by Toni Aleo
“I don’t have any commitment issues!”
“Yes, you do, you won’t even say you moved in when you practically already have!”
“Well, for your information Harper Allen, I am admitting now. We are moving in together,” Elli said, as warmth filled her body.
She was living with Shea! Yes, they had not worked out all the details, but damn it, she was admitting to it!
“Liar!”
Shea came into the kitchen, giving Elli a smile before grabbing the plate she had laid out for him.
“No really,” Elli said before looking over at Shea as he sat down to eat, “Honey, ain’t I moving in for real?”
“Ain’t? I mean, baby, you can’t throw in a few more syllables and say ‘Aren’t?” he said with a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. Elli was surprised Harper could breathe with how hard she was laughing. Elli actually had to pull the phone away from her ear cause Harper was so loud.
“I don’t know why your laughing, you say ain’t just as much as I do!”
“Oh, I know, but it’s funny when Shea makes fun of you.”
“Shut up,” she said before looking over at her chuckling boyfriend, “You, too, and tell my best friend that we are living together!”
“We are.” Shea said before digging into his food.
“See,” Elli said as she sat down across from him with her plate.
“Fine, but it ain’t real till you tell your papa and daddy though.”
Elli thought that over. Harper was kinda right, not that she would tell her that, “Whatever, so as you were saying, y’all want us to come out and see this house?” Shea looked up confused, and Elli shrugged her shoulders.
“Yeah, it’s in Belle Meade. I’ll text you the address, we’re going out there in about an hour or so, depends when Jakob gets done at the physical therapist.”
Elli couldn’t even talk, she was speechless. They were looking at a house in Belle Meade?
“Belle Meade?”
“Yeah, can y’all make it?”
“Y’all are looking at a house in Belle Meade, where Al Gore lives?”
Harper got quiet for a moment, “He lives there?”
“Oh, my god, yeah, we’ll go.”
“Great! I’ll text you the address.”
“Alright, bye.”
“Bye”
“Where are we going?” Shea asked. He was freshly showered and dressed all sexy looking with his black thermal, and ripped up grey jeans.
“Jakob and Harper are looking at a house in Belle Meade,” Elli explained, “They want us to come and look at it.”
“Why us?”
“We are their best friends? I don’t know. I just can’t believe they are looking at houses.”
“Why? I told you Jakob wants the whole deal: house, marriage, kids. This is totally normal for Jakob.”
“I know, but it’s not for Harper, it’s weird.”
“I guess, so when do we need to be there?”
“In an hour. I’m gonna go take a shower,” Elli said getting up and putting her full plate in the sink.
“You didn’t eat.”
“I ain’t hungry,” she answered before heading down the hall.
She had lost her appetite when Harper said Belle Meade. How could Harper want to live there? After everything Elli went through in that neighborhood with Justin. Why would Harper want to live there when she knew Elli would be coming over a lot to see her? Elli was sure Justin still lived in the house that Elli had lived in for a year. Justin loved that house and would never get rid of it. What if Harper’s house was by Justin?
Elli stomach churned at the thought.
Elli had worried over nothing. Harper’s prospected house was nowhere near Justin’s, but they did have to pass it to get to Harper’s. When Shea turned onto Justin’s road, Elli’s stomach dropped. She had traveled down this road so many times, but this time she wouldn’t be pulling into the circular driveway of the 2.5 million dollar, three story high, blue colonial. Nope, she would be driving right on by it. Hell, she might even flip it the bird.
She didn’t, she just pointed and said, “That’s Justin’s house.”
Elli didn’t expect Shea to slam on the breaks, looking out his window at the huge, beautiful house.
“You lived there?”
“I did,” Elli said, looking out the window, too. Justin’s Rolls Royce wasn’t there, so he must have been out.
“It's too nice for a douche bag,” he said before driving off.
“That it is.”
They drove a little more before Shea spoke again, “You know, I was thinking.”
Elli looked over at him, “Yeah?”
“You’ve heard me sing, but I have yet to hear you sing and you sang on damn Broadway.” Elli smiled shyly over at Shea, out of all the things he could be thinking, he was thinking that?
“You heard me sing at the karaoke bar.”
“That wasn’t real, you were drunk. I want to hear you really sing.”
“Not gonna happen,” she said with a grin.
“Why not?” he asked as the GPS told him to turn again.
“Because I don’t sing, unless I’m drunk, in front of people.”
“That’s crazy; you were amazing in the movies we watched.”
“I was younger and could actually sing then.”
“I bet you’re still amazing.”
“To bad you won’t ever find out.”
“Oh, I will,” he challenged just as the GPS said that they had arrived at their destination. Shea pulled into the one level stone home with huge white windows, as Elli grinned at a waving Harper and Jakob. They looked so happy, so much like a couple, that it blew Elli’s mind. Who would have thought that Harper Allen would be living the life that she was?
Elli sure never thought she would be.
“It’s a great house, don’t you think?” Shea asked as they drove back to the condo. They were going to go home to change since they were meeting Harper and Jakob for dinner. They were going out to celebrate, since they put an offer on the house once Shea and Elli saw and liked it.
“I do, it’s great.”
“I thought so, they seem happy with it.”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen Harper so excited about something.”
“Yeah,” Shea agreed, “there are a lot of houses for sale over here.”
“Yeah.”
Shea looked over at Elli; she was looking out the window at the houses as the passed by, “Did you want to get a house together?”
Elli looked over at him, “The condo’s fine, don’t you think?”
He shrugged his shoulders, “I guess, but you have a lot of stuff, you’re piano isn’t going to fit in the condo.”
“I was thinking that I was just gonna bring my clothes over and shoes.”
Shea thought for a moment, before saying, “So you’re not truly moving in?”
“Well, yeah I am, just I’m leaving my stuff at my house.”
“Why? Why don’t we get a bigger place? I don’t want you to sell your house because I was thinking we could live there when I retire.”
“Retire?”
“It will happen,” he said with a laugh as he turned onto the exit for Nashville. “I’m not going to play forever.”
“I know, but I didn’t think you were thinking that far ahead, or even including me in that equation.” He looked over at her; she was biting her bottom lip, her face flushed. How could she think he wasn’t including her in the equation?
“Of course, I am.”
“Oh,” Elli said, a delighted smile on her face, “I don’t know if I want people living in my house.”
“Fine, it’s paid off, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright, so it’s not like we’ll have to worry about that mortgage payment and a new one, so why don’t we look into getting something bigger? I think Grace knows a good realtor or maybe we can use the one Jakob and Harper are using.”
Elli
was quite for a moment as Shea drove. He didn’t know if he should take her silence as a good thing or not, but he didn’t want to say anything. Plus, he didn’t know what to say. He said his peace, all he could do was hope for the best.
“A house?” she finally asked.
“Yeah, I mean my condo is on the big side, the only thing to add is more bedrooms, you know?”
“Yeah, but we aren’t married, what if we split up? Who gets the house?”
Shea thought about it for a moment, “Well, I doubt that will happen, but if it does, we can sell it, split the profit, or if you want it, you can have it because if I’m not with you, baby, I’m not staying in Nashville.”
“You’d really leave?”
Shea shook his head, “I don’t know, baby, I don’t like thinking about it. In my mind, we’ll be together forever.”
“I like the way you think,” she said after a moment with a grin, he smiled back.
“So what do you say?”
“I say,” she bit her lip again, taking his hand in hers, “yes.”
The biggest, brightest smile crossed his face. Shea felt on top of the world, as if nothing or no one could touch him. They were going to buy a house together, could life get any better?
Elli had been wearing the same grin for the past two days, not only was she with the most amazing man in the world. One that plans amazing birthday parties and makes her scream something crazy in the bedroom, but she was moving in with him. Really moving in, they had gotten the number of the realtor from Harper and Shea called Grace for the number of the one she knew. Everything was in the works, and Elli couldn’t be happier.
Only thing left to do was tell her daddy and Papa.
Lucky for her (not!), they were both at the home game the following night, so Elli made her way up to Papa’s box decked out in her Adler gear. Shea had said he was gonna get her a jersey that said “Adler’s Woman” on the back along with his number, but Elli said no. Call her superstitious, but she had had the same jersey since Shea became her favorite player. She was scared if she changed it something would happen or he would get traded. He, of course, laughed when she told him that, but she didn’t care, she was happy with her jersey. She wasn’t ever gonna wear anything else.
Elli entered Bryan’s box, finding her father and uncle drinking it up as they talked hockey. When the door shut behind her, they turned with grins forming on their faces when they saw her.
She doubted they would be smiling when she left, but oh, well.
“It’s about damn time you came and sat with us!” Bryan said in his booming voice as he got up, hugging her tightly.
“I ain’t staying up here to watch the game. I love my seats, these are too far up,” she said as she kissed her daddy’s cheek, “I came up to talk to y’all.”
“What’s up? You alright?” Michael asked, concern covering his face.
“I’m fine, daddy, why don’t we sit down?” she asked pointing towards the bar, they didn’t move. Not that she expected them too.
“What’s going on, Eleanor?” Bryan asked sternly.
“Um, well, Shea wanted to come up here, too, but you know he’s getting ready and all but, um,” she stuttered.
“Eleanor, spit it out already, what’s going on?” Bryan asked, crossing his arms, “He knocked you up, didn’t he?”
“God no! Never! I’m on the pill!” Michael and Bryan cringed, as Elli turned beet red. Shit, this was not going the way she wanted it too. “No, I’m not pregnant.”
“Then what it is? I know that boy has enough sense to come to me first if he is trying to put a ring on your finger.” Michael said, as Elli cringed. This was not gonna be good.
“No daddy, he didn’t ask me to marry him, um, but we are moving in together.” It was like everything stop as Michael and Bryan zeroed in on Elli, Michael’s eyes narrowing as Bryan’s face turned red.
“You’re moving in with him?” Michael asked.
“And y’all aren’t married?” Bryan added.
“Now, I moved in with Justin,” Elli said in her defense, “and these ain’t the olden days, these are modern times, people move in together before they are married all the time.”
“I don’t care about other people, I care about you!” Michael yelled, “And I don’t want my little girl living with some man that she is not married to!”
“I lived with Justin for a year before we got engaged and he was a dick. Shea is a good man, I care for him a lot, and he loves me. I’m moving in with him,” she said with a more confidence then she felt, “I just thought I would let you know. Y’all can be mad at me, but I’m living my life. Don’t you want me to be happy? Cause Shea makes me happy.”
Michael and Bryan just stood there staring at her like she grew two extra heads. Elli swallowed loudly, they were gonna freak, she knew it, but to her surprise, a smile came across Michael face, as Bryan shook his head.
“You’re twenty seven years old, Eleanor, who am I tell you what to do? If you want to live with Shea, live with him, but I’m not happy about it” Michael said, shrugging his shoulders.
“And if you come up pregnant before you’re married, I swear, Eleanor, we’ll kill him.”
Elli grinned, letting out the breath she was holding, “Won’t happen.”
Michael leaned over kissing her softly on her forehead, “Alright, honey, go on down there, the boys are about to come out and warm up.”
“Okay, thanks daddy, Papa, I love you both.”
Bryan kissed her cheek, smiling. “Love you too, darling.”
Well that was easier than she thought it would be.
Elli felt like the world had been lifted off her shoulders as she watched Shea warm up. She couldn’t wait to tell him that everything went fine with her daddy and uncle. He would be so relieved since he was as nervous as she was when she told him she was gonna tell them. He flashed her a grin as he passed by, moving the puck back and forth with his stick. He was so skillful, so stinkin’ hot! He rallied the guys, starting a drill as all the fans looked on, cheering the guys on with their signs and their chants.
God, she loved hockey.
They were playing the Vancouver Canucks. Elli wasn’t a fan since the guys played dirty, but so did the Assassins, so it was bound to be a great game. When the warm up ended, Shea looked over at Elli before getting off the ice. She gave him her regular wave; he smiled in return and then headed off the ice as the clock counted down until game time. Elli stood up, looking for the beer guy. When she found him, she ordered her beer and hot dog of the game.
As she ate, she looked around at all the fans since she didn’t have anyone to talk to. She couldn’t wait for Jakob to start playing again so Harper would be there. She only had a couple more weeks. She was just as excited as Shea and Jakob were about Jakob’s return. Elli was ready to have her hockey buddy back. Mark had said when he was in town he would love to sit with Elli again, and she obliged. Harper would have to go sit up in Jakob’s box or with her Papa when Mark was in town, since Elli would never go back on her word, and Elli was sure Harper wouldn’t mind.
When the lights went out, Elli scooted to the edge of her seat, ready for the game to start. The guys came out as the ice girls danced and the fans cheered. Elli was so engrossed in the game once it started, watching the different plays, not only watching Shea but the rest of the team, too. They were incredible, and like Elli thought, the Canucks came ready for the fight. Elli noticed that one of the Canucks’ guys, Ryan Kesler, was messing with Shea extra hard.
She wasn’t even surprised when the gloves came off and Shea square up, laying a good solid punch into Kelser’s nose before they both locked each other up, falling to the ice. Shea got put in the box, right along with Kelser. He gave her a sheepish grin and she just shook her head, but she couldn’t be mad, he was playing the game. After a minute, Vancouver scored. Shea shook his head and Elli knew he was just as pissed as she was. The guys hit the ice again when the penalty was over and Kesler was still get
ting cheap hits on Shea. Elli didn’t know what the hell the guy’s problem was, but with every cheap shot that the officials didn’t see, Elli became more nervous. Something was bound to happen.
It was the third period and Kesler was on Shea like white on rice. She was pretty sure, he was trying to get Shea to retaliate and get put in the box, but Shea wasn’t having it. He wasn’t even fooling with Kesler, ignoring him. Elli was pretty sure it was because Shea got his ass reamed for getting put in the box because Vancouver had scored. Vancouver was winning because of that goal and the Assassins were digging hard, trying to score since there was only three minutes left.
Shea came back on the ice after a short break and skated towards the blue line, waiting for the next play. Elli watched as he watched the puck, his eyes moving back and forth. When the puck came to him, he set up to send it over to Welch, but out of nowhere came Kesler. He threw his elbow up, hitting Shea square in the shoulder, clipping him hard to where Shea spun in a complete circle before hitting the ice, hard.
Elli stood up quickly, along with the rest of the Assassins fans in the stand. Shea was lying with his face facing the bench, which was away from Elli, so she couldn’t see his face.
And he wasn’t moving.
At all.
“Get up, get up, get up, Shea,” Elli slammed her hand against the glass as she tears came hot and fast down her face because he still wasn’t moving, even with the trainers and everyone out there, he just laid there, “Get up! Shea! Get the fuck up!”
Chapter 27
“How you feeling, Mr. Adler?”
Shea looked up at the doctor; the pain he was feeling was horrendous. After being out cold for more than two minutes, he woke up hearing trainers asking him if he was okay. He told them he was, but obviously he wasn’t since it felt like his arm was hanging on by a thread, and his head was pounding. He didn’t remember much after the hit that Kelser put on him, but he did remember looking for Elli.
He couldn’t find her, though.
Shea thought about Ryan, praying that he hadn’t seen anything, but if he had, he hoped that Grace had taken care of the situation. Shea knew Grace was in the waiting room. Every time he got hurt, even if it was minor, Grace was waiting, but for the first time, Shea wasn’t in a hurry to see her. He wanted Elli.