“Okay, that would be great. Just meet out here?”
Trane nodded, unsure how Janae was suddenly coming with them to dinner tonight. Unsure he was really up for such a thing, since what he really wanted to do was talk about his dad with Dice while they had time. Dice was Declan’s nickname. Trane didn’t love it. Most guys didn’t use it around Trane. But when The Pit called him Dice, it was different.
But her smile was pretty as she moved away from him, and his tension had mostly left since talking to her. Perhaps it would be a good thing to have that kind of distraction.
As soon as he thought of his father, everything amped up again. How dare he just show up in Trane’s life again. Was he trying to mess up his game? Just trying to mess with Trane in general?
He couldn’t imagine any of the normal reasons a dad would visit a son. No, his father was not like that. He had a reason for being here and a reason for not telling Trane. Now, for the first time in a long time, Trane felt itchy and nervous.
And he didn’t like it.
Once he’d showered and texted Dice to expect some feminine company, he exited the locker room with hair still damp on the back of his neck and his gym bag slung over one shoulder. Dice stood talking to a couple of the guys from his team when Janae stepped forward from across the hall. She’d changed into an easy outfit with nice hugging jeans, a loose top, and hair falling down around her shoulders. Wow. Her curls shook when she turned her head, or laughed, or spoke. Like they had a mind of their own. Nice. Again, just seeing her lessened some of the angst that had returned. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself. Thanks for this. I didn’t really have anywhere to go tonight, and for some reason, I wanted some company.”
“For some reason?” He couldn’t help the tease. And he was rewarded with more pink on her cheeks.
“Not just any reason. I’m sorry. That came out…”
“No, not at all. Come on. I’ll introduce you to Dice. You’re third wheeling after all.”
She laughed, a relieved sort of tension-lessening sound.
Declan joined them. “Who did you pay to make us look good tonight?” He held his hand out. “I’m Declan Rivera.”
His handshake was warm, friendly, and large. She decided she liked him. He was made of the same good stuff as Trane. “I’m Janae. I work here on game nights.”
His eyebrow rose. “You do? I haven’t seen you before. Are you new?”
“First day. I’m glad it wasn’t obvious.”
“Not at all.”
Declan was much more talkative now that he had a woman in his life. Trane was grateful. He was still pretty shaken by the whole thing with his dad, and he needed someone to fill in conversation between the three of them. It would have been so much simpler not to include Janae, but the words had just slipped out of his mouth unplanned. He was interested in Janae. Something about the way she carried herself and the light in her eyes had him wanting to know more.
And her red curls. He grinned. Yeah, those curls did something to him.
They walked together out into the players’ parking lot. And Trane led them to his car.
“Dude, you still haven’t replaced this heap?”
“Replace my car? Why would I do that?”
Trane held the door open for Janae to climb in the front seat of his Honda Civic. “These things go forever. It’s never going to die.”
“Precisely why you should let some poor college kid have it, and you get yourself an upgrade.”
Trane ducked his head and squeezed into the driver’s seat.
“Man, that’s just ridiculous. Do your feet even fit in there to touch the pedals?”
He had a point. “Just get in.”
Janae’s petite form seemed perfectly comfortable in the passenger seat, and the difference between him and her pointed glaringly at how small the car really was.
“I’m like, folded in half back here. I don’t know how you stand this.”
Declan took up almost the entire back seat. His knees were up to his chest on the seat.
Trane chuckled to himself. “I’ll get a new car.”
“When?”
“Before the coach’s birthday party.”
“That’s coming up, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, remember we’re all getting together that weekend. I think the town is doing something special for him—wall of fame, something like that. We’ll talk about it at the end of the month.”
“Don’t worry, big guy, we’ll all be there.”
Trane nodded. Of course they’d be there. Everyone loved Coach.
Twenty minutes later, he pulled into Rosita’s.
“Where have you taken us?” Declan shook his head and got out of the car as soon as possible. He stretched his hands out above his head, and his back and neck clicked loudly enough for Trane to have some sympathy.
“You okay there? As an apology, I’ll let you pick my next car.”
“Janae and I will do the honors.” He gestured inside Rosita’s. “Might take our minds off the food poisoning?”
“You’re going to love this, really.”
Declan nodded. “I trust you.” He turned to Janae. “This is something you’ll see about our Trane here. He finds the best food in town, but from the outside, the place is always a dump.”
“A diamond in the rough, right?” Janae grinned like she might appreciate his food preferences.
“I suppose so.” Declan shrugged.
“Hey, I get it. So if I hang around you guys long enough, I’ll have some great places to go for lunch.” She held out her fist.
Declan bumped it with his own. “Yup. And they never break the bank.”
“That I can believe.” Janae ginned. “But I’m the same way in New York. I love finding the undiscovered new places. The divier-looking the better.”
“And here’s a woman who understands the finer points of dining well,” Trane said.
“Oh boy, don’t encourage him.” Declan entered first. “I just like to mess with him. I tell the Pit I always get the best food when I eat with Trane.”
They were directed to a table by a man who obviously knew Trane.
“The Pit?” Janae asked.
Trane held up his phone. “It’s a text message group from the guys we played hockey with before going pro.”
“Oh, that’s cool.”
“Yeah, Declan and me and four other guys.”
Declan took a picture of her. “Do you mind if I share with them?”
“Uh, I don’t know, do I?” She looked to Trane.
“They’re harmless. If you want someone at your back, it’s these guys.”
Janae nodded. “Okay, text away then.”
Their phones started buzzing like crazy.
“Wow, we’ve created a stir.” She leaned over to look, but Trane’s body blocked any efforts she made to see the screen.
Then he chuckled and shifted. “Take a look.”
The stream of texts made her laugh and blush all over again. Trane watched her line of freckles reappear. And to his fascination, an unpredictable dimple.
Hey, tell her I’m available. Once she sees where you guys are eating, she’ll be looking for something else.
She already rode in the Civic.
Nooooo. Did she fit?
Of course, but I didn’t. I didn’t think my body bent like that anymore. Declan sent a yoga contortion gif.
Janae laughed. “Wow, they’re fun.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s nothing.” Declan drank the water the waitress had brought.
They ordered what Trane told them was good and then settled against the booth.
Trane let the ease of friendship and the security of hanging out with Declan wash over him. Whatever had his dad showing up, whatever it was he wanted, he had no control over Trane anymore. He would only be a part of Trane’s life as much as Trane let him.
Janae laughed and the sound washed over him. Her whole face lit, and her eyes sparkled like untouched ice when th
e rink lights turned on. Here was something much better to think about. And much more enjoyable.
Chapter 4
They sat in a booth near the front of the restaurant. It was busy, the customers inside called to each other and joked around. She felt like she had just stepped into a touristy town in Mexico. Lights were strung along the ceiling. Pictures of old missions lined the walls. Sombreros hung on hooks. And the air smelled of spices, meats on a grill, and salsa. Her stomach rumbled.
Janae watched Trane and Declan laugh while they texted responses to their group, the Pit, and she smiled. What would that be like? To have friends to keep in touch with every day? Loyal people in her life who loved her?
She hadn’t had anything like that for a very long time.
The closest thing since leaving home were the casts of shows on Broadway. But she’d learned very quickly that the family feeling of a cast ended when the show ended. And was quickly replaced by the competitive edge of people vying for your position in the next show. Talk about a destructive emotional lifestyle for her. Some people thrived in that environment, but something about it nearly destroyed Janae.
And they’d stopped casting her.
So, ice girl it was, for a while. Hopefully it would turn into something special. They had promised her a dancing gig when she’d taken the job at the Comets’ arena. And so she’d moved to Detroit. She planned to make her mark, build her resume, and not become overly attached to anyone. She hoped to breeze through, riding whatever success the ice girls could muster with their new plans.
But what was it about Trane that intrigued her? Her don’t date hockey players policy had flown out the window immediately. But her don’t get serious with anyone rule was still in force.
But was this really a date? Declan was with them. So technically she was still obeying her own rule.
She studied Trane. With his thick jaw and the mammoth breadth of his shoulders, sitting next to him felt…cool. Then he lifted his arm and placed it on the top of the booth behind her, and suddenly she felt protected. The space it created next to him, just for her, felt warm, and she fit just right in there.
He waved to their server to fill her glass. “You warm enough?” He murmured just close enough to her ear so she could hear.
She nodded. Then she shifted in her seat.
“Is this okay? Do you have enough room?”
“This is nice.”
He grinned. “I think so too.”
As he adjusted himself to make sure she was comfortable, asked for refills on her water, and listened to every noise that came out of her mouth, she felt more special and important than she had in a long time.
When she talked, he watched her face and responded or nodded. Wow. It was heady to be noticed. She’d forgotten.
In a break in conversation about their game, Trane looked her direction. “So, tell me Janae, what do you think of the ice girls?”
“Oh.” She paused. “So far it’s great. We’re working on something different. I hope the fans like it.”
“What? A new routine or something?”
“Exactly. We’ve got a dance we’re working on for when we go on break or to commercial, and I’m sure there are ways to make our shoveling more entertaining.”
Trane nodded.
“I have a dance background, so I’m working on ideas.”
“That’s great. I bet the other girls will have fun with it.”
“I hope so.” She didn’t feel like talking about the other girls. And she didn’t want to gossip about the ones giving her a hard time. They would be fine. They probably already were fine. She hoped.
The server brought their food, and Janae tentatively put the first bite of her chile rellanos in her mouth. “Oh wow. This is good.”
Declan grinned. “I’m telling you. Trane knows how to pick ‘em.” He took a bite and nodded. “Yep. This is going down as the best Mexican I’ve had in a long time. And it’s in Detroit of all places.”
After they finished and she was returning from the bathroom, Trane and Declan were having what looked like a serious conversation. She approached slowly to give them some more time. As she neared, it became obvious that Declan was angry. Wow, the tension rolled off him, his body tensed, and his hands were clenched. She could hear him talking now.
“You don’t owe him anything Trane. If you want the Pit to pay him a visit, I know any one of us would be glad to give him a piece of something.”
Trane’s head dropped, and Janae stopped in her tracks. He looked…defenseless. For a moment, the hugest guy she’d ever seen looked vulnerable, and suddenly she wanted to join the Pit in a visit to whoever was making him feel this way.
Without thinking, she rushed to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. His muscles rippled beneath her. The face he tipped up to welcome her back smiled, his eyes warmed and she watched as his eyes seemed to lighten.
Then he scooted so she could sit on the outside of the booth. His arm went around her, and he scooted her closer to him.
Something about it felt comforting more than romantic, and she rested a hand on the top of his leg. “Everything okay here?”
Trane and Declan’s eyes met. And then Trane tried to pull her even closer, which was impossible. She smiled. It felt kind of like a hug.
“I’m just dealing with some stuff. Something happened today that brought back all my childhood demons.”
“Oh, I’ve got those. I’m sorry.” Her parents. Wow, they were a piece of work. “Years of therapy and still something can trigger a panic attack.”
Trane nodded, and as his eyes met hers, the understanding that flowed between them sent electricity. He leaned forward, and for a minute, she thought he might kiss her right there in the booth in front of Declan. But instead he just tipped his forehead against hers and then looked at Declan.
“I don’t want you guys to do anything about it, yet. I’ve got to face this somehow. But right now, I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to talk to him. I might ask the arena to ban his entry.”
“Can they do that?” Declan asked.
Trane shrugged. “Probably not, but I can try. He got in my head tonight. It cost us the game.”
She wondered who this guy was? Who in the world could have that kind of effect on a man who looked stronger than anyone she knew?
They stood. Trane paid for both of them. So, maybe a date? Still she wondered what this was, a friend type outing? She smiled to herself. Whatever it was, she was happy she went. She needed friends in this new town.
Trane dropped Declan off first. Once he unfolded himself out of the Civic, he leaned down to the window. “Don’t forget. Next time I see you, new car.”
“Got it boss. What are your top three picks?”
“Get something big. One of those smaller SUVs. I like the Infiniti Q line. But honestly, you can buy a Porsche for all I care. Just something that lets your legs stretch out.”
“Like a limo.”
“Sure. Buy a limo, dude, or just start paying for a driver.” Declan winked. “Thanks for dinner. That was an awesome night for me, even if I can thank your dad for that goal.” His hands clenched again. “Dude, I want to pound that guy. I’ve wanted to since we were kids.”
“Thanks, man. And you can thank yourself for the goal. That was some great hockey out there.”
He dipped his head and then headed into his hotel. As Trane watched him go, he said, “That’s a great man, right there. We go way back and I appreciate him.”
“I can tell. Thanks for letting me tag along tonight. I’m sorry if I interrupted some important stuff you wanted to work through.”
He turned sincere, intense eyes on her. “Hey, no, I’m glad you did.” He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. “I’d like to get to know you. If you’re game.”
No games, just straight up. He deserved a similar response, something like, but nothing serious. You’re great, but I’m gone as soon as I can. Or even, I don’t date hockey players. Bu
t instead, she found herself saying, “I’d like that.” She squeezed her fingers around his. And this thumb ran along hers.
“Great. Now, where can I drop you?”
“My car is still at the arena.”
“That just sounds so impersonal. But to the arena we go.”
“Well, you can come over if you like. You could follow me back to my apartment.” She hesitated, aware of the implications. “Just for some hot tea, or a movie or something. I’m not the kind…”
He chuckled. “Neither am I.” He studied her and then nodded. “I’d like that. I have an early flight but I’m not ready for this to end yet.”
“Okay. Great.” Her mind raced through her rooms, trying to remember how she’d left things.
She jumped out of his car in the parking lot and into hers, trying to warm up. As she pulled away, her smile grew. Could something start with the tall and serious hockey player? He was handsome, absolutely, she could hardly look at him without staring, but there was a depth to him that intrigued her.
And something going on with his past resurfacing. She’d never seen a man so vulnerable. It was just for a moment, but she knew he was facing stronger demons than he let on. Hopefully Declan was someone to offer him some good advice.
She pulled into her apartment complex, aware at once of the rough exterior, the chipping paint and the sketchy group of guys hanging out on the corner.
Trane walked by them, overly close and then put his arm possessively around her. He kissed the top of forehead.
“What are you doing?”
“Letting that crowd know who your friends are.”
She nodded. Grateful for the simplicity of the gesture. “And here I thought you were trying to get some action tonight.”
His chuckle came out soundless but shook his abdomen at her side. “Who says I’m not?”
She looked up into his face in surprise. But he just winked.
They made their way up the stairs and into her apartment. She looked about quickly. It was clean. But only because she had just recently moved in.
“Let me heat some water for tea. Make yourself at home. Pull up Netflix on the TV and give me some choices.”
Shootout (Northbrook Hockey Elite Book 6) Page 3