7. Rocky
seven
Rocky
I finally kissed her.
Last night, I kissed Montana. I couldn't resist her any longer; she looked too perfect, too beautiful, teasing me with her lips and smile.
This kiss felt different though. I’ve had my fair share of kisses, but kissing Montana was soft and delicate. It felt like something kept pulling me in for more. I know she has her walls up. I know she’s afraid to fall again, but soon she’ll realize that once she’s with me, I’ll never hurt her.
I don’t know much about her other than she’s funny, beautiful, and feisty as fuck. I want her to open up to me more, so I need to make her feel more comfortable with me. I need her to know that when she walked into my life, everything I once thought I wanted didn't seem to matter much anymore.
Have you ever met someone, and felt like you’ve known them your whole life? That’s what I felt the moment I locked eyes with her.
My parents had a love that you would only see in the movies during college, and they made it work even while my dad went on to play professional hockey—they never let anything get in the way of their love. I know that I can have that too, and I hope it's with her, but only time will tell. I need to show her I’m nothing like her ex.
Thinking back on the times I had growing up in my house, there was always something going on. I love those memories, and the times that my mom packed us up to go to the park for a picnic to unwind and get some time together. Hockey season in my house was always wild. My dad would be gone for a week when he had a stretch of away games.
We would meet with Talia, my mom's best friend, and her daughter. I don’t remember much about her, just that we called her Rissa. I mostly didn’t want to be bothered because at the time, you know how it goes when you only want to play with boys, and the girls only want to play with the girls. There was one time I remember—not vividly, but maybe through stories my mom would tell us—and she said I told her I was going to marry her.
One day we were at the store, and you know those machines when you walk out that have the toys? Well, I saw one with rings and I begged my mom for quarters to get Rissa a ring. She was running around the park, and a boy tried to kiss her. She pushed him down, told him not to touch her, and that he had cooties. I ran over there and wanted to punch the kid because I wanted to be her first kiss.
When we were playing, I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. She said yes, and I got up and kissed her. I was seven and she was six. She didn’t push me away and tell me that I have cooties. As I think back on these memories, it sucks that I won't be able to keep my promise to marry her, because I’m falling for someone else.
We moved away from Minnesota to California when I was eight, because my dad got traded from the Wild to the Los Angeles Kings. Moving from the Midwest to the west coast was definitely a culture shock. We stayed in Cali for seven years until his contract was up and he retired. Hockey takes a major toll on your body, and since my dad was a defenseman, he had gotten a few concussions and with that, my mom said enough was enough.
She wanted him over the money. Their love has always shone so bright. Even when someone came forward and said that my dad had cheated on my mom—we knew it wasn’t true. This woman had said she was pregnant, and my dad didn’t even flinch. He said it wasn’t true and that when the baby was born, they would know it wasn’t his. She just wanted to make a quick buck and use my family as collateral damage. My mom didn’t fight it because she knew deep in her heart that she was lying. My dad was then and still is obsessed with my mom.
I was so upset with my dad and one night my mom came into my room and said, “Baby, your daddy loves me more than the breath in his body. More than the game he’s played his whole life. I know he would never hurt us. Not just me, but us. I am not worried about it, my love. Don’t let the things people say get to you. When you are in the spotlight one day, you’ll learn that you need to have thick skin.”
She was right, and we had no reason to worry because it was all a lie. This woman was a puck bunny who tried to ruin my family for a payout, not realizing that my parents’ relationship was tighter than Fort Knox. It was at that moment I promised myself that I will never give my wife a reason to doubt me, and she will know, without a shadow of a doubt, that she is it for me. When I marry someone, I won't settle for anything less than what my parents have.
I’m going to prove to Montana that I’m not like her ex-boyfriend. That will start today, and I’ll keep showing her that she has nothing to worry about. You know what they say, actions speak louder than words, right?
I take out my phone and text her.
Me: Hey Killer, you busy?
Killer: Depends Savage… What do you have in mind? This serial killer documentary is good, so it’ll have to be better than this
Me: Haha I was thinking a picnic in the park. You down?
Killer: That sounds great. What time should I be ready?
Me: Will an hour be enough time?
Killer: Yes, see you soon.
An hour later I’m at her door, ready to show my girl that I’m a man of my word. I mean what I say, and I say what I mean. She may have doubts now, but I will show her I won't break her heart or her trust. I have a picnic basket packed with our food, her favorite drinks and Flamin’ Hot Funyuns. I texted Talon to see what her favorite sub sandwich was.
Effort.
Some men think they don’t have to put in the effort with women, or they think it stops when you get her.
False . In my Dwight Schrute voice.
I knock on the door, and she sounds like she’s rustling to grab her things. Montana opens the door with the biggest smile on her face which takes my breath away.
She looks so gorgeous, and she doesn’t even have to try. The cutoff shorts she’s wearing along with an oversized ‘Biggie’ shirt partially tucked in the front looks amazing on her. She's wearing black and white high-top vans with hoop earrings, and I’m pretty sure my dick swells in my pants. Not now . Her long curls flow down her back and they are wild but look so pretty.
“Damn, Killer, you look beautiful.” I lean down and kiss her forehead. She smells like cotton candy.
I wonder what she tastes like…
“Thank you, Savage. You don’t look so bad yourself.” She winks.
“Are you ready to go?”
“Absolutely.”
I open the door to my car for her, and she looks at me with surprise written on her face—like no one has ever done this for her. It makes me want to smash her ex’s face for treating her anything less than the queen she is.
How hard is it to open the door for the woman you like? My dad has been doing it for my mom my entire life. He’ll come out and open her car door even if he isn’t leaving. And if I’m with my mom, I’ll open the door for her and Autumn.
We’re driving to the park, and I place my hand on her thigh. She doesn’t push my hand away, and I grin to myself. See, progress.
“What were you doing before I picked you up?”
“Not much. I cleaned my apartment. Then I was watching a documentary on John Wayne Gacy, have you heard about him? Anyway, I was going to go for a run after, but I wanted to spend time with you.” She says the last part so low that I almost miss it.
“I’m glad that you want to spend time with me. I want to spend more time with you. I told you; I want you. And no, I’ve never heard of John Wayne Gacy.”
She makes a face that says that I’m full of shit, but doesn’t say anything else about what I said.
“Gacy was certifiable, that’s for damn sure.” She giggles.
I could listen to her giggle and laugh all day. It’s like music to my ears. A song that’s stuck in your head that you don’t ever want to forget.
“I’ll have to Google him,” I say, “But in all honesty, with you it’s not just about the chase. Once I get you, I won't fumble like your ex did.” I turn my head at the stoplight and give her a serious face. I look at her, and I don’t know what it is, but there is something about her that makes me feel like I know her, that I have known her my whole life. “I promise.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Savage.”
Looking straight into her beautiful hazel eyes, I say, “I don’t.”
The rest of the drive is light. She sings to the songs on the radio, and I could listen to her beautiful voice for the rest of my life. The raspiness of it makes every tune sound sultry. Her rendition of Pisces by Bryce Savage is great. She sings and dances in the car, making me laugh. As we get to our destination I park the car, and she sees where we are, gets out of the car and smiles up at me.
“Harriet Island Park? I love it. I haven’t been here in forever!”
I smile at her and nod. “Let's go, Killer. I have a picnic for us to set up.”
We walk the short distance to the spot we deem perfect and I put the blanket and basket down, and she sits criss-cross applesauce, so I follow suit. I finally get a good look at the tattoo on her arm. I was distracted on the Fourth of July looking at her other assets, and I know she has a few more on her body.
“Your tattoos are beautiful. I saw a glimpse of them on the fourth. What do they mean?”
She lights up and tells me about the tattoos on her body.
“My mom and I love plants, as you can probably tell from the plants in my house, so the vines represent our love of plants. When my parents passed away, I had taken the birthday cards to the artist, and this is their handwriting. My mom would always write I love you then sign it mom , and my dad would write under hers I love you more and he’d sign it dad . Chrysanthemums are the flowers and those were her favorite which became my favorite,” she says pointing to the various parts of the tattoo that winds up her arm. “Then I have a Harry Potter tattoo on my side that says I solemnly swear that I am up to no good with the footprints that walk up my side. I also have a butterfly on my sternum for my mom. She loved butterflies but it’s a little different. It's black and white with a small lotus flower between my breasts. I got it when I was coming out of a dark place in my life. The lotus represents me and everything that I’ve been through. The lotus is a beautiful flower that comes out on top of the mud in a pond.”
Damn, she’s so beautiful and so deep. How did I get so lucky?
“Well, they sound beautiful, like you.”
We talk more about growing up, I tell her about growing up in Southern California, but I love living in Minnesota. I explained how going to different sports games was a highlight since there are so many different teams in California. The smile on her face is the highlight of my day.
“Thank you, Rocky, today has been wonderful. I’ve never been on a date like this. No one has ever put in the effort,” she says with a small smile.
“The date isn’t over. I still have a few more activities planned.”
“Ooh really? Like what?”
“How do you feel about paddle boarding?”
“Let’s do it.”
The rest of the afternoon is awesome. We paddle board and then I take her to see the Anchor USS Saint Paul Memorial. She hasn’t been here in forever, so it’s nice to make these memories with her. Effort. Damn, all she’s wanted is effort. Well, Montana, that’s what you will get from now on. To be made a priority. That’s all any woman want and it’s not hard to do.
If he wanted to, he would. It’s what my mom and dad tell my sister. She won't settle for less than someone amazing, and I know Montana won't either. Pretty promises are things little boys say wrapped up in a little bow to make you swoon. A man keeps his word.