by Misty Wright
"No need to apologize." He actually thought it was amusing that Dutch threw Cole to the wolves with them. Cole was a great guy, but he was too cocky for a rookie and he needed some of that knocked out of him.
"Say, is this about that bombshell that you brought to the house?" Cole asked.
Mark never denied or confirmed it. His eyes went to Janine, who shook his head and smiled.
"Well, Dad will work it out of you," Janine said, wondering if there was trouble in paradise for Mark.
Cole went to the shower after that.
"You want to talk?"
"I'm just wound up," Mark said, starting to strip off his clothes. "Think about it."
Janine burst into laughter. "Is that the problem?"
"Yeah, she's a good Catholic girl. I need to be patient or I'll scare the hell out of her." He stopped and looked at his best friend. "I really like this girl."
"I know you do," he said. "She's easy to like. Jennifer thinks the world of her." He paused, deep in thought. "Look, if you want to beat this hump, don't call her for a few days. Don't even call her to tell her you're not going to call her. Focus on the next few games and then call her. It made a difference for me. I doubt very much that Evangeline is going to go anywhere. She seems pretty caught up on you."
Mark nodded. "I know what I have to do, but it seems disrespectful."
"She'll forgive you. There are women out there capable of that. Jennifer's one of them, and I'm pretty sure Evangeline fits that description, too."
"Christ, you don't know her that well, she has a temper. She's Italian."
"So? You'll just have to beg more." He laughed.
After four days, Evangeline stopped watching the games with her family. She never said anything about Mark, but Tito seemed to know. Maybe it was because when he asked her how he was, she avoided the question, and that was the clue.
First she was hurt, then angry. Now she knew for sure that something was wrong when Mark had dropped her off the last time she'd seen him. Yet, he had denied it.
At least Julie stated speaking to her again and didn't mention Mark's name. She knew that her sister thought she was wrong about the things she said about Mark and it rubbed salt in the wound to speak to her about it. Well, maybe she wasn't so wrong, because she hadn't heard from him at all.
Then, on the fifth day, the phone rang and Glen told her the phone was for her. She felt her heart pounding like a drum in her chest when she answered it. It was Jennifer.
"Let's get together this weekend, there's this great show at the theatre I want to see."
"I don't know."
"Come on, Evangeline, I have no one else to go with. My best friend moved to Washington last summer and my mother-in-law is here. She said she'd watch Shane. I actually have a night to myself."
"Well, how can I disappoint you, then?"
"It's not a chick flick, I'm not into those," said Jennifer. "I hope you don't mind suspense."
"It sounds like fun."
"I'll pick you up at six, then."
"Okay."
She couldn't help but be disappointed over it not being Mark. Maybe he had gotten bored with her. She pushed it to the back of her mind and started cleaning up the kitchen after dinner. Glen came in to help her. He cast her couple of glances but didn't say anything until she was getting ready to leave.
"You realize, honey, that Mark has a job. It may be simple-looking to us, but he has to stay focused."
"Does this have a point, Glen?" she said out of frustration while grabbing her purse.
He nodded. "He's probably trying to get his game back. He was terrible last week."
"Well, he won the last one, so why didn't he call then?"
"The same reason he won't until the next series. Give him a break, Evangeline, you are distracting."
She didn't know what that meant but she didn't care. She was hurt and angry.
"I don't care." She turned and left the house just as a sleek black Mercedes pulled up to the curb. She saw Jennifer and waved before she got in the passenger side.
"How are you?"
She looked at her and said, "I'm fine."
"Sure you are," she said, pulling away from the curb. "If it makes you feel better, I haven't seen Janine or Cole in five days, either. "
That surprised her. "Really?"
She nodded. "When one of the players does badly, Dutch will make Janine and Cole suffer along with them," she said, indicating that it was Mark that was doing badly.
"Did he at least call you?"
"Yes. To tell me they were on lockdown in a hotel before they flew to Chicago." She cast her a glance while she turned the corner. "But he wasn't the one in trouble. Mark lost his focus with that game on Friday. Dutch near tore him in half over it, so Janine says."
Evangeline took a deep breath. "You knew, didn't you, about how I felt?"
"It happened to me before. I figured you could use a friend that understood. As the wife of a hockey player, we put up with a lot of absences besides tired, cranky and frustrated players during the season. We also get the advantage of having the most amazing fathers and husbands." She smiled. "At least, I think so."
"So you really think this is because he lost his focus?"
"Look in the mirror, Evangeline; he definitely has."
She blushed. "Thanks, Jennifer."
That night when she went to bed, she didn't want to hate him anymore. Even if she did want to, she couldn't. It had taken her three days of missing him to realize that she really missed him. She couldn't concentrate at work, and she had sent three orders off to the wrong addresses, a mistake she never made before in her life. She knew it was already too late for her. She was falling for him.
CHAPTER 5 - Mark Lands Back in Their City.
"Thank fucking god," Mark said as the plane landed back in their city. "I've got a lot of forgiveness to beg for."
Janine never said anything. Jennifer had told him that she talked to Evangeline and explained things. However, he wanted to see Mark beg a woman to forgive him. He'd never done it in his whole life.
Mark had to admit that Dutch did a good job again. He looked across the aisle at his best friend's father, who was sound asleep even as the plane landed roughly and shook his head with a smile. No one seemed more at home with road games than Dutch. He could sleep even if the plane exploded in mid-air. Suddenly, he opened his eyes as if feeling someone watching him and turned to look at Mark. Dutch's pale blue eyes that Janine had inherited seemed to always penetrate his soul. He gave Mark a nod, which meant he was proud of him. Mark felt himself fluff up like a rooster. It was interesting that he was able to command so much respect without saying a word.
Dutch was like a father away from home, but that didn't mean he went easy on him. It was just the opposite. His parents were very supportive, but gave Dutch free reign since he became his hockey coach 24 years ago. Also, his and Janine's parents were best friends, so his parents trusted Dutch to make him into the athlete he was today. As far as he was concerned, he agreed.
"I'm trying to figure out what to get her as a present," he finally said to Janine after Dutch got up to get his bag out of the overhead compartments and the other players followed suit.
"I know what you can get her," said Emil Sudas, who had overheard. He was the team's main goalie.
Now everyone knew about Mark's latest love interest. It was hard to keep secrets when they spent so much time together as a team.
Mark twisted to look over the seat. "She owns a flower shop, so that's out."
"It's not flowers."
"I don't think she's into jewelry, Sudas."
"Not that, either."
Now he was curious. "Okay, what is it?" He grinned as Sudas told him.
"Come by the house before you go see her."
"I will," he said, standing up to get his bag from the overhead compartment.
"Come to dinner tonight," Janine said as they collected their luggage at the carousel.
"I ha
ve to go see Evangeline," Mark said, picking up his carry-on and shouldering it. It was the only thing he could think of right now.
After they retrieved their luggage, they left the airport, only to be mobbed by fans. They were the final two players to leave and most of the crowd was waiting for them. They spent another hour signing autographs and posing for pictures. Mark kept looking at his watch, but he wasn't going to disappoint the fans. Finally they went to their vehicles.
"Look, come to dinner and bring Evangeline," Janine asked again.
"I was thinking of taking her out tonight; dancing, maybe. Did you want to come?"
Janine chuckled and tossed his luggage in the trunk. "Hell no. My wife is waiting and my mom supposedly flew here today with my brothers. I'd like to say yes, but you know my family. My house is full."
"That's fine, Janine. I'll make you drag Jennifer out with us another time."
"She'd like that. How about you come out to the house tomorrow after practice, so Mom doesn't get upset that she hasn't seen you? We'll have a pool party and get some relaxing in before the game on Tuesday."
"That sounds great. I'll see if she's up to it." Having Evangeline meet Janine's mom and dad was a big step for him and truthfully, he'd never introduced any of his past girlfriends to his family. It was really odd, though: he didn't feel the least apprehensive about it.
*
An hour and a half later, Tito went inside the house.
"Evangeline, Mark just pulled up," he said.
Evangeline near knocked him over as she ran out of the house without her shoes on, and practically leaped on a shocked Mark, kissing him in front of her whole family. Mark lifted her up off the ground tight against his body and kissed her back. It never even occurred to him to stop her. Hell, what man in his right mind would?
"That's enough!" Tito shouted from the porch. "Jesus, man, that's my baby sister!"
Evangeline lifted her head, ignoring her brother and looked at Mark with a smile on her face.
"Wow." Mark grinned.
"What took you so long?" she said breathlessly.
"I should do that more often if that's the kind of reception I get. What do I get if I'm gone a month?"
"Mark, my family is behind us," she said, turning pink.
He looked past her. "They can't hear me," he said, returning his attention to her while letting her feet touch the ground.
"How come you didn't call?"
"Traffic," he said, still surprised at her reaction.
He tilted her head in mock anger and he chuckled.
"Okay, there was a plane, two games in Chicago, and my ball-busting GM."
She grinned. "I missed you."
He arched his brows. "You don't say?" It was the first time she had ever expressed affection for him. He could have kissed her again, but Tito was giving him the evil eye from the porch. "I got you something."
"Flowers?" she said, narrowing her gaze in mock anger.
"No." He released her and held up his hand. "Stay here." He turned and went back to the car and opened the passenger door.
She slapped her hands over her mouth when he turned back with a chubby brown and white puppy in his arms, sporting a big pink bow. Even though she wasn't wearing shoes, she ran up and took it from him. "Oh my gosh, I love him!"
"Her," he corrected.
"I love her," she said, letting the puppy lick her chin. "What's her name?"
"I don't know. Sudas gave me some long-winded thing. I think you should call her whatever you want. His sister breeds them. The dog's pureblooded."
"What breed is she?"
"English Bulldog."
"Awwwww. Oh, Mark, she's perfect!"
"So, I'm forgiven?"
She nodded and looked at him with moist eyes. "No one ever got me a puppy."
"I wasn't sure." he looked past her as Tito came down the steps toward them. He wasn't sure if he was bracing for a fight because of the way he had kissed his sister, but a smile spread across his face and he held out his hand. Mark shook it. He nodded toward the puppy.
"Nice," he said to Mark.
"If you can't keep her, Janine said he'd take her," Mark said.
"No, he won't," Evangeline said, hugging her protectively.
"I agree. I like dogs." Tito said, scratching her ear.
"She'll need lots of attention. She's only six weeks old," Mark said.
"That's okay," Tito said. "Give her over, Evangeline, and spend some time with your man." He held his hands out to take the new addition to the family.
After Tito walked away with the puppy, she smiled up at Mark. "I think you found the only way to get into Tito's heart."
"Yeah, he took the puppy and left you with me," he said with a devious grin.
She nodded as Tito went into the house.
He looked down at her and said, "Get dressed. I want to take you out."
"I ate already."
"I want to take you dancing, not to dinner. It's too late for that."
"I I don't know," she said.
"I called some friends. They're going to meet us at this club we hang out at. You'll be with friends. I need a night to unwind."
"No practice tomorrow?"
"Not until the afternoon."
"All right," she said casually. Truthfully, she would have sold her soul to spend some time with him.
*
Evangeline groaned as a bright light made her head throb. She peeled her eyes open and saw Glen standing in the doorway leaning against the doorjamb with his arms folded across his chest and a smile on his face.
"What time is it?" she asked.
"One in the afternoon."
"What?" She started to sit up, got halfway there, and groaned, sitting up the rest of the way slowly with her hand on her forehead. Her head was throbbing like a jackhammer.
"Where is everyone?"
"Church," said Glen.
"Oh." She reached for a glass of water that was at the bedside then saw something else on the table beside it.
"Tylenol," he said and grinned. "Take them; they'll help." Glen had put them there about an hour ago when she still hadn't woken up. He knew she was going to have a hell of a hangover. He even stayed home from church to make sure she was okay.
"What happened?"
"Well, dear sister, you got shitfaced," he said with a chuckle. "Something I never thought I'd see. It was interesting."
"I didn't," she said with wide eyes.
"Mark brought you home slung over his shoulder."
"Oh, lord," she said before swallowing the pills following it with half of the glass of water.
"Honey, you are not a drinker."
"Are you mad at him?" she asked.
"No. You are an adult, as I remember you screeching at us several times these past weeks. Besides, Mark never had one drink last night, and he brought you home when he really didn't have to."
"How do you know about him not drinking?"
"It's hockey season. They try to refrain from alcohol most of the time. Besides, when he dumped you on your bed, he told me. He's too arrogant to lie to me."
That was probably true. "He put me to bed?"
"He dumped you on the bed. Then he left." He chuckled this time.
"How embarrassing." She looked down to see that she still wore the same dress that she had gone out in.
"I wouldn't worry about it. Being who he is, you probably aren't the first woman he hauled home over his shoulder."
She glared at him. "Gee, thanks, Glen."
"Anytime. Now get dressed and join the living." He turned and left, closing the door behind him.
She had a shower and threw on a pair of jeans and stylish brown checked blouse. She could have kissed Glen when she went out to the kitchen and saw that he had made her some pancakes. She sat down across from him.
"Thanks."
"Well, there were a few times you did that for me when I was stupid."
She only remembered bits and pieces about her night, bu
t she did remember that Mark had only ordered soda.
"I really hope I didn't make a fool out of myself."
"Chances are-and from my experience," he said, grinning, "you probably did, but this is a lesson learned."
*
Janine tapped Mark's helmet with his gloved hand as he coasted by him to the center of the ice. "Wake up, man. Dad's watching," he said.
Mark shook his head and moved to the left wing. He cast a brief glance at Dutch, who definitely had his attention on him.
"Shit," Mark swore under his breath. He was a little sluggish because he had gone out with some of the team and their girlfriends last night. Janine had declined because his mother was still here and he hadn't seen her in a few weeks.
With Dutch being so busy with two of his sons' careers, he didn't get home often, so Janine's mother would fly out to meet him and bring his three younger brothers. They were all at the house and Janine was big on family. They both were. That's why they both went home when they had a few days in between games. Still, he missed Evangeline.
He grinned to himself and cast another glance at Dutch, who was skating along the boards, but his eyes still flicked to him. It wasn't going to be easy to avoid punishment, but by the looks of it, Dutch was moving on to Eric, who actually did drink last night. Eric had been sweating a little when he had showed up this afternoon with a hangover, and Mark could have kissed his feet for distracting Dutch. If he looked closely, he could see the beginnings of a black eye that was barely visible under his helmet. He made sure to keep it on when Dutch was around and he hadn't caught sight of it yet.
They were a tight team, especially when it came to things like that. No one who was there would tell what happened last night, and as far as the four of them were concerned, they had a great time.
Mark had intended to go home at midnight, but that didn't happen. Last night, Evangeline was, in a word, sensational. His little Catholic girl had completely loosened up after a few glasses of wine, and he honestly hadn't had the will to make her stop drinking with the discovery of her wild side. He had been enjoying himself with her way too much. On the dance floor she moved against him so seductively that he was tempted to take her back to his place instead of taking her home, but he wasn't immoral, and he wanted her sober when she made that decision. He'd had drunk women before in his bed and it was a waste of time. Mind you, his state of mind was no different.