by Toni Aleo
The door shuts behind him, and I’m flabbergasted.
Beside me, Callie starts giggling. I glare down at her. “What?”
“He so wants to hit it.”
I have no clue what I am going to do with her.
Or better yet, with Nico Merryweather.
Chapter Eight
Nico
I pick at my nails, my heart in my throat. I know Dr. Jenkins is staring at me.
“Nico?”
I bite the inside of my cheek as I shrug. “I don’t miss her.”
I look up as she nods gently. Today, her hair is down, and she’s wearing a very expensive-looking pantsuit. I know she is trying to look older, but with that baby face, she’ll need more than just a new suit. “Okay, but do you understand why it didn’t work?”
I shoot her a deadpan look. “She was in love with someone else.”
“How does that make you feel?”
“Like shit. Like I wasn’t good enough for her.”
“Elaborate, please.”
I lean on my knees, looking down at her green heels. Not the color choice I’d make for shoes, but to each their own. Let your freak flag fly, as my mom always said. I swallow hard. I hate talking about Shelli. About me. But apparently this is supposed to help. “I felt I was getting comfortable. I was only sleeping with her. I was only calling her after games, and we were always texting. I felt like I wanted to open up to her.”
“Have you ever opened up with anyone?”
“No.”
“No one?”
“Not even Chandler, my best friend.”
She looks surprised. “You haven’t told Chandler your diagnosis?”
I look away. “No.”
“Management knows?”
I chew the inside of my cheek. “Somewhat. My last therapist was very discreet.”
“Why is that?”
“Because I’m terrified,” I say softly, meeting her gaze. “Right now, I’m a full-on hockey god. Nothing can touch me. People think I’m perfect and—”
“Why does it matter what people think?”
Her question has me pressing my lips together. I swallow hard as the emotion clogs my throat. “I grew up the weird kid. No one wanted to play with me because I couldn’t keep myself in check. Every little thing bothered me, I felt every single emotion, and I couldn’t shut up. No one liked me. People love me now. I don’t want to mess that up.”
“Have you thought maybe they love you, the hockey player, and not you, Nico Merryweather?”
I pause. “Yeah, and I like that.” She smiles, and I curve my lips a bit. “I don’t want to put myself out there to be ridiculed or made fun of.”
“It’s a different world now, Nico.”
“But still an unkind one,” I answer back, and she nods, compassion on her face. Silence fills the space between us as I look around the conference room. It’s empty. Nothing that tells you anything about Dr. Jenkins. It’s plain, and for some reason, that bothers me. I want color in here.
“Can we try something?”
“What?” I ask as I look back at her. I’m a little nervous about what she’s gonna want me to do.
“I want you to confide in someone.”
“Confide?”
“About who you are. The real Nico.”
I blink at her. “Why in the hell would I do that?”
She just smiles. “I think it would help.”
“I don’t.”
She’s stern as she asks, “Is there someone you’d like to tell?”
Why in the hell am I thinking of Aviva? That girl won’t even give me the time of day. I doubt she’d care if I told her. She’d probably laugh in my face, think I’m lying. That it’s some ploy to get her to go out with me. Hey, it’s not a half-bad idea, in all honesty. I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“Well, you have a week. I won’t ask on Friday or Monday. But I will ask Wednesday, and I want you to have done it. I think this is something you really need to do to help yourself.”
I don’t agree at all. “I can’t tell my mom?”
She gives me a look. One of those no-nonsense looks. Kind of reminds me of Aviva. “Your mom is aware…and also has called me four times.”
I smile shyly. “She’s a mama bear.”
“To the fullest. I’m terrified of her,” she laughs, and I smile. “But that being said, I want to help. So, help me help you.”
Her words and request feel like a ton of bricks as I leave the conference room the IceCats let her use for our sessions. They want everything to be on-site, and I like it that way. I park my car, go to practice, go to therapy, go to lunch, and then go to meetings. It’s nice this way, and I like it. As I head through the halls of the IceCats’ compound, I realize I don’t know how I am supposed to do what Dr. Jenkins has asked. I don’t even know how to start that conversation. How do I bring up who I am, when I have been hiding it for so long?
I don’t want people to think differently of me.
Around the corner from the video room comes Chandler with our teammate, Kirby Litman. They both nod at me. “How’s it hanging, bro?”
“A wee bit to the left.”
“Mine’s to the right,” Chandler says.
“Mine’s at my knees.” Kirby laughs, and like the teenage-acting men we are, we snort with laughter. “You ready for some lunch?”
I nod. “Starved. How was tapes?”
“Boring as fuck,” Kirby says as we head to the lunchroom. “How was therapy?”
I shrug. Kirby bringing it up reminds me of Amaya’s request. I could tell them, but the thought makes me gag. Kirby is a showboat, loud as fuck, and loves to tease people. I don’t want him teasing me about this. He’s a good friend, but I can’t. I won’t. I could tell Chandler, but then he’s all sensitive and shit. He’ll probably feel sorry for me. My mind keeps circling back to Aviva. I don’t know, though. I don’t think she’d care.
“Therapeutic?”
They both chuckle. “Is that doctor still so fucking hot?”
“She isn’t ugly,” I comment with a smirk just as we enter the lunchroom. Out of nowhere, Jo, our player relations rep, stops in front of me. “You were right. Those subs are bomb dot com.”
I grin. “Aren’t they?”
“Now Ms. Pearce, she’s a tough cookie.”
My grin grows. “She gave you a hard time?”
“No, but she was stern, and she wouldn’t be lowballed. I tried because that’s my job, to save us money so we can pay you guys, but she wasn’t having it.”
Sounds about right. “Did you get her?”
“Yup, she’s gonna do it.”
Awesome.
When I pull into Willz’s parking lot, I see Callie outside at the patio table. The lot isn’t empty, so I’m unsure why she’s outside, but it is a beautiful day. I get out of my rental, heading toward her as she looks up. “Oh, thank God,” she gushes, and while I’m starving for a sub, I don’t mind sitting with her and helping her. Twenty minutes turns into an hour and then two. She’s smart as a whip, but math trips her up.
“I wish it was easy like gymnastics is for me. I hate math.”
I nod as I stretch my back. After being bent over on this crap seating, my spine is crying. “That’s why it’s hard, because you hate it. Enjoy it a bit, and I think you’ll find it easier.”
She doesn’t look convinced. “I’ll try that, but you’re a godsend. I am actually going to make it to practice on time when I’d thought I wouldn’t.”
I glance at my watch to see she has about twenty minutes to spare.
“You’re honestly the best, Nico. Thank you.”
“Can you tell your sister that?”
She laughs as she stands and stuffs everything into her backpack. “She doesn’t listen. But keep at her. I think she likes you.”
I smirk up at her. “Yeah?”
She nods, and that excites me. I really thought she might hate me. I open the door for her and follow her into t
he shop. Just as the door shuts, Aviva yells out, “Is that you, Callie, or a customer?”
“Both,” Callie calls back, and then she waves at me. “See ya.”
“Bye. Have a great practice.”
She sends me a sweet grin, and my heart warms. She’s a good girl. As Callie walks into the back, Aviva comes out. When she notices me, she doesn’t look too happy to see me. But my inside source says otherwise. I just have to remember that. “Hey, Aviva.”
She nods as she puts on a pair of gloves. “Hey, Nico. How are you?”
“Good. You?”
She holds up her hands. “Living my best life.”
I smile since I’m pretty sure she’s being sarcastic. When she starts to make two subs, I perk a brow. “Already assuming I’m getting two? You’re not wrong.”
She laughs. “Oh, did you want two?”
“Please.”
She starts to make three. “I only need two,” I confirm.
“I’m actually making one for myself.”
My heart kicks up. “To eat with me?”
She looks up at me through her lashes. “Nope.”
I grin. “Where are you going to eat?”
“At the counter.”
“I guess I will, too.”
A little smirk pulls at her lips. “I guess that would be okay.”
Man, she’s beautiful. Her hair is up in a messy bun again, with her bangs covering her forehead. She’s got her Willz tee on and a pair of black shorts. No makeup and no frills—and I think she’s stunning. When the subs are done, she bags one and hands me the other. She sits up on the counter, and I lean on it as we both dig in.
“I have about twenty minutes before my dinner rush will start.”
“I want more, but I’ll take what I can get.” When her eyes meet mine, I wink at her, and a blush creeps up her neck.
“No one has ever winked at me.”
“Do you like it?”
She shrugs. “It’s not awful.”
I chuckle and do it again to tease her. This time, she laughs, and the sound is like hearing the puck knock off the post. It’s magic. I have to keep her talking, though. I can’t get distracted.
Around my bite, I ask, “Do you get sick of eating subs?”
She laughs. “God, yes. I’d love to go out for lobster and steak, but I don’t have the time.”
“You should make time. I’d love to take you.”
She rolls her eyes. “You don’t have time either, Mr. Hockey Goalie Guy.”
I shrug. “I’d make time for you.”
She grins. “I walked right into that line.”
“Like a blind man into a wall,” I tease, and we laugh. “So, Jo said it went well today.”
“Yeah.” She nods. “I’m only going to do it for a month at first to see if I like it and they like it.”
“They’ll love you, and I hope you love it too.”
“I hope so,” she confirms softy. “It will be great for the shop.”
“Great. I just want the food.”
Her eyes meet mine again, sending jolts of lust straight to my cock. “Thanks for that, by the way. The recommendation.”
“Hey, I love this sub.”
She covers her mouth as she eats and says, “It was my mom’s pride and joy. One that I’ve made mine.”
I look around the shop. The 90s is in full force in this place; even the music is 90s. “She was a 90s fan?”
She nods. “Yeah, she worked as a tour manager and managed some awesome 90s bands.”
“Cool. Is she off touring or something? I’ve never seen her. Just you and Callie.”
She presses her lips together before shaking her head. “We lost her about nine years ago to breast cancer.”
I pause. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize—”
She waves me off. “It’s fine. How would you know?”
A weighted silence falls over us as we eat. “My mom lives in Quebec. I don’t have a dad. He ran out on us.”
She points at me with a fake grin. “Hey, we have deadbeat dads in common.”
I hold up my hand for a high five, and thankfully, she hits it with her own palm. Her hand is soft, and I want to hold it. To keep from doing that, I say, “Go us.” She nods in agreement, a small smile on her face before she takes another bite. I watch her for a second and then ask, “So, it’s just you and Callie?”
She smiles. “Yup. She’s honestly what keeps me going.”
“She’s pretty freaking awesome.”
Warmth fills her eyes. “I saw you helping her again. I appreciate it.”
“I love math, and she’s a good kid.”
“She is,” she says, finishing off her sub. “I was sixteen when she was born, so I’m more a mom than I am a sister.”
“That’s nice. I don’t have siblings.”
She nods. “How did you get into hockey?”
The truth is right there. Dr. Jenkins’s request is right there, but I ignore it all. “My grandpa played.”
Aviva cocks her head with a smile. “I hear you’re pretty damn good.”
“I am,” I say with a wide grin. “Ever been to a game?”
She shakes her head as she laughs. “I don’t want to say I don’t like it, but I really have no clue what is going on.”
I laugh. “I’ll have to take you to a game.”
She gives me a skeptical look. “How? You’d be playing!”
“A rec game, so I can teach you.”
She actually looks excited. “Oh, that would be cool, I guess.”
“Callie should come, too, since I’m sure you don’t want to leave her,” I say, and her eyes fill with such light.
“You’d want to include Callie?”
I nod. “Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”
“Most guys who want to hang with me don’t want Callie around.”
“What dicks. She’s a cool girl.”
She shrugs. “Well, I know that.”
“And so do I,” I say, and then the bell over the door rings. The sound is like my dick being ripped off. I don’t want this to end yet. I want to keep talking.
“Duty calls,” she says sadly, and it fuels my fire even more. She doesn’t want this to end either.
“Yeah,” I say as I hear the door open once more. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She laughs. “Another sub?”
“Duh.”
Her lashes kiss her cheeks as she gets up and gathers our trash.
“And I’ll want to see you again.”
Her cheeks fill with color as she bites her lip. “This was nice.”
“Told ya.” She wrinkles her nose at me, and I can’t stop the grin from taking over my face. “We should do it again.”
“Maybe.”
With that, she saunters away with that fine ass. Everything inside me is red-hot, and there is no maybe about it. We’re doing this again. I’ll make damn sure of it.
I wave to her as I leave, and there is no contempt in her tone as she says, “See ya.”
I actually can hear kindness in her voice, and it fuels my fire. As soon as the door shuts behind me, from around the side of the building comes Callie. I pull my brows together. “I thought you went to practice.”
“I had to eat and get a few things together before I head over. I saw you two talking. Things look good!”
I laugh. “Yeah, it was.”
“So, don’t tell her I told you this, but I heard she’s going to Bill’s Tavern this Saturday with her friend. You know, if you’re around and happen to go, bring a friend to distract Jaylin. They’ll be there at nine.”
Man, I love my inside source.
Chapter Nine
Aviva
“See? I can’t even find the puck!”
Callie gets off the couch and walks to the TV, looking back at me as she points to the puck. In the goalie’s glove. Is it called a glove? I need to ask Nico the next time he comes in. I hope it’s tomorrow; I want to ask how everything went wit
h lunch.
With a dry look, Callie says, “It’s right there.”
“Thank you,” I deadpan as I apply my lip gloss. The IceCats game never would have been on before, but it’s easy to say Callie and I have some inspiration to watch. Starts and ends with Number 0. I hate that the camera doesn’t stay on him. I guess it’s good that it doesn’t, ’cause when it is, he’s moving like a damn octopus, guarding the hell out of that net. I don’t know how he does the splits like that, but my vagina hurts just looking at him.
As I watch the game, I curl my hair so that it’s full along my shoulders. I haven’t gotten ready in a long time. I can’t even remember the last time I wore real clothes or makeup. Or even went out. Oh, wait. No. I had that date six months ago, which was really just a hookup with an old friend. I got dressed up for him. That was a good night. A night where he told me he couldn’t see me anymore because he was getting married.
Good times.
I ignore that, though; I need to have a nice night. I haven’t seen Jaylin in a while, and I want to enjoy myself. I have to enjoy myself, before I lose it. With my eyes on the TV, I pin back a piece of hair as Nico lifts his helmet. He shakes out his wet hair, running his fingers through the strands, and soon, I’m wet everywhere.
Good. Lord. Almighty.
“Breathe, Veev.”
I glare over at my annoying sister as I finish up my hair. I act like I’m not watching the game, but I am. I still have no clue what is happening, but Nico hasn’t let one goal into the net. I like watching him fling his limbs to stop the puck. It’s intriguing, but I hide that. Callie is obviously digging Nico. She thinks he’s amazing, and I don’t want her to get her hopes up. He’s interested in me now…but not for long. He’ll find someone who is worth his time. Not some scarred-up sub shop owner. One night, though… That’s all I would want. I bet he’d give it to me, too. Get his fill, get mine. That’s not a half-damn-bad idea. I might need to think on that a little longer. I doubt he does relationships.
Once I’m ready, I head out in a pair of heels that make my calves look amazing. My thighs and ass are crying in the tight skirt I stuffed them into, but if I know Jaylin, she’s gonna look like a billion bucks. The haltered crop top I’m wearing is covered with a blazer since I don’t want Callie to know I dress like this. Especially since I won’t let her dress this way. She doesn’t need to exude sex, but I sure as hell do.