Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
MATTEO
“She was a force to be reckoned with. Her art was a battlefield and her paintbrush a weapon.” - Julian Hart, Painted Inferno
Istare out the window, my eyes drifting out into the distance that is nothing but onyx night sky. The clouds beneath us are hard to see with the lack of moon or sunlight. While the days are growing longer now that it’s February, it’s still getting dark earlier than I prefer.
I adjust in my seat, glancing at Cam sitting beside me. His head’s tilted back, mouth wide open, and if I didn’t have my headphones on, I’d be blessed with the obnoxious sounds of his snores.
The cabin of the plane is quiet, and the lights are set low. We were supposed to leave earlier today, but there were some mechanical problems, so we’re getting to Colorado a bit later than originally planned.
I check the time on my phone. We still have about two hours of flying time. We’ll land close to midnight, which isn’t ideal. Once everyone gets settled in their rooms, it will be super late and we need to get up early for our morning skate.
Normally when we travel farther distances, we fly in the day before the game. It helps to get acclimated to the area and the time change, if there is one. We won’t have much time for that on this trip. We’re just going to have to push through the exhaustion. It’s nothing we haven’t done before.
My phone vibrates in my hand, and I can’t help the smile that lifts the corners of my lips when I see her name on the screen. I unlock my phone, tapping on my messages and immediately opening our thread of texts.
Sunny
The best thing happened yesterday, and I think it’s all because of you.
My heart flutters inside my chest.
Matteo
Oh yeah? What happened?
Sunny
I had a meeting with my agent, which ended up also being a meeting with my editor at the publishing house. They loved the idea. She took it to her team immediately.
I just got off a call with them.
They want the book. I got the deal.
I slowly lean back in my seat, crossing my ankles as I stretch out my legs. This is great news. This is everything she was hoping for.
Matteo
That’s amazing. Congratulations!
Did you go with the idea we came up with?
Sunny
It’s similar.
I tilt my head to the side, chewing on her words.
I wonder which idea from our Sunday night brainstorming session she ended up going with, if the idea is only a similar one.
Matteo
When I’m back in town, I want to take you out to celebrate.
Sunny
You don’t have to do that.
We have a deal. A pact. It’s nothing more than that. I can take her out to celebrate without it meaning something different.
Matteo
What if I told you I want to?
We agreed until the end of the season, right?
Sunny
Yes.
Matteo
Then let me take you out to celebrate.
You can use the night for inspiration.
Sunny
Are you sure? It’s not that big of a deal.
This is something that deserves to be celebrated. I don’t know who made her feel insignificant in the past, but that will be changing.
Matteo
You’re right. It’s not a big deal.
It’s a huge deal.
Sunny
Isn’t this weird, though? This deal we made. We don’t even know each other.
Matteo
How do you think people get to know one another, Sunny? How am I supposed to know you if I don’t get to see you.
When she doesn’t reply right away, my finger twitches. I can unsend it, and pretend I didn’t say it that way. Those words, they feel like there’s too much emotion tethered to them.
This is an emotionless transaction.
I’m allowed to want to get to know her with no other intention than that.
There would never be a future for us in the cards, especially when that’s the one thing I will never want.
She’s my good luck charm for the rest of this season.
If she’s mine until then, we’re going to get to know one another.
There’s no way around it.
Sunny
I don’t think you truly want to know me, Matteo. I’m here to serve a purpose for you, as a distraction. Someone to pump your ego.
You don’t want to know the real me.
I stare back at my phone, words failing me for a moment. She has no idea what I want.
Matteo
Why don’t you let me be the one who decides that?
Time is momentarily suspended as I’m trapped in a tin can flying through the sky. Damn, what did Aiden do for her to be this jaded?
But then again, I don’t know anything about her and there’s a burning curiosity inside of me. Most of the women I meet only ever want to talk about themselves.
Not Jade. She keeps her cards close to her chest with her poker face perfectly in place.
That alone has me wanting to dive into the archives of Jade Wilson.
Sunny
Okay.
My eyebrows tug together, conflict washing over me. She seemed ready to extend her claws and now she’s retreating. It’s hard to read tone in text messages, so maybe I had it wrong.
Matteo
Can I take you out when I get home?
Sunny
Just as friends.
Matteo
Are we friends now?
Sunny
That’s the only word that fits whatever this is.
Whatever this is. I don’t even know. We’re not dating. We’re not fucking. We’re really not anything.
Friends it is.
Matteo
Then yes, as friends.
Sunny
And just for inspiration.
I can’t tell if she’s trying to make those lines even clearer than they already were.
Matteo
Yes, Jade.
I have no intention of this being anything more.
Sunny
Good, neither do I.
I’d eat you alive, anyways.
I’m no match against the laughter that rumbles in my chest. Cam stirs beside me, his head rolling to the other side as I smile down at my phone in the dark cabin.
She’s fiery, smart mouthed, and might actually have full immunity to my charm.
I think I’m fucking hooked.