Chapter 22
Waves was packed. The atmosphere was electric.
Almost everyone there was a Rapid, or affiliated with the team in some way.
I recognised Mary, who ran the front desk and most of the offices. She was there with her husband Bob. Several others I knew by sight, if not their names. Id have to learn those sooner or later. Most of them probably knew me as the indifferent daughter who rarely looked up from her phone.
They might be surprised to learn I heard everything. Even when I looked like I wasn’t paying attention, I was.
I suspected everyone employed by Waves was working tonight. These few weeks, leading up to and after the Down Under Bowl would be the biggest of the year for them.
It didnt hurt to be the favourite haunt of a pro football team.
Ollie shouted something to me.
I shook my head and shouted back, I cant hear you.
He leaned in closer and shouted in my ear, I said Im gonna lose my voice from talking so loud!
I moved away from him. Okay, theres no need to yell. I grinned at him.
He laughed. Theyre good arent they? He nodded towards the band, then kept bopping his head.
Yeah, they are. I ran my thumb up and down the outside of my cola glass. Id like to get up and dance, but there was barely room to move as it was. I had to settle for grooving in my chair. Who did you say they are again?
Ice Blue Roses, he called out. I think the lead singer is Jack. He shrugged.
I shrugged in return. Id dated some rock stars in the past. They often had interesting nicknames, and the habit of turning everyday events into songs. I might have a breakup song or two written about me. Nothing Id admit to. I put a post or two on my social media about them, so the whole, sometimes ugly, thing went both ways.
The song ended abruptly, and the band set down their instruments for a break.
I was wrong about one thing, Ollie said.
Whats that? I asked.
I thought Id be able to hear myself talk once they finished playing, he said. Turns out its just noisy in here.
I laughed. He wasnt wrong about that. Talking, laughing, clinking and the TV in the background, made a cacophony. My ears would ring tomorrow.
Halftime is over, someone shouted out.
The noise settled a bit, as everyones attention turned to the TV.
It was a big TV, but I couldnt see much from where I was sitting. I didnt mind. I was here for Ollie, not the football, but Id keep half an eye on the game.
The crowd roared as someone was slammed onto the turf in a tackle hard enough to make me wince.
Is that the best theyve got? one of the guys said. A five-year-old could tackle better than that.
Everyone laughed.
I exchanged looks with Ollie.
He smiled. Cavemen, he said by way of explanation.
I nodded. Ahhh, of course. No one would ever tackle as hard as they did, or run as fast, or throw as well, or have dicks as big.
Whatever anyone else did, the Rapids would do it bigger and better. And if they didn’t, theyd razz the playing teams anyway.
On the screen, one of the guys grabbed the ball and bolted.
At Waves, most of the room rose to their feet. Some shouted encouragement, others shouted for the opposition to intercept.
The announcers declaration of, Touchdown! was met with cheers and jeers.
Ollie applauded and then fist pumped the air. That was awesome, he said.
I smiled. He was obviously enjoying himself. Looking at it through his eyes, it was easy to see what fans saw in the game. It was exciting, especially when your team was winning.
I realised it wasnt so much that I disliked the Rapids or the idea of them, but that my fathers obsession with them bordered on addiction.
Addictions were things I tried to avoid.
But for Ollie, it was more like good, clean fun. Okay, dirty fun, but the kind you could share with your family and friends.
While he watched the game, I watched him. The way the low lighting in Waves caught on his hair, the way his blue eyes lit up whenever the game got more interesting. The line of his jaw where a smattering of stubble grew.
I could barely remember a time before I knew him. I didnt want to imagine a future without him. Every time I pictured myself in five or ten years, he was there. By my side.
He caught me looking and turned to smile at me. He leaned down to give me a kiss. Soft, light, but with a hint of hunger.
The fact he wasnt reluctant to show me affection in front of his friends spoke volumes about the depth of his feelings for me. And vice versa.
Reluctantly, he pulled away. Would you like another cola?
Yes please. I handed him my empty glass so he could take it back to the bar.
He grabbed it up and pushed his way through the crowds to the bar.
I took a moment to glance around the room.
Grace sat nearby with Bam. He was scowling at the other side of the room. I followed his gaze and saw his sister, Chantel, talking to Pinky, of all people. Their heads were bent close together, obviously deep in conversation. She laughed at something he said.
Bam scowled even harder. Grace put a hand on his arm and whispered something in his ear. He nodded, but didnt look happy.
I guessed he was just an overprotective brother. It wasnt like Pinky could get up to anything in front of all of these people. Besides, Chantel was old enough to take care of herself.
Ollie returned with our drinks.
As he placed mine in front of me, I nodded toward Bam. Someone isnt happy, I remarked.
Ollie looked. His eyebrows shot up. She could do better, but if Bam had his way, shed be a nun. I swear, the guy put the over in the word overprotective.
And I thought my father was bad, I remarked.
To be fair, he rarely commented on my love life. For most part, the opposite was the case.
Once in a while, hed tell me he didnt think the guy Id just broken up with was good enough for me, but he never told me while I was dating them.
I wasnt sure if he trusted me, wasnt interested, or was too busy with his own love life to be bothered with mine. It didnt matter, I wasnt going to choose guys based on my fathers approval rating.
Now I thought about it, maybe he kept his mouth shut for that very reason. If he didnt like the guy, Id probably stick with them for longer. Damn parents and their reverse psychology.
I made a mental note not to comment on Dads love life from now on. Maybe hed stop rebelling against me. Was that how it worked?
I leaned against Ollie and tucked my hand and under his arm. He put an arm around my shoulders and lightly kissed my hair.
Im glad youre here, he said softly. Everything is better when youre around.
Everything? I asked teasingly.
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. Everything, he said again, even planning the remodel of the new place. Especially that. He brushed some hair off my face. I hope I can spend a lot of time there.
I hope so too, I said softly. Ollie… Im falling for you.
The heated glance he gave me set my pulse racing. Im falling for you too.
He kissed me.
It felt like the first time we ever kissed. Like the first kiss I ever had. Like nothing and no one had come before. It was like fire and electricity, and warmth and sweetness.
The world ended, then began again.
Eventually, we broke away and our eyes met. In that one, long look, we spoke more than we ever had with words. More than I ever had at any other time in my life.
For once, I felt whole.
The crowd went wild.
It could have been for us, but it could have been because one of the teams scored,
In the corner of my eye I caught movement.
I turned to see Harvey Danbury, phone in hand. Of course hed be here tonight, with the whole team present. Judging by the angle of his phone, hed just finished taking photos of Ollie and I.
To my surprise, I didn’t mind. I didnt care if the whole world knew. Let them talk about us. Let them see how happy we were together.
That gave me an idea though. We should let Bec interview us for her blog. You know, the true story. I nodded meaningfully towards Danbury.
Ollie grimaced. Anything to keep that asshole off our backs. Ill even talk to him if it means he doesnt follow us around.
We can pencil that in for if we get desperate. I wasnt quite there yet. Especially after the way hed embarrassed Ollie. I thought about flipping Danbury off, and waiting long enough for him to take a photo.
I didnt, that was the kind of publicity that would piss Dad off. The last thing I needed was for him to hire a publicist to straighten me out.
Whatever you want, Ollie said. I just want to make you happy.
I turned back to him and lightly pressed my knuckle against his cheek. Stubble scratched my skin, but I liked it. You make me happy.
What a coincidence, Ollie said. Because you make me happy too.
The announcer said something about one of the teams winning. The crowd went crazy again.
I glanced towards the TV, but couldnt tell who won. Im sure Id find out soon enough, everyone would be talking about it for the next hour or three.
A bar attendant turned the TV down, and the band got back up on stage.
I glanced back towards Bam. He looked happier now. His sister was sitting with him and Grace, and the two women were talking about who knew what. With the band playing, I doubted they could hear each other well.
I leaned into Ollie and tapped my hand on my arm in time to the music. Even with the place as noisy and crowded as it was, I couldnt remember feeling more content than I was at that moment. It was like all the puzzle pieces with broken edges, grooves that didnt seem to match up to anything, fit into place in spite of everything.
Right here, right now was exactly what I was supposed to be. Whatever happened to the Down Under Bowl, with the team, we would deal with it when we had to.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
I ignored it. Whatever it was, it could wait. I wasnt going to let anything ruin this moment.
My phone buzzed again. After a moment, it buzzed for a third time.
Irritated, I pulled out and looked at the screen. I frowned.
When Ollie gave me a questioning look, I mouthed, Skye.
The last thing I wanted to do tonight was to text back and forth with her. I went to put my phone back in my pocket. It buzzed again.
I swore under my breath and pressed the screen. I pressed on her name and read the message she sent.
I felt the blood drain out of my face. I couldn’t breathe. My vision swam.
Rubie? What is it? Ollie bent his face close to mine.
Its Dad, I said, my heart in my throat. He collapsed. Hes been taken to the hospital.