by Mary Smith
“Oh,” I breezed over the page. It was a publishing house inquiring about my editing services. Most of the time, it was shit pay with no real benefit. “I’ll take care of this.”
“All right. I’ll get to work then.” She went to her desk and started clicking away on the laptop.
I had to hand it to Dacey; she had been a Godsend to me. I’ve even been able to take on a couple new clients.
“Dacey, we need to go over my schedule because I want to make sure I have time off in May.”
“How come?”
“Well,” I smiled. “I want to surprise Keaton with a cruise through the Mediterranean.”
“Wow, have you been through there before?” Dacey was suddenly interested in something other than books.
“Not really, but I’m excited to surprise him.”
“Does he like to explore?”
“I’m not exactly sure, but I want to get him to expand his horizons a bit. I do know he hasn’t been to many places, so I thought this would be a nice treat.”
“I think he’ll like it.”
I nodded and went back to the screen. We got our scheduled aligned, and then I went to work, trying to remain focused on the task.
After Dacey left for the day, my plan was to soak in a hot bath and read until Keaton’s game finished. He already told me he would be coming over.
“Harlow!”
“Up here,” I yelled when I heard Meadow coming in. “What are you doing here?”
“We came for a visit.”
I looked up to see Maxima was with her. Maxima looked exhausted. She had dark circles around her silvery-blue eyes, and they were blood shot too. As always, she wore an oversize sweater and baggy pants. Since I’ve known her, she’s lost over eighty pounds, but still dressed as if she hadn’t lost the weight.
I need to take her shopping.
“What did I do to get a visit?” I shut my computer off and stood up.
“I’m asking a favor from you tonight,” Maxima said softly. “My company is having a get together at the Bears game tonight, and I’m wondering if you’ll come.”
Maxima had never asked anything from me, and even though I planned to chill out tonight, I’d go for her. Plus, it’d be fun to see Keaton on the ice again.
“Let’s hit it.” I clasped my hands one time.
“Don’t you want to put on a Bears shirt?” Meadow glanced over my outfit.
“Nope. I look good in what I’m in.” I grabbed my purse, and we headed out to Maxima’s BMW. She didn’t seem be very materialistic, but she loved her car.
I desperately wanted to know if she’d made a decision about Remington and his question, but I’d wait until she brought it up. Meadow kept the conversation on her and her latest book. She was super talented sports romance author, and even I was excited about this new storyline.
The arena was packed tight, and it took the three of us forever to maneuver through the throngs of fans to get up to the VIP box. Maxima introduced us to her co-workers and boss. She seemed to work with nice people, and they welcomed us warmly.
We grabbed beer from the bar and took seats in the comfortable leather seats. I searched for number four on the back of a Bears’ jersey. My eyes land on Keaton’s flowing blond hair. It was really growing out, and I loved running my fingers through it. My gaze stayed on him until he went back down the tunnel.
Maxima was in between Meadow and me, and when I glanced at her, she seemed so sad.
“Are you okay?” I leaned over and whispered.
She nodded, giving me a fake smile.
“You’re lying.” Meadow saying what I thought.
“Remington came over last night.”
Meadow and I gave her our full attention. We both waited on the edge of our seats to hear more.
“His daughter is coming in two weeks, and I agreed to meet her. After that, I’ll make my decision.”
“So, if it goes well, you’ll be engaged?” Meadow clarified.
“Yes and we’ll stay together until he officially has his daughter.”
“Would you get any compensation out of this deal?” I asked. She was giving up a lot to play the fiancée role.
“We need to work out the details.”
“Gosh.” Meadow shook her head and turned her attention back out to the ice. “You’re so much stronger than me.”
“I don’t feel it,” she mumbled.
“It’s a lot to take in.” I took a sip from my beer as the lights dimmed and the announcer roared for the Bears to take the ice.
The three of us stand and cheer for our guys. The jumbotron flashes on Keaton’s face. As of this morning, according to my Google alerts, Keaton was the number one defenseman in the PHL. On top of that, I knew he had finished his book and still doing well in grad school. I was proud of him, but he did define the term workaholic.
We watched the game as if it was the first time we’d ever seen a hockey game. The game was intense. Keaton slammed every player he could into the boards. He was a physical player for sure, and his strong, masculine side made me hornier.
Through both intermissions, we mingled with Maxima’s co-workers and ate way too much food. Personable wasn’t one way I’d describe myself. I spoke what was on my mind; I wasn’t someone to mingle, but this time I enjoyed myself.
The last five minutes of the game was the roughest yet. It seemed every player was plowing over each other, and each shift tougher than the next. Even Kyson and Remington were slamming players into the boards.
Finally, the last horn blew, and the Bears won one to zero, and it was a tough one. The girls and I headed out, saying goodbye to everyone still in the VIP box. Meadow told us she was going to Kyson’s truck and go home with him.
“I’ll go with you and meet up with Keaton. Come with us.” I nudged Maxima.
She shrugged. “I should go home.”
“Hey.” I looped my arm with hers. “If you’re going to be engaged and live with this man then you need to hang out with him.”
“We have,” she exclaimed.
“Then let’s go wait for them.” I led her in Meadow’s direction, and I didn’t release my hold on her. I knew she’d try to get away.
Meadow dropped Kyson’s tailgate, and we all hopped up on it. We mainly talked the unusual warm weather for the end of March. All the snow was gone, and it was a muddy mess. It was killer on my heels.
“Look at these pretty ladies. Are you spoken for, or may I take you all home with me?” Keaton was the first one out.
“I’m in a committed relationship. I’m positive he wouldn’t appreciate me going home with you,” I joked as he approached me.
“I bet I could whip his ass.” He stood in front of me.
“Oh, I don’t know. He’s a bit of a bad ass,” I continued our ruse.
“So,” he tapped his finger to his lips. “I can’t persuade you to come over to my place and suck my—”
“Hey!” Maxima and Meadow both yelled, causing me to laugh loudly and Keaton to join in.
Remington and Kyson came out together and seemed confused about why I was holding my side still laughing.
“Something Jaco said?” Kyson questioned, wrapping his arm around Meadow’s shoulders.
“Yes,” Meadow replied with no more explanation than that.
“Who wants to grab some dinner?” Remington asked us all, but stared at Maxima.
“I’m game,” Keaton spoke up. “Honey-Bunny?”
“Sure.” Everyone else mumbled in agreement, and we all went to our cars. Well, I went with Keaton to his, since I’d come with Maxima.
We met at Red Arrow because it truly had the best food in town. We were able to find a table to fit all of us and ordered our drinks when the waiter came over.
No one spoke a word, and honestly, there felt was a lot of tension. I watched everyone around the table, and we all were glancing at Remington and Maxima. They looked scared to death. They both kept wiggling around their seats and avoiding eye co
ntact.
“All right.” I dropped my menu and stared them both down. “We all know what’s going on between you two.”
“Harlow—” Keaton squeezed my thigh, but I ignored him.
“We’re your friends, and we are here to help, listen, and be here for you during this situation.” Maxima hung her head. “It needed to be said.” I picked up my menu. I was right. They’re both going through a life-changing event, and I didn’t want them to think they were alone.
Remington cleared his throat. “I know. I’m sure you guys don’t agree with the proposal I offered Maxima, but I need to get my daughter away from her mother. I’ve tried everything, and this is my last hope. Or my final straw would be to quit hockey altogether.”
Everyone gasped. Remington was the top player in the PHL. There was no one better this season than him.
“I’ll do it if I have to.”
“I told you I would make my final decision after I met her,” Maxima practically whispered.
“And we’ll all be here to support you both.” Meadow quickly added.
Kyson quickly changed the topic, and we all began to talk about the upcoming playoffs that would be upon us in a few short weeks.
Dinner was fattening, greasy, and delicious. When we finished, Keaton and I went back to my place. Instead of having a sex-filled night, we changed out of our clothes, crawled into bed, and fell asleep in each other’s arms.
It was a perfect night.
Chapter Sixteen
Keaton
I sat at The Latte Bean, nursing my coffee and people watching. I came here often, but not in the past month, since hockey, school, my book, and especially Harlow had been taking up my time. I loved every moment of it.
I was twenty-five years old, and this was the happiest I’d ever been. I had a girlfriend, something I believed would never happen. I had a great hockey career that I had worked hard to accomplish. I was going to be finished with grad school in May, and I couldn’t wait. I loved going to school, but I was ready for my next adventure. Let’s not forget my book. Another something else I didn’t know I would finish.
“Of all the people to call me, you were the last person I expected.” Meadow took a place across from me in the empty chair.
“Thanks for meeting me. Do you want coffee? I’ll buy.”
“Nah, I’ve been up most of the night eating sugary snacks. If I add an espresso, I might explode.”
I chuckled.
“So, you said you needed some advice. Is this about Harlow?”
“Actually, no. She and I are pretty great. It’s about publishing. I know the basics, but I need to know more.”
“This is about your book? Is it done?”
I nodded. “It’s done, but I need…more.”
“All right. Do you have a cover?”
“No.” That’s right; I needed a cover. I’d forgotten all about it.
Meadow pulled out her phone. “I’m sending you an email address of a designer I’ve worked with in the past. She’s good.”
“Okay.”
Suddenly, Meadow launched into the ins and out of publishing on all major sites, how to upload, how to categorize the book, adding in keywords for searching the book, and most of all, pricing. She threw a lot at me, but I knew she was fluent in the publishing world because she was so successful.
“Are you going to use your name?”
I shook my head. “A pen name, Bret Knapp. It’s in honor of my grandparents.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet.”
“Thanks for everything, Meadow.” After everything she just told me, maybe opening my own publishing company would need to wait for a bit.
“Listen, when you go to publish yours, I’ll walk you through the steps.”
“Great.” Just like that, I was one step closer to publishing my book.
Harlow told me she had to get work done, and I couldn’t come by and distract her. Even though I wanted to, I left her alone. I finished my homework and worked on my final project a bit.
The designer Meadow suggested emailed me back, and we discussed what my vision of the cover might look like and what she could do with it. I would never admit it, but there was a little bit of girly giddiness in seeing the cover mock-ups.
I decided since I hadn’t seen Grams in a couple of days I’d go over there. Maybe we’d go out to dinner or something. It’d been a while since we’d hit the town. Of course, that was putting it mildly.
“Grams,” I called out coming into the house.
“Kitchen, Keaton Michael.” When I made my way to her, I smelled the aroma of mashed potatoes and meatloaf. I might have drooled a bit on myself. Grams made the best meatloaf in the world.
“I’ll set a place for you.” Felicia hopped up from the table and grabbed a plate, but I reached for it.
“I got it.” I sat at my usual spot and filled my plate with the scrumptious homemade food.
“How are things going for you?” Felicia asked, sitting across from me.
“Great,” I answered.
“How’s Harlow?” Grams beamed.
“Great.” I gave her the same answer.
“Where is she? I loved for us to have a family dinner.”
Even though Grams asked the question, my eyes drifted to Felicia who looked back at me. “She’s working. Maybe some other time we can arrange it.” I continued eating.
“Felicia got a job,” Grams informed me.
“Great,” seemed to be the appropriate comeback.
“She’s working for the Bears.”
My fork stopped midway toward my mouth. I froze. “What?” Maybe Grams made a mistake.
“It’s in the promotion's office.” Felicia smiled.
“What?” The team was constantly in and out of that office, especially me.
“Yes, I start next week.” She still held onto the happy expression.
“How the hell did you get that job?” In the pit of my stomach I thought I already knew the answer, but part of me hoped I was wrong.
“I interviewed.” She sat her fork down, and we began our stare down.
“And did my name come up?”
She remained silent.
“It did, didn’t it?” The anger began to rise.
“It may have.”
“Damnit.” I slammed my fork on the table and jumped to my feet. “How dare you use me to get a job?”
“It isn’t like that. They asked me if I had any relatives that worked for the Bears, and I told them you’re my son.”
“Bullshit. And I’m not your son because you’re not my fucking mother. A real mother doesn’t abandon her child, and that’s exactly what you did. You were never there for me. Ever. You have only cared about yourself, a needle, and alcohol. There has never been a time in my life that you’ve given one shit about me, because you’re nothing but a selfish bitch.” My ears rang so loud, and my heart was pounding from the adrenaline pumping through me.
“I’m sorry, Keaton, okay? I’m sorry about everything. If there was some way I could change it, I would in a heartbeat. But I love you. You might not believe me, but it’s the God’s honest truth. I’ve made so many mistakes, especially with you. But, you’re right; I’ve been a selfish bitch for a long time, and I want to change for you.”
“Don’t do that.” I waved my finger in her face. “Don’t say you’re changing for me, because it’s a lie. Just another lie to add to the never ending pile.”
“I’m not this time. I mean it. Do you want to even know why?”
“Sure,” I scoffed. “Go ahead and tell me another elaborate story.”
“I OD’ed. It was the worst yet. When I woke up, I was in the hospital, and the TV had a Bears game on.” Her voice cracked, and her eyes filled with tears. “Your team scored, and the camera fell on you. You were so happy; and you were so handsome. It had been so long since I’d seen you and …” She wiped a stray tear that had rolled down her cheek. “And I wasn’t the reason for your success.”
&
nbsp; “No, you weren’t. Grams is the reason, and I’m the reason. Nowhere in my life are you the reason.”
“I know, and I have to live with it, but now, maybe, we can start anew.” There seemed to be hope in her eyes.
“No, and want to know why?” I didn’t wait for her to answer. “Because you left me, like I was nothing more than trash.” I choked on the tears that came out of nowhere. “Fucking trash.”
I had no reason for actually telling her how I really felt. I’ve kept it down all these years. I knew how she was and how she’d treated me.
“Keaton.” Felicia rushed from her seat to me, and I realized Grams was no longer in the kitchen. “I never wanted you to feel that way. Never.” She reached for me, but I moved past her to go find Grams.
She wasn’t in the living room or on the front porch, so I headed to her room. The door was slightly open, and I lightly knocked.
“Come in, Keaton Michael.”
I pushed it open, and she sat on the side of her bed. She’d been crying.
“Grams.” I hung my head. She was the one person I couldn’t stand to cry. “I’m sorry.”
“I just wish you two would see eye-to-eye.” She dabbed her cheeks as I sat next to her and put my arm around her. “You have such a big heart and she needs your forgiveness.”
I sniffed the tears away. “I’m not in a forgiving mood with her.”
“She’s your mother. She’s the only one you’ll ever have.”
“But I have you.” I hugged her tighter to me.
“You always will. But a bond between a son and his mother is special. You need it.”
I didn’t say anything.
“Keaton Michael,” she leaned back and patted my cheek. “I love you more than the world. You’re a good man, and I know you’ll forgive her.”
It would be the one time Grams will be wrong.
I knew she had to work, but when I left Gram’s house all I wanted was Harlow. I could talk to her, and she’d give me the soundest advice. She was the smartest person, beside Grams, in my life.
When she opened the door, she was about to say something, probably to yell at me, but stopped.