Chapter 19
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
MACKENZIE
Eli is completely ignoring me.
Right now he’s talking to Pam about the best way to ice her foot. Then he asks her about her new grandbaby and she gets out her phone to show him some photos.
And then he reciprocates, showing photos of his two year old nephew who’s apparently cute as a button.
He has a nephew? Why didn’t I know this? I can’t ask because Goran is trying to tell me about some beef he has with a player from the other side, plus the blood is rushing too fast past my ears.
“You’re coming out with us, right?” Goran asks. “To celebrate?”
“I ah…” I look for Eli to try to work out what he’s doing. But he’s still ignoring me. “I don’t know,” I say lamely.
“Yes, come,” Carter says. “I can impress you with my dance moves.”
“You can’t dance for shit,” Goran says. “No American can.”
“Yeah, because Swedes are so well known for their dancing skills,” Carter says, rolling his eyes. “Actually, what are you famous for?”
“Having the best left wingers in hockey,” Goran says. “Naturally.” He tips his head to the side. “And of course we can dance. Have you heard of ABBA?”
“No, but I think my Grandma has,” Carter says. “Okay, you and me at the club. Dance off.”
I look over at Eli again. This time he’s talking to Max, the first goalkeeper and still not looking at me.
“You’re on,” Goran says. “Mackenzie can choose the winner.”
I bring my attention back to them. “Oh no, I’m not coming out. I’m gonna head home.”
“Of course you’re coming,” Goran says, taking my hand. “Eli, tell her she’s coming with us.”
Eli turns and finally looks at me. But his expression is painfully blank. “What?”
“Mackenzie is coming with us to the club.”
“No, I’m…”
“Okay,” Eli says, shrugging as if he couldn’t care less.
And now I’m the one who’s annoyed. Because yes, I should have hugged him. But there’s no need for him to ignore me like this.
Especially since I hate the taste of my own medicine.
“Sure,” I say to Goran. “I’ll come with you. I love dancing.”
Eli’s expression flickers then turns back to neutral.
It’s actually true. I have rhythm when I’m not on the ice. When I was in college, going to clubs was my way of winding down. And it’ll be funny to watch Carter and Goran trying to one up each other on the dance floor.
But I’m also aware that Eli now looks more annoyed than ever.
“Great. You can catch a cab with me,” Goran tells me, looking happy. Then he grabs Carter’s hand and tries to dance with him.
It’s another hour before we’re outside. The guys have all showered and changed, and most of the supporters have gone home, though there’s a small crowd that cheers as the guys walk outside.
Eli hasn’t said a word to me yet. He’s scowling at his phone and it’s only when my own vibrates in my pocket that I realize he’s messaging me.
You’re NOT dancing with Goran. – Eli
I was going to apologize to you, you ass. But now he’s annoying me and I don’t want to.
I’ll dance with whomever I want. – Mackenzie
I give myself extra points for being grammatically correct. That M is working overtime.
Anybody but me, right? – Eli
I stare at the words. There’s hurt there. And I hate it because I know why he’s hurting. I treated him differently. Worse. When I should have treated him better.
I want to dance with you. – Mackenzie
I don’t dance. – Eli
I lift a brow and look over at him. He’s still ignoring me, physically at least. The big baby. He’s still hot though.
Then I’ll dance for you. All night. – Mackenzie
I make a show of putting my phone in my pocket, and smile at Goran when he tells me the cab he’s ordered is almost here. We’re behaving like kids, Eli and I, but in a weird way I like it. He’s angry but I’ll make it up to him. And then he’ll take me home.
There’s a rush of heat in my blood that I haven’t felt for the longest time.
After college I didn’t go dancing any more. I certainly didn’t annoy hot hockey players who have a jealous streak.
And I didn’t promise to dance for them afterward.
I spent my twenties and thirties building up my career. Proving I was more than my name. Maybe I was trying to prove something to myself, too. That I wasn’t some nepo baby who was famous for baring all on a stupid ice rink.
The cab arrives and four of us pile in. I’m sandwiched between Goran and Ryan, with Carter opting to sit in the front. Eli gets into the next cab, looking way too delectable in a pair of dark gray pants and a white shirt, and he still doesn’t look at me.
Goran and Carter trash talk each other the whole way. Ryan is on his phone, tapping out messages like he’s using a manual typewriter, his fingers crashing against the screen.
“Boyfriend trouble,” Goran whispers in my ear during a break from bitching with Carter.
“Oh.” I give Ryan a sympathetic smile, but he’s too busy frowning at his screen for that.
When we get to the club Goran gets out first, offering me a hand to pull me to the sidewalk, which I appreciate because the skirt I’m wearing is tight and liable to shift up my thighs. Eli’s cab beat ours and they’re already at the door. He turns around and his eyes meet mine for a moment.
I stare back, unruffled. I’m going to dance so hard for this man he won’t know what hit him. I’m stupidly excited about it.
Security waves us in through the roped area. There’s thirty of us in all. Eli puts his card behind the bar and whispers in the server’s ear, I assume about a limit. Then the first round arrives, shots and beers. Goran insists that I take one of each.
“We down the shot then we down the beer,” he tells me.
“Is that a Swedish tradition?” I ask him.
He laughs. “No, we just need to get the party started.”
It works. Another round comes out and I turn it down. The music is pumping, the dancefloor is full, and the guys are getting a lot of attention from the customers who know exactly who they are.
Three girls surround Goran. He’s grinning like a loon. Some others approach Carter and he waves them off. That’s when I remember his girlfriend and her pregnancy scare. My estimation of him goes up. He knows where his boundaries are and I like that.
Eli is talking to Brian when a woman comes up with a piece of paper. She whispers in his ear and slides the paper into his shirt pocket.
And all my amusement disappears in that one tiny movement, replaced by a searing heat in my stomach.
Yes, I’m pissed with him and I know he’s furious with me, but there’s no way I’m letting somebody put their number in his pocket.
I’m about half a second away from stomping over there when Eli shakes his head and takes the piece of paper from his pocket and hands it back to her.
She leans forward and says something else but Eli isn’t looking at her anymore.
He’s looking at me.
The woman flounces back to the dance floor and joins her group of friends who all laugh and shake their heads. My gaze turns back to Eli.
He lifts his phone.
I take my own out and read it.
Want to go home yet? – Eli
How can he read my mind so easily? Yes, I do. I want to finish this day because somehow it’s ended wrongly. What should have been happy has turned sad. And I know that it happens – that’s what life is made of after all.
But I still want it to be over and to start afresh.
Yes I do. But I’m going to dance for you first. – Mackenzie
You can do it for me at home. – Eli
Nice try. – Mackenzie
“So is this dance off happening or what?” I ask Carter.
He glances at Goran who has his arms around two of the girls. I’m pretty sure if he had three arms he’d be hugging all of them.
“I think he’s busy.”
“I’m going to dance anyway,” I tell him. “Want to join me?”
“I have a girlfriend,” he says, shifting awkwardly.
“I know,” I tell him. It’s sweet that he’s being careful. “That’s why I asked. I want to dance with someone who has no interest in anything but making some shapes.”
He smiles. “Okay, sounds good.”
“You could check with your girlfriend first,” I say, because if I was her I’d want to know.
He texts her. And he tells her I’m old, because I can read his messages over his shoulder. She tells him to go for it with a thumbs up.
Well okay then.
Pushing our way through the team, we make it to the dance floor, finding a space at the edge. The music is low and pumping, some club tune I don’t recognize. But my body does, it feels the beat and my pulse matches it.
Carter holds out his hand and I take it. He pulls me in and spins me out. I kind of totter because I’m wearing this stupid tight skirt.
“Wait a minute,” I tell him, taking off my shoes. I lose a couple of inches in height but damn does it feel better.
This time when he spins me I let the movement take over. My body becomes one with the music. I look at Eli, who’s holding a beer, his gaze on me. He’s leaning on one of those high tables, away from the rest of the team.
I turn myself to face him. Put my arms up and let my body undulate in time to the music. It’s sensual and sexy knowing I’m doing this just for him.
It’s like he’s the only man in the room. And I want him to know how much he affects me.
A pair of hands clasp my hips. I turn, expecting to see Carter there, but it’s a man I don’t know.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
Before he has time to answer, Eli is storming toward us. My heart is hammering against my chest.
“My boyfriend,” I murmur, nodding my head at the most beautiful man in the room.
Grabby hands immediately lets go. “Sorry, my mistake.”
“Don’t touch women without asking,” I tell him. “It’s rude.”
“You okay?” Eli asks, eyeing the man who’s still behind me.
“You shouldn’t let your girlfriend dance alone,” Grabby tells him.
“My girlfriend does what she wants,” Eli says, his voice low. “It’s assholes like you who shouldn’t be touching her.”
“Yeah, well piss off.” Grabby turns and storms off. I look at Eli. His eyes are dark, his jaw tight, but he’s sensible enough not to look for a fight.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him. “I didn’t ask him to touch me.”