Ty gently sets her down, cautiously, attentively, balancing her on her feet.
The door opens and Eileen slowly takes a step out. “Do you want me to carry you?” Ty asks.
“No.” She hesitates. “I should be okay.” Her neck feels like she has whiplash and her thigh is like jelly. She can barely walk.
“Here,” Ty says, throwing her left arm under his and steadily putting his right arm around her waist. “Lean on me to take the pressure off.”
She does what she’s told and again is thankful he’s there. How would she have managed on her own? She wouldn’t even be able to crawl down the hall, let alone slither against the wall with Brooke’s support. Maybe Ty isn’t so bad after all. Then again, he wants something from her and she’s not sure she can help him with his requests.
“This is it,” she says, reaching for her keys.
“Here, let me,” he says, watching her fiddle with the ring. “Which key is it?”
“The silver one.” She points.
He opens the door wide. “Nice place.”
“Thanks.”
“I feel like I’m walking into a hotel room.”
“Oh. Yeah? Well, don’t get any ideas.”
He chuckles and leads her with her left arm to the couch. Brooke shuts the door behind them. “You’ll need to put your feet up,” he tells her.
The pain in her shoulder makes her clench her teeth. Slowly, she sticks out her behind to embrace the couch. She lets out a yelp.
“I got you!” he says, bringing her gently to the cushion, Brooke standing helplessly in front of them. Ty helps her swing her legs onto the couch and unties her shoes, throwing them to the ground.
“I’m using the bathroom,” Brooke tells them and leaves the room.
“Even my foot is sore,” she says, trying to flex her foot forward and backward.
“I’m sure your whole body will be for a few days. Do you need anything? Something to drink? Are you hungry?”
“Wow, Caldwell, what’s up with the special treatment? Do you treat all the girls like that?”
“Of course I do. What kind of guy do you think I am?”
“What’s in this for you?”
He shakes his head. “Nothing. I’m here to help you so you might as well take advantage of me.”
“Come on, now, seriously.” Her eyes narrow.
“I am serious. I’m not the type to walk away when someone needs me.”
“Really? So you are doing this because you want to?” she asks.
“Yes. Why do you look so surprised?”
“Because I am.”
“You shouldn’t be,” he says, adjusting his hat. “What do you feel like for dinner?”
“I can figure that out. You’ve helped me out enough. Thank you. I’m sure you have plans so don’t let me take up your time.”
There is a brief moment when they take in each other’s gaze. Eileen’s heart beats dramatically as she realizes he hasn’t looked away. The intensity wraps around her and she can’t seem to take her mind off of his beautiful face, marred only by a hockey slash to his jaw. She looks at the line.
“Hockey’s a rough sport,” he says, bringing his finger to his scar.
Brooke walks into the room and breaks the moment. Eileen feels a chill pass over her.
“If I didn’t want to be here, I wouldn’t be. I’ll order pizza, with the works?” he asks.
“None for me,” Brooke says, setting down a bottle of Advil on the coffee table. “But thanks.”
“Are you sure?” Eileen asks.
“Yeah. I’ll get you some water.”
Brooke comes back with a glass and dishes out two tablets. Eileen takes the pills and washes them down. Her friend takes the glass from her and sets it down.
“Is she the friend you helped move?” Ty asks Eileen.
“Move?” Brooke asks.
“Ah, yeah, the move,” Eileen stammers. “Yes! Yes it was! The move went well. We had enough help and it went smoothly . . .”
“Okay,” Brooke says, looking at her friend with confusion. “Yeah, I should probably get going. I have plans tonight.”
“That’s right. You have a purse party. Sorry,” Eileen says.
Brooke waves her hand in midair. “Ah, you’ve seen everything I’ve made.”
Ty takes out his keys from his pocket. “I’ll drive Brooke back to the arena to get her car. We’ll go and I’ll be back with dinner. I’ll lock up behind me.”
“Take my keys then,” Eileen says. “That way you can just come on in.”
Eileen lies on her couch, aching. What did Thompson think he was going to do to her? Why did he want to physically hurt her? Could he be that disgruntled about the whole arrangement? Maybe she could just close her eyes for a little bit....
Eileen’s eyes flash open as she hears the door shut and she jolts upright, eyes wide open. She doesn’t know how long she slept for, but it felt like hours.
“Sorry, did I scare you?” he asks, holding a pizza box, a bag dangling from his arm.
“I’m not used to someone else in my apartment. I must have fallen asleep.”
“Hope you’re hungry. I bought us some Diet Coke and root beer. I need some sugar,” he says as he unloads the plastic bag onto her kitchen counter. She watches him from the open floor plan. “And no one likes drinking alone.”
“Just make sure you leave with the beer. Don’t get any ideas,” she says, her head a little foggy.
“I bought root beer,” he says loudly, “not beer. Where are your glasses?”
“Cupboard by the fridge,” she says, scratching the side of her head as she watches him make himself at home. “And thank you. You didn’t have to stop to buy me anything.”
“I don’t like eating alone either, if I can help it.” He grabs the ice cube tray from the freezer and pops two cubes into her glass. “Besides, what else are we going to do on a Friday night?”
“We’re not dating,” she reminds him with a smile as he walks over to her with a tall glass of Diet Coke. He hands it to her. “Just pop. The meds should be kicking in.”
Ty cracks open a bottle of root beer and takes a sip, then puts it down to retrieve the pizza. “Where are your plates?”
“The cupboard beside the glasses.”
“Right.” He comes back with plates and paper towels stacked on top of the cardboard box and places them on the coffee table. Ty dishes out pizza on a plate and hands it to her.
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” she says. “But seriously”—her eyebrows furrow—“why are you being so nice to me? What do you want?”
“Why do you think I want something? I mean, I’d like to go on a real date with you and give you the Ty Caldwell treatment, but I can’t see that happening anytime soon, not until you get over your panic attacks.”
Her mouth drops. “I don’t have panic attacks.”
“You do when I mention the word date.”
She bites her bottom lip.
“You must have had some bad dates if you have such a fear of them.”
“That’s not true,” she says, thinking of one of her exes, who was not a bad guy. He just suffocated her and wouldn’t leave her alone. And Mario, well, he was a different breed altogether. After him, she hasn’t trusted anyone else. He’s cocky and a smooth talker. He’s also good looking, and has lots of money, favoring women who only want one-night stands. Eileen is different from those women; she wants a real relationship, one that can be trusted and can grow. At the time, Mario made her a promise that she was everything to him, but that ended when he had an affair and broke her heart. Since then, Eileen hasn’t found a relationship in which she feels like a priority or a lasting romantic connection.
“What’s wrong with me?” he asks. “Tell me. Be honest. I can take it from you.”
She thinks for a moment. There is nothing wrong with Ty. He seems like a fun and happy guy. It’s her. She is set against dating a guy from work.
Eileen looks up at him and says, “The
re’s nothing wrong with you.” She takes a bite of pizza and wipes her mouth with a paper towel. It’s been so long since she’s had a greasy meal. It tastes so good.
“Then why do I get the feeling that there is?”
“There’s a big difference between going out and dating.”
“There is?” he asks, laughing. “Okay.” He shakes his head. “Let me take you out next week when you’re feeling better and after that you can decide. At least give me a chance. I like you, Eileen. I want to get to know you. Is that too much to ask?”
“It is if you want something out of it.”
“Your friend Brooke was right. She warned me you would say something to that effect.”
“She did? What else did she say?”
“A lot of things.”
“Like what?” Eileen urges. She wouldn’t have told him about Mario, would she?
“You are actually a very sensitive person, which surprises me, and I’d like to see that for myself, but she warned me that once you’re close to someone you have a hard time letting go.”
Eileen’s face flushes. “That’s not true!”
“Then why do you spend more time with work than with your friends? And why can’t you relax and enjoy yourself instead of being confrontational and hard to read? Is it because you’re scared to have a good time?”
Eileen doesn’t know what to say. She knows what to tell Brooke, but Ty? Why can’t he understand that she doesn’t want his friendship or relationship? She’s happy with the way things are, or she thinks she is.
“I’m taking you out next Saturday whether you like it or not, and if after the date,” he lingers on the forbidden word, “you don’t want to have anything to do with me, then I’ll respect that, but until then you don’t know what you’re missing.”
“Oh, no?” she asks, finishing her pizza.
“You’ll see,” he says, adjusting his backward hat.
Eileen reaches for another piece of pizza and a napkin to wipe her fingers.
“Don’t move!” Ty says and jumps up to help her readjust her body on the couch. He leans over her, scooping his arms underneath her to position her comfortably. Eileen freezes, and her heart begins to race again when his lips are close to her ear. The vibration of his voice sends a shiver of neediness throughout her body.
“I can do this!” she shouts nervously, and Ty backs off with a chuckle.
“You need to rest—that means don’t move off the couch. I’ll clean up!” Ty stands up and collects their plates and takes them to the kitchen. He comes back for the pizza box. “I’ll throw this in the fridge. Do you need anything? I should go.”
Go? Where does he have to be? Of course, it’s Friday night and he would rather hang out at a club or with his buddies than sit here in an apartment listening to a woman whine.
“I’m fine,” she says, getting herself to her feet. Ty rushes to her side to help.
“I’m okay!” she says, putting out a hand to stop him. “Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate everything you’ve done. I’ll lock up behind you.”
“No problem. Still got my number?”
“On my phone.” She watches him throw on his shoes and opens the door. He gives her a genuine smile before leaving.
“Okay, I’m sure I’ll be better tomorrow,” she says, trying to put on a brave face.
“What time is your skating class?”
“Eleven.”
“I’ll be there.”
Eileen closes the door behind him and for the first time in a long time she doesn’t want to be alone.
Chapter 9
Eileen pulls her shirt over her head, managing to poke her sore hand through the sleeve, careful not to bump it. She isn’t sure how she’s going to sit on the bench and watch Ty instruct her skating class without jumping in and adding her advice. It will be the first session in her four-week program and she’ll be unable to introduce herself to the class.
Her phone rings and she picks it up, saying her name as she tries to slip on a pair of shorts, leaning against the wall for support.
“You don’t take a hint, do you?”
“Who is this?” Eileen tilts her head trying to place the voice.
“Give it up. Don’t think you’re equal to Ritchie—you’re not. Quit the Warriors, or else.”
“Or else what?” She tries to keep her tone fearless.
The line goes dead.
It’s just a bunch of threats that won’t turn into anything, she tells herself. Her chest is tight and she gasps for a breath. It takes her a few minutes of standing there and clearing her mind to slow her heart. Ritchie will return soon, she thinks and closes her eyes until she feels stronger and wipes the phone call out of her mind. Whoever it is, she won’t let him get to her. She definitely needs to do something about it though. She’s just not sure what.
Eileen sits on the couch trying to piece together the conversation she just had with the other threats. She can’t begin to guess who the person is. Could it be a player? Or someone from management?
The phone rings again. She sits up to answer it, her heart in her throat. It won’t be another threat; they are always spread out over weeks. She looks at call display this time and recognizes Ty’s number. She falls back onto the couch, blinking her eyes and changing her tone of voice.
“Elle! It’s Ty.”
Her heart skips a beat and she is overcome with a warm sensation throughout her body. His voice is like a break in the clouds after the rain. He has her full attention. Her world stops, she is so happy to hear his voice.
“How are you feeling? Did you manage to get some sleep?” he asks.
She leans her head into the cushion. “I was up a few times trying to get comfortable. I’m still sore, but other than that, I’m doing okay. I can walk with just a small limp!” She laughs.
“That’s improvement.”
“Yeah, it is.” Eileen stands up and goes to get a pair of socks from her dresser drawer. “So are you on your way to pick me up?”
“I want you to take it easy. I got this.”
“I can come. Show you where to go and who to talk to—”
“I can handle it.”
“I’m sure you can, but I should be there.”
“It’s your first class, right? The kids won’t have any expectations.”
“They will the second class when I show up without you.”
Ty chuckles. “I’ll tell them you’ll be back, what, next week?”
“Tuesday.”
“Okay, then. We’re covered. I have your notes.”
“I didn’t see you take them.”
“It’s pretty self-explanatory,” he says.
“Simple is best.”
“I’ll call you if I have any questions, but I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? I can come and sit on the bench.” Eileen is secretly begging. She should be there—the rink counts on her.
“I don’t want you judging my teaching skills.”
“Why would I do that?”
“I’m getting to know you, and I get the feeling you don’t let someone who screws up off the hook too easy.”
“I forgive.”
“How do you feel about Bret?”
“Thompson’s an idiot! He meant what he did to me. There is no forgiving. You can’t tell me he didn’t do it on purpose.”
Ty’s breath is like a whisper in her ear. “I don’t think he meant to hurt you.”
“You’re just taking his side because he’s your friend.”
“We’re not friends—we’re teammates.”
She wishes now she didn’t ask him to do her a favor. This could turn out to be a disaster. When it’s done, he’ll be telling her how to run her school.
“Get some rest,” he says. “We’ll talk later and I’ll tell you how it went.”
Could she possibly stay at home, wondering how he’s doing on the first day? What does Ty know about teaching children? Thankfully there is only one class tod
ay. Some days there are three, but those busy days aren’t until next week when all her classes are running.
“If you’re free tonight, why don’t I pick you up? You can come here and we can order takeout?”
It did sound appealing. She hadn’t seen his place yet and it would break up her day. She didn’t have any other plans.
“I can drive,” she says. “My car is an automatic. I should be able to manage.”
She hangs up her phone, but not before getting his address and directions to his place. Is she doing the right thing by having a dinner with a coworker? We’re not dating. It could be a business meeting, she tells herself. He’ll tell her all about the class he taught for her today. She calls Oliver to tell him why she’s not teaching today. He isn’t bothered when she mentions Ty’s name; in fact, she knows that, being a hockey fan, he’ll be like the other kids probably wanting an autograph or pictures.
Surprisingly, she sleeps part of the day, which helps her nerves. All she can think about is Ty and how her class is going. Her mind runs wild thinking about the parents doing double takes on who the instructor is. Several times she picks up her phone to call Ty to find out how it went and if there were any problems. She knows there won’t be, but the idea of her not being there causes her much anxiety. She needs to let go and not worry so much about how others affect her job.
By five o’clock she leaves to go to the store to pick up lasagna, garlic toast, and frozen yogurt for dessert. If Ty wants to have a relationship with her, then he’ll have to wait until Ritchie comes back to work, but for now, they can be friends. It’s turning out to be a comfortable relationship, and as much as she denies herself from the feelings that arise, she misses Ty when he’s not around.
“What’s this?” Ty asks, greeting her at the door. “Here, let me take it.” He grabs the plastic bag from her hand and shuts the door. Eileen gets a whiff of his fresh soap scent. He is wearing a hat backwards to hide his damp hair and his shirtsleeves are tight around his biceps, revealing his toned body. Eileen looks away so she’s not caught staring and envisioning him wrapping her up in his arms.
“Dinner.” Eileen takes her flats off and walks barefoot across to the open kitchen. “Ready-made lasagna.”
“Surprise dinners. Gotta love them. I thought for sure we would be ordering in.”
His Game, Her Rules Page 9