Chapter 29
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
ELI
I make it til four o’clock before I finally cave and walk upstairs to the staff offices. It’s mayhem up there. Staff are everywhere, running with pieces of paper in their hands, shouting out for help. They see me and their eyes widen and they slow down just enough to wish me luck.
And I realize how important this game is to all of them. Not just because Wayne needs the money but because they love the team as much as I do. It’s David versus Goliath but we have sticks and pucks instead of slingshots and stones.
I knock on Mac’s door. She calls out to come in and when I push it open I see Wayne sitting in front of her.
He grins, looking genuinely happy to see me. I walk over and shake his hand then look at Mac, waiting to see the anxious expression she always gets when her family is around.
But it isn’t there. And I’m so pleased to see Wayne. It’s the first time he’s been to the arena since his surgery.
“How are you?” I ask.
“I’m good.” He lifts his brows at the walker next to him. “Ready to not be using this thing, but the nurse insisted.” He shrugs. “She’s around somewhere.”
“She’s gone to check out your seating arrangements for this evening,” Mac says. “Remember?”
“I remember. I got a bad hip, I’m not senile,” he grumbles.
“Okay,” the nurse says, walking back in. “We’re good. There’s easy access to the rink side seats.”
“I told you there was,” Wayne says.
“I know. But you also lie a lot,” she says, taking no shit from him.
“How’s the team?” Wayne asks me. “They holding up okay?”
“They’re nervous but they’ve worked as hard as they could. It all comes down to what happens on the night,” I say. “They’ll be pleased to know you’re here.”
“Can I come see them?” Wayne asks. “I’d like to give them a talk before the game.”
“It’s your team,” I remind him. “And they’d love that. They’re sick of hearing my voice.” I smile at him. “You can do the press conference afterward if you’d like.”
He laughs because he knows how much I hate those things. Journalists get a kick out of seeing a hockey player go down. “Oh no, that’s all yours.” He looks at the nurse. “How long we got?”
“An hour before you need to be in your seat. I want you comfortable before the rest of the spectators come in.”
“You want me sitting down for two hours before puck drop?” he asks. “Damn.”
“It’s either that or we go home and you have an early night,” she tells him.
Wayne sighs. “Okay then. Let me go talk to the staff then we can head for the locker room.” He looks at me. “Meet you there?”
“I’ll be there,” I tell him.
He nods. “Then let’s go.”
Mackenzie watches them leave, a smile playing at her face. When we’re finally alone she focuses on me and I’m mesmerized by her eyes.
“Hey stranger,” she says softly. My heart does this weird flip. I don’t care about the game, I just want to take her home and into bed.
Instead, I walk over to her and pull her into my arms until her face is resting against my chest. I stroke her glossy hair and can smell her shampoo.
It’s all I need.
Running my finger along her jaw, I tip her face up until our lips meet. Her mouth is soft, pliant and I kiss her like I haven’t seen her in a month. She wraps her arms around my neck, her breasts pushing against me, and I immediately go hard.
Reluctantly, I step back. Because I’m not here for that. “Are you okay?” I ask her.
She looks up at me. “I’m good.”
“Really?” Because it’s been a weird few days. And I know how much her family messes up her mind.
“Honestly,” she says, nodding. “I think I might be the only one who is okay in this building, but I am.”
“What was happening with your sister and Hart?” I ask her. “I didn’t know they had a past.”
She runs her tongue along her bottom lip. My eyes follow it like it’s the holy grail. “I’ll tell you later.” She breathes out softly. “I’ve told my mom I’ve met somebody.”
“You did?” I ask. “Who?”
She starts to laugh and it’s music to my ears. “I’d like to introduce you to them later. As my boyfriend.”
I swallow. “You sure?”
“Yes.” The smile wavers. “Are you sure? I mean, I assumed… we talked…”
“Of course I’m fucking sure.” I pull her against me again. “I’m ready for this. I told you that.”
“Then let’s meet after the game.” She reaches up and softly strokes my cheek. It feels so good I struggle not to groan. “And if you change your mind…”
“I won’t change my mind. Let’s do it.”
“Okay.” She nods. “Good.”
“I have to do the press conference right after the game,” I tell her. “And then I’ll need to say hi to my family. But after that I’m yours. Where do you want to do it?”
“I thought we’d do it at Gramps’ place. There won’t be any cameras there. Plus if my dad decides to beat you up we can make a run for it.”
“Where would we go?” I ask her, not wanting our conversation to end. Because then I’ll have to leave and I’ve missed her so goddamned much.
“I’m not sure,” she says, wrinkling her nose.
“Vegas. We’ll have a shotgun wedding. That way he can’t pull us apart.”
“He wouldn’t pull us apart anyway,” she says. “He’ll probably think it’s good publicity.”
There’s a knock at the door. I step back again and she takes a deep breath. “Come in.”
This time it’s Brian. He has the latest printout for her and wants to talk it over. He’s so caught up in the numbers he barely notices me standing there.
“I’ll leave you to it,” I tell her, giving her a crooked smile.
“Good luck,” she says, her eyes meeting mine. “Not that you need it. You guys are going to win.”
“I hope so.” The smile on my face doesn’t waver.
“I’ll be cheering you on,” she says. “And wearing my jersey.”
I want to hold her again. I want to tell Brian – the poor guy – to fuck off and leave us alone. I want to drop to my knees and worship at her until her breath does that catching thing that always makes me hard.
I want to love her. Forever. I should have told her that. Before Brian walked in.
“Go,” Mackenzie whispers. And I realize I’m standing there, staring at her, my breath coming way too fast for its own good.
“Later,” I tell her.
“Yes.”
Brian’s making some notes on his papers, leaning over her desk. Thank God the man loves numbers more than life.
I love you. I want to mouth it to her. I want to do it again tonight, when I’m on the ice.
But instead I push those words down. Because I’m not saying it in front of Brian. And I’m definitely not sending it in a message to her phone.
“Oh, good luck,” Brian says, finally looking up from his printout.
“Thanks, man,” I say. And then I leave.
MACKENZIE
I pull on my jersey and check my phone. It’s a few minutes until game time and I need to get out there and sit with the staff, but a message from my mom grabs my attention.
Hey sweetie. We’re sitting with Gramps, rinkside. Want to come join us? – Mom x
Hi Mom. Thanks for the invite but I promised I’d sit with the staff. I’ll come find you when it’s over, okay? – Mackenzie x
Sure. Probably for the best. Isabella’s not exactly in a good mood. She’s spent most of the afternoon planning her revenge. – Mom x
That sounds like Isabella. Danny should be worried.
I feel kind of sorry for Mom, because I’ve seen Isabella when she wants revenge.
The day I picked her up from Danny Hart’s apartment, when everything between them imploded, she poked a hole in all of his condoms and soaked them in chili juice for an hour, before drying them all off and sliding them back into the box in the bathroom cabinet.
I have no idea if he used them or not, but the thought of it makes me wince.
I slide into my seat next to Brian just as the teams skate onto the ice.
The arena is completely full and everybody is screaming as Dad leads his team out.
Then the Mavericks follow to another roaring cheer.
Kids are waving flags, adults are jumping up and down, as the teams take their places ready to face off.
I look down trying to see Mom and Isabella. But then Gramps appears on the big screen and if the arena was loud before, now the cheers are deafening.
Everybody loves Gramps. It’s been a long time since they’ve seen his face. He smiles and waves a hand and the screams get louder.
Mom is smiling next to him. And next to her is Isabella and… wow.
Yep, she’s definitely in vengeance mode. She looks absolutely amazing. Her hair is glossy and tied back casually, though it probably took her hairdresser hours to create that effect. And her face is perfectly made up to highlight her high cheekbones and wide eyes.
She wears vengeance well. I hope Danny realizes what a dick he is.
Then the game begins. I know I’m supposed to have torn loyalty, with my dad being on one side and the Mavericks on the other, but like the rest of the staff I’m cheering for our team.
Five minutes later, when Carter hits the puck into the net and our team takes the first goal, all of us are on our feet screaming.
Then I see Brian has Eli’s name on the back of his jersey, too. I can’t help but smile.
The big screen shows Gramps’ reaction. He’s fighting with his nurse because he’s trying to get on his feet and she’s stopping him. Everybody starts chanting his name as he grins.
Next to him, Isabella is on her feet, too. I guess she’s decided which team she’s supporting.
Of course, it could be something to do with the fact that the goal was mostly Danny’s fault for losing possession. He body checks Carter and the two of them look close to fighting.
Then he deliberately skates close to where Mom and Isabella are sitting. It looks like he says something to her, but I don’t know what.
“That number three’s an asshole,” Brian says.
“Yup.” I nod.