23. June
CHAPTER 23
JUNE
A fter Lachy’s allergy incident, we manage to get through the rest of the week without any emergencies. Even the gossip about his hospitalization didn’t go anywhere once the team released a statement about what truly happened. Going to the ER because of a food allergy isn’t juicy enough for the tabloids.
Since we’re hitting the road to San Diego after the game, I ride with the boys to the arena. I met most of the WAGS at the last game on Wednesday and survived. I’m not as nervous anymore to hang out with them. Wendy is still keeping a close eye on me, but thanks to my media training with Melissa, I feel more equipped to deal with her.
Even though I rode with them, we don’t walk into the arena together. The marketing department always films the team’s entrance and posts the video on social media. Naturally, my boys are favorites among the female fans. Sometimes, I pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.
I head to the entrance designated for family and friends and meet Maya and Fiona, who just arrived as well. I opted to wear flats tonight because I can barely walk without limping. The lack of emergencies during the week meant a lot of bedroom activity. I’m sore in places I didn’t know I could be sore, and I have too many hickeys to count—none of them in visible areas, thank God.
“What’s wrong, June? Did you get hurt?” Maya asks.
Man, I didn’t realize my limping was that obvious.
“I’m sore from the gym.”
Fiona smirks. “Is that code for too much sex?”
My face bursts into flames. I wasn’t expecting that comment from her. “What? No!”
“Yeah, right. It totally is. Your face says it all. I don’t blame you. You have to take advantage while you can.” She walks ahead before I can reply.
And so it begins. Man, it’s like high school all over again.
“Don’t listen to her,” Maya pipes up. “She’s just jealous that you’re dating Jake.”
“Why would she be jealous? She’s engaged, isn’t she?”
“Yeah, to Ian .” She snorts. “Don’t get me wrong, he’s a nice guy, but he wasn’t blessed in the looks department. We’re the lucky ones.”
I am lucky, that’s a fact. If Maya only knew I’m dating Lachy and Ryan as well….
“I honestly thought Lachy would be the first off the market,” Maya continues as we walk side by side down the corridor. “He’s just too adorable and sexy, and everyone knows he wants to settle down.”
I smile. He’s off the market, hon.
“You’re smiling. You’re agree with me, right?”
Fuck. I didn’t want Maya to notice that. We enter the family lounge room, and most of the WAGs are already there. Some of them have their small children with them.
“Yeah, absolutely. He’s a catch,” I reply.
Maya claps her hands together and squeaks, drawing everyone’s attention.
“What’s gotten into you, Maya?” Wendy asks.
“We should find Lachy a new girlfriend!”
I feel the blood drain from my face. I want to scream no, he already has a girlfriend, but all I can do is remain calm and hope I’m not showing my desperation.
“Oh, I have the perfect candidate,” one of the wives I met last Wednesday chimes in. I can’t remember her name or who her husband is. “She’s one of my be?—”
“He’s seeing someone,” I blurt out before I can control my tongue.
The conversation ceases, and it feels like I’m in a movie where I’m the main character who just did something cringe-worthy.
“He is?” Maya sounds disappointed. “Who?”
“I don’t know. I never met her, but Jake mentioned something.”
“He probably told you in confidence, June. I hope you don’t get in trouble for telling us,” Fiona pipes up, her eyes glinting with malice.
“I won’t. And I’m sure Lachy will be thankful I saved him from starring in the NHL version of The Bachelor ,” I snap.
“Boy, you’ve gotten uber-protective of Lachy fast,” Maya chimes in.
I can’t tell if she’s just stating a fact, or if she’s hinting that there’s something more going on between Lachy and me. I shouldn’t have lost my cool in front of all these women. I can’t trust anyone here. They gossip, and I’m sure Wendy already has suspicions about me, thanks to my visit to the locker room with Ryan. I can’t get jealous when people talk about Lachy or Ryan dating other women. That’s like flashing a neon sign above my head and admitting I’m into them too.
“I think I’m going to check out the shops.”
“Why? If you want merch, just ask Jake,” Maya says.
“Oh, right.”
She leans closer and whispers, “But if you’re just using that as an excuse to get the fuck out of here, you have to wait a bit.”
“Why?”
“Don’t let them know you’re rattled.”
The woman who said she had the perfect candidate for Lachy walks over. She’s blonde like most of the other wives, but she’s not tall and skinny; she’s pretty in a subtle way.
“I’m sorry about the whole Lachy thing. If I’d known he was dating someone, I wouldn’t have mentioned anything.”
“Oh, that’s fine. How could you have known?”
Damn it. Now this woman is being all nice, and I can’t remember her name to save my life.
“I’m glad that Jake is dating you. I’ve always said to Dennis that Jake would calm down if he had a girlfriend.”
Dennis. That’s her husband’s first name, but unfortunately, I haven’t memorized the roster of players yet.
“Calm down?” I ask.
“You know... stop being so short tempered off the ice. It’s fine for them to be goons while playing, but it’s a different story to be a menace in their day-to-day lives. He can’t start fights for no reason.”
“Jake isn’t a menace,” I retort.
She gives me a droll look, and all the goodwill I was developing for her evaporates. “Oh honey... you’re looking at him through rose-colored glasses.”
“I don’t think Jake is that bad,” Maya chimes in. “He wouldn’t be captain if he was a deranged bully.”
“Well, I don’t know why he’s captain to be honest. There are more qualified players for that position, in my honest opinion.”
Maya raises a brow. “Oh? Like your husband?”
Dennis’s wife gets all flustered. “I wasn’t even thinking about Dennis.” She glances at her half-full glass. “I’m getting a new drink.”
“Thanks for the assist,” I say after Dennis’s wife walks away.
“Don’t mention it. I wish I’d had someone to help me when I dipped my toes into WAG life. I was so unprepared to deal with all the cattiness.”
“It’s a little off putting to me how it doesn’t seem different than high school.”
“I didn’t have a bad experience in high school, but I didn’t attend high school in the US. Maybe that’s why.”
“Where did you go to school?”
“In the Netherlands.”
“That’s awesome. Where did you meet Banksy?”
“College. I went to Hannaford U. Simon was the hotshot hockey player, and I was the quiet girl who was assigned to tutor him.”
“A classic love story.” I grin.
She smiles back at me. “Yeah. I’ll tell you all about it one day.”
“I’d love that.”
We stay in the lounge until some of the wives with children head to the ice to watch their husbands warm up. Maya suggests we walk around the food court and people watch. I’m thankful she took the lead on that idea. I really can’t let these women intimidate me.
Unfortunately, I can’t escape them like I planned. Fiona, Wendy, and Kendall—Dennis’s wife—tag along too. Maya and I fall behind, letting the trio walk ahead of us. I’m intent on tuning them out, but then Kendall asks Wendy about her Halloween party. I love Halloween, so that piques my interest.
“Oh, it’s going to be epic! Wait until you see my costume,” Wendy replies.
“What are you wearing?” I ask.
She looks over her shoulder with brows raised. “I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.”
“You and Jake are coming, right?” Maya asks.
“Uh... he didn’t say anything. And I have plans already.”
Wendy stops in her tracks and spins around. “You must come to the party. It’s non-negotiable.”
I’m taken aback by her vehemence. “Why?”
“Jake never comes because he hates to celebrate his birthday,” Maya explains.
I blink fast, confused by her answer.
“You do know Jake’s birthday is on Halloween, right?” Fiona arches a brown. God, I’m starting to hate her passive-aggressive remarks.
“No, I didn’t know.”
My honest answer surprises them. Did they expect me to lie? I bet they did.
“You didn’t google him before you start to date?” Kendall presses.
I shake my head. “Nope.”
“Wow, I think you’re the first girlfriend I’ve ever met who didn’t have a full report on her guy.”
Wendy’s lips curl up into eerie grin. “You know what? It’s perfect he didn’t tell you about his birthday. Just tell him you’re super excited about my Halloween party.”
“You want me to guilt him into attending?”
She shrugs. “Why not?”
I absolutely hate the idea, and I have no intention of doing that to Jake. But I don’t have a chance to voice my disagreement because, from the corner of my eye, I spot Bill and Danika heading to the bar near us.
“Unbelievable,” I mutter.
“What is it?” Maya and the other WAGs follow my line of vision. “Who are they?”
“My ex and his new girlfriend,” I grit out. I’m not jealous of them. I’m pissed they came to the game. This is my turf now.
“Oh shit. That’s him ?” Maya asks loudly, drawing Bill’s and Danika’s attention to our group.
They seem shocked at first, but then they both glower openly at me as if they’re the injured party. What a pair.
“They don’t look happy to see you,” Kendall pipes up.
“The feeling is mutual.”
“He’s coming this way,” Maya adds.
Hell to the fucking no. I’m not going engage with Bill in front of all these women.
“I don’t want to deal with his bullshit. Let’s go back to the lounge.” I hook my arm with hers and tug her in the opposite direction.
“June, wait. I need to talk to you.” Bill calls out, making me walk faster.
“You’re shaking. Should we call security?” Maya asks.
“Only if he catches up with us.”
“I’m not letting that happen.” She flags a security guard near us and tells him there’s a man harassing us. She points at Bill, who stops in his tracks when he realizes he’s about to get tossed out of the arena.
“I’ll handle it, Mrs. Banks,” the guard tells us.
Bill takes off in the opposite direction, trying to get lost in the crowd. The security guard goes after him.
“Oh my God.” I press my palm against my chest, trying to slow my heart.
“Take deep breathes, June,” Maya tells me. “The worst is over.”
I grimace. “You must think I’m a coward for running away from my ex.”
“No. I don’t think that at all. I wouldn’t want to talk to that asshole either, if I were you.”
I let out a shaky breath. “I had to block his number and Danika’s. They were harassing me.”
“You should talk to Jake about that. He can get Bill and his new girlfriend banned from the arena.”
I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me that Bill would keep coming to Titans games. He’s a big fan after all.
“Jake hates Bill’s guts. I don’t want him to get into trouble because of my douchey ex. He’s not worth it.”
“It’s not about your ex. It’s about you. If you don’t feel safe, you have to tell Jake. I’m sure he thinks you are worth protecting.”
My stomach aches thanks to the anxiety. The last thing I want is to give Jake one more thing to worry about. He’s dealing with so much already.
“I’ll talk to him. Could you please not mention this to your husband before I have a chance to speak with Jake?”
She furrows her brows. “Are you telling him tonight?”
I feel like an ass, asking Maya to keep things from her husband, and judging by her expression, she’s not keen.
“Yeah. I’ll tell him tonight.”
Even if Maya keeps my secret, the other WAGs won’t. I really don’t have a choice. I need to tell the boys. I’m dreading how they’re going to react.