by Toni Aleo
“Excuse me?” Dag now leaned forward. “Did you say you’ve never been on a real date?”
Tears burned in the back of her eyes. Her face could combust at any moment and quite literally she prayed the ground would open up and swallow her whole to get out of this situation.
“Lex?”
Normally, nicknames would bother her, but she liked it, but right now she didn’t want him to say anything.
“Hey, Lex.” He took her hands in his. “It’s okay. Really. I’m flattered to be your first date. And your, second technically. I mean, if you’re counting.” He cracked a wide smile. “I’m counting.”
“I’m utterly embarrassed.” She confessed as she hung her head.
“Please don’t be. We’re having such a good time. We’re eating outstanding food and in a great atmosphere. Let’s just have an enjoyable time. Together.” He reasoned with her.
She was having a wonderful time with him and didn’t really want it to end, but she needed to get herself in check. Normally, her composure had never been an issue, and she always watched what she said. If her mother could see her now.
“I think the next time we come here, I’ll try those burgers.” He pulled away his hands, picked up his taco and nodded over her shoulder.
“Next time?” Elexis heard the shakiness in her voice.
For several seconds he stared at her. “I’m available Tuesday. What about you?”
Chapter Eight
He was taken aback by the conversation, yet Dag couldn’t remember having this much fun. He tried to think of every single way to impress her, but the fact of the matter was she impressed him more. The more open she became, the more relaxed he became with her. He thought back to the beginning of his relationship with Faith. Their first date began in a bar and ended up back at her apartment—in bed. Dag knew this date would not end that way. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize if these were her first dates, she—more than likely—is a virgin. He could be wrong but doubted it.
“I think I can work it out,” she answered, the nervousness showed across her face.
“Great.” His heart raced with excitement.
When they finished their food, they walked hand in hand back to his vehicle. Dag kept the conversation light and discussed her classes and the game. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable with any more talk of how many dates she had been on or not.
“I’ll drive us back to the arena for you to pick up your car.”
“Oh.” She tugged on his hand, just before he opened the car door for her. “Just drop me off at the bus station.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t have a car. I have a license, I swear, but no car.”
“How do you get around?”
“Bus. Walk. Occasionally I’ll grab an Uber.”
Suddenly he felt bad. He knew she worked two jobs and went to school and assumed she had a car. “Then I’ll take you home.”
“No, no—”
“Yes. I will take you home. I’ll even give you my word, I won’t ever come by and disturb you.” He leaned in closer. “Unless you want me to.” His lips were close to her ear, and he desperately wanted to kiss her.
“I don’t mean you will bother me. I meant, it’s probably out of your way.” She corrected.
“It’s not.” He pulled open the door.
“You don’t know—”
“Yes, I do. Get in because I’m taking you home.” She stared at him for a few seconds before giving in and getting into the vehicle. Once he’d settled into the driver seat, she gave him the address. He knew exactly where her place was because it wasn’t far from his place.
On the drive over, they listened to the soft music on the radio and he held her hand the whole way. When he parked in front of her building, he jumped out and opened the door for her.
“You don’t have to walk me up.” She rushed out the words.
“I would like to. I want to make sure you get in okay. I promise, no funny business.” He vowed.
“Okay.” She headed toward the door.
He followed her and noticed the building couldn’t be large enough to hold too many apartments. It appeared to have been a house at one time. Maybe it’s a duplex? When she unlocked the bottom door, she ascended the staircase to the top. Dag tried to figure out how anyone could move furniture in here because he practically couldn’t fit. When Elexis stopped at the door on the left, he did the same.
“Thank you for a great evening.” Her soft voice made his heart race.
“You’re welcome. Thank you for agreeing to go out with me again.” He felt his heart beat in his eardrums. “I hope I can do justice for our next date.” He grinned.
Her green eyes shined in the tiny hallway light. She could stop traffic with her stunning looks. Dag knew never to judge a book by the cover, but she was the total package. Brains. Looks. Personality. All of it—right in front of him.
He didn’t think it through as he cupped her face and slowly leaned into her. Gently he placed his lips to hers. Her body stiffened as a board and he released her. “I’m so sorry. I truly don’t know what came over me.” He took a step back. “Lex, I’m so very sorry.” He didn’t know what else to say. How could he be so stupid? He wondered if that was her first kiss.
“Um…” She stammered but then pushed her lips against his.
This time Dag stiffened for a second before realizing what had happened. She kissed me? She kissed me! He relaxed into her lips just as she stepped back.
“I’ll see you Tuesday.”
She rushed out her words and ran into her apartment leaving Dag standing in the hallway. His eyes couldn’t leave the door and his brain spun. They kissed and she still wanted to go out with him.
Turning and walking down the stairs, he practically skipped out the door.
Books by Mary Smith
New Hampshire Bears
The Muse and the Fairy Tale (#1)
The Workaholic and the Realist (#2)
The Hero and the Fat Girl (#3)
The Arrangement (#4)
The Coach and the Secret (#5)
The Captain and the Broken Girl (#6)
The Backup and the Baby (#7)
The Player and the Tattoo Artist (#8)
The Goalie and the Best Friend's Sister (#8.5)
About Mary Smith
Best Selling Author, Mary Smith, has been coming up with stories her whole life. She has written A HOCKEY TUTOR and THE NEW HAMPSHIRE BEARS SERIES along with numerous other titles, as well as co-authored THE PENALTY KILL TRILOGY, OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN SERIES, and THE NINTH INNINGS SERIES with Lindsay Paige. When not busy writing or rooting for the Chicago Blackhawks you can find her with her nose stuck in her Kindle.
Email | Website
Toni Aleo - How We Fell In Love
Grace and James’s novella
He knew she was the one, she wasn't so sure, which is why Grace and James' love story is one for the ages.
Acknowledgments
To everyone who stood beside me this summer through my dark period. I am happy to say I am peeking out, and I am trying to find my way.
To my family: thank you for supporting me. I know this hasn’t been an easy summer.
To my betas: thank you for being patient. I know you’ve wanted something new to read, and I’ve been hiding.
To Lisa: thank you for always being so supportive and kind.
To my readers: I love you, and I thank you.
March 17th
I move my hands through my hair as I fall back onto my bed. A long sigh leaves my lips, and I stare up at the blades of the fan as they spin around. I don’t look around or even admire the work I have put into this little apartment. I don’t care. I hate it now, which is utterly depressing since I worked damn hard to make perfect.
Before, our apartment was the ideal balance of soft and hard. My brother is rough and tough, and though his eyes are as blue as the sky, gray is his color. I played off the gray with a stun
ning pale purple, my favorite color, and the apartment was flawless. We even had matching recliners where we’d watch the games or play Xbox. It was perfect. But then my brother left for a huge contract to be some big shot hockey player for the Nashville Assassins.
Stupid twin brother.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m ecstatic for him. This is what he worked for, what we all strived for, but it’s the first time he’s left me behind. I know they say twins need to live their own lives, but my mom thought that was a load of shit. So we did everything together. She matched our outfits until we were old enough to complain, and I will not admit that age—no matter what.
Wherever Shea went, I was there, and the same for him. We were in the same classes, the same clubs, the same camps—we did everything the same. I played hockey until I got hurt in college. It was probably for the best since, apparently, Shea got all the great hockey genes. Though, I still had a nice scholarship, and it gave me a chance to focus on my designs. Shea, he continued to kick ass, which is why he’s already being traded to the Assassins.
He’s badass. What I didn’t realize was that, when he left, I wasn’t going. I don’t know who decided this. Maybe it was me being all stubborn and headstrong, but the last four months have been shit. And I want—no, I need to be where my brother is. Yes, we have that weird twin thing that might disturb normal folks, but to us, we’re just best friends. Even as teenagers, we got along, and now as young adults, nothing has changed. He is my best friend, and the phone calls and emails… Well, they aren’t cutting it.
I hate how pathetic I sound, but Mom has already given me up, so it’s not as embarrassing when I ask, “Can’t you just come back?”
Shea laughs loudly. “Grace, I signed a seven-year contract. I’m gonna be here awhile.”
“Can we cancel that?”
He scoffs. “No, I like the money.” Ah, I forgot about the millions he’s worth. “But the offer still stands. You are more than welcome. Actually, I’d love it if you came to live here.”
“I don’t know if I’m the Nashville type.” I scrunch up my nose at the thought. I’m Boston born and bred. I have the mouth of a Bostonian, and I love chowder. Does Nashville have New England clam chowder? Doubt it. It’s probably called Nashville chowder. Ew.
“You’d have a place. It’s just me right now, and I told you, I have that friend who runs a design and party planning company.”
“I want to be a designer, not a party planner.”
“Same thing,” he throws at me. “They make shit pretty.”
“Not the same thing,” I mutter, but he isn’t listening. “And who is this friend? Your flavor of the week?”
“Hey,” he laughs. “She’s lasted about four, and she knows about you. She said you have a job here.”
“Until you break her heart.”
He shrugs. “She isn’t the one, so I’ll let her down easy when I’m done.”
“How do you know that? I never know who ‘the one’ is.”
“Because you don’t give any guy a chance to become ‘the one.’” Well, he isn’t wrong. “How’s Brent, by the way?”
I groan loudly. “We broke up last week.”
“You didn’t tell me.” He sounds hurt.
“I didn’t want to hear ‘I told you so.’”
“Did he cheat?”
I nod, and the tears are still a bit fresh. “Yup.”
“Well then, I told you so because he was sleeping with you when he was married.”
I grimace. “Well, if it makes it any better, he cheated on me with his wife.”
“That doesn’t make it better.”
I shrug. “I thought he was special.”
“He wasn’t. He was a jackass, and you should have left when you found out instead—” Shea lets out a long breath. This is why I didn’t tell him. I didn’t need all this. “You need a nice fucking dude, sis.”
I close my eyes. “Haven’t met one.”
I can hear the disdain in his voice. “You know what? All that doesn’t matter. It’s time to restart. And I’m telling you, you’d love it here if you gave it a chance. People are nice, the team is awesome, and the food is amazing. I’m sure we can find a chowder that is up to your standards.”
I grumble, though I do like the idea of a fresh start. I am starting to develop an unhealthy type here. I need a new dating sea of sexy fish, and maybe Nashville has that. Yet I’m hesitant. “I don’t know. What about my place?”
“We’ll sell it. I know a guy.”
“And my stuff?”
“We can ship it.”
“But what if I don’t like it there?”
“Then you can go back, Grace. Come on, let’s be adults and think critically here.”
I roll my eyes. “But you won’t come back?”
A pregnant pause falls between us, and I can just see him running his hands through his hair in frustration. I’m four minutes older than Shea, but no one believes that. Shea is just the kind of guy who runs shit. He’s a leader, and he fights for the people he loves like no other.
“No, Nashville is home now. I told you that when I left Philly.”
I want to cry at the simple sentence. It’s so rude. “I know.”
“You should have come with me instead of going home.” I don’t know if he’s right. I close my eyes as he goes on, “Listen, I know the last couple months have been tough. They have been for me too, but Grace, you can do this by yourself. You know that, right?”
“Well, duh, I’m badass.” I know I can live here without Shea; I just don’t want to. “I just miss your smelly ass, and I’m hungry. No one is here to order good food. I don’t know where to order from.”
I hear the grin in his voice. “I told you to learn how to cook.”
“Eh, keeps my waist in check.” Or not. Pretty sure I’ve gained weight from eating gas station food. Hot dogs and Slurpees are a banging dinner.
“Nerd,” he laughs, and I smile. “Why don’t I buy you a plane ticket, and you come down to see how you like it?”
“I’ve done that,” I remind him. “For a solid month. Nashville is nice, beautiful, and hot, but it isn’t Boston.”
“I know, but it has me. And I think that’s what you’re missing, if Mom is telling me right.”
“Mom runs her mouth too much.”
“So do you.”
I glare at the blades of the fan. “I don’t have a job, and my savings isn’t all that great since I like to spend money—”
“I’ll take care of you until you get on your feet.”
I bite my lip as I arch my brow. “Are you still having those parties with the strippers?”
He lets out an aggravated breath. “It was one damn party! They weren’t even strippers.”
“Fine, escorts.”
I hear him pull in a breath through his teeth. “Classy ones.”
I snort. “Sure. But for real, I can’t deal with all that.”
“Same rules as last time. No sex anywhere but the bedroom.”
I glare as if he can see me. “Especially the bathroom sink.”
“Hey, you’ll have your own bathroom here.”
“My own?” I gasp, and he laughs.
“And a guest suite. The condo is fan-fucking-tastic. I love it. It’s so big.”
“A guest suite too? How’s the closet?”
“Bigger than I need, for sure. Two closets the size of the one you have there, I think. Maybe three.”
I sit up. “Oh, I’m there.”
I’m met with his laughter. “So it’s the condo that got you? I would have told you about that months ago.”
My face breaks into a large grin. “Aw, you’ve missed me too?”
“More than you know, dweeb.”
My heart warms. “Good. Well, buy me a ticket. I’m gonna start packing.”
I hear a chime, and then he says, “I already bought it. You leave next Tuesday at four.”
“So I have a week to pack?”
“Y
up, and then you’ll be here.”
Excitement radiates out of me. I still have empty boxes left over from when Shea moved, and I know Mom will be down to help. She knows how much I miss him. While I’m sure she’ll miss us, she’d rather us be together than apart.
I’m moving!
“Maybe we can try not to get in trouble?” Shea says as I get up, making my way through the apartment to find the boxes.
I laugh as I throw open the door to the garage. “I doubt it.”
He laughs along with me, and I can’t even express how excited I am.
“I was afraid you’d say that.”
March 28th
You know how when you meet a woman for the first time, it can go one of two ways? You either love the chick and you hit it off, or you hate her and want to leave the room right then. For the ladies who can feel indifferent when they meet someone, I envy you because I am not that kind of girl.
And because I’m not, I don’t like Jackie McCory.
She is a classic puck bunny. Tits and ass bigger than they need to be. Her waist is tiny, and her bleached-blonde hair is currently blinding me. Fake lips, Botox, and color contacts, oh my! She’s dressed in a tight bodycon dress, and I’ve been waiting for it to burst at the seams since I walked into her office, the Planning Guru. It’s everything Shea said it would be, but he did leave out the part about the Barbie he decided he was going to date this month.
“We do a lot of party planning. Especially with the Nashville Assassins.” She says the name of the NHL team like she owns it or something. I know for a fact that she doesn’t, but she likes having them as a client. “We also do some interior design for the players when they need it, but mostly we do real estate stagings for our business associate. He and I have been in business together for a long while. He’s like family, ya see. He lost his parents a while back, but my parents love him, so we take care of him.”