Chapter Seven #2
“Well, that is because she didn’t hear them.
She was already at the door unlocking it when they approached me.
I told them to take off, but they followed me to the door where they then accused us of having an affair.
I wanted to protect her from the shit we go through, and I guess I just lost my shit. ” I shrugged.
“You should have told her,” Knox said.
“I should have and would have once we were inside. I really wanted her advice,” I added.
I did not know where the hell I was coming up with this shit, but it needed to stop. The more I spewed, the deeper into this mess I got, and I didn’t even want to be in it to start with. I’d never be able to keep up with this story if I kept going.
“The girls want to know if she is here,” Dylan said, sitting down after filling his water bottle.
“If who’s here?”
“This mysterious woman.” Levi chuckled.
I faced my locker. I didn’t want to let them know she was here this morning, but I also knew that they’d figure it out pretty damn quick otherwise when the photographer started taking pictures of us.
“Yeah, she flew in yesterday. She’ll be watching practice this morning, but let’s not overwhelm her today.
Let her get settled in. It’s been a lot on both of us, but the moment she is settled, I’ll bring her by for everyone to meet her.
We should get a move on, boys, or we’ll be late otherwise,” I said, glancing at the clock, wanting this interrogation to be over.
I gathered my things as the rest of us got ready, and we all headed down to the ice. We all skated around, warming up, but all I could think about was Emma, who I noticed was sitting at the edge of the glass drinking her mocha whatever it was, watching me.
The worst part was, she was still attractive as hell, and this situation right here was one I’d dreamed about. She was all that had been missing during my early career. If the situation were different and she wasn’t so wrapped up in herself, I’d take another swing at her.
I took another spin around the ice, and when I stopped and looked over at her, I saw she was talking with one of the newer guys on the team, who hadn’t been privy to our locker-room conversation this morning.
While we all skated around, taking turns taking shots on net, I kept my focus on Brad and Emma. Emma was all smiles, laughing at whatever he’d said. Then Thompkins blew a whistle, and Brad skated away from Emma, heading toward center ice.
I tried to keep a focus on practice but knew that Emma was watching me, making notes as she sipped on her drink.
I felt pumped up more than ever, and it wasn’t from practice.
To start, I’d hated watching Brad talk to Emma. Watching her smile and laugh at whatever he’d said ate me to my very core. She used to laugh at the things I said just like that when we were younger, and the more I thought about it, the more jealous I became.
I figured she’d have a long list of things I needed to fix after practice and the photoshoot, but she’d not uttered a word when we got in the truck. In fact, she’d said nothing while I chatted it up with the guys after either; she just stood in the background, watching and waiting.
As I pulled the truck up to a light, I glanced over at her, and I watched her for a moment. There was so much tension in this truck that it was making me uncomfortable, but she just sat there staring out the passenger window looking calm.
“If you have something to say, just say it,” she muttered without looking at me.
“What?” I questioned.
“There is so much tension in here I can barely stand it,” she said, looking over at me.
“You were watching me this morning at practice, you kept looking over at me while you were talking with the guys after the photoshoot, and you’ve been watching me since we left the arena.
So, if you have something you want to say, say it. ”
“No, you’ve been watching me.” I chuckled.
“No, I haven’t.”
“You have. I even caught you taking photos of me on the ice.”
“I didn’t. When I wasn’t taking notes while you were at practice, I was on my phone trying to find a hotel room for the games next week.”
“Why would you do that?” I questioned.
“Well, for starters, I’m not sharing a room with you.”
“Why not? What will the media say when they catch us coming out of separate rooms? Did you think of that?”
She didn’t look at me; she just shook her head. She was the one who’d thought up this stupid idea, so she should have the answers, but she said nothing.
“I have a room that is big enough for two people, but if you want to make it difficult, make it difficult.”
I tapped the edge of the steering wheel with my thumb and then turned to look at her. “What did Brad want?”
“Why? Jealous?” she asked, a soft smile coming to her lips.
“No, I was curious.”
“He was trying to get me to wear his jersey,” she said, a hint of laughter in her voice.
I cleared my throat and shifted in my seat. “You know what that means, don’t you?” I questioned.
Emma didn’t answer me right away, and then she shook her head. “No clue.”
“It’s a statement. Wearing a certain player’s number is a statement,” I said. “When you are dating a player, you wear his number to every game. It lets people know who you belong to.”
“I see, and how many women have worn your number?” she muttered.
“Why? Are you jealous?”
“Please…”
“Honestly, you should wear mine,” I added, thinking about all the girls when they attended games. Even little Jackson wore Dylan’s number.
“Relax, I’m not a puck bunny,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Or whatever they call themselves now.”
“Puck bunny works.”
“I’m not wearing anything of the sort.”
“Well, if you want to make this charade real, you’d wear my number to every event that isn’t black tie.”
She shook her head and looked at me, and when I met her eyes, she turned and looked out the window again.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes, I’m serious. You’ll notice that all the other girls wear their guys’ numbers at games and at events.
Don’t be surprised if Aurora, Lorelai, Scarlett, Peyton, and Ella show up to all the events wearing their men’s numbers.
You’ll be the odd one out because you’ll be sitting with them in the stands during the game.
Fans will automatically think something is up if you’re not wearing it, and don’t even get me started on what those Puck-Lit-Love girlies will think. ”
It was like music to my ears, but for the first time since we’d been around one another, Emma laughed.
“What would you know about those Puck-Lit-Love girlies?” she questioned.
“Not a damn thing.”
“Well, like I said, I’m no puck bunny. Besides, I’m used to being the odd one out.”
I watched as she reached into her purse and picked up her phone, looking at the screen. I caught sight of the name Mark Hart just as she silenced the buzzing and rejected the call, shoving her phone back into her purse.
“Who was that?” I questioned.
“Who was what?”
“Who’s Mark Hart?” I asked.
“No one important,” she said.
“You’re sure?”
She took a deep breath, and then slowly let it out. “If you must know, that is Mark, as in my other half.”
“I see. You spoke with him last night, right?”
“That’s correct,” she said, meeting my eyes before tearing them away from me.
We both grew quiet.
“Do you always argue like that?”
“Who says we are arguing?”
“Well, last I checked, the only time one of my previous girlfriends cried was when we were fighting. Just know that if you need to talk, I’m here, and I don’t mind listening.”
The tension between us was so thick it made it hard to breathe. She shifted in her seat, clearing her throat.
“Colton, or should I say, Mr. Fox, thank you for your concern, and there may have been a time I’d have taken you up on that offer, but right now isn’t the time. I’m here to help you.”
“Doesn’t mean that if you need to run something past me, I can’t help you.”
“This is a working relationship only. There will be no personal exchanges,” she said, straightening in her seat.
I couldn’t help but shake my head. She was seriously acting as if she’d never known me before, and I hated it. Instead of continuing to drive, I pulled my truck over to the side of the road, put it in park, and then turned to look at her.
“So, you get to know all these things about my personal life, but I can’t know about yours?”
She looked at me and frowned.
“Well?”
“Correct, because without me knowing the personal side of you, I can’t help you.”
“Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but you know shit about me. Oh, and from now on, you’ll only ever know what I want you to, and right now, you aren’t privy to knowing anything.”
“Believe me, I know more about you than you think I do. Oh, and also, I couldn’t agree with you more. Truth is, I can barely recognize the person you used to be.”
Her words stung. Her words also confirmed where my place was, and it wasn’t being her friend.
“There it is, finally, baby girl admits knowing me.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” She asked.
“Exactly that.” I answered.
“You are impossible,” she gritted.
I put the truck back into drive and pulled away from the curb, making my way back into my neighborhood. I pulled into the driveway and sat there, waiting for her to get out.
“Aren’t you going to shut the truck off?”
“Nope, it’s still early, and I have some errands to run,” I said.
“Well, I’m supposed to shadow you. So let’s go,” Emma said, putting her belt back on.
“Not this time,” I bit out. “You’re staying here.”
I could see the shock in her eyes from the tone I’d used, and even though she stared at me, she knew she would not win. She took her seatbelt off, grabbed her purse, and climbed out of the truck. She stood in the driveway watching me as I backed away.