Chapter 3
Chapter Three
RHETT
Playing professional hockey was always a dream of mine. Not only is the sport thrilling and an excellent way to work out, but being well known in a hockey loving town has its perks.
And I typically exploit it every chance I get.
I circle through the airport roundabout and pull up to the baggage claim, parking right out front. Several people shoot me dirty looks, but I don’t care.
I wanted a closer spot, and now that all the cabs are gone for the day, I can finally park right up at the door.
An airport employee sticks his head out of the sliding door and looks right at me. I give him a friendly nod.
He frowns in return and gestures to the no parking sign.
I can’t help but to grin in return. Most of the police in town know who I am, and for the few that don’t, well, they know about the Savannah Sharks and they know about Arturo Marino.
No one fucks with us, especially since Arturo just bought the Sharks.
Speaking of Arturo and the Sharks, I pick up my phone and text Joey and Spencer.
How’d the job go?
Joey responds almost immediately.
Never happened.
Damn. This shit is getting ridiculous. Arturo isn’t going to stand by and just let this keep happening. There will be hell to pay. I’d hate to be on the receiving end of Arturo’s anger.
I type out a quick response.
That’s the third time this week.
His response doesn’t come right away.
Where’s Spencer and why hasn’t he chimed in? Are they with Arturo trying to come up with a course of action?
Damn, I really hate missing out on all the fun. Instead, I’m playing chauffeur. Not that I mind picking up Francesca. It will be good to see her again without the guys or her family around.
A message pops up from Joey.
Yeah, and Dad is livid. Got to go. We’ll fill you in tomorrow morning.
Turning off my car, I get out and lean against the passenger door. Between missing the job and waiting for Francesca, I feel too anxious to sit still.
Glancing through the airport doors, I see the power flicker, then go out. Screams echo throughout the building.
Pushing off the car, I prepare to run inside to try to find Francesca, but the lights turn back on. They are the backup generator lights, but it’s enough to stop the screaming.
I check the time on my phone. Eight thirty.
I’ve been waiting almost two hours for Francesca’s flight to get here. Two hours to try to prepare myself for seeing her for the first time in two years.
But I fail.
Miserably.
The moment she walks out into the dark, stormy night, my heart races and words elude me.
She’s more beautiful than ever. Sexier, if that’s even possible. Her long hair is falling out of the bun she tried to tie it into, and her dark eyes have bags under them like she hasn’t been sleeping well.
The thin strap of her tank top and the strap of her backpack are covering what appears to be a tattoo.
Is it a flower?
When did she get a tattoo?
Her long legs stretch out from her tiny jean shorts, making me remember what it felt like to have them wrapped around my waist.
Damn it. I shouldn’t be thinking about this right now.
That last thing I need is for my dick to be getting hard before we’ve even said two words to each other.
My gaze locks onto hers in an unintentional stare off. Neither one of us moves or speaks. We’re frozen in time while the world still moves around us .
Someone bumps into Francesca with the force of a hurricane, knocking her down.
Before I can register what’s happening, my feet propel me toward her. My arms reach out and wrap around her, pulling her into my chest to keep her from hitting the ground.
I give the guy a dirty look as I wrap my arms tighter around her.
Being this close to her feels incredible, like the past two years were worth the separation.
But the truth is, we aren’t together.
She moved on. Life moved on.
She stands and pushes me away. Her eyebrows knit together as she looks up at me. “What are you doing here?”
Isn’t the answer obvious? “Your dad asked me to give you a ride to your apartment.”
“Mmm.”
Her simple reply leaves me more confused than ever.
Is she upset about me being the one her father sent?
Is she glad to see me?
Her curt response is followed by an awkward silence.
Needing to strike up a conversation, I ask, “Where’s your stuff?”
She’s only carrying a purse and backpack.
She sighs. “With no power, we can’t get our bags, so I’ll probably be luggage free until tomorrow.”
“What about your other stuff? Aren’t you moving here? ”
“I shipped my stuff Friday afternoon. It should arrive sometime this week.”
“Well, shall we?” I open the passenger door for her.
She nods and climbs in. I resist the urge to grab her ass and lift her up like I used to.
Times have changed, and I’m not sure she would welcome a touch from me. Not that I’d blame her. I’ve practically ignored her the past two years.
I haven’t tried calling or messaging, even though that’s all I thought about for the first month after she left.
After three months, I stopped asking Joey about her. It was too hard to keep my hopes up, thinking she would come back to me.
I poured all of my time and energy into work.
After she’s settled with her purse and backpack on the floorboard in front of her, I close her door and head around to the driver’s side.
Taking a deep breath, I push my feelings for her down into the recesses of my heart. They’ve been buried for years, but seeing her again is causing them to be stirred up.
This isn’t part of the plan.
At least not anymore.
Two years ago, I was ready to propose to her. I bought the ring and even asked Arturo for his permission.
I had everything planned, but out of the blue, she broke up with me and moved away .
I had no one but Spencer to talk to. Sure, I had Joey, but I can’t really talk to a dude about his sister.
Not to mention I was shy and nervous. I’ve changed from the man I was two years ago, though.
As I pull out of the airport, Francesca flips through the radio stations like she used to.
I shake my head and chuckle. “You haven’t changed much, huh? Do you still change television channels like this?”
She laughs. “Yeah, well, there’s just never anything good on. It’s always either news or reality shows. My life is already dramatic enough. Why would I want to watch someone else’s?”
Her laugh is music to my ears. It’s a foreign sound that my heart has been missing for far too long.
“That is true. So how have you been these past couple of years?”
“School was pretty standard. Hard, but worth it. Getting a degree in communications so I could find a PR job didn’t really pan out. I wonder if that’s the real reason Dad offered me the job?”
I shake my head. “No, that’s not why. He wanted the best, and you were always good at smoothing things over.”
Plus, it’s easier to keep all business in the family because family will protect one another when shit hits the fan.
She stares at me for a few seconds before shaking her head and looking out the window.
Shit. Did I say something wrong?
Pull into my assigned parking spot .
“Home sweet home.”
Francesca looks out the windshield and gasps. “Wow, this is more beautiful in person than in pictures. Pictures do not do it justice, and the pictures impressed me.”
I could say the same about her.
She grabs her bags and slides out of the truck. “So, who’s got my keys?”
“The office. I’ll show you the way.”
I lock my truck and lead her inside through the side door that is closest to the main office. The lights are turned off, and the door is locked.
“So, I guess I’m temporarily homeless?” She tries to keep her emotions from showing on her face, but her bottom lip quivers, like she’s on the verge of crying.
“No. I’ll call the apartment manager, Darla. She will be able to sort this out.”
Someone will fix this or else. I don’t think I can just stand here and watch Francesca cry without making someone pay.
I scroll through my contacts and call Darla.
Her nasally voice comes through after the second ring. “What can I do for you, Mr. Montgomery?”
“I’m here with Francesca and the office is closed. She was on the schedule to move in today.”
“The office closes promptly at six. She will have to wait until we open tomorrow morning.”
I could threaten to call Arturo, but there’s no point. He has enough shit to worry about right now .
“Thanks for nothing.” I mumble before ending the call.
Looking at Francesca, I say, “Change of plans. We can’t get your keys because it’s so late and the office is closed. You can either crash at my place or I can bring you to your house. Your choice.”
The thought of her sleeping in my apartment stirs up old feelings, but the thought of her choosing to go back home instead of staying with me leaves me feeling nervous for her answer.
“I’m starving. I can order us a couple of pizzas. Do you have a favorite restaurant you like ordering from?”
So not only does she look like she hasn’t slept in days, but she’s starving, too.
I shake my head. “I can whip us up something to eat. It will probably be quicker than delivery.”
I head to the elevator in the lobby and push the button to go up. I glance back at her to see if she followed me. She didn’t. She’s still frozen in front of the office.
The elevator dings before opening. I step inside and hold the door open. “Are you coming? Or did you change your mind?”
She runs to get inside before the elevator tries to close its doors. “You live here, too?”
I narrow my eyes at her. “Yeah, the entire team lives here. Well, except for your brother, because he still lives at home.”
She cocks her head to the side and asks, “What happened to the house on Tybee Island? ”
The memories flood in at the mention of the Tybee Island house. There were so many great memories in the house. There were also some pretty terrible memories.
The first time I met Francesca was the night of Joey’s party at the house.
The first time I told her I loved her was over breakfast in bed.
The house is the first place where I knew I wanted to marry her and make her mine in every sense of the word.
And the house is where she broke up with me after telling me that the two of us couldn’t have a future together.
I shake those memories away. New place. New memories.
Hopefully, good memories with Chessie.
I clear my throat and say, “Your dad bought the building to make things easier for early and late practices. It was easier for the team to move here, and since we were all renting the house, we agreed.”
The elevator dings before opening its doors to the second floor.
We step out of the elevator and I continue. “Plus, your dad isn’t making us pay rent, so that made our decision easier. I’m sorry, I thought you knew.”
She shakes her head. “All he said was that there was a new apartment complex within a few minutes’ walk to the arena. He never told me he owned the building.”
As soon as the old warehouse went up for sale, Arturo bought it and tore it down, with plans to put an upscale apartment complex in its place. Why wouldn’t he tell her?
“I’m sorry.”
She glances down both hallways before turning her attention to me.
Changing the conversation, I say, “There are three elevators. This one is in the middle of the lobby and the one that everyone seems to use. The other two are on opposite ends of the hallway. The one closest to your apartment is in the L.”
She nods. “Which way is your apartment?”
“This way. The total opposite direction from yours.”
She chuckles and glances down at the floor.
It’s like Joey and Arturo planned to have her as far away from my apartment as possible. If I could have things my way, she wouldn’t need her own apartment because she’d be in my bed every night.
I playfully knock my arm against hers. “Come on. I’ll show you my place, and then I’ll cook us some dinner.”
She looks up at me and gives me a half smile, but I can tell something is bothering her. Her poker face isn’t as good as it once was.
Or maybe she knows she can trust me and doesn’t need to hide her true emotions.
Reaching out, I grab her hand. “Chessie, what’s wrong?”
She freezes at the old nickname before shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter. ”
“Yes, it does. It matters to me. I care about you and what’s going on with you. I always have and always will.”
My heart pounds in my chest. I just practically confessed my feelings for her, but it’s the truth. Even after being apart, I still care for her.