He helps me carry the bags out, and after a couple trips to the car, we embrace one more time on his front steps.
“Just remember, I’m loaded,” Kai says, stepping back and taking both of my hands. “So if you ever decide to quit your job and move in with me, I’ve got you covered. I’ll take you in as a partner on my channels.”
“No, Kai, I could never.”
“Yes, you could. Think about it, okay?”
I nod. “Thank you.”
“When your sad, remember that noods and Gaga are always the answer.”
“I will,” I promise.
“Bye for now, love. I’m going to start planning our trip as soon as I get back inside.”
“I can’t wait.”
I wipe away a tear, hug him again, and slide on my dark sunglasses. Once I start walking toward the car, I don’t look back. Apparently Kai gestures to my Uber driver to roll down the back seat window, though, because it powers down and Kai calls out to me.
“Don’t forget to moisturize!” He blows me a kiss. “I love you!”
“I love you, too.” I put a hand up to wave, smiling through my tears.
And then the car drives away, and I leave the two people who mean most to me in the world.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jonah
Three Weeks Later
Another puck slides past me into the net, and like the others, I have a hard time giving a shit about it.
It’s December 23, and this is our last practice before our holiday break. We were one of the lucky teams that didn’t end up being scheduled to play on Christmas. No one’s heart really seems to be in it though; even our coaches are checking their watches, eager to get out of here.
“Fuck you, asshole,” Knox growls at someone.
Or maybe everyone. He’s in a piss poor mood after having a prank played on him by Vic earlier. When Knox reached into a cooler for a water bottle, he instead came within about an inch of a real, coiled up ball python Vic put in the cooler.
Everyone got a laugh out of seeing brooding, burly Knox jump and yell when he saw the snake. Hell, even I enjoyed it, and I haven’t enjoyed much of anything since Rey left.
I’ve ordered Cuban food a couple times in the past three weeks just because it reminds me of her. I sit alone in my kitchen and eat it, looking at the empty chair on the other side of the table and wishing she was there.
I finally had the alone thing down. It took me a long time to get there, but I was okay with it. And then Rey came along with her big laugh and gorgeous smile and blew it all to shreds.
“You coming tonight?” Luca asks me as he skates nearby.
“Yeah, I’ll be there.”
Luca and Abby are hosting a big holiday party for our whole team, as well as the staff and their families. The other single guys will either bring dates or hope a few of Abby’s single friends are there. But me, I’ll just be the melancholy, recently dumped guy nursing a beer in the corner.
There’s no way the guys will let me out of going, though. If I try to skip out, someone will show up at my apartment to drag me there, so I might as well just go.
As far as everyone knows, Rey ended things with me and moved away. I didn’t even bother to pretend it was a mutual parting, because at least this way people will leave me the fuck alone and not ask so many questions.
It’s enough to have to deal with the photographers still stalking me. The headlines add salt to my still open wound, all some variation of Jonah West heartbroken again.
Pretty much. But damn, it would be nice to not have photos of my sorry ass looking pissed off and forlorn all over the internet. My mom calls just about every day to see how I am, and she doesn’t believe me when I tell her I’m okay.
I am okay. Or at least, I will be. What choice do I have? I’ve got to move forward, and hope the pain fades sooner rather than later.
“Hey Jonah,” Anton calls across the ice.
I look in his direction, trying to figure out what he wants. He’s gesturing at the stands and when I skate over there to see what he’s pointing at, I can’t believe my eyes.
Rey is sitting in the front row. She stands as I approach, and I point down to the end of the rink where there’s a gate I can go through.
I don’t have guards for my skate blades, so I bend down and unlace them as fast as my fingers will move.
“You look beautiful,” I tell Rey, looking up at her.
Her hair is dark again, like it was that first time I met her in Logan’s office, and it’s swept back into one of her smooth chignons. She’s wearing jeans, a red sweater, tall black boots and a gray wool jacket.
“Thanks,” she says, grinning. “God, it’s good to see you, Jonah.”
“You too. Been about a year, hasn’t it?”
I get my skates off and stand up as she says, “It sure feels like it.”
She jumps into my arms and I embrace her as hard as I can while covered in practice gear.
“Sorry, I’m sweaty,” I say.
“I don’t care.”
I kiss the top of her head and she looks up at me, her mahogany eyes bright.
“Tell me you’re staying for at least one night,” I say softly.
“I was actually thinking I’d stay a lot longer.”
I don’t breathe as her words sink in, finally managing to ask, “Are you fucking serious, Rey?”
She nods. “I wanted to tell you sooner, but I figured it was best to wait until it was finalized. I’m transferring to the Chicago office to take a new job heading up a sex crimes task force. No more undercover work. It’s actually a promotion.”
My heart takes flight as I pull her into my arms and lift her off her feet. She puts her palms on my face and kisses me, and I feel like a little bitch as hot tears prick my eyes.
“I missed you so much,” she says, resting her forehead against mine.
She sniffles and I realize she’s crying, too. But she breaks into a huge grin when she looks over and sees my entire team standing at the edge of the rink watching us. From just a few feet away, they’re eavesdropping on every detail of our conversation, and I don’t even care.
Actually, I kind of love them for it.
“She’s staying!” I tell them, and the guys erupt into cheers.
Rey kisses me again and asks, “Are you going to put me down now?”
“No. I don’t think I’m ever gonna do that, actually.”
She laughs as I lower her feet back to the ground and the guys return to practice, the mood light.
“What do I tell people?” I ask her in a low tone. “About your job, I mean.”
“I’m not working undercover anymore, so you can tell them I’m an FBI agent. My bosses already know it would get back to Shields. I’ll have to be extra careful for a while.”
I frown, concerned. “Are you in danger?”
“I don’t think so. Don’t worry, okay? I know how to be careful and the bureau is watching out for me, too.”
“Guess I shouldn’t ask for details about what that means?” I quirk a brow at her.
“You can ask, but I won’t answer.” She shrugs and smiles.
“This is for sure, right? I mean, no one can change their mind or anything?”