“Unbelievable.” Roark shook his head at his ex-wife with a look of sad disappointment. “Sometimes I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
Something like shame flickered in her eyes before she looked down at her lap.
At that moment they heard the front door opening and the rapid click of high heels hurrying across the foyer. Then Avery and Aria appeared in the doorway of the living room, their cheeks flushed from the cold.
“Sorry we’re late,” Avery apologized, looking around. “I—”
“We were just leaving,” Reid said curtly.
His sisters looked confused. “What? But we just—”
Without another word Reid stalked past them, leading Nadia from the room, across the foyer and out of the house.
Once they were inside the car, he turned to face her, draping one arm across the back of her seat. “I’m so sorry about that.”
“About what?” she said, bitter humor twisting her lips. “About the fact that we left before eating dinner? Or the fact that your mother thinks procreating with me will give you inferior offspring?”
Reid scowled. “Dammit. I knew I shouldn’t have left you alone with her.”
“Probably not.” Nadia’s laugh was brittle and sardonic. “But at least now we know how she would feel about her future grandchildren.”
Reid’s gut tightened, fury roaring in his ears. “After what she said tonight, she’ll be damn lucky if we let her anywhere near our kids.”
Nadia gave him a long, wry look. “That’s not very realistic, is it?”
“The hell it isn’t,” he growled.
She shook her head sadly. “C’mon, Reid. You and your family are so close, you have keys to one another’s homes. You wouldn’t have the heart to keep your mother away from her own grandchildren.”
“If she can’t love and accept them for who they are,” Reid snarled furiously, “then she doesn’t deserve to see them. There’s no fucking way I’d expose our kids to a grandparent who hates the color of their skin.”
Nadia closed her eyes, leaned her head back against the headrest and rubbed her temple. “I thought my father was bad with all his bigoted views. I honestly thought he was a lost cause. But once he met you, he realized that his preconceived notions were totally wrong, and he welcomed you into the fold. But your mother?” She snorted. “It’s pretty clear that I never stood a chance with her. And that’s really a shame.”
Reid’s gut tightened even more at her wounded tone. “If my mom doesn’t want to accept you, it’s her fucking loss.”
“I know.” Nadia stared glumly out the window. “I was just hoping things would be different.”
“So was I, baby. And you have every right to be hurt, angry and disappointed. But what happened in there doesn’t change a damn thing between us.” Reid caught her hand, lacing their fingers. “I love you, Nadia, and nothing’s ever gonna change that.”
She bit her bottom lip, her expression softening with gratitude as she stared at him. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what?”
“For speaking up for me. For having my back. You’ll never know just how much that meant to me.”
Reid’s chest tightened. He was a big tough hockey player, but this woman right here could bring him to his knees with nothing more than a few simple words.
He leaned over and gave her a long, deep, powerful kiss that left her trembling.
As she sagged back against her seat, he twisted the key in the ignition and gunned the engine. “Let’s get the hell out of here.”
Nadia was mostly silent on the way back to the hotel, staring out the window at the passing scenery. He wondered what thoughts were running through her mind. He feared the worst.
When they arrived at the hotel, he surrendered his car to the valet, then cupped Nadia’s elbow in his hand and escorted her into the marble lobby. He saw some of his teammates in the hotel bar, laughing and having drinks with fawning puck bunnies. Across the lobby, Hunter was cozied up on the sofa with a pretty biracial woman in a low-cut dress.
As Reid and Nadia were walking toward the elevator, Hunter glanced up and spotted them. Surprise flickered across his face. He knew Reid had taken Nadia home to meet the parents tonight. He took one look at their gloomy expressions and raised a questioning eyebrow.
Reid just shook his head.
Nadia remained silent during the elevator ride up to the top floor. As they entered the suite, Reid offered to order room service.
“I’m not very hungry,” she said tonelessly. “Get whatever you want.”
He watched her walk off to the bedroom and close the French doors behind her, shutting him out.
Clenching his jaw, he grabbed the room service menu, called the number and ordered a bunch of stuff, selecting items at random. Just as he finished the call, his phone rang in his pocket. He pulled it out and glared at the screen. It was Avery.
He stabbed the answer button.
“Hey.” His sister’s voice was grim, laced with anger. “Ry told us what Mom said to Nadia. Jesus Christ, Reid. I’m so sorry. What the hell was she thinking?”
“That’s a damn good question,” Reid growled, his anger returning.
“I couldn’t believe she said that crap,” Avery ranted. “I would have thought Ry was playing some sort of sick joke on us if I hadn’t seen you and Nadia before you left. No wonder you couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I’m so fucking sorry.”
Reid scowled. “Stop apologizing. You’re not responsible for your mother’s offensive behavior.”
“I know, but I talked to her yesterday. I specifically warned her to be on her best behavior, and she promised she would. God, I could just strangle her right now.” Although Avery was two years younger than Reid, she was as protective over him as he was of her.
“Where’s Nadia?” she asked, sounding concerned.
“In the bedroom.” Reid flicked a glance toward the closed French doors. Nadia had retreated into the bathroom with her phone. He thought he could hear the low murmur of her voice. She was probably talking to Scarlett, telling her how she’d dodged a bullet by finding out his mother was a racist before it was too late.
The thought made him grimace.
“I can only imagine how she must be feeling right now,” Avery commiserated. “Has she said anything?”
“Not much.” To me anyway.
“Shit.” Avery heaved a disgusted breath. “After you guys left, we all gave Mom an earful. Even Aria let her have it, and that’s saying a lot given that she’s been handling Mom with kid gloves for the past four years. It was like an intervention. We let her know how angry and disappointed we were and told her she owed you and Nadia an apology. Then we all got up and walked out on her.” Avery humphed. “Let her stew in her own juices for the night. Maybe she’ll come to her senses and realize just how badly she messed up.”
“I’m not holding my breath.” Reid crossed the suite, opened the balcony door and stepped outside. It was cold as fuck, but he didn’t care. He played ice hockey, so he was used to functioning in frigid temperatures.
“I love Mom, God knows I do,” Avery asserted. “She’s been to hell and back these past few years, suffered in ways no one should ever have to suffer. But you know what? Being a cancer survivor doesn’t give her a pass for behaving like a racist bitch. If anything, getting sick and facing her own mortality should have given her a deeper appreciation for the sanctity of all lives. How she could survive a life-threatening illness and come away with such warped views is beyond me.”
“You and me both,” Reid muttered darkly. The chilly night breeze ruffled his hair as he stood at the balcony rail, staring out at the downtown skyline.
Avery’s heavy sigh filled the phone line. “I’ve been trying to wrap my head around what happened, trying to figure out how we missed the signs that our own mother has racist leanings. And then I started thinking about our childhood and where we grew up. Allen Park is, what, ninety-three percent white?
If I’m not mistaken, it was even whiter back in the day. Think about that. We lived in a white neighborhood and attended white schools with only a handful of black kids. You went off to a predominantly white college and then entered the NHL, a league dominated by white players with a mostly white fan base. You’re on the road most of the time, so the majority of women you meet and hook up with are—you guessed it—white.” Avery paused a moment. “If you really think about it, Mom never had to consider the possibility of you meeting and falling in love with a black woman. It simply never crossed her mind. Now that it’s a reality, it’s forcing her to undergo another major paradigm shift. And she’s not handling it as gracefully as she handled being stricken with cancer.”
Reid listened to his sister in silence, his jaw grinding hard.
“You know, I’m not attracted to black guys. They hit on me all the time, but they’re just not my type. But if they were, I’d always assumed our parents would be okay with that. Like, neither of them would have a coronary if I came home with a black boyfriend.” Avery snorted. “Now I know better.”
Reid shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to suppress the seething anger and frustration burning through his veins.
Avery heaved a deep sigh. “Well, anyway, we’re picking Nadia up tomorrow morning and taking her shopping. Some retail therapy might cheer her up.”
“I hope so.” Reid blew out a short breath and shoved a hand into his pocket. “Before I head out tomorrow, I’ll transfer some funds into your account.”
“Why?”
“The shopping trip’s on me.”
“Aww, you’re so sweet,” Avery cooed affectionately. “But you don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. You and Ari have been great this weekend, and I really appreciate it.” Reid smiled wryly. “Besides, treating all of you is the only way Nadia might let me spend money on her.”
Avery laughed. “I know what you mean. She wasn’t too happy about you putting her up in a penthouse suite. If Ari and I hadn’t been there, she probably would have marched down to the front desk and asked to switch rooms.”
Reid smiled. “You’re probably right.”
There was a warm smile in Avery’s voice. “Guess no one can ever accuse that chick of being a gold digger.”
“Not even close.” Reid chuckled. “No matter how much she insists tomorrow, don’t let her pay for her own clothes. I’m counting on you, Av.”
“You got it, Big Spender.” Avery laughed. “Ari sure as hell won’t mind your generosity.”
He grinned. “When has she ever?”
Avery laughed again.
Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, Reid glanced over his shoulder just as Nadia stepped out onto the balcony. She was wrapped up in a large wool blanket she must have found in a closet.
He told his sister goodnight, then stuffed the phone into his pocket and stared at Nadia. “Hey.”
She stared back. “Hey.”
His heart thumped as he watched her come slowly toward him, careful not to trip over the long blanket.
When she reached him, he tilted her chin up and brushed his lips over hers.
Her eyes glinted up at him. “You’re cold.”
He smiled. “Then warm me up.”
“With pleasure.” She backed him toward one of the chairs on the balcony. When he sat down, she draped the blanket around his back and then climbed into his lap. He pulled her close to him, wrapping her in the thick folds of the comforter and looping his arms around her.
She put her head on his shoulder, her back resting against his chest as they snuggled together under the blanket, sharing body heat.
He kissed the top of her head. “That’s better.”
She nodded. “Much.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, staring out at the city’s twinkling lights.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Nadia whispered.
Relief poured through Reid, so intense it left him dizzy. He didn’t realize just how much he’d feared losing her until she spoke those four words.
He gave her a fierce, rib-crushing hug and held her tight until she let out a muffled squeak and told him she couldn’t breathe.
“Sorry.” Grinning, he loosened his hold, but didn’t release her. No way was he ever letting her go. Ever.
“I’m not going to let your mother come between us,” she vowed with quiet resolve. “I won’t lie to you. I was very hurt and angry, so much so that I started having doubts about our relationship, wondering if we could make this work despite your mother’s objections. I thought about suggesting that we take a break to reassess our situation. But then I came to my senses. Your mother’s not the first person to object to our relationship, and she won’t be the last. As long as we love each other and want to be together, everyone else can pretty much go fuck themselves.”
Reid whooped in approval. “That’s what I’m talking about!”
They shared a fist bump that ended with the splayed-finger explosion. Then they laughed and hugged each other long and hard. When Nadia threw the blanket over their heads to keep out the cold, they started kissing and making out like a couple of horny seventh graders until it was time to go inside and eat.
29
Nadia had a wonderful time hanging out with Reid’s sisters the next day.
After their shopping excursion, they went to a luxury day spa and got pampered with mani-pedis and 24-carat gold facials, which apparently contained real gold powder and moisturizing silk extracts that left their skin feeling as soft and smooth as satin. Nadia had never even heard of 24-carat gold facials, and she cringed when she caught a glimpse of the price. But Avery and Aria laughed and waved off her concern, just as they’d done all morning.
After leaving the spa, they headed to a downtown restaurant where they met up with Reid and the rest of the family—minus Arlene, who was conspicuously absent. They were joined by a large group of Reid’s childhood friends who would also be attending tonight’s game. They were all super cool, but the one who made the biggest impression on Nadia was Colt McAvoy, a homicide detective who was a dead ringer for the actor Jake Gyllenhaal. He took a friendly interest in Nadia, asking her questions about herself and entertaining her with stories about his and Reid’s teenage exploits.
She loved meeting all these people that had known Reid his entire life. The way they spoke about him warmed her heart and confirmed just what an amazing guy he was.
When their meals were served, Nadia made a show of grabbing Reid’s fork and carefully sampling his food. When he gave her a quizzical look, she joked, “For all we know, the chef could be a rabid Red Wings fan trying to poison you before tonight’s game. So just to show you what a ride-or-die chick I am, I’ll be your food taster.”
Everyone at the table erupted in laughter.
Reid grinned, staring at Nadia with a look of tender reverence as all the men roared approvingly, “She’s a keeper!”
Their large party also included Roark’s girlfriend, Hanh, an exotically beautiful Vietnamese woman in her early thirties. During lunch she hardly spoke to anyone but Roark, making little effort to interact with his children despite the absence of their mother. If Arlene had been there, it would have been difficult for Hanh to ingratiate herself with Roark’s kids. But without the barrier of an ex-wife, she had the perfect opportunity to try to win over Reid, Ryder, Avery and Aria. But she mostly ignored them and they, in turn, ignored her.
Nadia honestly couldn’t tell whether Hanh was shy or a snob. Whatever the reason for her standoffishness, she wasn’t doing herself any favors.
As they left the restaurant after lunch, Nadia couldn’t help wondering if Arlene would show up to the game. On one hand, she dreaded the thought of seeing the spiteful woman again. On the other hand, Arlene was Reid’s mother, and she’d made so many sacrifices to help him become a professional hockey player. Tonight was a big night for him. If he scored his three hundredth career goal, it would be a shame if his mo
ther wasn’t there to celebrate his milestone achievement.
Nadia hoped Arlene’s maternal love would overrule her foolish pride.
The Joe Louis Arena had the electric atmosphere of a playoff game that night.
When they arrived, the place was packed and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” was blasting over the sound system. As they moved through the buzzing crowd, Nadia’s stomach churned with a mixture of breathless excitement and nervous tension. She had to take several deep breaths and remind herself that this was only a regular season game, not the playoffs.
When they reached their seats, Arlene was waiting for them, sitting there all by herself.
Nadia was surprised to see her. Surprised and…relieved.
There was a humble, almost pleading look on Arlene’s face as she watched the group approach. When Nadia met her gaze, she could see the deep pain and regret in Arlene’s eyes, and something softened inside her.
Avery leaned close to murmur, “You don’t have to sit next to her. You can sit between Aria and me.”
Nadia nodded. “That’s probably best.”
As longtime season ticket holders, Reid’s family and friends had prime seats three rows up from the boards with a perfect view of center ice. There were so many of them, more than enough to give Reid his own personal cheering section—an image reinforced by the fact that all of them were proudly wearing his jersey.
Nadia had been given one of the seats that belonged to Roark’s parents, who had recently relocated to Florida to escape the harsh Michigan winters. They were coming home for the holidays, so Nadia was supposed to meet them during that time, along with Roark’s two siblings who had also moved away from Detroit. She didn’t know if, or when, she would meet Arlene’s side of the family.
As everyone settled into their seats, Nadia didn’t miss the way Roark squeezed his ex-wife’s shoulder before sitting down beside her. She gave him a small, grateful smile and then offered a polite greeting to Hanh, who sat on Roark’s other side. Hanh barely acknowledged her presence.
Wicked Games (Denver Rebels) Page 45