Chapter 17 Like One of His Rookies
Like One of His Rookies
Darcy
My face feels hotter than the bonfire around back. That’s what a potent cocktail of shame and embarrassment will do to a girl. “So you decided to teach her a lesson by making us a couple?”
Eric kicks off his slides and puts his feet in the water, too. “Something like that.”
His confession hangs in the humid night air between us: Eric didn’t pretend to be my boyfriend to fix an issue for himself. He did it because he felt sorry for me.
And now that he’s admitted it, so many other things click into place. The way he kept his arm around me after that. The warm looks. Even our silly dance routine—it was all just Eric being overly generous. The way he is with everyone.
Which is exactly what I don’t need from him. Not when I’m having a hormone rush every time I remember the feeling of his hand on my waist. Not after I let myself imagine, even for a moment, that there might be something more interesting blossoming between us.
Mr. Noble Hockey Player was just trying to protect my feelings. Like I was one of his rookies having a bad day.
The hot tub bubbles beside us, and I’m grateful for its white noise. It helps mask the embarrassing sound of my swallow. “You shouldn’t have done that,” I say, my voice coming out tight. “I can handle Tessa being Tessa. I’ve had years of practice.”
“I know, but—”
“And I definitely don’t need your pity. I’m not some damsel who needs the popular guy to defend her honor. ‘Poor little Darcy, with her pathetic crush, getting trashed by her own sister at a party.’”
His eyes widen. “That’s not what I—”
“Save it.” I stand up, water dripping from my feet onto the deck. “It’s insulting.”
“Darcy, wait.” He catches up to me in two strides. “You’ve got it wrong.”
“Do I?” I stop walking and glare at him. “Because it seems pretty clear to me. Your whole Captain Protective routine kicked in when you heard Tessa being an ass. Just like when someone cheap-shots one of your players.”
“That’s not—” He makes a frustrated sound. “Okay, maybe partly. But it’s more complicated than that.”
“It really isn’t.” I turn to go, but he’s blocking my path. “Move, please.”
“No. Because you’re making assumptions and they’re wrong. First of all, not all my thoughts were noble that night.”
I take an audible breath. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I thought it was obvious that the crush goes two ways.” He waves a hand between our bodies.
“But it’s more than that. Listening to Tessa made me ragey—not just for you, but for me, too.
I’m so tired of watching people get away with their shitty behavior.
It happens in my family, too, and there doesn’t seem to be any way to stop them.
So I just thought…” He sighs. “It just felt good to shut her up. I know it’s petty. ”
God. It’s petty, but also hot. What is wrong with me that I like his explanation so much?
“Besides—we still have this wedding to get through. Your dad is sick, and my parents are a mess, and maybe we both need someone in our corner. So can we just…” He runs a hand through his hair. “Can we table this discussion until after the wedding?”
“You want to keep pretending?”
“Yeah. I do.” His voice is gruff. “Unless you’d rather face five days of Tessa gloating about your breakup, which would be all my fault. While I deal with my mother crying into her champagne glass.”
When he puts it that way… “Hell.”
“Sounds bad, right?” He clears his throat. “And we had fun at that party, didn’t we? I sure did.”
My stomach tries a wobbly little flip. “It wasn’t terrible.”
He grins. “A three-star review? I guess I’ll take it.”
I can’t believe I’m about to sign on to this. “But Eric—just don’t treat me like I’m fragile.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” His shoulders relax slightly. “You’re one of the toughest people I know.”
“And no more lying to make me feel better.”
His expression flickers with something I can’t read. “Deal. But you can still call it quits if you feel the need. My, uh, mother is very excited about meeting you.”
“She is? Why?”
He sighs. “Because she and Maribel had a chat after the party, and Maribel told her about you, and…” He swallows. “Well, I wasn’t on the call, but all of a sudden, my mother feels like she has something exciting to focus on instead of my dead brother’s upcoming birthday.”
“Oh, geez.” My heart clenches for this poor woman.
“Yeah.” He frowns. “Not that any of this is your problem to solve. Your fake boyfriend isn’t much of a catch, I’m afraid.”
That fizzy feeling in my stomach begs to differ.
What is wrong with me?
While I’m pondering this, a single female moan punctuates the night air, followed by a low male groan. A beat later, I hear an “Oh Goddd. Oh yes!”
The weird thing, though, is that I think those sounds came from two different upstairs windows. My neck cranes on instinct toward the surround sound of sex.
What’s worse is that I catch Eric doing the same thing. And the look of confusion on his face probably mirrors mine. A beat later, it happens again—mismatched moans from different screened windows.
That’s when things get super awkward down here on the ground. “Uh-oh,” Eric says with an uncomfortable laugh. “Which room did they give you? I hope the walls are sturdy.”
“I don’t have a room. This is just a day trip—I just wanted an afternoon at the beach before I go back to work tomorrow.”
“Work?” he yelps. “It’s summer.”
And this is the difference between me and the big, important hockey player. “We don’t all have your schedule, E-Train. During the summer, I work three days a week for his lordship. While also taking two college classes.”
“Oh, hell,” he says, looking genuinely shocked.
Another moan pierces the summer night.
“Um, in fact…” I check the time. “I’m getting on the LIRR at ten thirty. I need to get a rideshare.”
“How about I drive you to the train? I don’t need to stand around here listening to…” He gestures wildly toward the house. “And even if we get there early, there’s that place for…”
“… Ice cream!” we say in unison. And somehow, we’re smiling at each other in the dark.
“Get your stuff?” he says.
I hesitate for approximately one and a half seconds. But I have no chill when it comes to Eric, so I dart into the house to find my bag.
Then, in a twist of events I’d not predicted for tonight, I’m back in Eric’s Porsche and heading for town.
And twenty minutes after that, we’re licking ice cream cones at the train station.
I’m way too aware of his tongue on that mint chocolate chip, while moths flutter cluelessly around the streetlights.
Pathetic little crush, indeed. It’s still going strong.
“Any thoughts on a wedding gift?” Eric asks, catching a drip of his ice cream.
“Again? Do I have to do all the work in this relationship?” I bite into the cone.
He chuckles. “Sorry.”
“I have some ideas. I’ll try Theo again. He wouldn’t blow me off again, right?”
“If that doesn’t work, I’ll ask my mom for advice. I think I hear your train. Are you sure you’re okay going through Penn Station at midnight?”
“Yes, Captain.”
He frowns down at me. “But you’re taking a cab home, right?”
“Sure, buddy. If it makes you feel better.” It’s only a ten-block walk, though, right down Eighth Avenue.
“It would make me feel better. It can be a weird area sometimes.” He glances down the tracks, where there’s a faint glow.
I take a last bite of my ice cream and toss the end of the cone into the bin. “Thanks for the ride.”
“Any time, boo.”
I snort and grab my bag as the train approaches. “See you in a couple of weeks for the wedding?”
“Yeah. I’ll call you so we can make plans.”
“Cool.” The train stops, and the doors slide open.
“Feel free to pack that green bikini,” he says.
I almost trip at the train’s entrance.
“Ooh, careful there,” he says.
Turning around, I give him a helpless little wave before the doors slide closed.
A week later, I’m huddled in my tiny kitchen with a cup of peppermint tea, staring at the stack of medical papers that Dr. Talbot’s office sent home with me. The EKG was normal. Everything is normal. My heart is just fine, doing its job without drama or flair.
Which is a relief.
But now I can’t stop thinking about my brother, who had to get his test done, too. And who never mentioned coming to New York for one of our games. Without even sending me a text.
My phone feels heavy in my hand as I scroll to Theo’s number. Last time I dialed, he didn’t call me back. If I try again, does that make me an adult? Or does that make me pathetic?
Before I can second-guess myself, I tap his name and lift the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” His voice is tentative.
“Hi. It’s Darcy.”
“No way. Hi!”
I guess that’s not the worst opening. “Listen, I just wanted to let you know that my EKG came back normal.”
There’s a pause, and then a rush of breath. “Oh, wow. That’s… that’s really good news. Mine was normal, too.”
“Yeah?” The knot in my chest loosens a little. “Glad to hear it.”
The silence stretches between us. I could just leave it at that. Simple medical update delivered, familial duty discharged. But the words bubble up before I can stop them: “Eric mentioned you came to one of our playoff games in May.”
Another pause, longer this time. “Yeah. I… Maribel wanted to see him play.”
“Right.” I trace the rim of my mug with one finger, trying to keep my voice neutral. “I’m the one who arranges all the comp seats, actually. You could ask me. Next time.”
“Oh.” He sounds uncomfortable now. “I had no idea.”
“I know,” I say with an awkward laugh. “When I told Eric that we… that we’re related, I think I blew his mind.”
Theo lets out his own awkward chuckle. “Yeah, he must think we’re the weirdest family on earth.”
“For good reason.” We both laugh. “He also asked me to inquire about what you guys need for your new house, and I didn’t even know you were buying one.”
“Yeah…” He lets out a breath. “I’m a shitty brother. I’m sorry. I can do better.”