by Diana Fisher
“With your son being the better of the goalies, he probably will go out first. We already lost the first three games, and during practice, Jordan was a stopper. We need him to stay in the net.”
“If she’s not interested in her son’s activities, that’s her problem, Ben.” The wife snarled at me, giving me a sharp, piercing look that prickled my skin. “She’s a teenage mom and she needs to learn from her mistakes.”
“Yeah. I gave birth to him when I was ten.” Rolling my eyes, I focused on the vacant ice as the anger froze in my icy veins. Wrapping my arms around my waist, I focused my attention on the dark haired girl sitting right in front of me. The nerve of that woman thinking she knew anything about us. That was the kind of people that I stayed away from, and for that reason. Nobody needed to know our situation, because it wasn’t any of their business.
“I’m going to make some calls since this is taking forever.” Shooting up to her feet, her hand curled around the expensive looking phone and she smacked her lips while pushing her way through the crowded bleachers.
“Don’t mind her. She’s just here because I told her that she needed to be more involved in the kids’ activities.” Ben passed me over a soft smile while bumping his arm into my shoulder. I didn’t like when strange men bumped me, but this little bump sent comfort to flow through my body. “We’re divorced, by the way. I’m Ben Bradford.”
“I’m sorry.” Taking his large hand, I pushed a smile to my face. “Keri Borelli.”
“I’m not. It gives the two kids a better life than what they would have with us together. I have main custody, and she’s just a … bitch.” The pinch of anger lifted from his brows and the creases around his eyes lessened. His cheeks colored with embarrassment just as the realization struck him that he swore in front of me.
Pressing my lips together, I wanted to laugh, but I couldn’t. Heat filled my cheeks as I did a quick glance at the patrons down the bench from us to get a look at him. Ben was a nice looking older man in his late forties, which I was guessing by the crow’s-feet around his gray eyes. The smile was a handsome one, being soft and sweet to show the teddy bear nature he had about himself.
I didn’t need to think about anything except to find out where the money was going from my account and the two children who were under my care. With Jordan on the ice and shielded under Kane’s watchful eye, I had to focus on the one who was in heavy conversation about basketball with the blonde girl beside her. “Alicia plays basketball?”
“Yes; she does. I’m the coach for the school.” Dropping his arms from his chest, he leaned back, giving me a shot of his little stomach he had protruding from under his red team sweatshirt that had a prowling cat on the front.
“Oh. Well, that’s good. Sky wants to try out, and I told her that she should.” As my eyes took him in, I gathered all there was about him. He was a very big guy, maybe a little taller than Kane. Older, but still very good looking. Though the interest and intrigue just wasn’t there like it was about that coach of Jordan’s team.
“I’ll be sure to let you know when the try-outs begin. If she needs a ride, I can drop her off. And the boys will have hockey practice at the same time, so I can wait there with her until you get there.” Grumbling something to the person down the bench from him, his large bear-frame tensed up. But when he released the laugh, the air lifted and the comfort swooped back in to take over, his attention coming back to me. “It’s hard being a single parent these days. If you need anything, just let me know. I have the kids most of the time during school, too.”
Shock blasted through me, freezing me into place. Someone isn’t wanting me to give Sky and Jordan up. I liked him now, for sure, but they always say to watch everyone no matter how they seem.
Before I could say anything, the two twelve-years-olds in front of us began to cheer as the team entered the ice and skated around. Ben went through, one by one, telling me about most of the players while they shot pucks into the net and skated around like they were on fire. When the game began, I started cheering, but as Ben’s comfort started to become more laid-back, he made sure I wasn’t cheering on the opposing team.
Half way through the first twenty-minute period, Jordan was put into the game, and he was nervous and a little scared, stiff and trying more than his best. After the other team scored a goal and the first period closed, the boys returned to where they came out, but Kane waited for Jordan, who was skating slowly with his head down, the anger frosting the area more so than the ice was. Instead of screaming at him, Kane put his arm across Jordan’s shoulders, talked to him, and Jordan’s body eased off the defense and loosened up. By the end of the little sidebar, Jordan was smiling and prancing down the tunnel with his head held high.
When the first period timeout was done, Ben filled me in on some mistakes that were being made and why some plays weren’t good while others were. When the second period began, I was on my feet the majority of the time each time Jordan stopped the puck. And did he ever do a good job. Some of the saves he made, I still wondered how in the heck he was able to move like that.
The third period was fast. Jordan was getting a workout with the game mostly down at his end. A few times, he shoved players out of his way, but he managed to stop the pucks; a few that were pretty close calls. In the last few minutes, our team was down by one goal and Ben’s son managed to tie it up. Hoping that we did get to go into overtime, the other team snuck in. Three players covered Jordan and practically pushed him out of the net just to score and win the game. Kane fought the goal, but wasn’t successful and had to let it go. Things happen and there would always be more games.
“That was a pretty good game.” I smiled at Ben as we both stood while everyone in the arena was practically running out of the bleachers. Just as I turned my head, my heart skipped a beat at realizing just how big Ben was. His son was tall, which I gathered, but Ben had to be at least six-six. When his daughter stepped up on the bleacher beside me, the air shot out of my lungs, blazing a trail behind it. Even she was taller than me. If the height was being sold at the local diner, I needed to get me a plate so I could grow a touch in order not to feel so tiny.
“If we had another two minutes, we could have tied them.” Ben chuckled as he turned to Alicia, the tiredness weeping around his gentle, gray eyes. “We should go and find your mom.”
“Do we have to go with her tonight?” Her eyes filled with sadness and her shoulders slumped, making her the same height as me now, and she looked at Sky. “Maybe we can hang out next weekend.”
“I would like that.” Sky’s hand slid into mine, and the grip tightened as the wave of people were coming our direction. With the missing girls and the arena being filled, I wasn’t going to let her go.
“We’re going for pizza in a little bit. You are welcome to join us,” Ben offered as he cleared his throat and dug in his jean’s pocket for his set of keys. “Most of the team goes after the game. Kind of a little good game type of thing.”
“Sure we can.” I had some money in my pocket, and Jordan’s involvement was important. He really enjoyed the game, and his attitude even lifted. Shunning him because of my unfortunate banking error would be wrong. I would just have to skip a couple lunches, not that it mattered to me. Besides, coming Monday, the bank would have my money back into my account and we would be just fine.
The gentleman in Ben allowed the girls and me to step into the aisle and down the steps first before he led us out of the arena to the warmer entrance area. Ben greeted a few people and jumped into a conversation with them right away, and Sky was already going on about basketball and school with her new friend. And I was there, just waiting.
When Jordan finally emerged from the locker room, his face was hard with anger and his hair was damp from the shower to where the beads were still balled at the ends. Andrew came out behind him with his bag slung over his shoulder, a team bag that I was sure the parents had the option to purchase. Another thing that I would have to try to purchase once th
e bank figured out their error.
“Dude, don’t let it get you down. You did damn good out there for this being your first game.” Andrew clapped Jordan on the back, but the pep talk didn’t do any good on breaking Jordan’s concrete face.
“I screwed it up. I should have had that last puck, but that moron literally tugged me out of the net. How can that not be my fault?” His words were thick with the hatred and the anger he once carried into our house. This time, the anger was directed to him and not on me.
“We had a lot of screw-ups out there, and it happens. Not everything is caught by the officials.” Andrew’s blond head of hair turned to his taller dad, acknowledging the parental aspect of his life. “We will take him down next time.”
Jordan nodded, his eyes easing back from the anger deep within himself to a shade of dark disappointment. Everything about him changed in just this short time that he really was turning everything at him instead of others. Jitters ran through me, though, at the same time my stomach knotted with knots of sorrow for just how much he was putting on his own shoulders. Maybe I would rather him direct the anger back at me.
Instead, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders, not thinking that Andrew was standing right by us. Hugging was always my mom’s deal, and it must have rubbed off. A hug always made me feel better when I didn’t do as good at something as I hoped. “You were awesome out there.”
“Thanks, Keri.” His voice shied as the shame colored over his face and settled deep into his cheeks. “I’m sorry.”
“You played great. Sometimes you might lose, but it’s all how you play the game, Jordan.” Withdrawing my arms, I stepped back and slipped my hands deep into the pockets of my jeans, hoping I didn’t embarrass him in front of his friends. “I’m proud of you. Are you hungry?”
A little smile came as his cheeks darkened. Maybe I shouldn’t have hugged him, but damn, the sadness that was filling him was insisting that my heart crack in two. “Starving.”
“Alright. Ben was saying that the team goes out for pizza after the games. Why don’t we join?” Giving his back a little circular rub between the shoulder blades, my view shot over to the rather large bear-man that was looking directly at me. My heart jumped a little as hundreds of thoughts ran through my mind. I just hoped Ben wasn’t getting the wrong idea. Cheering Jordan up was my main priority, seeing as I knew how his anger could get. These kids needed someone who wasn’t afraid to show them that they loved them. They never had that before, and I knew Jordan put everything he had in that game. There was no reason for him to feel that bad about it. And if he was starving, I needed to get him something to eat before he withered away on me.
We followed Ben over to the pizza place that was right in the downtown area. The place wasn’t busy and the free-standing tables were all put together in one long row. Parents were filling in the booths while the players were filling into the spots at the table. Jordan chose to sit next to Andrew and talk about the game some more. Looking around at the groups that were already seated together, I could instantly see the comradery that was holding strong with the parents.
Ben waved us over to the booth where he and his daughter were sitting on one side. “You can share with us. Susan isn’t going to be here.”
“Thank you.” I nudged Sky into the seat and slid in next to her, brushing the knees of the man across from me. I tried to situate mine to the side in order not to give him any inclination that I was drooling after him or even thinking of him in that kind of manner. But, my heart settled its rapid beating and returned to normal as if there was nothing more than a good friendship with this man.
“Sky, are you going to try out for the basketball team?” Ben rested back, letting his belly show a little more through the long sleeved shirt. “Next month, the tryouts will start.”
Her cheeks darkened as she nodded, curling her body closer to mine and reminding me of the damage that had been done to this innocent little girl. Though the happiness washed into my veins, knowing she trusted me this much to protect her. And I would, no matter what. She was my daughter now, and that was my job.
“We have a pretty solid team already, so I would practice as much as you can.” His soft, grey eyes that were surrounded by exhaustion and age shifted over to me, getting the assurance to back his attention off her because of her actions. In time, she will be able to trust him a little more, and with being friends with his daughter, that would help even more.
“Where can she practice?” A thick lump started to fill in my throat. With the cases of the two girls going missing, it was harder and harder leaving Sky alone. Having both kids in activities and separated from each other was going to be hard, but I could do it. Kane was pretty good at keeping a watch on Jordan, and I could talk to him about Sky playing basketball to get a glimpse of how Ben actually was as a person and if I could trust him.
“She can stay after school with Alicia, and I will be there getting things ready. We usually practice from four to five. Then, I can drop her off at the rink when I pick up Andrew.”
I looked at the big smile on Sky’s face and her eyes lighting up. Being friends with Alicia seemed to bring her out of the shell a little more and I couldn’t break her heart and tell her no, she couldn’t have any friends outside of school. But being a parent meant I would have to take some chances once in a while. “You’ll call if you have to leave early so I can—”
“I will, and you don’t have to worry. I will keep an eye on her, and if I have something that I have to do, I will bring them both over to the rink where Jordan and Andrew will be.” His eyes were solid with truth, more than I ever remember seeing in Joe’s eyes at all. One of the things, looking back at my marriage now, I should have noticed right away. But being young and falling into a cheap trap, I had to learn my lesson.
“Sounds good.” I had to trust someone, right? And Ben was a single parent with a young daughter, too. Besides, if he was someone who would harm the girls, he wouldn’t be allowed to coach the team.
The door opened, bringing one loud hoot from all the boys at the center table. Kane strolled in, and his eyes shot to me with the anger filling them deep. Since then, while the boys and he worked on the tables filled with pizzas, he hadn’t looked my way since. Then again, he wanted me to give the two kids up and that was not happening. Once I spoke to the bank and demanded they return my money, the three of us would be just fine. And everyone could see what a damn good team we made.
Monday. I just had to wait until Monday and this worry would all be over with.
Chapter 14
That damn woman was really getting to me and ruining my life. I checked the bank to make sure the money for the check was available and just as I figured, it wasn’t. I should have talked to her about it, but as I heard a few concerns from the other parents, the kids were bringing her down. I had her signature on the check so I forged her name on the sponsorship paperwork and stuck the money she spent on Jordan’s equipment back into her account. It was the only way I could keep Jordan on the team; not only because we needed him, but he needed this, too.
And then, at the pizza place after the game, she was sitting at the table with Ben Bradford, the farmer who had more money than anyone knew about. Everyone knew he had a pocket full of bills, but no one really knew about the western wealth of oil money that was rolling in behind the scenes.
Maybe that was what she was looking for. A man with money who could bring her out of the penniless pit those two kids were distilling on her. The looks Ben was giving her screamed he was in love with her already, but, then again, Keri was hot as hell and since the day she stormed into my world, throwing her box of colors at me, I hadn’t been able to get her off my mind.
But what guy didn’t look at her while undressing her with their eyes? Some of the players were even talking about how hot she was, and it already caused a big fight in the locker room. Andrew jumped into the middle of it. Andrew; the one kid who barely said three words and he was on Jordan’s side, standin
g up and protecting Keri’s name.
As my mom told me Thursday night at dinner, I needed to mind my own business and just keep an eye on the kids. And without a damn dime to her name, Keri was way in over her head. If anyone found out, she would have those two taken away in a heartbeat.
I just needed to let off some steam and get that damn woman out of my head. Dressed in my black long sleeved shirt and my pair of dark jeans, I walked into my club, and panties were already hitting the floor. I had been off my game for too long, since the day Keri barged into my office, and I needed to get back on playing the room. There was no way she was going to ruin my life because she wanted to ruin her own with those two kids.
Today, we lost the game, but it was a good loss. Jordan was a little nervous at the beginning when I put him in the net, but after he got a little more comfortable, the kid was on fire. Goalie was a perfect place for him due to the unbelievably quick glove the kid had. Not to count, it kept him out of fights, and with the temper he had, I needed to keep him from the provoking players. I wanted to put him as Andrew’s left wing with the two becoming friends, but I wasn’t sure that I wanted him out of the net with the way he played. We had to do something or we would be out of the playoffs, ending the season early. Only two teams were dropped, and we were in the second to the last place. If we lost the next game, that would put us at the bottom and we wouldn’t have a chance to come back up.
Scanning the Saturday night crowd, I set my eyes on one woman wearing a short skirt and a real low cut top. I winked when her eyes sprung my way, bringing the fire into her core. That would be the one I released my frustrations on.
All through the night, I kept my eye on her and flirted here and there to keep her interested. Finally, we hit the dance floor and I could tell that she was ready to just leave. After a few more drinks, I allowed her to stick her tongue down my throat as I had her backside pressed against me. Screw Keri and those damn jeans of hers … and those damn colors of emotions she threw at me.