Chapter 23
Victoria
Ivy’s in the kitchen when I get home. She looks like she’s been up all night and she’s got Charlie resting on one shoulder as she tries to make a cup of coffee without waking him.
“Here, let me have him.” I reach for Charlie and Ivy hands him to me before turning to the counter.
“Where were you all night?”
“I fell asleep at Merrill’s.”
“Right.” She sounds dubious.
“Were you up all night with Charlie?” I ask, hoping to deflect.
“I was. And I have to be at work in three hours.” She turns wearily. “Were you with Jordan?”
“Shh,” I whisper, scowling at her. “What difference does it make?”
“Dad left early this morning and he noticed you weren’t here. He asked me where you were, and I pretended I didn’t realize you weren’t in bed.”
“Thanks.” I sigh, bouncing Charlie gently. “Let me take him to my bed and lie down with him. Maybe he’ll doze until Mom gets up.”
“Mom still doesn’t feel well,” she says.
“I have class at ten. I can’t stay home. It’s almost the end of the semester.”
She scowls. “Mom is sick and I have to work.”
“You can take a sick day,” I say patiently. “You still get paid.”
“I’m trying to save those to go on a girls’ trip this summer.”
I arch my brows at her. “I’m sorry, Ivy, but I can’t skip school so you can save your sick days to go on vacation. He’s your responsibility, not mine.”
“I keep your secrets!” she hisses.
I stare at her. “Really? After all we’ve been through, that’s where you’re going with this. Fine. Do whatever you have to do.” I hand Charlie back to her and then turn and walk out of the room.
Slipping into my room, I kick off my shoes and sit on the edge of the bed.
I slept pretty well last night, just not long enough, and now I’m torn between wanting to sleep for another hour or so and jumping in the shower to get a headstart on my day.
My bed is so inviting but it’s probably better to get out of the house and maybe do some reading before class.
I strip out of my clothes and pull on my bathrobe, then dig through my dresser to figure out what I want to wear.
Winter is short in South Florida, so it’s already hot as hell, and I opt for a cute denim skort and a short-sleeve top.
I don’t know if I’ll see Jordan today but I’d like to look cute in case I do.
There’s a knock on my door and I open it to find Ivy standing there looking contrite.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I didn’t mean it. I’m just…tired.”
“I know. It’s okay.”
“I put Charlie in my bed but I don’t know how long he’ll sleep. I’m going to try to doze for a while and then call in sick.”
“I’m sorry you have to do that,” I say gently. “I’ll help out when I get home from school.”
“Thanks.” She hugs me tightly and then heads back to her room.
So much for seeing Jordan today.
I feel a sharp pang of frustration.
I was working last night so Jordan and I didn’t get to spend any quality time together, and then I passed out almost as soon as we got back to his place.
That memory makes me smile.
He gave me an awesome massage that relaxed me right to sleep.
He can be so sweet and thoughtful—I wish I could reciprocate.
I just don’t have the free time that he has, which is kind of ironic considering what he does for a living.
Of course, all he has to think about is hockey and me.
He doesn’t cook, clean, or even pay many bills.
His job is physically demanding but otherwise, he’s somewhat untethered.
I work and go to school, study, help out at home, spend a significant amount of time with Charlie, and now I’ve been doing more chores around the house too.
How the hell am I going to fit Jordan into all of that?
I’m taking on too much, but my family has a way of guilting me into doing what they want instead of what I want. I put my foot down when it comes to work and school, but I’ve never had much of a social life, and I think they take it for granted that I’ll simply be available.
At some point, I have to push back.
But not today.
Right now, I have to get ready for the day and see if I can help with Charlie before I have to go. Maybe I can make breakfast for Mom and Ivy, which is one less thing for them to deal with.
* * *
The next couple of days are a blur. I go from school to work to home and then out again any time my mom or Ivy need anything.
I’m working, studying, cooking and cleaning, and Jordan is leaving on another road trip tomorrow.
By Sunday, I’m wiped and it’s actually more relaxing to be at work than at home.
And Jordan comes in not long after we open.
“Hi.” I give him a tired smile.
“You look exhausted,” he says, shaking his head.
“I am. But Mom and Charlie are both feeling better. Of course, now Ivy is under the weather, but she doesn’t require the same amount of babying that Mom and Charlie do.”
“You need to take care of yourself too,” he says gently.
“I know.” I look down at the bag in his hands. “Whatcha got?”
He grins. “Well, Juliet runs a bakery business and though her specialty is custom cupcakes, she does cookies and other things sometimes. And yesterday, she hosted a high tea for a bunch of ladies—and there were a ton of leftover white chocolate scones.”
My mouth waters.
“Oh my gosh, yes.” I reach for the bag and peer inside. The scent that hits my nostrils is heavenly, and I moan.
He laughs. “Wow, that’s all it takes to turn you on, huh?”
“Don’t even try to compete with white chocolate,” I tease in a stern voice.
“Noted.” He pops a kiss on my nose. “Since the store is still empty, I have a proposition for you.”
“Okay.” I take a bite of the scone and sigh happily, ignoring the powdered sugar that just dotted my blouse.
“You still haven’t been to New York, right?”
“No.”
“Our last road trip of the year includes all three Manhattan-area teams, plus Philly.”
“Weren’t you there not that long ago?”
He shrugs. “They did a weird thing with the schedule this year. But anyway, since it’s the last road trip of the year, a lot of the wives and girlfriends are going.
How about you come with? They’re planning a spa day and a few other things.
Normally, Coach doesn’t like when the ladies come along, but once in a while he’ll make an exception. ”
“Oh.” It sounds amazing.
I really, really, really want to go.
But I don’t know if I can.
“And I know what you’re thinking,” he continues with a grin, “but I checked online and it loosely coincides with your spring break from school.”
“Oh.” Now I’m listening with a lot more interest.
“What do you think?”
I hesitate for a second but then throw my arms around his neck. “Yes! I’d love that. I’m so excited.”
“Good.” He nuzzles my hair for a moment.
“I won’t have time to do a bunch of touristy stuff with you, but I mentioned it to Chloe and she’s never been to the Statue of Liberty, so she said she’d go with you.
And the Macy’s in Herald Square is apparently Hana’s favorite place in the whole world, so she said she would go to the Empire State Building with you if you go shopping with her. It’s right down the street.”
An unfamiliar prickle of gratitude fills me and I hug him tighter. “Oh, Jordan. You’re so thoughtful. Thank you. Yes. It sounds like the best trip in the world.”
“I think Coach figures even if we’re a little distracted having the ladies with us, it won’t be as bad as us going off and finding trouble on our own.”
I laugh. “Well, there’s that.”
“Someday, I’ll take you to New York at Christmas. It’s the best.”
“I’m so excited.”
His eyes meet mine. “What are you going to tell your parents?”
Ugh. That puts a damper on my mood.
“Well, I’ve been thinking about all that. It’s not going to be fun, but I’d like to have you over for dinner. We have to rip the band-aid off at some point, right? So maybe we start there?”
“Whatever you think.”
“I’ll talk to my mom while you’re gone and, even if they balk initially, they’ll back down if I make a fuss.”
“You think they’ll agree to me coming to dinner?”
“It’s safe enough, right? Besides, Ivy and I had a dumb fight the other day and when she didn’t get her way, she threatened to tell Mom and Dad about us.”
He grimaces. “That sucks.”
“I told her to do what she wants and then five minutes later she apologized, saying she was just stressed. But at some point, it’s going to slip out, so I’d rather get it out in the open.”
“Look, I know your family is important to you, but don’t worry, okay? Everything will be all right. I’ll talk to your dad, find a way to show him I’m serious about you. About us.”
I nod, even though I know it won’t be that easy.
But maybe it will.
Maybe time has softened my dad and he’ll see that I’m an adult who can make her own decisions.
That’s absurd. I already know that, but it never hurts to hold out hope.
Right?