by Kat Mizera
Brock wanted to argue, but something told him he would lose this fight and upset her to boot. Maybe she was right, too, assuming he was offered another contract by the Sidewinders. Once that happened, he’d have time to get Ashleigh to consider cutting back on full-time work. It might be a little selfish of him, but he wanted to take care of her and Bella, make their lives better, and that would be a lot harder if they were living in different states.
“Are you mad?” she asked softly, looking up at him.
“No.” He leaned down to kiss her. “We’ve got a plan for the immediate future and can reassess in a year.”
“By that time we’ll have a better feel for how we’re going to do things, you know? With work, where we’re living, Bella…everything.”
“And whether or not we trust each other, right?”
She smiled. “Babe. If I didn’t trust you, I wouldn’t be here.”
30
The movie was finished ahead of schedule and under budget, which made Sonya extraordinarily happy. Ashleigh was happy, too, anxious to wrap up her work and get home. It had been two weeks since the playoffs had ended and Brock had come to Atlanta. They had realtors in L.A. and Las Vegas searching for houses for them, Bella had passed her online assessments and would be entering third grade in the fall, and she and Brock were planning an epic vacation. They were taking Bella to Disney World for a week, and then they would drop her off with Dawn while they went to a resort in Jamica for a week, just the two of them. This was the happiest she’d been in a long time.
When Rachel’s name flashed on her screen she answered with a chuckle. “If you text me one more wedding dress picture, I swear I’m going to block you.”
Rachel laughed. “But it’s so much fun.”
“They’re definitely pretty. Have you picked one yet?”
“Actually, I’m calling about something else.”
“What’s up?”
“Have you heard the rumors about Vampire?”
“No…what?” Ashleigh was on the treadmill and slowed down anxiously.
“They might be moving production to Vancouver. For real this time.”
“What?” Ashleigh stopped walking altogether, her heart racing. “Why?”
“Why else? Cost.”
“We’re looking for a house,” Ashleigh hissed. “We’ve got Bella enrolled in school… Have you talked to Bud?”
“He says they’ve been talking about it for two years but he isn’t sure if it’s going to happen or not.”
“That’s worse,” Ashleigh muttered. “I don’t want to move to Vancouver, but it would be good if we had some warning.”
“Believe me, neither do I.” Rachel was quiet. “What are you going to do?”
“Wait and see, I suppose. What else is there?”
“I haven’t told Vlad.”
“Why not?”
“He’s been weird lately. Losing in the second round bothered him a lot. What about Brock? How’s he been?”
“Honestly, after the first two days, we were so busy here I don’t think he’s given it much thought. Between filming his part, spending time with Bella and us sneaking away for late-night dates, it seems like he’s fine.”
“Well, we may not have to worry about it. Bud didn’t sound concerned and you know he tells me everything.”
“I was having a good day, too,” Ashleigh muttered. “All right, I have to go get showered. I’ll call you in a couple days.”
“Bye.”
Ashleigh stuck her phone in her arm band and headed toward the elevators. She refused to get worked up over something she couldn’t control. She’d talk to Bud herself when she had a few minutes. Until then, all she wanted to think about was packing, enjoying the wrap party and getting out of here.
She got back to the room to find Brock, Bella, and Ruby playing Monopoly, and she tried not to scowl. This was the second time her mother had shown up unannounced, and even though she loved her, she didn’t have time for this right now. They were leaving in a couple of days and Ruby would pout, wanting to be included in everything. She wouldn’t have minded including her if Ruby didn’t go out of her way to embarrass Ashleigh every chance she got, but somehow managed to do it.
“Hi, Mama.” She leaned over to kiss her cheek. “Why didn’t tell me you were coming?”
“Because you never invite me, so I decided I’d just start inviting myself.” Ruby returned her daughter’s gaze without blinking.
“Coming to L.A. is one thing, but this is where I work, Mama, not my home. You can’t just show up and—”
“It’s okay, babe.” Brock got up and interrupted, sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. “She and Bella are going to the Aquarium, the World of Coke, and all that touristy stuff so we can let Jolinda go home a few days early.”
“That’s nice. Thank you, Mama. I’m going to take a shower, I’ll be out in a little bit.” Ashleigh kissed the top of Bella’s head and moved into the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She could feel Brock’s presence behind her and turned, raising her eyebrows. “What?”
“Why are you so cranky?”
“I’m hot, sweaty, and done with Atlanta. I miss my bed, I miss the ocean, and I really need a vacation with my sexy husband.”
“I can’t help with your bed, but I’m providing both the ocean and vacations in a couple of days.”
“I know.” She leaned against his chest, breathing in the faint scent of his aftershave. “I’m a little tired and PMS’ing. Don’t mind me.”
“It’s okay.” He tipped her chin up so he could look into her eyes. “If your mom starts getting on your nerves, I’ll intervene. Okay?”
She smiled. “I’ll love you forever.” The words came out before she realized what she said and she nervously licked her lips. “Uh, you know what I mean.”
“Do I?” He cocked his head. “Did you just tell me you love me?”
“Not exactly. It was more like…telling you I will love you. Like, tomorrow.” She smirked, trying to play it off, hoping she hadn’t made a fool of herself.
“But not today? How come?” His eyes were twinkling.
“’Cause…you’re supposed to say it first.”
“Yeah?” He appeared to be pondering this idea. “That doesn’t seem too hard.” His eyes met hers. “I love you. Today, just to be clear.”
She blinked. “You do?”
“Well, yeah.”
She couldn’t stop the smile that creased her face before she buried it in his chest. “I love you, too. Today. Yesterday. Probably tomorrow, too.”
“Probably?”
“Yeah. That might change if you ever invite my mother to visit without telling me again.” She raised her head to give him a knowing look.
“How’d you know?” he demanded.
“Woman’s intuition. Promise you won’t do it again.”
He chuckled. “She’s gonna babysit…”
“Promise…”
“Fine. I promise. Happy?”
“Very.”
Brock’s phone rang at eight o’clock the following morning and he rolled over in annoyance, grimacing when he saw his agent’s name on the screen. He debated answering this early in the morning but curiosity won out.
“Brock, it’s Rafe.” His agent was from New York and always talked fast and loud.
“Yeah, what?”
“Nothing official, but Nashville’s interested. Is that something I should pursue?”
“Nashville? Never really thought about it.”
“Dude, if you don’t let some rumors circulate, the Sidewinders will know they’re your only choice and they can dick around with an offer. Let them think you’re out looking. Besides, this team is hot and you need a back-up plan if things go south with Vegas.”
Brock sighed. “Yeah, all right, but keep it on the down low. Technically, we’re not supposed to be talking to anyone right now.”
“This is what I do.” He laughed. “Trust me.”
“What’s up?” she asked.
He hesitated, wondering if this was the time to tell her about his contract woes. “Nashville called. They’re interested.”
“In signing you?” Her eyes widened.
“I know,” he said quickly. “It’s not what I want, either, but it’s really about perception. If the Sidewinders hear that I met with them, it’s kind of a big deal, so there’s a good chance they’ll get off their asses to finalize a contract.”
“Brock, Nashville wouldn’t be good for us.” Her eyes were wide and there was a look in them he’d never seen before: Disappointment.
Shit. The last thing he wanted was to disappoint her now that things were going so well for them. This might not be the time to talk about his contract after all. He reached for her, pulling her close and looking down into her pretty face. “It’s mostly for show. Yes, there’s a chance Vegas won’t sign me again, but this is just one more step in nudging them in the right direction.”
She nodded, though there was doubt on her face. “Is that how it works?”
“Kind of. Technically I’m not supposed to be talking to anyone until after July 1, but agents are always putting out feelers, getting an idea who might be interested. It’s all done behind the scenes, but it gives me an idea what options I might have.”
“I don’t know what we’re going to do if you get traded so far away.”
“I’m going to do everything in my power so that doesn’t happen, but as the wife of a professional hockey player, you have to be prepared for that. It can happen any time. You knew that from the beginning, babe.”
“I did,” she whispered, “but I didn’t think it was imminent. I thought we had time. We’re still really new… How would we do this if you got traded this summer?”
“We’d manage.” He brushed his lips across hers. “Don’t worry.”
“I’ll try not to.” She said the words but didn’t look happy about it.
The mood on the set was festive, a feeling of accomplishment and excitement in the air. There were trays of hors d’oeuvres and buckets filled with ice and champagne under a tent, and he grabbed two glasses for them.
“You taste good enough to eat,” he murmured against her ear after kissing her.
She grinned. “You’re going to have to wait until later unless you want to take me behind a trailer...”
He scowled. “Don’t tease me, ’cause you know I’ll do it.”
“Relax, big guy. There’ll be plenty of that while we’re on vacation.”
“Especially since I put Ruby and Bella in a separate room.”
“You changed the reservation?” Her eyes widened.
“Why do you think I invited your mom along?”
“You’re quite devious.”
“I try.”
“Where are you two off to in the morning?” Jet joined them, grinning.
“Vacation,” Ashleigh grinned.
“Disney and then the Caribbean,” Brock added.
“Sounds like an excellent plan. We’re going to the mountains for a week or two and then heading back to L.A.”
“Looking forward to seeing you at some games next season,” Brock said.
“I’m looking forward to that as well. You guys will come to L.A. at least once, right?”
“Since we’re in the same division, we’ll play L.A. multiple times, both at home and away.”
“Awesome.” He paused. “You know if you’re getting traded yet?”
Brock shifted uncomfortably. “Anything is possible. It’s part of the life.”
“Won’t that be hard? I mean, with Ashleigh in L.A. and you who-knows-where?”
“Of course,” he nodded. “But my goal is to get her to leave Vampire so she can be with me, wherever I am.”
“That’s what I’d be pushing for too,” Jet nodded.
“She loves her job, though,” Brock said quickly, glancing at Ashleigh. The look on her face told him he’d blundered badly, but it was too late to take back what he’d said. Shit. He was totally screwed.
31
Blood rushed to her head and the anger surging through her was so intense, Ashleigh had to call on her acting skills not to show her reaction. What in the world was he thinking, saying something like that on a movie set? Not to mention they’d been through this and she thought he understood her position about her career. She wasn’t ready or willing to leave Vampire Legend right now, and it wasn’t only because they hadn’t been together very long. She loved acting and adored the role of Tara, a sweet, innocent young vampire who was trying to adjust to being immortal while still navigating the waters of being a twenty-first-century teenager. It was both fun and challenging, not to mention lucrative, and his dismissal of her feelings on this subject hurt.
Jet and Brock were still talking, Jet bringing up the hockey culture in L.A., while Ashleigh tapped her foot, trying to keep her anger in check.
“Brock.” Her voice was low but distinctly sharp and he glanced up. “Can we talk?”
“Uh, sure.” He held out his hand and they proceeded with some complicated series of handshake-type gestures that ended in a man-hug before he followed her off to the side.
“What. The. Fuck.” Her voice was still low, but she was seething.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you kidding me?” she hissed. “Did you really just tell Jet Connor, on a movie set filled with nosy busy-bodies, that your goal is to convince me to leave Vampire?”
“Babe, it was a joke… I mean, I’d love it if you left the show, but I know—”
“You obviously don’t know anything about me.” Her words were clipped, her face tight and drawn as she struggled not to cry. “Don’t you see how bad this makes me look? You basically told one of my contemporaries that your career is more important than mine, and even if that was true behind the scenes, you can’t say that stuff in public.”
“I didn’t say it in public,” he cried, throwing up his hands. “I said it to a friend of ours, in a private conversation. It was a joke.”
“You said it on a movie set full of people, to a man we don’t really know that well. How could you?”
“Babe, I’m sorry,” he protested. “It wasn’t a big deal.”
“The fact you don’t think it’s a big deal speaks volumes,” she said sadly, the anger draining out of her as disappointment set in.
“Jesus, Ash, it was a casual comment between friends.” His phone rang, and he glanced down but put it back in his pocket without answering.
“How would you like it if I stood in the family lounge after a game and, in a regular speaking voice, told the group of people I was talking to I was trying to convince you to retire? Think about that before you tell me how innocent it was.”
He opened his mouth but nothing came out.
“That’s what I thought.” She turned her back on him, needing to put a little space between them.
“Ashleigh, wait.” He reached for her arm and pulled her close to him. “I’m sorry. I really am. It slipped out. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“It’s done, and we’ll have to see how many people heard you.”
He frowned. “I think—” He paused as his phone rang again. “It’s my mom and this is the second time, I better grab this, hang on. Hey, Mom… What? Oh god, is she okay? What can I do… What do you mean they won’t operate? Doesn’t she have Medicare?”
Ashleigh frowned, watching and worrying. Was who okay?
“Of course… I’ll call now… No, don’t worry. I’ll be there in a few hours. I love you, too.” He hung up. “Fuck. My grandmother fell and broke her hip, but they won’t take her to the orthopedic center because they’re saying Medicare won’t pay… Honey, I have to go. I’m so sorry, but my mom…” His voice trailed off.
“Don’t be silly—go to Tampa and help your mom.”
“I’m sorry… We have
to finish talking about this.”
“Go take care of your grandmother. I’ll tie everything up here and either come to Tampa in a few days or meet you in Orlando on Friday.”
“Are you mad at me?”
“I’m disappointed, not mad, but this isn’t the time. Your grandmother needs you. Give her my love and let me know if I can do anything.”
“Thanks.” He pressed his lips to hers and then dialed the number for his travel agent.
Ashleigh was sprawled on the couch of her suite that evening, working on her fourth glass of wine, when a text from Rachel flashed on her screen:
What’s going on?
Ashleigh squinted, trying to decide if she was too drunk to understand the question of if she’d missed something. Instead of typing, since it seemed too hard in her current tipsy state, she called her.
“What’s going on with what?” she asked when Rachel answered.
“You and Brock.”
“Why?”
“Vlad and I were leaving Craig’s a little while ago and we ran into Bud and Heidi. He asked me if I knew whether or not you were coming back to Vampire.” Craig’s was a trendy L.A. restaurant.
Ashleigh let out a string of expletives, giving a recap of what Brock had told Jet earlier in the day.
“Bud said he got a call from a local gossip magazine, asking for a quote. He told them he had no comment, but was planning to call you tomorrow.”
“Oh good,” Ashleigh murmured. “That should be fun.”
“Brock didn’t do it on purpose, did he?”
“He apologized, but he’s not really sorry. He wants me to quit the show, stay home and make babies or something while he does his hockey thing. It’s ridiculous… I don’t think I love him anymore, Rach.” She was definitely drunk.