The Hardest Hit

by Teague, AS

Aiden: That’s not a secret…

  Me: I minored in history in college.

  Aiden: History? That was literally my least favorite subject. Why would you purposely choose to minor in that?

  Me: When I was in fifth grade, I had a history teacher who made learning fun. We went on a field trip to Colonial Williamsburg, and it was a totally different world. When we came back, I started reading about all the history I could, because it took me to a different time. One where I wasn’t a foster kid whose dad sucked. And no matter how bad my life was, I couldn’t imagine living in a time without running water or electricity. It kind of helped me survive my shitty circumstances.

  Aiden: Wow. I never thought about it that way. It was always just a bunch of dates I was forced to memorize.

  Me: Yeah… I get that… probably not the kind of secret you were hoping for, huh?

  Aiden: It was exactly what I was hoping for. My grandfather was the only person who believed in me. Sure, my dad and brother said I had talent, but Gramps… Man, he was the one who pushed me, who cheered for ME on the field, not Maxwell. He died when I was 16. He played for the Vikings. He would have been pissed I went to the Packers… but he still would have been proud.

  Me: …I’m sorry…

  Aiden: Me too…

  Me: …Wow, that was kind of heavy, huh?

  Aiden: If you were a pizza topping, what would you be?

  Tears had rolled down my cheeks during our exchange; it had been a long time since I’d told anyone the true reason behind my love of history. But I managed to giggle through the sadness at his ridiculous change of subject. I decided that I’d told enough of my secrets for one night.

  Seven days later

  Me: Pineapple.

  Aiden: Pineapple on pizza should be illegal. Why the hell would you want to be that?

  Me: Exactly… then no one would eat me.

  Aiden: I’d like to eat you…

  Me: I knew it the moment I pressed Send that I asked for that response…

  Me: How was training camp?

  Aiden: It was brutal. But I impressed the coach. Just like I told him I would. I’ll probably get the starting job.

  Me: That’s amazing. But we already knew that you were going to be the best…

  Aiden: How was your day?

  Me: Terrible. One of my patients threw a clot and died this morning. He was only 26.

  Aiden: Holy shit. I’m sorry. What can I do?

  Me: Unless you can turn back the hands of time and tell him not to ride a motorcycle at 100 mph, then nothing.

  Aiden: You know, you’re in luck. I literally just built a time machine yesterday. If I’m going back in time, you should come with me. We can go back to Vegas.

  Me: Don’t you tease me with a good time, Aiden Shaw.

  Aiden: Oooohhhh, I like it when you use my full name. When I take you out, make sure you wear your hair down and call me by my full name the whole time.

  Me: And when exactly are you taking me out?

  Aiden: This weekend. I’m going to fly in.

  Me: You are, are you? Who says I’m available this weekend?

  Aiden: You’ll make yourself available for me.

  Me: Someone is rather full of himself today.

  Aiden: Is that a yes?

  It was totally a yes. But I had a reputation to uphold. One that didn’t involve responding right away. So, I closed out the text thread and began scrolling through social media on my phone, ignoring the overwhelming desire to answer him right away. I kept telling myself it was good to make him sweat a little, but I wasn’t so sure that I wasn’t just torturing myself instead.

  The next day

  Me: Yes.

  Me: Although, my secret admirer may not appreciate me going out on a date with you after sending me 365 pints of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream.

  Aiden: If I had known that all I needed to do was send you ice cream to get an immediate response, I’d have done that a month ago.

  Me: You didn’t send me ice cream. The card was signed ‘Your super sexy football-playing, cougar-lovin’, desperate-for-your-touch secret admirer’. You don’t fit that description.

  Aiden: You cut me open.

  Aiden: But I keep bleeding.

  Aiden: Bleeding in love.

  Me: Are you singing a Leona Lewis song to me right now?

  Aiden: That’s another one of my secrets…. Her music is transcendent.

  Me: I don’t even know what to say.

  Aiden: Uh, you tell me one of your secrets. That’s how this game works.

  Me: Is that what we’re doing here? Playing a game? Cause I have a feeling there won’t be any winners.

  Aiden: I’m a winner. Haven’t you seen my college football stats? There is no way I’m losing whatever game this is we’ve got going on.

  Me: It’ll probably just be me who loses.

  Aiden: Nope. I’m a team player. If you’re on my team, you’re winning too.

  Me: So, I guess I’m Team Aiden now?

  Aiden: You were always Team Aiden. How about I pick you up at four on Saturday?

  Me: Sounds like a date…

  A date. My stomach fluttered like a school girl’s with a crush at the words. I wasn’t sure how I’d survive the next few days, waiting to see Aiden again, but I had more than enough work to hopefully keep me busy until then.

  Saturday

  Me: It’s 4:30... are you just fashionably late?

  Me: Are you still on Central time and that’s why you’re an hour late?

  Me: Wow… so glad that I took my time getting ready for you.

  Me: …

  Me: You know… I don’t have time for games. My life is ridiculous enough without you jerking me around.

  Me: Okay. It’s obvious you’re not showing up. Since you can’t be bothered to even respond or give me some bullshit excuse, do me a favor and lose my number.

  I stared at the phone for at least another ten minutes, willing him to respond, to say anything. I worried that maybe something had happened to him and I was being insensitive by saying what I had. After staring until my eyes blurred, I finally set the phone down and trudged to the bedroom to change into pajamas and tried to convince myself that I wasn’t at all upset by being stood up.

  It was in vain though, because my heart ached at the thought that whatever chemistry I thought we’d had was all a lie.

  Chapter Two

  Aiden

  I was an asshole.

  End of story.

  I could have picked up the phone and called her. Or at least answered her texts. But my head was swimming, and for nearly six weeks it was all I could to do stay focused on football.

  So, after not speaking a word to Mel in a month and a half, I was standing on her doorstep with Griffin, not sure which of us was more nervous. Me because I knew exactly what to expect from a shunned Melanie Holstein. Griff because, well, because he didn’t know what to expect. Brooke was pregnant and Griffin was the father.

  That one-night stand he’d had in Las Vegas two and a half months ago had resulted in something none of us had ever imagined, and now I was here to lend him the support that he so desperately needed.

  When the door opened, I came face-to-face with the woman who I’d wanted to see so badly after our trip. She pinned me with a glare, and it was all I could do to keep from ducking my head in shame. I may have had a reason for not being there the day of our date, but I damn sure didn’t have a good excuse for not explaining myself to her in the six weeks after that.

  “Had to bring backup, huh?” Mel said, her penetrating gaze never leaving mine.

  I smirked. She was every bit as fiery as I remembered and even more fucking beautiful. She’d had no idea that I’d be coming with Griffin today; not even Griffin had known until I’d changed my flight plans from our guys trip in Tahoe and flown to Atlanta with him instead of home to Wisconsin.

  “Hello, pot, it’s nice to see you again. I’m the fucking kettle,” I quipped before pushing past my buddy an
d invading her space.

  She smelled like lavender and something earthy, and it was all I could do to keep from burying my nose in her soft curls. Instead, I grabbed her arm, the one that was crossed over her chest, and brought her hand to my lips. “Hey, Mel. You’re looking good.”

  With a toss of her mane, she rolled her eyes and snatched her hand from mine. “Not falling for that shit this time, Aiden. You break your phone and lose all your contacts or just my number?”

  My lips twitched to tell her the truth, but this trip was about Griff. My own drama could wait. But I would explain my epic blowoff to her, whether it was now or later.

  “For God’s sake, Mel, let them in,” a voice called from inside the house.

  Mel stepped aside and gestured for us to come in, her glare never leaving my face. I didn’t blame her one bit.

  We settled into the living room and Griff and Brooke began to talk. I tried listening to what was being said, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off Mel.

  We’d only spent one night together almost three months ago, and nothing more than a few stolen kisses had happened, but there was something about her that I just couldn’t shake.

  “Aiden?” Griff’s voice broke through my thoughts.

  I reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, man?”

  “Get out.”

  I blinked, my fingers digging into his muscle. “What?”

  He looked me in the eye and said, “I need you to go somewhere. The kitchen, outside, a bar. I don’t care.” He pulled his gaze from mine. “And, Mel, if you don’t mind, I would appreciate it if you went with him.”

  Immediately, her head shook, that wild hair flying. “Not a chance.”

  “Yes,” Brooke piped up. “Go with Aiden. You guys catch up.”

  Mel’s eyes pleaded with Brooke as she continued to protest. “I told you I was going to be with you this whole time.”

  “I gotta agree with Mel here, dude. I think we should stay,” I said, my hand still on his shoulder.

  He shook it off and turned to face me. I’d seen that look in his eyes before. His mind was already made up. There would be nothing I could say to him to change his mind. “You’re like my brother, man. I love ya. But I need to talk to Brooke without you in my ear.”

  “Mel,”—he held up one hand as though he were taking an oath— “I swear to you, I am not a bad guy. I am not going to hurt your friend. Give us an hour to talk, then we can all grab dinner together. Yeah?”

  She wasn’t convinced, but when Griff nudged my knee and jerked his chin in her direction, I took over.

  “Mel, I do believe I owe you a drink.” I pushed to my feet and extended a hand her way. “Why don’t you show me your favorite spot in town to get one?”

  With one last look at Brooke, she stood, but purposely, she sidestepped my hand and sighed. “I believe, Aiden, you owe me quite a bit more than one drink.”

  After giving Brooke a squeeze, she didn’t even look back at me as she made her way out to the porch. I followed her through the door, unable to resist the urge to look at her ass, and was caught the moment I pulled the door closed behind me.

  “Not that I want to spend anymore time than necessary with you, but I could use a drink. You’re buying.”

  I wasn’t about to argue. Whatever it took to get a few minutes alone with her was exactly what I was going to do. I’d buy her an entire bar if that’s what she asked for. I pulled the passenger door to the rental car open, and she slid inside without so much as a murmur of thanks.

  I deserved that, and more. I was desperate to be in her presence again, but I knew that having to explain myself was not going to be easy. Or fun.

  * * *

  After an uncomfortable and silent drive to the small downtown area of their suburb, Mel led me to an outdoor bar, and we settled into one of the high-top tables. The waitress was at our table immediately, and we both ordered before staring at each other in an awkward silence until the waitress returned with our drinks.

  “Mel, I can explain.”

  She sipped her wine and arched a brow. “I’m sure you can. I just don’t really care to hear it.”

  I took a pull of the summer brew I’d ordered and set the bottle back on the table. “I don’t blame you.”

  She laughed. “Well, that’s good, considering you’re the one who stood me up. I did nothing to be blamed for except be stupid enough to think that you were a man of your word.”

  Arrow launched. Target hit. Fair enough.

  “I deserve that. I do. But I promise you I have a really good although really fucking twisted reason.”

  She pressed her lips into a thin line and continued to watch me over the rim of her wine glass. When she didn’t tell me to fuck off and shut up, I took it as an invitation to give her the excuse she didn’t really want to hear.

  “Listen. My life is… well, complicated.”

  She pressed a hand to her chest, her perfectly painted nails glistening in the sun. “What? You mean you have a complicated life? Well, I am so sorry that I can’t possibly understand that. My life is just perfectly easy.”

  I shook my head. “I know that everyone’s life is complicated. That’s not what I meant.”

  She waved a hand in my direction. “Well, go on then, explain how your life is so complicated that you couldn’t be bothered to type out a simple text.”

  I sucked in a deep breath. I hadn’t told anyone, not even Griff or Quinn, what was going on, but it wasn’t them who had been directly affected by the way my life had taken a sudden turn.

  “Listen. Before I explain, can you promise me that you won’t mention this to Brooke or Griff? I haven’t quite figured out how to tell the guys. I’m not ready for the word to get out anyway. But”—I reached across the table and captured her hand in mine before she could protest—“you deserve the truth. You deserve a fuck of a lot more than that, but the truth is all I can give you right now.”

  She tried to pull her hand from mine, but I squeezed her fingers and then stroked my thumb over her knuckles. “Don’t do that, Mel. Just listen to me.”

  She pursed her lips but stopped trying to escape my grasp.

  “All through high school and most of college, I had a girlfriend named Shay.”

  Mel frowned. “Ah, yes. Another woman. That makes total sense.”

  I shook my head. “For God’s sake, can you stop with the sarcasm long enough to let me explain?”

  “I don’t know, Aiden, can you stop with the bullshit charm long enough to give me a straight answer? You really think you can prance into my home looking sexy as hell and smooth talk me into forgetting that you stood me up and then went MIA for six damn weeks?”

  “You think I look sexy right now?” I couldn’t stop the grin that only spread wider as her frustration grew.

  “You know good and damn well you look good. Your ego is so damn big, you don’t need me saying otherwise. That’s not the point.”

  I leaned across the table and dropped my voice. “You look pretty damn incredible yourself.” I reached a hand up and cupped her neck. “Melanie, I am so fucking sorry that I didn’t show up when I was supposed to. And even sorrier that I left you hanging.”

  I’d never been more sincere in my life. I meant it. I’d give anything to be able to go back and do things differently. Now, sitting at a crowded neighborhood bar across from her, I realized what I had truly done.

  I’d messed up and lost my chance with a woman who deserved so much more than I had to offer.

  Mel pulled from my grip. “I believe you’re sorry. But that doesn’t tell me why you did it.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest as she sat back in the chair. “So, go ahead and give me one good reason why… I’m waiting.”

  I groaned. I hadn’t been able to say the words aloud to anyone yet, six weeks after hearing the news, still unable to process it.

  “My girlfriend—” Mel’s brow arched, and I corrected, “Ex-girlfriend, Shay. We’d broken up mont
hs before I was drafted and went to Vegas. She’s… she’s just not the right woman for me.”

  “Can you please get to the point?”

  “You know, I had reservations made for us. Had the whole night planned. Dinner then drinks. I’d ordered hydrangeas to be picked up from the florist near your house. Then Shay called. She needed to see me; it couldn’t wait, it was an emergency. And no matter how many times I insisted that I was busy, she kept on. Something about the urgency in her voice made me relent and agree to a quick breakfast in the morning so I could get on my flight here and see you again. I was desperate to see you again.”

  I took a deep swig of my beer, working up my nerve to go on. I’d relived that morning every day since it had happened, but telling someone else about it, it was a shock all over again. “Anyway, I met her at a diner, and imagine my fucking surprise when she walks in, thirty pounds heavier than the last time I’d seen her.”

  “I don’t understand what her weight gain has to do with why you blew me off.”

  “She gained weight because she’s pregnant.”

  Mel’s mouth fell open. “Pregnant?”

  When Shay had pranced into that diner on three-inch heels, her belly swollen and a gleam in her eyes, I hadn’t been able to wrap my mind around it either.

  “Shay is almost eight months pregnant with my babies. She waited almost six damn months to tell me, and it’s not a fucking coincidence that she let me in on her little secret just a day after my contract with the Packers was announced.”

  “Shit,” Mel breathed.

  “My thoughts exactly,” I murmured.

  Mel drained her wine glass and held it up toward the waitress. “I need another drink.”

  I couldn’t agree more. “I should have texted you. I should have called or sent an email or written a letter or something. But I swear, I still don’t think I’ve come to terms with the fact that I’m going to be a father.” The words came tumbling out, and I couldn’t stop the admission of my fears once I got started. “Griff doesn’t know. My parents don’t know. No one but you knows because I don’t know what the fuck I’m going to do. I gave him shit about knocking your friend up, and yet I’m in a boat that’s almost the same. The only difference is, Brooke seems to be a good person, whereas Shay… well, I can’t really talk shit about the mother of my children, but there’s a reason I broke it off with her, just like there’s a reason she didn’t feel the need to give me a heads up about fatherhood until she knew exactly how many zeros were in my signing check.”