Chapter 26
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
COOPER
Ireally hope my face shows the excitement I have for her and not how sad I am thinking of her living so far away from me. I won’t be able to stop in at the hospital or meet her after work. We’re just so early in our romantic relationship—can it survive the long distance?
Ellery can’t know my doubts because this is an opportunity she shouldn’t pass up.
We’re on our way home now, and she didn’t really give her father an answer. I think maybe Ryan Wallace should’ve talked to his wife first before he decided to spring the news on everyone.
“So?” I ask Ellery since she’s been staring out the window the entire ride home.
“I’m not sure what to do. I mean, Dr. Murphy gives me shit all the time about me working under my dad, would the staff in New York even like me knowing I got the job from my daddy?”
I reach over and grab her hand, my thumb gliding over her pointer finger. “It’s not like you’re not deserving. And no matter what, people will claim favoritism if you work with your dad regardless of what your role is.”
“I just didn’t see this coming. I get that my dad wants to move up, and I’m guessing Mercy dragged their feet too long, and now he’s gone in search of something else because of his ridiculous timeline.”
“Timeline?”
“My dad has age markers of where he wants to be at certain ages. He’s about to be fifty-five, and he wants to be the chief of medicine for a hospital. So…”
It’s so different from how I think. I go season by season.
How hurt and banged up am I when the season ends?
Do I think I can handle another one? Can I still perform my best?
And when it’s over, I’m going to miss it like crazy, but I hope to have a family waiting for me, and then I’ll get to be part of my kids’ lives as they grow up.
“He really is a go-getter,” I say because I’m not sure what else to say.
I don’t want to voice the thought that I think her dad could be making this move to get her away from me. He sees me as some shiny object that pulls her focus away from her career.
“Am I stupid for considering it?” She has a worried expression on her face.
“No, it’s an amazing opportunity.” I want to throw up.
“And what about us?” she asks.
“I only play for half the year, and I can live in New York the other half of the time. We’ll have to try to make it work when I’m in season.” I hold myself back from speaking my biggest worry—what if we forget what it is about the other person that we can’t live without?
“True. We couldn’t ask for you to have a more flexible job to make it work.”
Jesus, why am I convincing her?
Because maybe she’ll miss me when she’s gone and want all those things I want, like marriage and kids, sooner?
Because I’ll be able to focus on my own game and achieve that third championship win and hopefully MVP? If I did both those things, I’d seriously consider retiring and moving to New York with her. But do I want that? I’m not sure.
“Can I even handle the responsibility?” She groans, turning to me and snuggling up to my side.
“You can do anything. You’re an intelligent, amazing woman.
” Which is true. I’ve never met anyone like Elle who can adapt to different situations so well.
She’ll learn the ropes and do well, and people will love her.
Sure, she’ll run into some Dr. Murphy’s along the way, but she has to get over that.
“You’re saying that because you love me.”
“The fact that I love you goes without saying.”
She looks up at me. “I’m really thinking about it.” She cringes as if she’s scared, which I’m sure she is.
“Good.” I glance out the window so she can’t see through me. But as always, I’m too transparent to her.
“Coop?” She straddles my lap and uses her hands to direct my face forward. “Talk to me.”
I place my hands on her hips just as we hit a pothole, saving her head from hitting the top of the car. “It’s just the usual insecurities that I’m not going to give any attention to. If you want to go, you go. We’ll figure out the rest.”
“Are you sure?” Her gaze roams my face.
This is the time if I’m going to be honest, but if I go with honesty, I’ll mess this up between us. She deserves to have it all, no matter how it affects me. I refuse to hold her back. “Definitely. Take the job.”
She squeals and leans down to kiss me. “I’m going to sleep on it tonight, but I think I’m going to.
Think of how much fun we’ll have going around New York, finding great restaurants, Broadway, and all the excitement.
We’ll have so much fun when you visit.” She wraps her arms around my neck. “Thank you so much. I love you.”
Her hips move over my crotch, and for the first time in weeks, my dick has no reaction to it. I think, like me, it’s scared to death of what the future holds.
“Hey, I’m Cooper.” I open the building’s door and put my hand out to the guy I’m showing Damon’s apartment to.
“Rowan Landry, thanks for showing me the place. I’m glad Jagger told me about this place when I got traded. You won’t mind a hockey guy living in The Den?”
I laugh.
My agent, Jagger, came into town two days ago and told me how he had a client who was traded to the Chicago Falcons hockey team and needed an apartment. I told him about Damon moving out, and hopefully this meet and greet will be enough for me to find someone to rent it.
“We might have to change the name to the Bird’s Nest or something. Though there will be fewer women loitering around these days since Miles and I are taken.”
He laughs. “Are you suggesting football has more game than hockey?”
I shrug. “Can’t blame them. We have all our teeth and usually don’t leave the field bloody.”
“The girls like the blood. The teeth, probably not so much, but girls get hot for the fights. You guys go after one another, and the refs stop it immediately. And I won’t even say anything about quarterbacks sliding to the ground to make sure they won’t be tackled.”
I knock on the apartment door. Damon and Adeline are out.
“Actually.” He pulls out his phone. “Can you wait one second? I have a teammate who’s in the area and wants to see the place with me. He just got here.”
“Sure.”
He jogs down to the gates and I stand by the door.
Ellery is in New York, interviewing for the job today.
Her dad’s already started at Sherman Hope.
She’s still at Mercy, and Dr. Murphy took Dr. Wallace’s position.
If all goes well today, Ellery will put in her notice and be gone in two weeks. I’m not prepared for her to leave me.
I hear two bodies walk up the stairs, already laughing and having a good time together.
Holy shit, when he said teammate, I didn’t think he was talking about Tweetie Sorenson.
“Hey, Tweetie,” he introduces himself when they make it to the apartment door.
I wonder what his real name is if the man is introducing himself to me using his nickname.
“Cooper,” I say.
“Yeah, I know.” He smiles. “Awesome place you have here. Miles Cavanagh up on the top, and Siska’s moving out with his girl, huh?”
“You a football fan?” I chuckle.
“Jagger told me I should be here for the tour in case another one of you moves, and I want in.”
“Let me show you the apartment. All three are the same, but there’s no elevator, so the top floor is a hike.” I insert the key into the lock and open the door.
Damon and Adeline have already started packing, so there are boxes sitting around, but it’s neat and clean for me to show.
“So, this is Siska’s life now, huh?” Tweetie looks at the toy corner, shaking his head. “We used to be in the same circle a couple of years ago. He was the biggest partier and reminded me a lot of—”
“Ford Jacobs?” Rowan asks.
“Yeah. Both of those fuckers have wealthy families.”
“And both became daddies from one-night stands,” I add.
Tweetie snaps and points at me. “That’s right.”
They walk around a bit and take a look at everything.
“The place is great. Two bedrooms, not a huge building, close to everything. I’ll take it,” Rowan says.
“That was easy,” I joke.
“Well, personally, if you guys can live here and at least have some privacy, that’s all I’m looking for.”
Tweetie puts his arm around Rowan’s shoulder. “This guy is like you for the Falcons. He’s the heartthrob all the women want.”
Rowan almost appears embarrassed but doesn’t deny it.
“They’re out at the end of the week, so whenever you want to move in, it’s yours. I’ll hire a cleaning crew in between.”
“Great. I’ll give my current place two weeks’ notice, although I think they want me out sooner than later.
” I must look confused because he continues on.
“The women in the building stop by my apartment all the time. Sometimes they loiter around my door when I’m not home.
And my neighbor across the way is done with it.
She’s taken it to management, and somehow they see me as the problem. ”
“That’s a rough one. You won’t experience that here. I’ll take you down and introduce you to Ruby at Peeper’s Alley. She throws the women out if they become a bother.”
“Perfect.”
I take them downstairs to Peeper’s Alley. All the men turn around in their stools and look at Rowan and Tweetie before turning back around to watch the old TV above the bar.
Ruby comes by. “Who are your friends, Cooper?” I’m not sure how much this group watches hockey.
“They play for the Falcons. Rowan Landry and Tweetie Sorenson.”
“Tweetie, did your mom not like you or something?” Ruby asks.
They all chuckle. “It’s my nickname on the ice.”
“Are you a gossiper?”
“No. I chirp at my opponents all the time.” He grins.
“I like that then.” Her eyes go to Rowan. “You’ve got one?”
“Um…”
“Magic,” Tweetie tells her. We all look confused, and Rowan lowers his gaze to the ground. “He’s got moves on the ice like Magic Mike.”
“Stripper moves?” Ruby asks, and I’m surprised she even knows the movie Magic Mike.
“Not really, he’s just really smooth,” Tweetie says, laughing so hard it’s contagious.
“Well welcome, Rowan. You seem quiet, and I like quiet.” She looks pointedly at Tweetie. “You, on the other hand, not so much.”
“Why?” He follows her closer to the bar, and I tell Rowan to follow me so I can show him our private room in case fans find him. What I’m not prepared for is to find Ellery in the room with Bryce, her suitcase by the door.
She got back and came to see Bryce instead of me? This isn’t a good start.