Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
~AMEILA~
“Come on, you are coming to the bar with us!” Hendrix whines.
“Yeah, you can’t stay locked away in here all the time. This was your city first!” Mac proclaims.
“I’m not hiding!” I yell at them for what feels like the thirtieth time. “I don’t feel like going out tonight. I’ll go the next time.”
“You know, he might not even be there. Jase says he has been keeping his distance from him,” Cassie tells me.
“Nope, come on. It’s time to get off this couch, stop reading books and be with the three-dimensional people, Mac says, coming over to me and taking my stack of books.
The ones that he bought me that day at the bookstore.
I may be angry at him, but the books didn’t do anything to me, so I’m going to read them.
After all, those appear to be the only men that will not let me down.
“You’re not going to let this go, are you?” I ask Mac, noting the determination on her face.
“Nope, not taking no for an answer,” she says, crossing her arms across her chest, her stare determined.
“Come on, Amelia, it’s easier to give into her than to keep on fighting her,” Cassie tells me.
“Ugh! Why can’t I couch rot for a bit?” I plead with them.
“You have been couch rotting for a while now. You’ve had time to rest and relax. Now we want to get you out of this house.” Hendrix smiles widely at me, like trying a different tactic will get me to move.
It’s only been a week and a half since I met his gorgeous wife and he left the apartment. I haven’t seen him up close at all. He avoids the training room when I’m in there with Lucas. I see shadows or outlines of him at the Blaze. But no actual encounters with him. That’s how I prefer it.
“Nope, I think we should hang out around here for the night,” I say, hoping they will take me up on it. “Come on, that was fun the last night.”
Hendrix shakes her head. “Nope, it’s the night before a big game. Most of the team is headed to the Backwoods tonight for some dinner. Because it’s game day tomorrow, we are going to have an early night. So, it will be fun, and you are going.”
“Yeah, it’s like a team bonding night and your captain is ordering you to come with us. So, let’s go. Off that cute butt and put on some respectable clothes. No more of the sweatshirts and T-shirt. Put on something semi-cute and a Blaze top, please,” Mac orders.
I sigh and say, “Fine, I will go and change. But know I’m doing this under protest.”
Mac cackles. “I don’t care how you do this, just that you do.”
I trudge back the hallway and prepare to change.
“Do you need help?” Hendrix calls.
“No, I can dress myself. Just don’t expect me to put on some cute shoes because it’s going to be sneakers,” I call over my shoulder.
“Well, you’re in a brace, so no one expects any different. Get dressed, sweetie,” Cassie calls.
I hear mumbling and I think someone is asking if Dex was invited to this.
I can’t hear the answer. But I wonder if he will be.
Just in case he will, I spend an extra few minutes running a straightening iron through my long blonde locks.
I find my navy blue Blaze top and a good push up bra so that the girls are on full display for him tonight.
I grab some jean shorts and slide them on over my brace.
I make my way out to the girls, and I get a few hoots and hollers.
“Damn, girl, you look hot tonight!” Hendrix calls as I emerge from the hallway.
“Look who’s back,” Cassie says with a grin. “Now, come on, let’s get there.”
“You look good, Amelia,” Mac says as she helps me down the stairs of the apartment. “Way to show him what he’s missing.”
Based on Mac’s comment, I thought that meant that he was going to be there. But when we reach the bar, I see August, Jase and even Danny are at our usual table. From the looks of it Dex isn’t here yet. I sigh, thinking maybe he’s on his way.
“Hey, ladies!” August calls. “There’s this new type of punch that the Backwoods is pushing tonight, so I ordered a pitcher of it. Please, drink slowly, okay? We can’t have anyone hungover for the game against the Dash,” he yells to us as we all take seats at the table.
I’m placed between August and Hendrix. It feels weird to be in between the two of them because sometimes it can be a little volatile.
August leans over and says, “It’s good to see you, Amelia. Thanks for coming out tonight.”
I look over at him and smile. “Well, they didn’t give me much of a choice,” I admit to him.
“You weren’t going to sit around and mope. No one was having that,” Cassie says as she pours each of us a drink.
“A half a glass for me, please. Remember I’m still on pain medication,” I remind her.
She giggles. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m happy that we got you out here.”
“It is good to see you, Amelia. How is the knee?” Jase asks.
“Well, therapy is going well. We’re working on some small things right now. But the tear isn’t healed yet. That can take a month or so. But apparently, we can’t stop working on therapy because that is so important,” I say with a roll of my eyes.
“You don’t sound so sure about that,” Danny says, grinning. I look over and notice that he’s holding hands with Mac. A pang of sadness flashes in my chest as I’m wishing that Dex was here to do that with me. Or that we hadn’t ended.
“Come on, Danny, did you really believe in PT? How did that work out for your shoulder?” I ask him, taking a sip of the red liquid that Cassie has handed me. “Holy shit, that is strong.”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m saying not too much now,” August reminds me.
“I believe that it can be helpful. For my particular injury it was not,” Danny replies.
I shake my head. “Way to walk the fine line there, Mr. Taylor,” I tease him.
He laughs. “I want you to participate in your therapy and if you don’t, I’m sure that August will have my ass.”
“And let’s not forget Dex. The team doctor would not be very happy with you either,” August adds, looking over at me to gauge my reaction.
I nod, and hope that I’m not giving too much away with my non-answer.
“August.” I hear the warning in Mac’s tone.
Thankfully, he drops it, and conversation moves on to what’s for dinner.
“I’m picking up the check for all Blaze player’s tonight, so please make sure you chose whatever you want,” August tells us.
“Thank you,” I say, leaning over and bumping August’s shoulder.
“Yeah, thanks, that’s awfully nice of you,” Mac tells him.
“Danny, I’ve got yours too. No sense in making you pay,” he tells Danny.
“I can get my own, man,” Danny assures him.
“Nope, not having it. I’ll do it,” August replies.
It’s in moments like this that I wonder if August isn’t as bad as Hendrix makes him out to be. They sure do have their share of sparring matches. But August does try and do nice things for the team.
I sigh and listen to the conversations that are occurring around me.
Content in not being involved in them but happy to be sitting with my friends.
I wonder for a moment if Dex were here tonight, if I would look through him the way Hendrix does August. Is that how we will be if he comes back to hanging out with us?
Will there be little jabs here and there?
Will I call him a cheater? Do I even have the right to do that?
Probably not, because neither one of us knew that he was married when we started sleeping together.
It wasn’t something that was done intentionally, but even still, it hurts all the same.
I mean, how could I trust someone who cheated on his wife repeatedly?
Especially after I saw what she looked like.
She was beautiful and what I would call a perfect woman.
How could I have a chance with him if she couldn’t keep him happy?
“Amelia, you ready to order?” August asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Oh yeah, sorry.” I hadn’t even noticed that the server was taking everyone’s orders. “I’ll take the chopped chicken salad, please.”
“My players are eating so healthy tonight,” Jase teases us.
“I am your only player, technically,” Hendrix reminds him.
He laughs it off. “I’m a coach, so technically, you are all my players. You all could play goal. You wouldn’t, but you could.”
“Let’s hope that never happens,” I chime in. “You wouldn’t want to see me in goal.”
“I’m sure we wouldn’t.” Jase winks at me.
I get ready to answer when I hear Hendrix say, “Shit.” Her eyes are glued to the door.
My head swivels and I look over to see Dex has entered the Backwoods.
“Dex!” August calls to him, holding up his hand to direct him to us.
“What the fuck are you doing? Why are you calling him over here?” Hendrix hisses at him.
“He’s my friend and he’s Blaze staff. I need to let him know that I’m picking up his tab,” August explains and then turns to me. “I’m sorry if this is going to be uncomfortable for you. But I doubt he’ll stay. He’ll get his food to go.”
I nod. My throat goes bone dry as Dex makes his way over to the table.
“It’s going to be fine, honey,” Cassie says, shooting me a wink. She and Jase exchange a glance that I can’t quite read. But I ignore it.
Instead, I sit there, waiting for him to reach the table. I count the seconds. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and then he arrives. It took him eight seconds to reach us. I glance over my shoulder and our eyes lock.
He stops for a moment and then I hear him clear his throat. “Hey, everyone.” Dex shifts his feet uncomfortably and aside from saying hello to him, no one has spoken.
It’s so awkward.
“Looks like I really know how to break up a party.” He turns to August. “What’s up, man?”
“I’m picking up the tab for everyone that works for the Blaze tonight, so be sure that you tell them you work there, please,” August tells him.
Dex nods and says, “Thanks man. I appreciate it.”
“You wanna join us?” Jase asks him.
Hendrix and Mac’s heads turn remarkably fast in his direction. Their eyes go wide with disbelief.
“Are you serious?” I hear Mac say.