13
“Oh, I think it”s about to start!” Mandy shouts beside me, struggling to contain her excitement in her seat. I look down at the ice, where the Devils” mascot is doing its rounds. Loud music reverberates through the arena, while a projector displays the best goals and plays of the home team onto the ice. Today is the big day, the guys are facing off against the Salem Flyers. If they win this game, they”re guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. I watch the colorful spotlights sweep over the rows of spectators. It”s unbelievable how many people are here. If I understood Dad correctly, the game is completely sold out. The commentator”s voice rings out, announcing the home team, as the music continues to swell, sending the fans” blood boiling. They”re already pounding their giant drum and starting a chant. I love the last few minutes before the game starts. They”re always so charged with emotion. And then, it”s time. The players of the Portland Devils shoot out of their bench one after the other like arrows, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
“Yeahhh, go Devils!” my friend shouts, jumping up and applauding the guys. I follow suit, seeing the players” glances sweep up to us - checking if their lucky charm is present. Only the two wingers - Parker with number 8 and Durand with number 10 - ignore me. They skate their warm-up laps in the upper half of the field with their heads down. Although it”s been four days since I embarrassed them in front of their teammates, they”re still angry with me, which; admittedly, I couldn”t care less about. Let”s be honest, the two of them deserve it. Making bets at the expense of others is just shitty. You just don”t do that. They brought this on themselves, so now they have to deal with it.
“And here he is, the man from Two Rivers. Our top scorer with the magic stick. Sixty-seven goals in this season alone! Welcome our man for all occasions, the forward star of all forwards, CALEB...” echoes the announcer”s voice through the arena, and all Devils fans, including us, respond with full-throated, “WHYLER!” And then Caleb, number 19 with the captain”s badge on his chest, shoots out of the bench and the arena erupts. The Devils” fans drum is pounding in my ears. It plays a drum roll until Caleb has completed a show lap and knocks down the puck pyramid in front of Toby”s goal with a prepared puck. Then everyone cheers again, and Toby with player number 1 takes his place. I see him looking up at us and blowing Mandy an air kiss. Then he turns to his second love, Samantha, his goal. He tenderly strokes her frame, and if I”m not mistaken, he”s moving his lips. He”s probably talking to her again.
“Toby”s relationship with that goal is pretty crazy,” Mandy says beside me, shaking her head. “He”s so superstitious and thinks that if he doesn”t honor Samantha, or treats her badly, they”ll lose.”
“He”s not the only one in the team who”s superstitious, believe me,” I say, looking at Caleb, who”s doing his laps. I love watching him on the ice. His movements are so smooth and powerful at the same time. The announcer”s voice rings out again, welcoming the guests, the Salem Flyers. At the same time, the JumboTron, hanging high above the center of the ice, displays the Flyers” logo on its four screens. It”s a blue wing that ends in an S for Salem. I compare the blue and white jerseys of the opponents with our red and black ones and believe that our guys look much better.
At last, it begins. The teams take their positions, the referee drops the puck, and the players surge forward. It”s an insane game. The Devils are in their prime, making the Flyers look outclassed within minutes. The first line, composed of the wingers, or forwards as they”re known, Parker and Durand, along with the center, the crowd”s favorite, Caleb, is the strongest. They”re outrageously good, scoring an incredible four goals in the first period and entertaining their spectators royally. Mandy beside me is even more invested than I am. She keeps jumping up from her seat, shouting: Foul! High stick! or Hooking! The referee hands out a few penalty minutes to both teams because the guys are overdoing it with their body checks. By the end of the second period, it”s clear that the Flyers have lost. They”re trailing with zero to six goals and are helpless against the determination of the Devils.
When the final whistle finally blares through the arena, both the fans and the players are ecstatic. The guys skip their massages because they just want to celebrate their victory. Works for me, I”ll be done early today, I think as I head home. Dad stays back at the ice rink. He”s planning to catch a ride with Bill later. The two of them have been spending quite a lot of time together lately, which I find unusual. My father is usually a typical couch potato and prefers to spend his free time at home in front of the TV. On one hand, I”m glad he and Thornton get along so well. On the other hand, I find his sudden urge to go out strange. Still, I don”t bring it up with him. He must know what he”s doing.
Arriving at the apartment, I receive a WhatsApp message. It”s from the Devils group. A new, unfamiliar number writes:
*Tonight, big playoff entry celebration at Caleb”s Loft! You”re all invited!
*Toby: Hell yeah, we”re definitely coming! Start chilling the J?germeister!
*Byers: Count me in!
*Durand: I”m bringing a date.
Oh, Durand”s bringing a girl? Good for him, I think. Let”s hope he doesn”t ruin it with some stupid bet. Shaking my head, I head into the bathroom and run a bath. While I enjoy the bubble bath, I call Riley. She can”t wait to see me again in two days. I”m going to spend the Christmas break at home in Aberdeen and I”m really looking forward to it. Even though I love Portland and my job here, I miss my friends and Mom. While Riley and I chat, WhatsApp messages keep coming in. I don”t check them, I”m sure it”s the players confirming their attendance at Caleb”s party. As for me, I plan to have a quiet evening. Pizza and an old horror movie, maybe. Let”s see what Netflix has to offer.
An hour later, the water isn”t even lukewarm anymore, so I end the call and step out of the bath with wrinkled hands. Wrapped in my bathrobe with a towel turban, I”m about to head to my bedroom when the doorbell rings. That must be Dad. He”s probably forgotten his keys, I assume, and open the door.
“Emma! Why aren”t you answering my messages?” Mandy snaps at me, rushing past me into the apartment. “I”m completely beside myself,” she whines.
“What”s going on?”, I ask, closing the door behind her and ushering her into the kitchen.
“Well, it”s about tonight. About that stupid cow, Belinda.”
“Belinda?” I repeat, my forehead creasing. “Should I know this woman?”
“Yes! Well, no, I think she was before your time. I mean, before you started with the Devils. She”s Toby”s ex-girlfriend.” I understand. She”s that one girlfriend he had. Still, I don”t quite grasp what Mandy is getting at.
“And?” I inquire.
“And she looks super hot, still seems to want him according to the texts I saw, and she”s coming to the playoff party tonight with Durand!” The words are just pouring out of my friend. She”s completely worked up, with red stress spots on her face and neck. “Emma, I know you had planned a quiet evening tonight. But I need your support. I don”t want to face that cow alone. Please, come with me to the party.”
“I”m not sure...” After the embarrassing incident in the locker room when Caleb lifted me off the logo and I gazed at him like a lunatic, I”ve been steering clear of him. I”ve realized he”s got me all tangled up, and it”s healthier to avoid him. At a party in his loft, I”m bound to run into him.
“Emma, please. This really matters to me. I need you.”Mandy takes my hand, looking at me with her baby blue eyes, pleading. Man, how can you say no to that? Well, I”ll just accompany her. No one says I have to hang out with Caleb just because I”m in his loft. I”ll just stick close to Toby and Mandy.
“Alright then,” I agree, after which Mandy throws her arms around my neck.
“You”re the best, Emma. I owe you one,” she says, letting go of me. “Okay, so we”ll pick you up around half past eight. Can you make it?” I glance at the digital clock on the stove. That”s in just under an hour.
“Yeah, I should be able to make it.”
“Perfect! I”m looking forward to it, it”s going to be great! God, I have to go, get all dolled up.” Fidgeting like a startled chicken, Mandy heads toward the door. “Thanks again! You”re the greatest! See you later!” And off she goes. Crazy thing, I think with a smile, and head to my bedroom to rummage through my clothes. What on earth does one wear to a playoff party in a loft?
At half past eight, I stand in front of the mirror in my wardrobe and look at myself. I”ve opted for skin-tight jeans that accentuate my butt, and a loosely falling glossy black top. I”m wearing black high heels and silver hoop earrings, which make my neck look so elegantly long. I”ve tied my hair into a high ponytail today, and my makeup is understated. Just some eyeliner to accentuate my eyes, a bit of mascara, blush, and done. I grab my handbag and head downstairs. Outside the house, I look around for Mandy, who seems to be running late. So, I take the opportunity to call Dad and let him know I”m going out. But my father”s phone is turned off, which is unusual for him. I leave him a message and I”m just considering calling my friend to check up on her when Toby”s SUV pulls up. They”re running late because Mandy couldn”t decide what to wear. Now she”s in a pink balloon dress that makes her look like a giant piece of candy. Not exactly an outfit I”d have chosen. But she has to feel comfortable in it, not me. On the way to the party, my friend chatters non-stop. She”s insecure about this Belinda, but Toby takes it easy. I see him place his massive hand on Mandy”s slender thigh, soothing her. The two of them are so sweet. I wish I had someone who could calm me like that. I don”t know why, but the thought of meeting Caleb is making my heart race. Nervous bubbles churn in my stomach, and I wonder if I”d have been better off staying home.
We arrive at one of those old factory buildings on the outskirts of town. Whoever renovated this place is a genius. Although it looks ultramodern on one hand, it hasn”t lost its original 1920s flair. The front has a cigar shop, Old Habana. Through the tall windows and glass door, I can catch a glimpse of an elegant dark wood interior and hefty wingback chairs. Toby leads us past the closed shop to a door at the side of the building leading to Caleb”s apartment. Even in the stairwell, we can hear voices and music. Again, discomfort bubbles up in me. I shouldn”t have let myself be talked into this; I lament silently. Too late, I can”t back out now, because Toby is opening the door to Caleb”s loft.
“Alright, folks!” he calls out, drawing everyone”s attention. “Your Swiss fun guarantor is here. Let”s get this damn awesome party started! Woo-hoo!” Oh man, classic Toby. I enter the apartment with Mandy and can only gape in astonishment. I never would have expected Caleb to have such taste. The loft is insane! Almost everything is in white. The walls, the curtains, the kitchen, even the floor. It”s made of one of those new poured materials. On the left side, there”s a black leather couch in front of a built-in massive screen and an extravagant glass table with black claw feet. On the walls hang carefully chosen black and white watercolors, and on the right side, next to the XL kitchen, I spot a black iron staircase leading to the upper area. The apartment is filled with people. It looks like the whole team is here. I think I even saw Mr. Flake, and I wonder if my dad is here too. Toby hooks Mandy and me under his arms and leads us to the couch, where Byers and Parker are sitting. I join the winger, who doesn”t seem too thrilled and turns away from me. His stubborn behavior is starting to get on my nerves.
“Honestly, are you still mad?” I ask bluntly. For a moment, I think he”s ignoring me, but then he sighs and turns to face me. The gaze of his ice-blue eyes roams over my face. I can see the hard expression around his lips disappear, replaced by a regretful smile.
“No, it”s just...”
“Just what? Just that you lost your bet and can expect a few bruises? Sorry, my friend, but you brought this on yourself.”
“I didn”t want this to happen.” A wistful look comes into Parker”s eyes. And there”s something else, a deeper emotion... Oh no. “Emma,” he continues, taking my hand in his, “the bet was a huge mistake. When you started with us, you were just the pretty new girl that everyone wanted. I didn”t think much of it to bet for one night with you. But then I got to know you and...” No, please don”t say it!... “I fell in love with you.” Damn it! Why didn”t I listen to my gut feeling, you stupid nut? I should”ve stayed home! “I”ve never met a woman like you before. You”re so different, so...”
“Parker, wait,” I interrupt him before he can go any further. He pauses and looks at me with hopeful, raised eyebrows. Oh damn, I hate moments like these. “Listen, you”re really a good guy, but there will never be anything between us.” My radical honesty causes his shoulders to slump.
“It”s because of that damn bet, isn”t it?” No, it”s because you”re just not my type, I think, but I nod and let him believe it”s because of the bet. That”s less painful. “Ah, damn it, I knew it. I screwed it up myself, I am an idiot.” Parker lets go of my hand and runs his hand over his closely cropped hair. “Is there anything I can do? Make it right?” He tries to reach for my hand again, but I pull it back and shake my head regretfully. “Ah shit,” he curses and stands up. Looking down at me, he seems to consider whether he should say something else but decides against it and walks away. Phew. I exhale. I hate having these conversations.
“Emma, look, there she is. Belinda,” Mandy whispers urgently in my ear. She didn”t catch the conversation between Parker and me because she was distracted by the couple at the other end of the room, who are now making their way towards us. Durand and a girl in her mid-twenties. She has waist-length blonde hair, a generic face, and a regular figure. She towers over the Canadian by half a head and overall seems pleasant. That changes when she spots my friend.
“Seems like someone isn”t exactly a fan,” I whisper back to Mandy, never taking my eyes off Belinda.
“The feeling’s mutual,” my friend hisses.
The two haven”t reached us yet when Toby appears behind them.
“Durand, where have you been lurking that you dragged this rat here?” he inquires with a stern expression, squeezing past his colleague and the girl. He brings us our drinks. I”m totally stunned that the usually friendly and always joking Toby would say something so offensive.
“Have a nice evening, Toby,” Belinda retorts with a dreadful high-pitched voice. “You don”t seem to have changed at all.”
“Oh, I”ve changed alright. I”ve learned to recognize dirt clumps from true gems.” With these words, he sits down next to Mandy and puts an arm around her shoulders. The air between them is thick. I wonder why Durand brought the girl here. He must have known that Toby isn”t fond of her. And suddenly it dawns on me that he”s seeking revenge on him this way. After all, Toby helped me expose him and Parker. What an asshole. I lean over to my friend.
“Sweetie,” I whisper in her ear, “this woman is no threat to you. She couldn”t hold a candle to you in a million years.”
“That”s become abundantly clear to me too,” she replies with a relieved smile. Whatever Belinda messed up; Toby wouldn”t touch her with a ten-foot pole anymore.
“I need to make a quick visit to the little girls” room. Can you manage on your own?”
“Of course, go ahead,” she answers, still keeping her eyes on her rival. I stand up and walk through the revelers towards the back, where I assume the bathroom is. I admit I don”t actually need to use the bathroom, I just wanted to escape the tense atmosphere. Tired from the long day, I lean my back against the staircase railing leading to the upper floor and take a sip of my soda. I watch some defenders engrossed in their animated conversation. Further back, I see Parker, staring out the window, drowning his disappointment in an amber-colored drink – whiskey, I suspect. Seeing him stirs up a twinge of guilt in me, so I peel myself off the staircase and continue to wander through the crowd of guests. Standing next to a floor lamp with a black shade, I observe the couch from a safe distance. Belinda is now a bit further away, her back turned to Toby. Great, it seems like things have settled down. Just as I think the coast is clear and I can go back, my scalp starts to tingle.
“What interesting thing are we looking at?” a voice inquires directly in my ear, causing my heart to stumble in shock. It”s Caleb; he”s standing close behind me, his handsome face only inches away from my ear. I turn to face him and see him straighten up, amused, in his white shirt and low-slung jeans. His hands are behind his back as he looks at me expectantly. Oh man, of all people, he catches me spying on my friends.
“Caleb, hi. Great party,” I try to deflect, but he”s not easily distracted.
“Come on, spill. Who were you watching?” There”s open curiosity in his eyes. “Durand?”Interesting. There”s a tone of disapproval in his voice, as if it bothers him that I am snooping on him.
“No, not Durand. Just the girl he”s here with,” I say, waiting eagerly for his reaction.
“Belinda?” His nostril twitches as he quirks a corner of his mouth.
“You don”t seem to like her very much,” I observe.
“No wonder, nobody likes her. She squeezed Toby dry, blew all his money, and then, when he was broke, moved on to the next one.” Caleb looks at her with contempt. “You should”ve seen him back then. After the relationship with that money-grubbing hag, he was down in the dumps for weeks.”
“Heard she never quite gave him up and still texts him today.”
“Let her,” Caleb shrugs. “She”s lost Toby for good.” He averts his gaze from Belinda and looks at me. “Let”s drop this unpleasant subject.” He pauses briefly, during which his eyes narrow by a fraction. He seems to be considering. “Is everything okay with you?” he asks. Ah, so that”s the issue. I inwardly sigh, knowing where he”s heading.
“If you think I”m bummed about the bet, you”ll be disappointed.” I knew it! Judging by Caleb”s expression, I hit the nail on the head. “Granted, I wasn”t exactly thrilled about it, but I got my revenge.”
“Yeah, you did, and I have to admit, you did it quite well.” With these words, a smile lights up his lips, making my knees go weak. Man, this guy just looks outrageously good. “You”re taking this whole thing quite lightly, aren”t you?”
“Probably because I wasn”t interested in either of them,” I try to prevent myself from looking at him, but as I say it, I lose myself for a moment in Caleb”s eyes. Somewhere inside me, the desire to raise my hand and touch him awakens. There”s something between us, a kind of flutter.
“Is there someone you are interested in?” Caleb”s voice sounds different, rough. His gaze darkens. I believe he feels this vibration between us too. Without taking his eyes off me, he slowly, like a predator, takes a step towards me. “Who is it that you want?” he murmurs. Now I”m sure, he feels this crackle, this magnetic pull between us. His proximity makes me forget all my resolutions to stay away from him and not do anything stupid. I want to tell him that I want him. That it”s him I desire – more than anything in the world. I open my mouth, take a deep breath to say what”s on my mind. Caleb”s eyes travel down to my lips. The moment passes as if on fast forward. But just as I make a sound, a woman”s voice drowns me out.
“Oh, Caleb, who do we have here? Aren”t you going to introduce us?” I blink in surprise. A blonde girl hangs onto the forwards’ arm from one moment to the next and smiles at me artificially. Caleb steps back a few inches from me and swallows hard.
“I... so... this is Jessica Flake... my girlfriend,” he stammers. Obviously, he”s just as taken aback as I am.
“Nice to meet you. I”m Emma, the new masseuse,” I introduce myself and shake her hand. Jessica”s brain takes a second to process. Then her expression changes in an instant. It”s like a mirror shattering. And now all the shards – in her case, all the friendliness – come crashing down, leaving behind pure aversion in Jessica”s case.
“This is the new masseuse?” Hand on her hip, she snaps at Caleb. “You didn”t mention a word about her looking like a fucking Miss World.”
“Jess...” he starts, but she doesn”t let him get a word in.
“No, none of that ‘Jess’! I can”t believe the crap that”s going on here. How dare Thornton hire her?” Suddenly, a look crosses her face that sends a shiver down my spine. “Now I know why you”ve only been at training lately. You”re fooling around with this little tramp. Aren”t you?!” Excuse me? Did she just call me a tramp?
“Are you completely losing it?” Caleb shakes off her hand, which is still on his arm. “You better apologize to...”
“To who? This little whore?! For sleeping with my boyfriend?!” Her voice escalates at the last word, and something inside me snaps. Without weighing the consequences, I raise my hand and pour the rest of my soda in her face. It makes her gasp for air. “You disgusting little slit-eyed bitch,” she curses at me, but by then, I”ve already turned my back on her and walk past the guests who have stopped their conversations, back to my friends. “You”ll pay for this!” the blonde screeches behind me. Back when I was a young girl, I might have turned around and slapped her, just so she has a reason to act this way. But today, I”m wiser and won”t engage in such nonsense.
“Can you guys give me a ride home?” I ask Toby and Mandy, who are already about ten steps ahead of the couch. They both sit there with open mouths, staring alternately at me and the cow. I don”t wait for their answer, I just say, “I”ll be waiting downstairs.” Then I leave the loft under the gaze of the attendees and go down the stairs. Why, Emma? Why don”t you listen to your gut? I scold myself in my thoughts. I shouldn”t have come here in the first place. This is all just one huge mess!
As I arrive on the ground floor and open the front door, I hear someone upstairs leaving the apartment. Thank God; at least Mandy and Toby aren”t leaving me behind, I think, and step out into the cool night. Wrapping my arms around my upper body, I walk along the gravel path and around the building. I”m barely around the corner when I hear the front door open with a click, followed by the crunching of gravel. That must be Mandy. She”s such a darling, I think, and turn around to face her.
“Don”t worry, I”m perfectly fine,” I lie. But instead of my friend, I recognize Caleb coming around the corner towards me. Oh, I hadn”t expected him. “You”ve got a sweet girlfriend there,” I say sarcastically. But he doesn”t respond to my words. Instead, he comes closer in long strides and pushes me against the glass door of the shop. It tickles a memory buried deep in my subconscious – one that refuses to surface.
“Emma...” His hands pressed against the glass on either side of me, he holds me captive. “What did you want to say earlier?” Oh my God, his gaze is so intense, I feel like I”m incinerating under it.
“What do you mean?” I ask with a trembling voice. His closeness claims me, calms and unsettles me at the same time.
“You know what I mean. I want to hear what you wanted to answer me earlier. Who is it that you want?” I swallow, seeing his dark gaze roam over my face.
“You know the answer,” I whisper. I”m not capable of more.
“I want to hear it.” He leans down lower towards me, his warm breath brushing against me. “I need to hear it. Tell me, who do you want?” he implores me. I blink against the tornado of emotions raging inside me. Uncertainty, hope, affection, desire...
Then, a single word escapes my lips: “You.”