by Ellen Devlin
“There’s more, right?” she asked, probing gently.
He shook his head slightly and said, “No.” And then said, “Yes. Kind of.” He breathed out slowly. “I’m not sure I can explain.”
Paige waited as he gathered his thoughts.
“On the one hand, I’m really pissed off at myself for not talking with you about this, not anticipating this issue. And I’m so sorry that this happened…” He trailed off.
Paige prompted, “And on the other hand?”
Chris looked at her with a rather pained expression and said nothing.
Quietly, Paige answered her own question. “And on the other hand, you’re terribly hurt that I could think that of you.”
He exhaled, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. “Yeah.”
“I get it, Chris. I do. And I’m sorry. It was completely unfair of me to jump to that conclusion.” Moving closer to him, she asked, “Can we try to move past this?”
Chris gathered her in close and held her. “Definitely.” He gave her a little squeeze and said, “Thank you for understanding.”
“You too.”
They spent the rest of the evening quietly reconnecting with each other—talking, enjoying each other’s company, gentle touches soothing the discord between them. Paige fell asleep curled in his arms on the couch, and Chris smiled as he stroked her hair, realizing the embodiment of his vision during their first date.
Chapter Thirteen
“So, Paige, I would really like to bring you to a game in person.” Chris handed her a gift bag, and she looked at him curiously.
Opening the bag, Paige pulled out two matching Guardians jerseys with his name and number—fourteen—on the back.
“One for you and one for Liz,” he said, smiling.
She giggled and said, “Cool! I get to wear your jersey?” as she pulled the smaller of the two over her head. “How do I look?”
His eyes got surprisingly lusty looking at her, and she felt her heart beat faster in response.
“You absolutely get to wear my jersey, Paige,” he said, and then his voice got a little rougher, and he added, “It looks perfect on you. And makes me want to take it off you.”
Flashing him a flirty little smile, she pulled up the hem just a bit as if she were going to take it back off again, and he gave a little growl of approval.
“And you can only wear my jersey, Paige. I think that Zee knows I will kill him if he tries to convince you otherwise, but he’s got weird ideas about pranks, so if he gives you one of his and tells you that I won’t mind, he’s lying to you. I will mind very much.”
“Interesting,” she responded. “That seems surprising coming from you.”
Chris sighed. “Yeah, it’s a holdover from teenage days. I can’t stand the idea of seeing my girl wearing another guy’s jersey.” He turned her around to look at the back. “There’s something unbelievably sexy about seeing you wearing my name. It makes me feel all caveman possessive.” He kissed the top of her head gently as she laughed.
“Thank you for not being an actual caveman, big guy.” Turning around, she added, “I find your wonderful brain as sexy as you find my tiny panties.”
Chris groaned, “Paige, you’re killing me. I can’t even remember what I was asking you about in the first place.” Trying not to fondle her breast was a challenge that was eluding him at the moment.
“Something about a game.”
“Oh, right.” He tried to focus on her face again. “We are playing in Tennessee this weekend. How would you like to come to Nashville to watch the game? You and Liz, both?”
“Nashville? This weekend? That’s a big trip on short notice, Chris.”
“I know, but it would be a lot of fun, and you mentioned wanting to go there sometime. You and Liz could fly in Friday night—it’s a short flight—go to the game Saturday, and then fly back Sunday. Would you like that?”
Paige was stunned. Sure, it sounded great, but this wasn’t the kind of thing that she did, living on a teacher’s salary. Liz made more money at her job, but even she would need time to plan and budget for this kind of trip.
“I don’t think I can do that, Chris. Flights, and hotel, and food…I would need more time to be ready for a trip this big.”
He looked at her curiously for a moment and then understood. “Oh! No, baby. I would take care of all of that. All you would need to do would be to show up at the airport. I will arrange the tickets and the room and a rental car—or a driver if you would prefer that. I’ll take care of everything.”
Now she was stunned and felt a press of anxiety in her chest.
“I can’t accept that, Chris. That’s too much. I could never pay you back for all of that.”
“Pay me back?” he asked, getting more confused. “Why would I expect you pay me back, Paige? This is a gift—for me as much as for you. I would love to have you there.”
“But paying for all of that? For me and for Liz?” The pressure in her chest was getting worse. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
He was now looking at her as if he truly didn’t understand.
“You’re not asking me to do this. I’m asking you. All you need to do is say yes.”
“I can’t.”
Chris sat down heavily at the kitchen table, leaning on his forearm. “Why not? Do you not want to go to a game? I thought if Liz came along too, it would make you feel more comfortable.”
“That’s not it.”
“Please, Paige. Sit down and explain this to me. You’re acting so skittish all of a sudden, and I don’t understand why.”
She sat down across from him and took a deep breath, trying to push past the anxiety, wanting to have him understand.
“It’s just too much, Chris. I don’t feel right accepting something so big from you, as sweet as it is for you to offer.” Trying to put the pieces together in her head, she continued, “I mean, I’m a public school teacher. Odds are that anyone I date is going to make more money than me. But I don’t ever want to take advantage of that; it’s just not right. And this?” She gestured vaguely around toward him. “It’s so far beyond that. I know you have the right to make your own decisions about how you spend money, but that’s a lot, Chris. It’s too much.”
Chris sat back in the chair and looked at her, head cocked slightly to one side, a small smile on his face.
“You have no idea how much money I make, do you?”
“Of course not.” Paige sounded incredulous. “How would I? This isn’t something we’ve talked about before.”
He shook his head, amused and amazed.
“Paige, my contract and salary are public record. The team releases that information whenever a new contract is signed.” He sat back up, reached across the table, took her hand gently, and said, “I’m in my second year of an eight year, two-and-a-half million-dollar contract with the Guardians.”
She stared at him and then whispered, “Holy crap.”
Chris chuckled.
She did some quick math. “That’s, what, more than three hundred thousand a year? Holy crap, Chris,” she repeated.
“Oh, baby,” he said, shaking his head and smiling. “You don’t understand sports deals at all, do you?”
She shook her head.
Taking both her hands gently, he said, “Paige, my contract is two-and-a-half million per year.”
She paled and then very quietly said, “Oh.”
“Baby?” he asked, getting concerned. “Paige, honey, are you okay?”
She nodded.
Chris moved to the chair next to her, put his hand behind her neck, and kissed her forehead. “So, can I take you to Nashville this weekend? Please?”
With a little squeak, she said, “Yeah. Okay, I guess.” Looking up at him, she added in a smaller voice, “I kind of feel like an idiot.”
He cupped her face in both hands and said, “No. Never.” He brushed her hair away from her face gently. “You don’t know what it means to me that you cared about m
e without having any idea. I have friends who have to worry that any woman they date is only interested in the money or attention that goes along with being in the pros. I have never felt that way with you. Not for one minute.” Another kiss to her forehead and he added, “I really did think you knew, though. It just never felt like it mattered.”
“It doesn’t.”
“I know. It’s one of the things that makes you amazing.” Looking in her eyes again, he said, “So, now, I’m going to make arrangements for my girlfriend and her best friend to have an amazing trip to our game against the Chords. Thank you, baby.”
Paige started laughing out loud and shook her head.
“You’re thanking me?”
***
True to his word, Chris handled all the preparations for the trip to Nashville. Liz and Paige were met at Nashville International by a man holding a sign with Paige’s name—Chris had decided that he wanted Paige to have a driver, so they wouldn’t have to worry about finding their way around a new city.
“Oooh,” Liz whispered to Paige. “It’s like you’re a celebrity!”
Paige swatted her.
Their driver, Sam, took them directly to their hotel, unloaded their bags, and made sure everything went smoothly with check-in. Chris had set them up in the penthouse, which was a luxury two-bedroom suite.
“Mr. Beckman has asked me to be back here at nine-thirty tomorrow morning to take you ladies anywhere you would like to go around Nashville. If you don’t have any specifics in mind, he has given me a list of suggestions.” Sam smiled warmly. “He has been very clear that you are both to have an exceptional time. He won’t be able to see you until after the game tomorrow night, so you are to consider me at your beck and call from nine-thirty tomorrow morning until I deliver you safely back to the hotel after the game.”
He gave them a bow and said, “Have a lovely evening, ladies. Sleep well.”
As he walked out the door, Liz and Paige looked at each other and started giggling like kids.
“This is ridiculous!” Paige whispered. “Do people really live like this?”
Liz grabbed her elbow and steered her to the elevators. “I have no idea, but it’s fun!”
Even Liz was struck speechless when they entered the suite.
“This is bigger than our apartment.” Paige felt that knot of anxiety in her stomach again, and her voice started rising in volume. “Liz, this is bigger than our apartment. I can’t do this. What is he doing? I don’t belong here!”
“Paige, breathe.”
“I’m breathing!” she almost shouted and then shook her head. Glaring at Liz, she took an exaggerated calming breath.
“Think for a moment. You’ve been to his apartment. Does he live like this?”
“No.”
“Is it possible that he’s doing this because he wants to do something incredibly special for you?”
Paige sighed. “Do I have to answer?”
“Yes,” Liz said, smirking. “Because as you well know, the brain learns better when the information is processed in multiple ways, including speaking said information aloud.”
Paige threw up her hands. “Now you decide to prove that you’ve listened to me when I talk about teaching.”
Liz just looked at her, still smirking.
“Fine. Chris is doing all of this because he wants to make this weekend very special.”
Liz raised her eyebrows.
“For me. He wants this weekend to be special for me. Satisfied?”
“Yup!” Liz chirped. “So, there’s a full bar here. What do you want, Paige?”
Chapter Fourteen
The next morning they took advantage of the in-room dining and ordered a breakfast that was only moderately extravagant.
Sam was waiting for them in the lobby at nine-thirty, and they spent the entire day out and about, visiting The Country Music Hall of Fame, Ryman Auditorium, Bicentennial Mall State Park, and The Parthenon, stopping in between for lunch at an upscale local restaurant. All as suggested by Chris.
He had also, somehow, contrived to arrange for all their food to be paid for. They assumed that Sam was taking care of all of this somehow.
By four-thirty in the afternoon, they were back at the hotel to change into jeans and jerseys to be ready for the game. For dinner, Chris had made reservations at a nice sports bar very close to the arena.
“Mr. Beckman suggested that this would be a fun place for you to get into a hockey mood,” Sam told them. “Apparently, lunch was geared toward Ms. Smith, but dinner is especially for you, Ms. Williams.”
Liz laughed and clapped her hands like a kid.
“It’s like magic, Paige. This is crazy, and so much fun, and how the heck am I supposed to go back to being a regular person after this weekend?”
“Just order a beer and look at the menu, Liz.”
***
By the time they reached the arena, Paige was not remotely surprised to find that Chris had them seated in a suite along with the players who hadn’t dressed for the game and just two other women—both wives of players—that had made the trip. Everyone was friendly and kind, and Liz got a kick out of talking to the players.
The wives both approached Paige and introduced themselves.
“You must be Paige,” said a lovely, elegant woman with long brown hair and a Russian accent. “I am Natalia. Dmitry is my husband.” Sensing Paige’s discomfort, she smiled and pointed to the ice where the team was warming up. “He is number six. The team captain.”
“Oh,” she replied. “Thank you. Very nice to meet you.”
“Chris has said so many nice things about you, Paige. Dmitry and I would very much like to have you and Chris over for dinner sometime soon.”
“That would be lovely, thank you.”
As Liz walked up to join them, Natalia said conspiratorially, “Chris looks so happy lately. I am very happy to be able to meet you tonight. And please, let me know if you have any questions. It can be…overwhelming…to come into a new situation. Or a new country.” Her smile to Paige was warm and comforting.
The game was very exciting, with lots of heavy forechecking and backchecking, although much less than the Pittsburgh game. And no fights. Chris scored one of Washington’s three goals, and Paige found herself on her feet cheering with everyone else in the suite. The atmosphere in the arena was loud and exciting, and it was a completely different experience to see the game in person.
During the second intermission, Liz turned to Paige and said, “So? What do you think? Are you having fun?”
“Actually, yes, I really am!” Paige replied. “I’m not sure it’s something I would want to do all the time, but it is fun to be here in person. Hearing the sounds from the ice is amazing. I can’t believe how fast that puck is moving and that you can hear it ring off the metal when it hits the crossbar! And I truly had no appreciation for just how fast those guys skate. It’s impressive.”
Liz hugged her friend, pleased and relieved that she was having a good time.
“Natalia and the other woman, whose name I have already forgotten, darn it, have been so nice too. I didn’t expect that, you know? That they would reach out to me and welcome me? I don’t know why, but it’s been such a pleasant surprise. I guess I never thought about Chris being friends with the other players off the ice and knowing their families.”
“I think a lot of the players are friends off the ice,” Liz responded. “With how closely they play together, it makes sense to me that they would form some pretty tight relationships. And then, some of them pretty much grow up together on their teams, get married, have kids…they probably have team barbecues in the summer with all of the families.”
The third period started, and Liz and Paige watched and cheered as the Guardians went on to beat the Chords four-three in regulation.
Chris had arranged for special access passes for them, and Natalia walked with them to reach the part of the arena where the players would be emerging after their media int
erviews.
Natalia introduced them to Dmitry. His English was far more heavily accented, but he was exuberant in greeting Paige, picking her up in a hug.
“You are the beautiful Paige!” he said as he put her back down. “You make Becks happy man.”
Natalia swatted him and said something quickly in Russian; Liz assumed it was an admonishment not to embarrass Paige, but Dmitry just grinned and kissed his wife.
Chris could not have looked happier as he left the locker room. He scooped Paige off her feet, just as Dmitry had, and kissed her and then put her down and kissed her again, all the time saying, “I’m so happy to see you! I’m so glad you’re here!”
He finally gave Liz a hug too, just as Zee emerged.
Zee said, “Hey! Share! You’ve got your own personal hugging…person…to hug. Leave some for the rest of us,” and then he grabbed Liz in his signature bear hug.
“My wing-woman!”
“Hey, sweetie! So, are we going out dancing?”
Zee thought for a moment. “Sure, why the hell not? I can be your wingman this time.” He playfully shoved her shoulder. “I can try to get you laid.”
Liz stared at him and said, slowly and with a certain edge to her voice, “Do you think that I need assistance in that area? Do you think that it would be so difficult for me to find a willing partner without your help?”
Zee stopped and stammered out, “Liz, no. I mean…” He flailed his arms a bit and continued, “I’m sorry…I just…shit!”
She was biting her lips by this time to keep from laughing, and both Paige and Chris were looking on with glee.
Liz kept her voice icy. “I assure you that, should I want to, I can find my own fuck-buddy, thankyouverymuch.” And then she burst out laughing, unable to keep up the facade any longer.
Zee shook his head, looking at the ceiling. “Son of a bitch.”
Chris came over, kissed Liz on the forehead, and said, “Thank you. That was priceless.”
Zee punched him in the shoulder.