Chapter 2
Channing
Ididn’t plan on coming to Arizona for the wedding. In fact, the moment I received the invitation, I threw it in my fireplace, but not before getting plastered drunk of course. It is one thing to be invited to Vincent Burch’s wedding, but it’s another when the bride is Cassidy Reynolds.
The one who got away.
Granted, I’m the reason she got away in the first place. My fear of commitment. It’s not that I don’t want commitment, it’s the fact that the one time I opened my heart to someone, they proved just why it was a stupid thing to do. So ever since, I’ve been the player the media portrays me to be.
Except the one night I spent with Cassidy had me ready to give up my antics. But I wasn’t the man she needed. No, I was some damaged hockey player who women used for their own personal gain. So, while my connection with her was beyond anything I ever experienced, I knew it would only be a one-time thing.
So, yeah… I flew to Arizona for the impending nuptials but with no intentions of attending the wedding. And that’s why I’m sitting here in a bar not far from the resort, on my fifth Jack and Coke, hoping to numb the pain.
“Want another, good looking?” the bartender asks as she fixes to pour me another.
She’s good looking. Jet-black hair with green eyes, arms filled with tattoos, and tits that would drive anyone insane. I should have a semi just looking at her. Ask her to leave the bar with me so I can fuck her into tomorrow to help erase the idea of Cassidy marrying that prick from my brain. Yet all I’m getting is a limp dick and a hangover.
“Nah, better not. I should get back. My friends are gonna be looking for me,” I say, standing from the barstool, tossing a fifty on the bar.
I stumble slightly as I make my way toward the door, almost to be knocked down by a flash of white. “Shit. I’m sorry,” the person mutters, coming to a stop to make sure I’m okay. “Channing?”
My eyes focus on the woman in front of me. Long, blond hair cascades down around her breasts, which are encased in a floor-length lace wedding gown. Blue eyes surrounded by red rims look at me.
Cassidy.
She’s standing here in front of me, wedding dress and all. But why is she here and not at the altar, committing to forever with Vince the prick Burch? And why does she look so… Broken?
“Cassie, what are you doing here?” I ask as she walks toward the barstool I just abandoned.
She looks at the bartender and orders a shot of tequila , shooting it back as soon as it’s set directly in front of her before ordering another. The second shot is set in front of her, she goes to lift it to her lips and takes a sip this time rather than shooting it.
“You came to Arizona but didn’t come to the wedding?” she says, looking down at the bar.
“Is that why you’re here? To give me a lecture about not coming to your wedding,” I say, with a slight smirk tugging at my lips.
She looks at me and smiles sadly as she shoots the rest of her tequila. She’s quiet for a moment as if something’s eating away at her. Like she’s moments from breaking down if she talks about it.
“Vince was sleeping with one of his puck bunnies…” She pauses for a moment before continuing, “Literally the night before our wedding. I caught it all on camera.”
Red-hot anger burns at the back of my neck. That son of a bitch. I squeeze my hand tightly into a fist as I try to resist the urge to go knock his lights out. Cassidy is the last person who deserves to be treated like that.
Cheated on.
I try to get my breathing under control as I pull her into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Cass.”
She releases a strangled sob into my chest as she lets the tears fall. Mumbling how she was so stupid for letting him back into her life. Everything in me wants to make her pain go away. But for now, I keep a tight hold on her and gesture to the bartender to get us another round.
By her fourth tequila slammer, I can tell she’s getting a little buzzed. I knew I was before she walked through the bar door. “So why did you fly all the way to Arizona if you had no plans to attend my wedding?” she says, slurring slightly.
“Figured you might need a friend here for moral support,” I say, sipping my Jack and Coke. “But once I got here, I knew I couldn’t watch you marry that asshat.” Not knowing I ruined every chance I had with her.
“Thank you.” She smiles just as the bar door opens.
“Oh, thank God. There you are.” Hayley says walking toward the bar. “A little text would have been helpful that she was with you, dick wad,” she says, smacking me on the back of the head.
Hayley pulls Cassidy into a hug. “Your parents told us to come find you and keep you company.”
“Are they pissed?”
She releases her hold on Cassidy and relaxes her shoulders. “Not at you. They were giving Vince and his parents a piece of their mind just before we left.”
“Yeah, I got in a good swing on the groom before we came to find you,” Brooks says from beside me. Remind me to thank him for that one later.
The bar grows silent, and I can’t resist the urge to lighten the mood. Tapping the bar twice, I signal for the bartender to get us a round and then angle my body toward Cassidy’s.
“Well, since we’re all here… why don’t we have a celebration of our own?” The bartender places the drinks in front of each of us, and I raise mine to toast. “To Cassidy. For realizing her future husband was a prick and deciding to leave his ass.”
We all clink our glasses together before shooting the cool liquid down. Music fills the once-quiet bar, and I watch as Hayley and Cassidy take to the dance floor. For someone whose had their heartbroken, she seems… almost relieved.
She moves her hips along to the beat of the music. Her glass is raised in the air as she belts out the lyrics to If It Makes You Happy. She’s mesmerizing. It’s one of the reasons I liked her in the first place. She could be having the shittiest day, but she still will make the best out of it.
“You missed a great show at the wedding,” Brooks says from my side as he watches Hayley dance. “So…You gonna make your move and tell her?”
I look at him, my lips thinning. I know what he’s getting at, but why would he ever think now is the right time to confess how I’ve felt about her. “You really think now’s the appropriate time. I’m not what she wants or needs, Brooks.” I’m no better than Burch.
It’s what I want to say to him, but I don’t. I keep it to myself. Not even Brooks knows why I refuse to give it a shot with Cassidy. I’ve told him once before how we’re the same when he was having issues with Hayley, but I never divulged in what happened.
It’s depressing and explains a lot about my life today.
“Just saying. People can change and just because Burch didn’t, doesn’t mean you can’t. Look at me,” he says, gesturing to the stupid smirk glued to his face constantly. “I’m not the player I used to be. Hell, I’m a lovesick puppy.”
“Not how I’d describe you.”
“Whatever. The point is you should tell her. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt,” he says, gesturing to the girls walking back toward us.
“Another shot please,” Hayley says, dancing between Brooks’ legs. “Oh… I love this song,” she says, before quickly tossing back a shot and pulling Brooks to the dance floor with her.
I look at Cassidy as she leans against the bar next to me, watching as Brooks and Hayley sway to some Chris Stapleton song. Gone are the waves that cascaded down her back; she opted to tie them into a loose bun on top of her head. She looks absolutely gorgeous right now, and she doesn’t even know it.
“Would you like to dance?” I say, reaching my hand out for her to take.
She looks as if she wants to hesitate for a moment but ultimately folds. Placing her hand in mine, we walk toward Hayley and Brooks and sway to the music as well. Her head presses against my chest as we move in sync to the smooth lyrics.
Smooth like Tennessee whiskey, sweet like strawberry wine.
That’s exactly how I would describe Cassidy when she’s tucked into my side. Bold. Full-bodied. Smooth as soon as the first sip hits my lips. The flavors of vanilla, honey, and spice exploding across your taste buds before it burns the back of my throat, sending a warmth throughout my body. Yet, she’s delicate. Subtle but lively and elegant.
“So, what are you going to do now that you’re not marrying that asshole?”
She lets out a loud sigh as she contemplates the million thoughts going on inside her brain. “I don’t know. I guess beg for my job back from Mr. Richards. I gave up my entire life in Seattle for Vince…” Her voice drifts off as if she’s about to break down, and it kills me to see her this way.
Pulling her closer to my body, I stop our swaying altogether, her body instantly relaxing from my warmth. “I’m sorry. We don’t have to talk about it.”
“It’s okay,” she says, staring up at me. “I got a lot of things to do and think about, I guess. But most importantly, I should cancel the surprise honeymoon I booked for a week from now. No sense in going alone.”
“Fuck that. You deserve a break,” I say, swaying again. “Take Hayley with you.”
She lets out a small chuckle as she looks at Brooks and Hayley, who are making out like a couple of teenagers. “And ruin that? I don’t think so. I’d be better off going alone,” she says, as she gazes up at me, the alcohol finally settling into her system. “Maybe, you could go with me?”
A week with Cassidy in an unknown paradise sounds like pure bliss, yet a recipe for disaster. There would be no way I could keep my hands off her and leading her on would be a huge no-no. No matter how bad I want her, I know I can’t be the man for her.
“A week before training camp, and you want me to go on a trip with you.” I look down at her with a slight smirk on my face as she stumbles a little. “I don’t know. That’s asking a lot of me. You know I’m all about the game, and this season is no different.”
“Think about it,” she says, pulling away from me and almost tripping over her own two feet.
I reach out to grab her, stopping her from hitting the floor before giving her a serious look. “I think you should think about it. Then if you’re so convinced that you want to go with me, then we’ll talk.” And by that, I mean forget about it all completely.