“I’m so sorry this happened to you. You’re so strong, the strongest person I know. I’m so proud of you.”
“I think I really loved him.” I sob, choking on the words. “How could I have loved him when he hurt me like that?”
“You’ve got a big heart, lady. A big, selfless heart.” Georgia sighs, smoothing my hair back from my wet face. “You deserve the world, and you’re gonna get it. You hear me?”
I nod, stifling another hiccup. “I hear you.”
“How about we drown our tears in some margaritas?”
“It’s not even one o’clock,” I choke out, my shoulders shaking with laughter.
“Oh, good. Maybe we can catch a brunch special. Mimosas then. Buckle up!” Georgia hollers something like a battle cry as we peel out onto the street, leaving all of that mess and hurt in the dust.
I roll down the window, letting the brisk air dry my cheeks. With every turn, the boxes in the back of the car rattle and crash against each other, but I couldn’t care less.
I’m free.
14
* * *
Oh, Baby
Grant
I shouldn’t be here today. I should have just mailed in that little regrets card and sent along a gift.
What the hell was I thinking? A baby shower isn’t my scene. If I didn’t know it before, that’s become abundantly clear in the last five minutes.
Exhibit A is my star goalie, who’s currently blindfolded and trying to determine the dirty diapers from the clean ones using only his sense of smell. Apparently, a few select diapers have been sprayed with something called fart spray from the gag store.
So far, I haven’t ventured into the living room where the games are being played, preferring to stick close to the kitchen where there’s good, normal things, like beer. And no fart spray. I’m not normally a big drinker, but based on the fact that two of my players just chest-bumped over their victory of dressing a baby doll faster than their fiancées, I’m thankful for beer. Beer is good. Baby showers are bad.
Ana looks at me from across the room, meeting my gaze with an uncertain look.
At least she came with me today. Honestly, she’s the reason I’m here.
Ana seemed thrilled with the idea of coming here today. She showered and then blow-dried her hair into loose waves, which is different from the simple ponytail she usually wears to work, and she smells fucking fantastic. Then she took her time elaborately wrapping a large gift in yellow and pale green paper. That was my first clue that Owen and Becca don’t yet know the gender of their baby.
Maybe I should have known that already. But to be honest, while he’s one of my best players and a huge asset to the team, Owen and I have always been just teammates. Great teammates, don’t get me wrong, but in terms of friendship, we never really got there. He’s a life-of-the-party kind of guy and has a big circle of friends, as evidenced by the huge group that showed up for him today.
Good for him. He deserves it. I’m more of the loner type.
The normally broody center, Justin Brady, is racing to beat the clock as he diapers a doll, and the fun-loving Teddy King is grinning like a loon while he races him. The twenty-five-year-old rookie, Jordie Prescott, is sitting alone at the dining table nursing a beer. He’s always solo to team events like I usually am. The only difference is today I came with Ana, which is obviously a temporary thing.
“Dude, get your ass over here and play,” the blond six-foot-four center, Asher, says with a cocky grin. “Owen is kicking all our asses.”
“Come on, Cap!” Teddy says. “Show ’em how it’s done.”
I groan out a non-reply. I may be the oldest one here, but little do they know I have no clue about matters related to babies—or anything domestic, for that matter. Yes, I occasionally cook for myself, but that’s about the extent of it. I don’t even do my own laundry.
Ignoring their pleas, I watch as Ana makes small talk with the mom-to-be, Becca, touching the round swell of her belly with a gleeful expression.
Something inside me twists at Ana’s tender smile. God, maybe I was being a dick by not wanting to come. She clearly needed this today. Needed to be surrounded by friends and hockey players playing goofy games. I let out a sigh and rub one hand over the back of my neck just as Jordie approaches.
“Hey, man,” he says, stopping beside me.
“Hey,” I say, giving him a chin lift.
“Crazy news about Kress, huh?” His voice is low, his gaze drifting toward Ana. “Is she okay?”
He must have seen the footage on the news. Everyone did, I’m sure. Which is why it’s even more important that everyone treat her as usual today. I wouldn’t want anyone walking on eggshells or making her feel self-conscious. And so far, so good.
“Well . . .” I clear my throat, stalling. “First, it’s her business. But she’s a strong girl, and yeah, I think she’s going to be just fine.”
Jordie nods. “Understood.”
After cupcakes have been eaten and gifts have been opened, I pause beside Ana, careful to keep some physical distance between us. There’s no sense in getting my body confused, and we probably both prefer to keep our friends in the dark about what happened between us the other night.
As far as anyone knows, Ana and I only rode together today. They don’t know we’re living together, and I want to keep it that way.
“You about ready to get out of here?” I ask her after a few more people filter out and the party winds down.
She looks up at me with a softness in her eyes and nods. “Sure.”
Becca hugs us both at the door and tries to get us to take some of the extra cupcakes. We both politely decline.
On the way home, Ana’s quiet, calmly looking out the passenger window as I drive. I’ve got something I need to tell her, but decide to wait until we reach my place.
“Today was fun,” she says, breaking the silence after a few minutes. “Owen is so extra.” She grins, probably recalling the silly baby-shower games.
“Yeah,” I murmur, chuckling.
“I’m so happy for Owen and Becca.” She smiles. “They’re going to make wonderful parents.”
If only she could have seen Owen in his playboy heyday. He was quite the hedonist. But, yeah, married life has certainly been good for him.
A few minutes more and we reach my place. When I unlock the door, Hobbes comes running over.
“I’m gonna get someone to move these to the basement for you,” I mutter as we step around the boxes stacked in the foyer.
Ana sighs and places one hand on her hip. “I know you’re not happy I went over there when you were gone,” she says, seeing right through my short tone. “It was my decision. And I wasn’t alone.”
I lick my lips and nod. “I’m sorry. You’re right.”
Ana has already lived with one controlling jerk, and I don’t plan on being the second. It’s her life, and these are her things. She had every right to go and get them.
Regardless, I wish I could have gone with her.
Now that I think about it, though, that would have been a terrible idea. I would have had no reason not to kick Kress’s ass now that he’s not a member of my team. Still, I could have at least sent a packing and moving company. Something.