Chapter Two #2
Mila’s parents know that I’m not close with my father, but he’s kind of a big deal around here.
Even if he made a piss-pour dad, he makes one hell of a hockey coach.
Plus, Manuel is a season passholder. He doesn’t get to use it often because he’s busy here, but he goes to home games whenever he can.
I shoot a glare at my friend before turning to her mother. “My father wanted one of his players to hang out with me at the aquarium because he couldn’t make it. I didn’t want to hang out with a stranger all day, so I bailed.”
Isabella studies me with a curious but pensive expression on her face. “And this boy was attractive?”
Manuel sighs. “Is that all you care about?” he questions, shaking his head. “I’m interested in who this player is. Tell me, little moon. Is it someone I know of?”
I have no doubt that Manuel would recognize Bodhi’s name, but I don’t want to tell him.
Isabella shrugs innocently. “I’m curious, that’s all. I was sorry to hear about you and Max, mia figlia. But I’ve always thought you could do better. He was too self-centered. Moving home could present you with better opportunities.”
Better opportunities. “The only opportunities I need to focus on are employment,” I reply easily, earning a nod of agreement from Mila’s father. “Boys aren’t on my radar.” Puck makes a sound from the other side of the door to remind me he’s there. “Except for you, baby boy!” I call out.
Mila walks over to me and wraps her freakishly long arms around my torso, squeezing me until I can’t breathe. Peeling myself away, I give her a dubious look. “Jeez, what are you on? Ease up on the spinach, Popeye.”
My best friend since childhood laughs. “It’s all of those Pilates classes I’ve been telling you about. Between that and cycling, I’ve never been in better shape.”
She does look amazing, but that’s no surprise.
Mila was on the cross-country team and cheerleading squad in school.
She’s always kept in good shape. I try not to be jealous of her toned body, but that little green monster nudges my consciousness thinking about all the failed fad diets and workout programs I’ve tried to shed weight. Unsuccessfully, of course.
It isn’t like I hate my curves—they’re what makes me, me.
But there was once a time when I was skinner, with a lot more energy than I have now.
And after years of going from doctor to doctor and being told my only problem was my weight, diet, and stress, I finally found someone who was willing to listen and diagnose me with polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS for short.
It explained the weight gain and struggle to lose it.
Thanks to my hormone imbalance, I also deal with insulin resistance which makes it hard to shed weight no matter what I do.
I used to go to the gym seven days a week and do a mixture of cardio and strength training, but nothing seemed to help. So, eventually, I gave up.
Not long after, I’d had my first big seizure since I was a child.
At the time, the doctors couldn’t determine if it was more serious than something induced by stress.
Something. random. But two months later, I’d had a second one.
A month after that, my third. Except that time, I’d hit my head on the edge of the counter on my way down because it’d come out of nowhere and was sent to the emergency room for ten stitches and a CT scan.
My neighbor had to take me because we couldn’t get in touch with Max, who was at a bar with friends at the time.
I’d been alone in the hospital for almost three hours, scared, confused, and alone, before he finally came. I’d been sitting with my epilepsy diagnosis when he came into the room looking genuinely worried for the first time maybe…ever.
The problem with epilepsy is that you never know when another episode is going to occur.
There are signs—ones I’ve learned to listen to that I used to ignore in the past. But they can come in waves or not happen for months at a time.
The feat that comes with the unknown isn’t talked about enough.
Neither is the bone-deep fatigue that lingers after each episode that makes existing ten times harder.
But one thing I’ve learned is that having a seizure disorder means you have to be strong, because if you allow it to take over your life then you don’t really live at all.
That’s not how I want to live.
Unfortunately, I also learned that women with epilepsy have a higher risk of developing reproductive disorders like the one I have. A double whammy of suck. Lucky me.
The only good thing I got out of my condition is Puck. He’s been my constant companion through thick and thin for the past five years. When everybody else failed me in life, Puck stayed by my side.
Mila winds her elbow around mine and guides us out of the kitchen.
Puck instantly stands when we near him, so I grab his leash and let him follow us to the booth in the corner where we always sit and gossip.
“I still can’t believe you ditched Bodhi-Freaking-Hoffman at the aquarium.
This was your chance, Honor! Do you know what dirty things half the population would do to that man if they had the opportunity? Hell, he’s one of my hall passes.”
I refrain from rolling my eyes at her. “What does your girlfriend think of that?” I question, sliding into the booth and setting Puck’s leash down beside me.
Mila grins. “We’re both bisexual, so GiGi gets it. Who knows, maybe Bodhi is into threesomes. You could ask him for—”
“Not happening” I cut her off, snorting at her ridiculousness. “In fact, I have zero interest in being around him at all.”
Her deadpan expression is full of disbelief. “I don’t believe you for a second. How long have you been pining over this man, H? Too long. Now you’re free from Max’s clutches and able to do whatever, and whoever you want. So trim your lady bush and hop on.”
I fight the urge to blush over the thought of ‘doing’ Bodhi Hoffman.
Has it been a fantasy of mine in the past?
Sure. There may have been a few nights when Max didn’t get the job done that I needed to finish myself.
And, with a slightly, guilty conscious, I thought of all the things the Ranger’s right-winger could do to me until I finally hit the peak of pleasure.
“I don’t have a bush,” I hiss at her, crossing my arms. “I keep it perfectly groomed.”
Mostly.
“Fine, we won’t talk about your lady forest. Tell me what happened.
Your SOS and a million exclamation points left a lot of unanswered questions.
Did he say something to you?” Mila asks, concern suddenly thick in her tone.
“Do something to you? I don’t know him, obviously, but he has a pretty good reputation.
Minus that one photo of him and his teammate’s little sister that went viral for all the wrong reasons a year or so ago.
I’ll admit, him not defending her from all the trolls online made some people mad.
But it obviously didn’t deter the fanbase since he was voted people’s favorite player.
From what I can tell, everyone who meets him loves him. ”
Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of. Bodhi is nice. Almost too nice. It makes being irritated with him hard. “He wasn’t rude or anything, so don’t go scratching him off your list just yet.”
That makes her grin.
“He’s just…” I struggle to find the right words.
Thankfully, Mila helps. “Drop dead gorgeous? The epitome of a sex God? Drool worthy? A good conversationalist based on your one and only other interaction with him?”
Suddenly, I regret telling Mila about the man I talked to for hours that night.
“Yes, all of those things. And I know myself. If I’m around him, he’s going to sense that I’m upset with him, then I’d have to pathetically admit why.
Plus, he’ll know that I think he’s hot. Guys like that are cocky about it. ”
“There’s nothing wrong with looking, Honor,” my friend reminds me lightly.
“You’re not with Max anymore. And so what if he forgot about that night?
It’s not the end of the world. It’s not like he stripped you naked and fu—” Her eyes widen.
“Oh my God. Did you have sex with him that night and not tell me?”
I gape at her. “No! I was married, remember?”
Not that it ever stopped Max if the rumors are true. Red hot anger bubbles in the bottom of my stomach at the thought, so I douse it with cold water and bury it with dirt.
I swallow, feeling my heart tighten in my chest. “Plus, the divorce isn’t finalized yet. I would feel gross trying something with someone.”
Mila reaches out to take my hand. “You’ve been separated for a long time. Didn’t you tell me just a few weeks ago that the relationship had been over for a while?”
I did say that. It stung to accept it then, and it still stings now.
Wordlessly, I nod.
Her fingers squeeze mine. “You did nothing wrong. The marriage failing was on Max. That doesn’t mean you get to punish yourself. You can find men attractive, babes. You can look. Hell, you can even touch. We both know Maxi Pad isn’t holding back.”
Oof. That’s a blow to the chest I definitely didn’t need to acknowledge, even if she tacked her ridiculous name for him on to lessen the impact.
As if she can sense the internal turmoil of my soon-to-be ex-husband moving on with other women, she winces.
“Sorry, that was a little harsh. All I’m trying to say is that you deserve a little eye candy in your life, and your dad dropped a six-foot-four right wing directly in your lap. It’s practically fate.”
Something tells me my father doesn’t want me fondling one of his star players. “I’m not so sure that’s what he had in mind when he asked Bodhi to hang out with me.”
Mila shrugs. “It’s all up for interpretation in my mind. I say take every chance you get to stare at that man’s ass. I know I have whenever he posts pictures online.”
I laugh. “Do you even watch hockey?”