Chapter 28
Jordan
To my surprise, tears puddle in her eyes. Then she reaches up to put a hand on the side of my face, blinking as one errant tear slips down her cheek.
“I love you too,” she whispers.
“Don’t cry, baby.” I use my thumb to wipe away the tear. “You had to know even without me saying it. Didn’t you?”
She smiles. “With our history, I didn’t want to assume anything.”
“I’d like to think you feel my love in the way I treat you.”
“I do. It’s just a little scary when you love someone as much as I love you.”
Fuck, I don’t know how long I’ve waited to hear those words but it’s like they send direct messages to both my heart and my dick, in equal measure.
I tug her back on top of me and kiss her as deeply as I ever have.
Tongues and lips move in tandem, bodies press close together, and everything spirals into a cocoon of passion and love.
When we can finally breathe again, she sighs with what can only be described as contentment. She’s soft and warm and her body molds to mine.
This should be our life every day.
I need her here with me full-time. I just don’t know how to convince her that it’s the right time. Her father is either going to accept my place in her life or he won’t—I don’t think giving him a period of time to come to terms with it is going to help.
But if I love her, and I do, I promised to be patient.
So instead of pointing out how good it is when we’re together, and how much better it would be if I didn’t have to take her home, I just kiss the tip of her nose and ask if she wants to order takeout.
“I could eat,” she says, sitting up.
“Chinese?” I ask.
“Sure.”
I order food and then we freshen up in the bathroom. She touches up her makeup and hair and by the time the food arrives, there’s no sign that I just ravaged her body. Except for the twinkle in her eye.
“Are you going to the children’s hospital on Thursday?” she asks as we share moo goo gai pan and General Tso’s chicken.
“Yeah.” I nod. “You’re going to help out too, right?”
“Yes. Juliet asked me to help her with the cupcakes for the kids. I’m going to meet her at her house and we’ll drive over together so I can help her load and unload the car.”
“If you want, I can take you over there to help, and we can all go together in my SUV.”
“I’ll text her, but I’m sure that’s fine.” She pushes her plate away. “I’m stuffed.”
“We love the food at this place.”
“It’s really good.” She glances at the time on her phone and sighs. It’s almost ten o’clock and it’s obvious she’s worried.
“You want me to take you home?” I ask quietly.
“I think it’ll be better if we don’t push any boundaries if we don’t have to. The more I show my dad that we’re serious about each other and being respectful of his rules, the more willing he’ll be to give you a chance.”
I disagree, because I don’t think her father wants her to be with anyone, much less me. But I don’t say so. I just nod and finish my plate.
“We can get going whenever you’re ready.”
“Thank you.” She gets up and starts wiping down the counter since we’re eating at the kitchen island.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say.
“I don’t mind.” She wipes up everything. “Do you want to save the leftovers?”
“Sure.”
We package up what’s left and I put it in the fridge.
“Tonight was fun,” she says quietly, turning a soft gaze on me.
“It was. I want to do it as often as possible.”
“We will.” She leans up on her toes and presses her lips to mine. “Promise.”
* * *
Thursday is here before I know it and my SUV is full, as Victoria, Juliet, and I head to the children’s hospital in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
I’ve been here before, but usually it’s just a couple of us visiting the cancer ward.
Today is a bigger event, half the team is coming, and not only is Juliet providing cookies, cupcakes, and juice, we’re all bringing swag.
Tons of swag. I have 500 pucks in the back, along with tote bags and small plastic sticks.
Supposedly, there’s enough for all the kids and some of the staff too.
The girls carry in the cookies and cupcakes while I make a couple of trips to get the drinks and everything else.
By the time I get back inside, they’ve set up a table and there’s excitement in the air.
The ladies have changed into Knights T-shirts similar to the ones the team is wearing, and the staff seems happy to see us.
I’ve been here half a dozen times in the last two years so I recognize a lot of faces and the charge nurse comes over to me with a smile.
“Hey, Jordan. How are you?” She’s a no-nonsense woman in her fifties with a huge heart and an even bigger love of hockey. She’s probably one of the team’s biggest fans.
“Hey, Terri. How are you?” I give her a quick hug.
“I’m good. Getting excited for the playoffs.”
“You’re getting tickets?”
She gives me a disgusted look. “Is that a serious question?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, sorry.”
“The kids are really excited so this is going to be a long afternoon for you.”
“The cookies and cupcakes probably aren’t going to help keep them calm either,” I joke.
She smiles softly. “Well, this is a treat for them. There are a few who can’t partake so if you could spend a little extra time with them, I’d appreciate it.”
“Just tell me where to go.”
“Manny is in the cancer wing. He’s terminal and really can’t keep food down. You want to start with him? C-4401.”
“I’m on it. Let me grab Milo and maybe we can cheer him up.”
“You’re a good man, Jordan.” She squeezes my arm before bustling down the hall.
Milo and I make our way to the assigned room and I mentally steel myself. The terminal kids are gut-wrenching. It breaks my heart, but I force myself to do it because it means so much to the kids and their families.
“Hey, Manny.” I stick my head in, knocking lightly. “Are you up for company?”
A tired-looking woman—probably his mother—glances up in confusion. Then I guess she realizes who we are and nods.
“Come on in.” She gently shakes her son. “Manny, guess who’s here? It’s the guys from the Knights.”
The boy on the bed is probably around ten and his eyes flutter open. They look glassy and he seems disoriented for a beat, but then recognition flashes and he shifts, trying to sit up.
“Jordan Palmer,” he whispers.
“That’s me.” I walk over to the bed with as much of a smile as I can manage. The kid has deep, dark circles under his eyes and he’s hooked up to all kinds of monitors and IV’s. “And this is Milo Holland.”
“Hi.” Manny smiles weakly. “Thank you for coming.”
“Of course. How are you feeling?”
He sighs. “Not good. The doctor says…it won’t be long.”
“Manny, don’t say that,” his mother protests.
“I heard him,” he tells her. “Don’t lie.”
“You need to have a positive attitude,” I say gently. “It helps.”
“Nothing is going to help me.” He studies my face. “You guys need to win the Cup this year.”
“That’s the goal,” I say firmly.
“And maybe invite my mom to a game. She loves hockey.”
“Manny, I don’t need—” she begins.
“It’s okay,” I interrupt. “I’m happy to bring you to any games you want to come to.” I pull a card out of my wallet that we have for exactly these occasions. “Just call this number and tell them who you are. There will always be two tickets for you.”
Tears flood her eyes. “Thank you.”
“Good man,” Manny whispers in a tone much older than his years.
Fuck, this is hard.
Luckily, the rest of the visit is easier.
Some of the kids are beyond excited, jumping up and down, hugging us, and inhaling cookies and cupcakes like they haven’t eaten in a year.
We take pictures, give hugs, and gift them swag for the next few hours.
There are reporters present, taking pictures of everything, even going out of their way to interview Juliet, Victoria, and Coach Petrov’s wife Tessa, who came to help.
It’s exhausting but also exhilarating, and by the time we leave, we’re ready for some food and relaxation.
“Let’s go to Cicero’s,” Juliet suggests as we’re walking out to the parking lot. Vaughn met us here so she’s leaving with him, but that sounds like a great idea since I’m starving.
“We can do that.” I glance at Victoria. “You good for dinner?”
“Absolutely.”
We head to the pizzeria and by the time we arrive, the parking lot is full. Half the team is here, and since there are other patrons in the restaurant as well, there isn’t anywhere to sit right away.
“Jordan.” Juliet’s mom Maria loves me. I don’t know why. She probably thinks I’m this lost cause who needs mothering, but whatever the reason, she’s awesome. She gives me a hug and then looks down at where Victoria and I are holding hands. “I think you’ve been holding out on me.”
“Hi, Maria.” Victoria smiles shyly. “Yes, Jordan and I are dating.”
Maria crosses herself and then looks up at the ceiling. “Thank the lord. I thought he was going to be one of those perpetual playboys.”
I chuckle. “I was just waiting for my girl to find her way back to me.”
Maria’s eyes twinkle. “You two are going to make such beautiful babies.”
Victoria blushes but she’s laughing too. “I don’t think we’re ready to talk about babies, but yes, someday they will be beautiful.”
“Okay, give me a few minutes. There are a handful of tables leaving and then I can move you all to the back.”
“Thank you.” I pull Victoria closer to my side as we wait for the hostess to run credit cards while Maria moves tables around.
“Sit near me,” Juliet calls to Victoria, who nods.
“We’re coming.” She tugs me in that direction and it’s nice to see her making friends with the other wives and girlfriends and finding her place within the team’s ecosystem.
“Today was awesome,” Victoria gushes to Juliet. “The kids absolutely loved the cookies and cupcakes. And by the way—so did I.”
Juliet grins. “I’m glad. It was nice to be able to do something for them. They get so excited when the guys visit, but this was a little something extra.”
They chat about cookies and baking and how heartbreaking it was to see some of the kids, and I kind of settle in and watch.
How Victoria is so animated as they talk about the day.
How genuine her friendship with Juliet appears to be.
How happy she looks.
How happy we are together.
The only question now is whether she likes it enough to take the next step.