Chapter 4
Eli
Buffalo, NY — Thanksgiving
“I don’t know who’s more excited about this,” Austin grumbles after picking up the keys to the car. “You or your dad.”
“He was smiling a bit too wide at the thought of having the house to themselves for two days, wasn’t he?
” I force down my cheeks and clamp my mouth shut to suppress the need to thank Austin again for coming with me.
Unlike Troy, he doesn’t have a family to spend the holidays with, but he was still supposed to have two days off.
Also, I definitely don’t want to think about Dad and Lyla enjoying time alone.
Dad’s assistant, Kyle, was a godsend and planned everything for me, and even followed through on letting me pay for it instead of Dad, but having him set everything up means that the SUV is exactly what Austin prefers for keeping me safe.
He did inform me that Lex had taken care of getting us a suite with two rooms at the same hotel he’s staying at, and also getting us two pretty amazing seats for the game.
I know Austin will love being so close to the ice instead of in the private box, because although he pretends he isn’t, for “their comfort,” he’s a huge fan of everyone with the last name Jankowski, and I’m determined to be on my best behavior so he can enjoy the game fully without having to worry too much about my safety.
I wonder what kind of underground network there is from the small private airfield forty minutes away from the city to the Certon Hotel, because the manager is waiting for us out in the cold when Austin parks the car at the valet.
Or maybe Dad called Richard Cockerton?
I doubt it, the guy’s an asshole and Dad loves me, and I doubt he’d subject himself to a conversation with Richard for a simple two-day trip upstate.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Ellsworth, we’re so happy to have you. My name’s David.” I shake his hand. “Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you need anything at all.”
“Thank you,” I say with the best smile I can muster. This kind of treatment is always too much.
I prefer anonymity, using the back door to big venues, and generally no one calling me Mr. Ellsworth, but oh well.
Austin steps in with our two small suitcases and commands the attention of David, thank baby Jesus. I just have to follow them into the warm building that’s already fully decked out for Christmas and into the elevator.
It’s eleven, and I purposefully didn’t check with Lex to see at what time he has practice, or to tell him at what time we would land.
I know damn well it’s a ridiculous notion, but the burly giant also known as my best friend is very skittish.
Since I know it’s mostly my fault, I don’t blame him.
Anything could scare him away—too many update texts for example—so I take my time oohing and ahhing over the suite that’s exactly the same as any other Certon suite across the world, and let out a sigh of relief when David closes the door behind him, happy with the tip I gave him.
“I don’t know if you’re a shit actor or only people who know you would be able to tell you were faking all that, but please never pull out that weird smile in front of me again.” Austin’s shit-eating grin has my shoulders dropping and my smile returning—my real smile.
“Shut up,” I grumble at his back when he picks up his bag and walks into the bedroom closest to the entrance, then I turn and do the same but in the opposite direction.
I sit on the bed, stare at my phone for a long moment, and with a fortifying breath, I finally bite the bullet.
Eli:
We’re here!
Do you have morning skate? Or mandatory team lunch?
I can see the messages are delivered but no quick answer or jumping dots appear, so I busy myself putting away my toiletry bag in the en suite, then take out my Jankowski sweater, the one I bought as soon as they were available for purchase four years ago, and set it out as well as my warmest jeans and my Empire-branded beanie.
Of course, the second my phone vibrates, I practically throw everything I’m holding up in the air and lunge for it.
Lex:
We’re leaving practice now. Will be there in fifteen.
I bite my bottom lip, wondering if he’s thinking we should go out to have a better Thanksgiving dinner than room service, and of course if that’s what he wants, it’s what we’ll do, but again, I’d really prefer it if we don’t have to interact with anyone.
Also, if we stay in, Austin can have a bit of an off day before the game.
I look down and stare at my pants and simple tee, then decide it’s better if I don’t change until I know what Lex has planned.
I still have no clue why he invited me to come spend the day with him, especially since he’s leaving so early tomorrow, but I didn’t question it on Tuesday when he surprised the hell out of me by inviting me, and I’m not going to question it now.
Thanksgiving at home with Dad and Lyla means a day of takeout in front of the TV.
None of us are really good at cooking anything, and Sam has the day off as well as Troy and normally Austin.
Dad always throws a huge party for Christmas at home, or we fly to the West Coast, which means they don’t get that day off, so doing nothing on Thanksgiving is just logical.
Of course Lex knows we don’t do much, so maybe that’s why he asked?
I got the sense that he wanted to say more than he did Monday night, but I haven’t been able to figure out what. Maybe he asked me to come here to talk about that?
“Eli!” Austin’s call from the main room pulls me out of my head.
I sprint out and there he is.
“Hi,” I say, sounding breathless even though I shouldn’t be.
He’s just so fucking beautiful. So big, so strong, so cute as he looks at me with a peaceful smile.
“I’m so glad you came,” Lex says, taking one tiny step forward.
“Of course I came,” I answer automatically.
I’m well aware I sound way too eager, but well . . . playing it cool with Lex was never really an option for me.
“Yeah, uh . . .” Austin’s awkward tone reminds me he’s right there. “Thanks for the tickets.”
“Of course,” Lex says and smiles easily at him. “I’m sorry about your day off.”
“It’s fine, man. This one never gets into too much trouble.” He points his thumb at me. “Besides, it’ll be more fun than usual for me. What were you two thinking for lunch? You want to go find a restaurant or—”
“I was actually thinking we could just stay in.” His eyes collide with mine just for a fraction of a second before he looks away. “That it would be easier,” he says, voice quieter.
“That sounds perfect,” I tell him honestly. “We can watch movies and you can take your nap before the game.”
Okay, that was way too eager.
“That’s what I was thinking, yeah.” He clears his throat before looking up again but at Austin, goddammit. “That way you can stay or go, and not have to worry.”
My bodyguard, for his part, doesn’t miss a thing, so he smiles a bit too knowingly and nods.
“In that case, I’m going to hit the holiday market and then find somewhere I can get a good steak.”
With that he walks back into his room and out again in less than a minute, winks at me, claps Lex on the shoulder, and then he . . . leaves.
Us.
Alone.
I’m alone with Lex in a room.
For the first time in years.
“Do you want to take your nap now, or . . .” I leave the options open, or maybe I just run out of words, because those green eyes are the equivalent of a sedative for me. All my neurons have stopped firing. It’s very annoying, and very soothing.
It used to happen every day the first few months after Dad and Lyla got married, then I built up a little bit of tolerance.
I had noticed, of course, that we haven’t been alone together in years, not since he left to go to his stupid hockey school.
Okay, okay, I know it’s not stupid, but I’ve missed him so fucking much.
Now we’re back here in a room together with him looking at me and smiling gently, and now he’s walking toward me, he’s opening his arms, and—
“Oh,” I say, surprised when he squishes me against his chest.
“I’ve missed you, angel.”
I squeeze my eyes shut and swallow hard around the hard lump that appears in my throat.
I haven’t heard that in a long time.
“Missed you too,” I whisper, so low I don’t know if he heard me. It doesn’t matter, I’ll find my voice later. I’ll repeat it then, when I have the strength to look him in the eyes while I say it.
For now I just enjoy the feel of his arms around me.
I’m staring, I know. My mouth’s hanging open just waiting for something to fly in and choke me, so it’s dangerous, but I . . .
“How are you doing this? Seriously?” I demand as Lex uncovers yet another dish from the spread of room service.
“What?” he cries out, but he doesn’t look away from the steak and mashed potatoes. “You’ve seen me eat during the season before.”
“No,” I counter loudly. “I’ve never seen any human eat their body weight in cow and potatoes.”
“Please, there’s no way this is two fifty.”
He scoffs, he actually scoffs before going right back in again.
And yeah, that might’ve been an exaggeration, but dammit.
“You already ate another steak and a whole plate of pasta, Lex! Aren’t you going to get sick on the ice?”
“Nuh-uh,” he says, still chewing, then continues once he swallows. “I’ve got five hours before warmups. Believe me, it’ll be fine. I just have to chill and relax until the bus leaves. Don’t even have to get my bag or anything cause it’s all at the arena already.”
“Huh,” is all I can think to say to that.
I know a lot more about hockey than I ever thought I would before I met Lex, but for some reason I didn’t know . . . this.
“But when you lived with us, when you played for Luxton Prep those two years, I never saw . . . I mean, you did eat more than any of us, but this is . . .”
His eyes might pack the same punch as before, but I’ve been getting desensitized the last hour, so when he stares at me for a full thirty seconds while he chews, I manage to only shift nervously on my seat once. Okay twice.