Chapter 51 – Jaxon #2
She sighs, a slightly dramatic exhale of relief. “Okay, good. I made her this.” Madeline walks back to her bookbag and slips out a card. “Can you give it to her?”
“Of course I can.”
“It’s blue like her hair and because it’s your favorite color.” Mads hands me another card. “This one’s from Grant.”
A tear forms in the corner of my eye, and I force out a laugh. “She’ll love them.”
Madeline returns to painting her brother’s nails, rambling about how pretty her dance instructor is and that Beck needs to meet her after their upcoming recital. I take the cards with me, heading up the stairs.
I freeze, hand hovering over the doorknob to my room. Cooper’s door is open. Inside, he’s lying on his bed, back against his headboard and ankles crossed. He has a textbook in his hand, papers spread out across his comforter, surrounding his calculator.
We’ve been avoiding each other.
He’ll come to check in on Jordan while I’m at student teaching, and I stopped by when I knew he’d be in class. At practices and in the locker room, it’s like we’re ships passing in the night—except I don’t exist to him.
I can’t tell if he’s mad or upset because his expression is locked on neutral.
Crossing the hallway, I knock my knuckles against his door. “Hey, can we talk?”
“I guess.”
I head into his room, closing the door behind me. Taking his desk chair, I spin it around at the foot of his bed and straddle the back.
“I’m suspended indefinitely,” I tell him. “But I assume you probably already know.”
“I didn’t. I’m sorry, that sucks.”
“It’s fine.” I mean, yeah, sure, it sucks I’m not going to get to finish out my senior season, but I knew what I was doing when I fought Luka. I shrug a shoulder. “And I decided to withhold from free agency.”
With the most amount of emotion I’ve gotten out of him in the past two weeks, he sits straighter, mouth falling to a frown. “Seriously? Scouts won’t care about one bad fight. They might love it, want you to become their enforcer.”
“Maybe they will or won’t, but I decided to apply to the open graduate assistant spot here next year.”
“Master’s program?” I nod. He looks disappointed, and I get it. Since freshman year, we’ve always envisioned us there together. “Wow. So no NHL, and you’re okay with that?”
“I am. But never say never. Maybe I’ll be your coach someday,” I tease before changing the subject, now that that is out in the open. “About Jordan.” I take a deep inhale. “Everything Luka said was true. We are sleeping together, but it’s more than that. She’s more than that to me.”
“I know.” His signature Carmichael smile climbs the sides of his face, dimples popping, and corners of his eyes creasing.
“Truthfully, I’ve known for a while. You two aren’t as secretive as you think.
I’d assumed you would tell me after the kissing booth or when Sutton saw her sneaking into your room.
That’s what I’m angry about. I don’t get why you didn’t tell me, I’m your best friend. ”
“How-how did you find out?”
“You have the NYT games app on your phone, there’s a crossword book in your bedside table, and I came by the rink after one of your practices with the youth program and saw you two skating together.
The blue dye on your shirts in the laundry room is a dead giveaway too.
I’d already noticed Jordan laughing and smiling more.
She reminded me of the girl she was before Katie, and for months, I couldn’t pinpoint why, but seeing how she is around you made me believe something was going on.
I didn’t go full detective, but I pieced it together. ”
“And you’re not mad that we’re together?”
“At first I was. I thought you were using her or, I don’t know, spending time with her was some sort of joke—”
“It wasn’t,” I say quickly, needing him to understand how serious I am about Jordan. I may love to joke and be the center of attention, fun guy, but when it comes to her, comes to loving her, I’d never joke about that.
“Then you both appeared so happy how could I stay—you are happy, right?”
“Yeah, Coop, I am.”
“Then how could I stay mad? Two of my favorite people in the world, together? Plus, I think she’s had a crush on you since freshman year. But like I said, I’m not mad—more hurt than anything that neither of you told me.”
“You threatened the entire team to be nice to her and not to hit on her.”
“That didn’t apply to you. You always hit on her.”
“Cooper.”
“Fine.” Sometimes I don’t think he realizes how alike they are. I swear his eye roll is a carbon-copy of hers. “Do you love her?”
“She’s the easiest person to love.” Even though she might not believe it, she is.
“Damn it. I shouldn’t have told you I knew and made you gush about my sister while secretly recording and play it at your wedding.”
“Our wedding?” I laugh out.
“You are marrying her.” It’s more of a threat than a joke.
“When the time comes, and if she wants.”
“And I’ll be best man?”
“As long as I’m yours.”
We shake on it. “Deal.”
“So we’re good?” I stand, flopping onto his bed. Papers crinkles beneath me.
“We’re good.”
“Wanna go rollerblading before it snows this weekend and get a sweet treat?” I ask, suddenly missing my best friend. “I’ve missed you.”
“You’re buying.”
“Am not. I’m not the one with an NHL contract.”
Cooper playfully bumps his shoulder into mine as we climb off the bed and head into the hall. “Also…just because you’re my best friend doesn’t mean that if you break her heart, I won’t hunt you down. Rath will ensue.” I chuckle. “I mean it, Greene. I know where you live.”