Chapter 4
ALEX
Nora Delaune, with her big, round brown eyes that are the color of my favorite porter, and her bright smile that says even-a-chaotic-as-fuck-airport-is-fun, who looks absolutely perfect in sunshine yellow overalls, and who tastes like spearmint and happiness and lust, needs me.
For hockey.
Of course, she does.
That’s what everyone needs me for. It’s what I do.
Okay, there are a few other things I’m good at that women like and come to me for—and I’d be happy to demonstrate those to Nora as well—but I’m in Louisiana, walking toward the coffee shop in Rebel, with Nora because of hockey.
And I’m really fucking good at hockey, so it’s fine.
But I feel a low hum of annoyance just beneath the much more obvious emotions of bewilderment—swamp werewolves and a town with a “thing” for otters?—and foreboding. I mean, there are still three men wandering around who want to tie me up in an alligator-infested cabin.
It doesn’t make sense that I feel irritated that this sunny woman looks at me and sees a hockey player who is going to fix her town’s and her family’s problems. I should feel heroic.
Or something. Helping Nora with this aligns with my goals here, too.
Astrid and I both want this team to be successful.
“How many seats does the arena have?” Declan asked.
Astrid’s eyes narrowed. “Five thousand.”
“And how many tickets were they selling last year on average per game?”
“Just over two thousand.”
“Do you think you can improve on that?” Declan asked.
“Of course I do.”
“You sell out that arena by the end of the season, and I will give you a job with the Grays.”
I blinked at him, realizing that he was talking to me. “Really? I help Astrid get this going, and I can come back and work for you?”
“If you go with your sister and help make her team wildly successful, then you can come back and work for me.”
I looked at Astrid. Five thousand seats. That didn’t seem difficult. The Grays arena holds over seventeen thousand, and we’ve been selling out every game for the past five years.
“I’m in.”
I feel my neck tense remembering that conversation in Declan’s office just over a month ago. It had seemed like a simple plan then. But now it’s real. My future in hockey depends on the team here in Rebel being successful.
I can’t be feeling restless and itchy because Nora doesn’t want anything more than hockey from me.
That’s stupid.
I just met her.
So what if Nora’s beautiful and her ass fit perfectly in my hands when I held her in the airport, or that I could easily kiss her for days, and listen to her rant for hours against an indoor fun zone as if the man responsible is trying to open a brothel on her hometown’s main street.
She’s cute when she’s all worked up and outraged.
She also smiles a lot, uses a lot of exclamation marks and capital letters in her texts, smells like wildflowers, and her literal job is making sure this town has fun.
And instead of just being glad I’m here and welcoming me to town, she’s convinced I’m going to save the arena and her grandfather’s entire damned legacy.
“Alex, we’re not renewing your contract. I’m sorry.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re not back from your injury.”
“I’ve been working my ass off! I’m at eighty-five percent!”
“And it’s been nine months. I need one hundred percent, and I don’t think you’re going to get there.”
I was cut from the only team I’ve ever played for. The only team I ever wanted to play for. And not just by the owner. Declan is my fucking brother-in-law. Not even being kind of related to the guy and my sister’s resultant ire could save me.
So, can I be the savior Nora is looking for? Maybe. Probably. But I was feeling a lot better about this Louisiana move before I found out that this barely-a-hockey league actually mattered to someone.
And I’d really rather Nora Delaune just wanted me for more kissing.
Nora pauses at the front door to the café, and I stop behind her. I look from side to side, finally really taking in my surroundings.
The pathway bisects the outdoor sitting area.
On the left side of the path are light brown wooden chairs covered in thick, puffy yellow, orange, and white cushions.
Between and around the chairs are wooden planters filled with brightly colored flowers in yellow, orange, pink, and white.
The area is shaded by tall striped umbrellas that match the cushions and flowers. The whole area is bright and cheery.
In contrast, the area on the right side of the path is covered in dark cobblestones, and the furniture is dark gray wood with midnight blue upholstery.
The center feature is a fire pit, and I swear my body starts sweating even thinking about being near a fire in the hot and humid September air.
Above the entire area, small white lights are strung from wooden posts.
I’m sure they give a soft glow to the area at night.
It seems clear that the two sides of the path are supposed to be day and night. Interesting.
“This is…cute,” I comment.
Nora grins, and I read the words painted on the door just before she pulls it open.
Perks and Rec. Perk up from six a.m. to five p.m. Recreate five p.m. to midnight.
A bell tinkles above us as we step into the air-conditioned interior.
The inside is decorated like the outside.
The room is divided right down the middle with light wood on one half and orange, yellow, and pink upholstered easy chairs, coffee tables, an enormous bookcase, and more potted flowers.
There’s a huge front window with a ledge, displaying a chalkboard sign that shows today’s coffee, muffin, and sandwich specials.
The lighter side has a counter with an enormous copper coffee machine behind a glass bakery case.
The floor on the other side of the room is covered in dark gray tile.
There are long, tall tables with granite-colored tops and brushed silver barstools.
The walls are painted dark blue and, similar to the outdoor area, the ceiling is strung with white lights.
That side of the room also has a door that clearly rolls up, opening one entire wall that leads out onto the patio.
There’s a stage in the corner and a bar along the back wall.
They take the dual function of the establishment seriously.
“Hi, Nora!”
“Nora, sweetheart!”
“Nora!”
Several greetings ring out as Nora heads to the coffee counter.
“Hey, everyone!” she says with a smile, but it’s not until she’s at the counter that she turns and finds that I haven’t followed her across the room.
I’m still at the door, frozen by the fact that every single person in the coffee shop is suddenly staring at me. Now dead silent.
But hell, I’m used to being stared at. I lift a hand. “Hey, everyone, I’m Alex.”
“Oh, they know who you are,” a woman says.
I focus on her. She’s sitting on one of three stools at the coffee counter. She’s beautiful. Long blond hair, probably in her early thirties. She’s dressed in white shorts, a hot pink tank top, and pink sandals. She somehow looks casual and classy at the same time.
She lifts a coffee cup and takes a sip. “We’ve been waiting for you.”
For some reason, that doesn’t sound like a good thing.
Suddenly, Nora is beside me again, tugging me toward the counter. “Alex, this is my friend, Anderson. Andi, this is Alex.”
“Hi,” Andi says. Her smile seems genuine.
“Hi.”
“So the apartment is—” Nora starts.
The sound of glass hitting the floor interrupts her.
Nora whirls around as my attention is jerked to the girl who has just walked out of the kitchen. And dropped a glass. A thick blue concoction is now oozing all over the floor. Blueberry smoothie, if I had to guess.
“Ruth!” Nora gasps. “Are you okay?”
“Oh my God,” the girl says, staring at me.
I recognize her immediately.
This is the girl who chased me down in the parking lot almost a year ago. Who wanted me to talk to her grandfather. Nora’s grandfather. The girl who is—was—a huge fan of mine who I disappointed that night.
Well, hell.
A man comes out through the swinging door behind her and nearly plows her over.
“Ruth, what the hell?” the man exclaims.
“Alex,” the girl says.
That’s all she says. But the man’s eyes find me immediately. “Oh. Great,” he says flatly.
Where the young girl looks like someone just slapped her, he looks like someone just told him his dog is ugly. She looks shocked. He looks offended.
Awesome.
“That’s a little dramatic, don’t you think?” Nora asks.
The man just shrugs.
“Alex, this is my grandfather, Bruce. Your…landlord.” Nora winces as she says it.
Terrific. Not only am I living in the town of the man I dismissed after his stroke and promised to meet and greet, but his three best friends are out to teach me a lesson, and now his husband is my landlord. Awesome.
And I kind of want to date his granddaughter.
Well, not date her. Spend time with her. And kiss her again.
I think Bruce should not know that.
I force a smile. “Hi, Bruce.”
He just makes a grunting sound.
“And this is Ruth,” Nora says, gesturing toward the young girl.
“Hi, Ruth.”
Ruth’s eyes get even wider. “Hi,” she breathes.
I abandon my luggage for a moment and step forward, offering my hand. “I know I was a big jerk the last time we met. I’m really sorry about that.”
Her eyes widen, and I’m afraid she’s not breathing. She steps forward, extending her arm, and takes my hand. The sound of crunching glass makes her look down.
“Here, I’ve got this.” A very pretty brunette suddenly rounds the counter and takes the two plates from Bruce’s hands.
“You don’t have to do that, Everly,” Bruce grumps.
“It’s no problem.” She smiles at me and steps out into the restaurant, delivering the plates to a table near the bookcase.
“And I’ve got this.” Andi slides off her stool and goes behind the counter to begin picking up the broken glass.
Ruth pulls her hand away from mine. “Oh my gosh, I’ll do that, Andi.”
“No, honey, that’s okay. You help welcome Alex.”
Ruth’s gaze bounces back up to me, then to Nora. “Oh! I can do that.” She looks around, seems to realize we have an audience, then looks toward the counter. Her eyes widen. “Grandpa! You have to put the jars away!”
“Why?” Bruce asks.
“Because that’s—” Ruth looks at me again, her cheeks red now. “Mean.”
I frown and look toward the counter, too. What’s she talking about?
Nora steps in front of me. “You know what? I just realized that I should show you around town. Give you a little tour. Get you something to eat.” Nora grabs my arm and turns me toward the door.
“Don’t they have food here?” I ask. Obviously, they do. People are eating all around us.
“Before he sees the apartment?” Ruth asks.
“Other food,” Nora says to me. “Yes,” she answers Ruth. “Right now.”
“But I can…” Then I see the jars.
There are two mason jars sitting next to the register. The front of one jar has a pink sticky note that reads "Alex Olsen." The green sticky note on the other says, “Brussels Sprouts”.
What?
I can’t quite read the sign behind them, because Nora is in the way. I lean to the side, but she moves to block my view. I shake my head, put my hands on her waist, and lift her, depositing her to the side.
The sign says, Which is Worse?
My eyebrows climb.
The Alex Olsen jar is nearly overflowing with dollar bills, while the Brussels sprouts jar has maybe four bucks in it.
“What is—”
Nora grabs my arm again and tugs harder this time, leading me to the door.
I’m mildly amused by this, so I let her.
“Ruth, can you take Alex’s bag up to the apartment?” Nora asks over her shoulder. “He’ll be back after practice.”
“Sure!” Ruth says happily.
“See everyone later!” Nora calls cheerily to, I assume, the entire shop.
“Bye, honey!”
“Bye, Nora!”
The door closes behind us, but Nora doesn’t slow down until we’re beside her truck. She opens the passenger door and only then releases her hold on my arm.
“Nora.”
She takes a deep breath and looks up at me. “Yeah?”
“What the hell is going on?”
“Um…”
Both of our phones ding with texts at the same time.
She pulls hers from her back pocket, so I slide mine out as well.
“It’s my sister,” I say.
Nora nods. “Me too.” She looks up. “Your sister, I mean.”
“She wants to see me,” I say. “Right now.”
“Me too.”
“So are you going to tell me why there’s a straw poll going on in your grandpa’s coffee shop-slash-bar in which I’m losing to Brussels sprouts?” I ask.
She sighs. “It’s not just Leo, and Wilson, and Brewser who are upset with you.”
“No?”
“No. The whole town, well…hates you.”