Chapter 19
I decided to get lunch with Connor today before my quarterfinal matchup against Switzerland. I wasn’t able to go to Luke’s curling match against Canada this morning, but Connor just finished telling me all about it.
“It was such a barn burner. My heart was literally pounding when Luke sent that last stone down the ice. I can’t believe they won by one point. Who knew curling could be so exciting?”
I wipe my mouth with my napkin then put it back on my lap.
“Um, Luke, probably?”
Connor’s phone vibrates on the table. I don’t miss the way his eyes flash with concern before he types out a response.
“Everything okay? Is it Nana and Papa?”
Connor and I were basically raised by our grandparents. Connor remembers our mom a little bit, but she took off a few days after I was born. Apparently our father took off nine months before that, the day he found out she was pregnant again.
It took a long time and a lot of therapy to come to terms with the fact that neither of our parents wanted us, but our grandparents are true angels. They never complain and show up to everything they can.
I’ll never know how they were able to keep up with two kids in hockey. They’ve given us everything. Literally.
“No.”
That’s all I get. Grumpy, closed-off Connor is back. Great.
“No, as in everything is not okay? Or no as in, it’s not them?”
His eyes never leave his phone when he responds. “It’s not them. They’re fine. Papa’s hip is healing great. But they’re sad they can’t be here.”
My papa fell and hurt his hip a week before they were supposed to fly to Sweden. I know how badly they wish they could be here to see me at my first Olympics, but it won’t be my last. Not if I have anything to do about it.
I watch as Connor closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. His chest rises and falls twice before he opens his eyes again.
He types out a quick text then flips his phone face down on the table again.
Connor and I don’t talk about much outside of hockey and mundane things like the weather.
He was never open to talking with me when Luke’s sister passed away or about any of his past relationships.
Although, he only really had one that I know of.
I wish I knew how it ended. All I know is that Connor’s never been the same since. Not really.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Connor? What was the emergency that kept you home earlier this week?”
Connor’s hands freeze above his plate where he was just cutting up his French toast. A second later, he continues what he was doing, refusing to look up at me.
“Nothing. A friend just needed some help.”
I lean back in my chair and cross my arms over my chest. I stay like this until he finally looks up at me.
“What?”
“That’s it? You had to miss all but one of my round robin games because a friend needed some help? What did they need help with? Were they moving? Did their car die? What was so important you couldn’t be here for me?”
My breath catches on the last word, and I don’t even realize when a tear falls down my cheek.
I’ve never expected much out of Connor. I know his life as an NHL defenseman is busy and demands most of his time and attention. But apparently him being at my first Olympics meant more to me than I thought. The NHL is on a break for the Olympics. I thought just maybe he’d show up for me.
Connor places his utensils on the table and reaches his hand out to rest it on my arm.
“Hey, Charlotte. I’m sorry. I really am. There was no way I was going to miss the elimination games or medal game. I just had somewhere I really needed to be.”
He keeps his hand on my arm but I refuse to say anything. He still hasn’t explained why he couldn’t be here.
Connor must notice how hurt I am because he continues. “A very good friend of mine had a medical emergency. I needed to be there until I knew she was okay.”
She?
I have so many questions. There’s never been a woman before. I want to know so badly what’s going on in his life but the look on my brother’s face tells me everything I need to know.
It was important to him and he feels bad. Really, really bad.
Uncrossing my arms, I grab his hand with mine.
“Is she okay?”
Connor squeezes my hand and then leans back in his own chair. “She is. But that’s all I can tell you right now.”
His tone is final. I know even if I asked a million questions, he’d never give in.
Connor may be serious and closed-off, but he’s always loyal.
He’s proved that time and time again with Luke.
He’s also extremely close with the captain of the Bobcats, so much so that he dressed up as a Frozen character for his daughter’s birthday.
Connor might be an enforcer on the ice, but inside he’s a softie. It doesn’t surprise me he’d drop everything to take care of someone in need.
“I’d love to hear about her one day. Whenever you’re ready.”
It’s not much, but Connor nods once. A smile splits across my face which causes him to roll his eyes.
“That day is not today, Charlotte. Now why don’t you tell me how you’re feeling about tonight’s game.”
Luke has his last curling match today before the semi-finals start for the men tomorrow. They’ve already qualified but a win today would secure a top seed for them. Both our teams are absolutely crushing it.
We beat Switzerland in the quarterfinals and moved on to beat Finland in the semis, which means we get our rematch against Canada just like we’d hoped. It just so happens our gold medal game is also tomorrow. Talk about a big day for Team USA.
Liv is joining me at Luke’s matchup today against Italy. Connor is visiting one of his teammates from Sweden so he’s unable to be here. Honestly, I’m grateful for the distance because Luke and I still haven’t told him about us.
I know what you’re thinking: what the fuck is taking you so long? But it’s more complicated than just blurting it out.
Luke pretty much has a matchup every day and when he doesn’t, I’ve had a game.
Say what you want, but we’ve trained our entire lives to be here, and the Olympics come first. No matter how important our relationship is to both of us.
We find our seats and my eyes immediately find Luke where he stands at the back of the house while his team practices before the match begins.
“Okay, so do they get points for each rock thingy that lands on the target? Is it kind of like darts?”
I chuckle at my best friend’s complete lack of knowledge for the sport of curling. Not that many people really know much about it. At least not in my circle of hockey friends.
“Nope. Scoring is a bit different. You know the bullseye in darts?” Liv nods so I continue. “Well in curling, that’s called the button. At the conclusion of an end-”
Liv’s head tilts and I can tell I’m already losing her so I decide to make this short and sweet.
“An end is a round, Liv. There are ten ends. At the conclusion of each, whichever team is closest to the button, scores points.”
Her face softens as she takes in the information. “So do the rest of the rocks not count then? Only the one closest to the middle?”
I shake my head. “The one closest does count as a point but additional points can be scored too. If Luke’s team has one right on the button, but they have other stones that are also closer than their opponents, they’d score points for those too.”
My lips quirk as I watch my best friend’s eyes light up once she finally gets it. “I got it! So if Luke’s team has three stones closer to the button than any of the other team’s, then they get three points?”
“You got it!”
Liv falls back into her seat, her eyes glued to the men on the ice sheets below us. “I’m basically an expert now.”
“Yeah, totally an expert.” My words are laced in sarcasm, which Liv totally picks up on. She elbows me then nods to Luke’s teammates that are directly in front of us.
“Any of them single?”
I huff out a laugh. “Figured out the sport so now you’re interested in the athletes?”
Liv shrugs then points to the ice. “I wouldn’t mind if that one let me take a mustache ride.”
I don’t need to look to know that Liv is talking about Brendan.
Swatting her, I try to put an end to her man hunt. “Ew, gross. But I don’t know if any of them are single. I don’t really hang out with them much.”
“Yeah, because you’re too busy boning their captain.”
“It’s skip,” I say more defensively than I intend.
Liv quirks a brow at me but I ignore her. Thankfully the announcer interrupts us before Liv can give me anymore shit for sleeping with Luke. I know she’s just having fun with me, but the guilt of not telling Connor is starting to eat me alive.
The game begins and the two of us watch in comfortable silence as the men start throwing stones down the ice.
We chat after each end and Liv is excited that she finally understands what’s going on. It’s fun watching another person fall in love with such an underrated sport.
Team USA defeats Italy 8–2.
Liv and I go our separate ways. She has plans to meet some of our teammates at the men’s quarterfinal hockey game, and I have plans with Luke that don’t include anybody else.
I’m watching a live broadcast of the skiing sprint finals on my phone when I feel his hands wrap around my waist from behind.
“Hi, beautiful. What are we watching?”
Luke rests his head on my shoulder and peers down at my screen. Pressing the side button on my phone, it goes black, and I spin around, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“Nothing, now. But hopefully I’ll be watching you on your knees soon.” I lean in and press my lips against his.
What was meant to be a quick kiss, turns into something much deeper. We melt into each other, my body pressing up against his. I feel his cock push against my stomach at the same time I hear Wyatt’s voice.
“Don’t you two have a room for that?”
I attempt to push away from Luke but he holds me tighter. Our lips are still touching but I’m laughing now.
Luke releases one arm from me and I watch in my peripheral as he flips Wyatt off before kissing me again.
I’m out of breath by the time we’re done making out. I don’t even care that half of the people around us are giving us dirty looks.
“So much for keeping a low profile,” I tease.
Luke brings his thumb up to his mouth and brushes his bottom lip. “I can’t help myself anymore.”
I tilt my head toward the exit.
“Well then, we should probably get out of here and try to figure out how to tell Connor before someone tells him first.”
He puffs out his bottom lip. “I thought you wanted me on my knees.”
I push the door open and am immediately assaulted by a gust of wind that nearly blows the hat off my head.
Luke holds the door above me, allowing me to adjust my hat and exit first. Once we’re outside, he places his hand on my lower back.
Looking over at him I give him a flirtatious smile.
“I never said you wouldn’t be on your knees, baby.”
Luke’s laugh is like a warm caress out here in the cold. We fall into step next to each other and a comfortable silence falls over us.
We’re just over halfway there when Luke’s hand grabs my upper arm abruptly.
“Is something wrong?” I ask, turning to look at him.
“I almost forgot.”
Luke removes his backpack from his shoulders and begins shuffling it around until he must find what he’s looking for.
A plume of cold air escapes his mouth as he screams out in victory. “Ah ha! Got ‘em!”
When I realize what he’s holding out in front of me, emotion creeps up my throat.
I grab the bag from his outstretched hand, at a loss for what to say.
In my hand is a baggy full of gummy bears.
“I thought you could use these before the gold medal game tomorrow.”
Words continue to fail me as I try to process the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me.
“Where did you find these? I’ve looked at every grab-and-go station and have come up empty.”
Luke secures his backpack over his shoulders again before gesturing for us to continue our walk.
“I had Connor ask his Swedish teammates if he could get any for you.”
“You did?” It’s impossible to hide the shock in my voice. This freaking man.
He grabs my hand, which is still gripping the gummy bears like my life depends on it, then brings it to his mouth, placing a soft kiss on the top.
“Of course I did. You’ve played amazing without them but I figured a little extra luck couldn’t hurt.”
It doesn’t happen slowly. It hits me with the force of a freight train.
I’m falling in love with my brother’s best friend.
I pull him to me and push up onto my tiptoes, kissing him until I’m out of breath.
And then we make our way to our hotel, where I plan on enjoying every second of this man on his knees for me.