5. Luka
Luka
"You scared the poor girl away." Jake laughs as he shuts and locks his new apartment.
I spin around and smile at him. "I get to see her again. She is coming to five games."
"First, stop smiling like that; it's creepy. Second, she said she had to go to watch a hockey game, not that she was coming to our games." He pats my shoulder as we walk towards the elevator.
Well, shit.
I pull out my phone and text Coleman.
Me:
What is Adrianna's last name?
Coleman:
Why? Didn't she tell you no?
What the fuck? Has she been talking about me to Coleman? The thought makes me smile. She has been thinking about me too. Totally ignoring the fact that she told him about Christmas Eve, I texted him back.
Me:
It's for something on her vision board. She told me she made one with the girls.
Maybe if he thinks we are friends, he will give me the information I need.
Coleman:
It's Holloway. Don't mess with Addy, Luka. She is a good worker, the girls like her and Penny. Don't make them run off.
Who the hell is Penny, and why do I hate that he has a nickname for her.
Me:
I won't make her run off. Can I have her number?
Coleman:
Not unless she gives it to you herself.
Fuck. I back out of his chat and text my brother.
Me:
Adrianna Holloway can you get me a number?
Callum:
Is Layla the cutest girl in the world?
Me:
You know she is. Just get me the number
4 minutes later, Callum sends me a number.
Callum:
You owe me.
Me:
I will keep Layla whenever you finally get the balls to ask Lacey out.
Callum:
Fuck off, Man.
I back out and create a new message on my phone.
Me:
Whenever you go to a game. Tell the ticket office you have tickets under Adrianna Holloway. I will leave you as many as you want.
My Gattina:
Who is this?
Me:
You know who this is...
My Gattina:
Luka? How did you get my number?
Me:
I find ways to contact those I want.
My Gattina:
While I appreciate the tickets. I won't need them. I don't want to be someone you want. Please don't text me again.
Me:
Liar...
I wait for her response. I see the dots start and stop four times before I slide my phone into my pocket and we head to the airport.
"You going to chase this girl? It doesn't look like she will be one to just jump into bed with you." Jake whispers to me as we climb the steps of the plane.
"Who wouldn't want to jump into bed with Rizzoli?" One of our wingers and enforcer, Sean Grady, drops down in the seats across from us.
"Nobody." I say at the same time, Jake says, "My realtor." I give him my best side eye and tip my head back. I need to figure out how to win Adrianna over.
"Just drop your pants. I am sure your piercings will win her over." Grady laughs.
"It isn't about getting her in bed." I grit my teeth.
"Sure it isn't. That's what they all want, Man. They all want to say they slept with a hockey player. Just make sure you wrap it, or they will claim the baby is yours." He puts his headphones in before I can say anything else.
"He didn't mean that, Jake. He is new. He didn't know." I turn to my best friend and can tell Grady's comment hits close to home.
"It's fine, Rizzoli. I am good, Man. Just figure out a way to get your girl. I am going to crash for a few." He closes his eyes and I leave him alone. When he starts calling me Rizzoli, I know he is either in hockey mode or leave me the fuck alone mode.
After putting in my headphones and turning on my 90s alternative mix, I start a new chat group.
Me:
I need help.
CeCe:
Fucking finally!!
Mia:
Yay!
Sam:
I second CeCe!
Lacey:
Whatever you need.
Me:
She wants to go to hockey games this year, so I set her up some seats by you guys. I texted her about it, and she told me she didn't want them and told me never to text her again...
Mia:
Ummm...
CeCe:
Damn...
Lacey:
How did you get her number?
Wait, let me guess...Callum?
Sam:
I second CeCe.
I let out a frustrated sigh and pulled up another chat group.
Me:
I need help.
Romeo:
Fucking Finally!
Me:
CeCe?
Romeo:
No!
Liam:
What do you need?
Callum:
I already helped you. What more do you want me to do?
Me:
My girl. She doesn't want anything to do with me.
Callum:
Texting didn't work?
Romeo:
You have her number?
Me:
It didn't work. She said to not text again.
Cross:
Time to move on to phase 2...
Liam:
I agree.
Romeo:
Yep...
Me:
What's phase 2?
Cross:
Tracking her phone and showing up wherever she is.
Callum:
Isn't that stalking?
Liam:
Okay……lawyer. No, you are tracking her phone... not her.
Me:
Then what?
Liam:
Then you make it so she can't live without you.
Callum:
Without pulling out your dick...
I close out the texts on my phone. That is the worst idea yet, but I download the tracking app Cross texts me. I shove my phone in my pocket and close my eyes. It's time to get into game mode.
We are standing in the visitor's locker room, trying to get ready for the game.
Everyone does something a little different.
Grady blasts heavy metal music, Webster wraps his stick three times with various tapes and always ends up with the basic black on the third time no matter what, a couple other guys run through plays, some scroll social media or more than likely hookup apps since we are staying overnight.
I usually listen to music and text Callum so I can talk to Layla.
I send out my text, and while I am waiting for a reply, I do something stupid.
I hit the contact on my phone and bring it to my ear.
"Hello? Why are you calling me?" Adrianna's sweet voice is quiet against the loud background.
"Where are you?" I know it's an asshole question, but I can't stop it from coming out of my mouth.
"Shouldn't you be getting ready to start your game?" I can tell she is irritated with me. I hear someone yell her name in the background.
"Are you at a bar? Are you watching my game?" I smile.
"I thought I could cross two things off my list, but Penelope informed me that going to the bar only counts. Watching a hockey game on TV doesn't count, so I don't know if I will. Why are you calling me?"
I could say something snide about her trying to cut out of watching me or drop another line that I would normally drop on a girl I wanted. I decided to go with the truth instead. "I really just wanted to hear your voice."
There is a long pause and I pull the phone back to see if the sound I heard was her disconnecting. It was a text notification from Callum. I put the phone back to my ear and can hear the bar noise.
"Good luck, Luka." She whispers into the phone so low I almost miss it.
"Thanks, Gattina."
She laughs, "Why do you call me Kitten?"
"You Googled what I called you?" It must mean she actually cares.
"No, I knew what it meant when you called me it the first time."
"You know Italian?" I am shocked. I will have to watch what I say around her.
"Yes, my parents made me study a language in school. I picked Italian. There was a cute boy in that class."
I instantly want to hunt down every boy in her old classes and beat the shit out of them for even breathing the same air as her.
"Good luck, Luka." She hangs up before I can say anything else.
I checked my good luck text from Layla, and Webster gave a great speech to get us pumped.
Coach reminds us not to be total assholes.
We are looking good for the playoffs and he doesn't want anyone suspended.
Madison is filming us as we exit the locker room and head down the tunnel.
We kick ass. I ended up getting us a shutout, and Grady and Webster got us 2 goals each. We are riding the high when I am getting dressed and pulling out my phone.
"You coming out with us, Rizzoli?" Grady slams my back and yells to the other guys.
"Nah, Man. I am heading back to the hotel with Cap." I nod towards Jake and he nods back at me. I know we should probably go out with the team, but I am not in the mood, and Jake doesn't go out when we are out of town.
"Come on, Man. You know all the girls love the Goalie!" He gives me his best puppy dog eyes and I roll mine.
"You can get all the girls, Grady. I am good.
" I wave them off and turn my phone on. I have multiple texts from my family cheering me on after every stopped puck.
They know I can't see the texts until I am done, but it makes me feel good that they are watching it and cheering me on.
I see a picture of Layla lying against Gio on Romeo's couch.
Both are out cold but are still in their Rizzoli jerseys.
I download the image and make sure to favorite it so I don't accidentally delete it.
I am surprised when my phone vibrates with an incoming text.
My Gattina:
Good job tonight, Rizzoli. I have learned that what you did wasn't something that usually happens.
Me:
Rizzoli huh? What was it I did tonight?
My Gattina:
Luka, it was weird calling you Rizzoli, but that is what everyone in the bar called you. Also, they said your shutup was good.
I almost choke on my water when I start laughing.
"You okay, Man?" Jake slaps my back and I nod.
"Yeah, Adrianna called it a shutup instead of a shutout."
"Ah, so she is texting you now? I also like Shutup better. It was definitely what we made them do." I fist-bump him because he isn't wrong.
Me:
I don't like you calling me Rizzoli, either. I like that I am just Luka with you. It's called a shutout. I am glad you weren't paying enough attention to the guys at the bar to remember what they said.
My Gattina:
Oh yeah, Penelope shut that down quick. She told them it was girls' night.
Me:
I like her already.
My Gattina:
Want me to get her number for you? Maybe she would like you texting her?
Me:
I don't want her number.
My Gattina:
What do you want, Luka?
Me:
I only want you.
Again, I watch the dots appear and disappear.
We make it back to the hotel and to our room.
I am glad Coach allowed us to room together on this trip.
He has been separating us, so we each room with someone new on the team.
As much as I love my guys, I hate doing that.
I texted my family good night and opened my texts with Adrianna again.
Me:
Good night, Adrianna.