know more about her? Sure, I haven’t known her for long, but I can’t deny the instant connection between us. Some people you speak to like you’ve known them for years, and Collins definitely falls into that category.
“I’m all ears,” I reassure her.
She rests her elbow on the table, supporting her cheek in her palm as she looks at me from the side. “I guess I have been fortunate in some ways and not in others. Life’s been a bit of a mixing pot.”
I take another sip of tea and let her speak, already relating to that statement on a visceral level.
“I won’t bore you with too many details, but my grandparents effectively raised me in Ohio.”
I set my cup down quickly. “No kidding. I’m from Ohio! Where are you from?”
Her eyes light up at that. “Just outside of Cleveland. You?”
“Cincinnati,” I reply.
“So, we didn’t attend the same kindergarten and then forget about each other’s existence?”
I snort. “No. Anyway, you were saying about your grandparents.”
“Yeah, so they raised me and then died.”
I look around as she falls silent. “Is that … is that the end of the story?”
She lifts a shoulder. “Pretty much. Died when I was eighteen and left me a stack of cash. I was an only child, so I didn’t need to share it.
Since then, I’ve used it to travel. Both around the US and to countries a lot of people haven’t visited.
Didn’t bother with college since it’s a load of bullshit.
Then got into bikes. Bought my first one after my grandparents died and nearly killed myself on the freeway one night.
Finally put some of their money to good use and qualified as a mechanic.
Rest is history.” She takes another sip of coffee.
“But, yeah, the money’s running out now, so jobs are becoming more necessary. ”
My mind whirls at the influx of information. I don’t want to ask what happened to her parents since that feels a bit invasive.
“So, yeah,” she continues, “I guess I see myself as a bit of a free agent. I don’t have any family, and people generally let you down, so I keep to myself. Seems like the easiest way to go.”
Arguably, there’s a lot of sadness packed into what she just said. But I don’t really see it reflected in her demeanor. I think Collins is the type of person who has genuinely found peace with who she is and the life she leads.
A bit like Jack in that way.
Reaching across, she picks up the half scone she previously refused and takes a bite.
“What do you think?” I ask.
She moves her head from side to side. “Comme ci, comme ca. It’s alright, I guess.”
“Well, whatever you do, tell my boyfriend they’re the best thing you’ve ever tasted, okay?”
“Here’s the first confession in our friendship.” She sets the scone back down and wipes her hands together. “Remember how I told you I have zero interest in sports?”
I nod once.
“Well … that’s not strictly true, not in the appreciative sense anyway.” She winks at me. “Pro athletes do have fine butts.”
“Yep, I can definitely confirm they do.”
She frowns at a thought she’s having. “I couldn’t enter into a relationship with one though. I think I’d be happy just to palm it every now and then.”
I burst out laughing. “Like a firm-butt-with-benefits kind of arrangement?”
“Yeah.” She smiles and then throws her head back. “Ugh, it’s been way too long.”
“You kind of only have yourself to blame for that, you know?”
Her head whips to me. “What do you mean?”
“You remember turning down a ride offer from the Blades captain. Let’s just say, I’ve kind of known the guy for a while, and I’m not sure he’s ever made an invitation like that.”
Collins fluffs out her hair. “Oh, no, I remember the offer and interpreted it as a potential booty call. That’s why I turned it down.”
“But you just said it’s been a while?” I counter.
“He’s not my type,” she immediately responds. “He must be ten years older than me, and—I dunno—he sealed the deal when he reminded me of how famous he was. Like I wasn’t already aware. Hockey fan or not, Sawyer Bryce is known.”
“You called him a stranger?”
“Did I?” She smiles, clearly remembering that she did. “Did it dent his ego?”
I roll my lips together to prevent the evil giggle I want to release. “I’m not sure what it did to his ego, but I do know he’s been asking about you. Wanted to make sure you got home all right.”
She downs the last of her coffee. “I go for younger guys. Generally, there’s less baggage. Generally.”
I rest my chin in my palm and study her. “So, what’s your plan? Find another job and stick around so we can meet for more random coffees and bitch like two old women? Or will you be loving and leaving me?”