Page 19

James

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I t’s been a month since I’ve seen the girls. Well, I see them at my home games when Marie works and I see Marie around the rink almost every day when we practice.

But she doesn’t talk to me. The girls aren’t answering their phones.

I finally broke and begged Nolan and Landon to forgive me for the shit I’ve been putting them through and told them I’m done asking about Marie.

We hugged it out and I’ve been going out to the bars again with them.

Sometimes Logan joins, but he’s always busy with Bianca.

Alex refuses to go out and meet them, anyone really, so she sits at home and online shops.

She only leaves the house to go to the airport to her mom in LA, or to go shopping.

Alone. Every time I ask if she wants to go out to eat, she makes up excuses on why we should stay in.

I mean, it’s fine, we don’t need to go out to have a nice night.

She met Nolan several weeks ago when he showed up unannounced to watch a game and drink some beers. He was respectful towards her, and she still comes up with excuses on why he can’t ever come over again.

She seems to really love her privacy.

I’m also waiting on the results from my last appointment with the doctor on my latest sperm sample. It’s been over two months since the procedure and I haven’t been shooting blanks yet. Close, but not close enough.

Which also means I haven’t slept with Alex yet.

We’ve done everything else, but I just fall asleep right after so that she can’t beg for me to fuck her, blaming the hockey season and how tired I’ve been.

I’d have done it. I’m too weak to not cave to a begging, naked woman wrapped up in my red silk sheets. At least I can admit it.

But I’m too paranoid now after what the guys and Marie pointed out. I’d rather not take any chances.

We have more away games this week and will be gone for ten days this trip, then we have a few weeks off for Christmas. I just hope that the girls let me see them so that I can give them their gifts, and it’s my birthday tomorrow.

Marie sent me a package and it was delivered a few days ago. There was a card and a new duffel bag that she had all decked out for me. My last name, team name, and number are on it. There was even a gift certificate to my favorite restaurant in the card.

The girls both called, but since Alex wanted to celebrate my birthday with me at home, they declined on joining.

“Carter! Get your head in the game!”

I nod at my coach and get back in formation, letting the icy air calm me.

Breathing in and shaking out my limbs, I stare down Logan who’s my direct opponent today during practice.

The asshole is getting married on New Year’s Eve and I’m looking forward to having Alex come out and finally meet everyone.

Even if I had to tell a white lie about who’s actually attending.

The puck is dropped and Logan and I skate forward towards each other, shoving each other as we chase the puck. The sounds of our heavy breathing, our skates gliding in the ice, our sticks pounding and slapping against each other as we chase the black rubber puck.

He gets it away from me and shoots it to the other side of the rink. I chase after it, shoving and maneuvering my way towards it, slapping it to Blake to make the shot.

Goal.

Fuck, yeah!

Our first line center forward, Morgan is right behind me, hollering and hooting.

He came out last week for drinks and told us about the problems he’s been having with his wife, apparently she’s been secreting money away into a separate bank account and he found out she’s been talking to and seeing other men…

He said they’re trying counseling but I feel like everything is going to shit for everyone around here lately.

We play for another hour before our coach calls it and tells us to get showered.

I turn to check across the rink and see Marie shuffling away, staring down at her tablet as she types up her notes. No one got hurt today, but she still checked out a few of the guys that went down too hard. I still have no idea why Patterson has to be with her and she refuses to get on the ice.

Am I that repulsive?

I scowl as I make my way to the locker room, shucking off my gear and hitting the showers. I rush through my shower, making sure to rinse off completely before I turn off the water.

I wrap my towel around me as I pad over to my locker and shuck on my sweatpants and a t-shirt, placing my hoodie on my arm as I step into my shoes.

Landon drops his towel right beside me and I glance away as he gets dressed. “What are you up to this weekend, J?”

I shrug and stand, grabbing my wallet, phone, and truck keys. “Not sure what Alex wants to do before we leave. What about you?”

He turns and grimaces at me, clearing his throat. “Marie is hosting a cookout… Most of the team is going.”

I lick my dry lips and nod. “Nice,” I croak out and step away. “Have a good time.”

“I… We’ve tried to invite you and Alex out several times. You never show up anyway unless Alex is busy and that’s like once a week, plus this is Marie’s deal. I’m not getting in the middle of what’s going on between you and your family, but Marie is still close to the team, man.”

I shrug. “And now everyone has her address aside from me. Nice.”

He sends me a look and pulls his hoodie over his head.

“Yeah, and whose fault is that? She knows what would happen if you had it. You wouldn’t leave her alone, and your girlfriend would probably terrorize her, too.

She doesn’t need any of that shit right now.

She has enough going on.” He waves as he passes me and leaves me in the locker room.

I glance around and find Nolan heading out and he winces at me. “He’s right, J. Just give it time. She’ll eventually come around. If not, at least you have a hot piece of ass, right?” He chuckles sarcastically and leaves, too. I sit down on the bench in front of the lockers and groan into my hands.

My phone rings in my pocket and I pull it out, seeing the doctor’s office finally calling.

“Hello?”

“Hello! May I please speak to James Carter.”

“This is he.”

The girl clears her throat. “We have your last results, you’re clear! No swimmers, zero sperm count.” She chuckles. “I’ll make another appointment for next month just to be sure, is that okay?”

“Wow. Yeah, that’s great…”

“Perfect, how about January twentieth at three PM?”

I confirm and hang up, a bounce in my step.

I can finally fuck my girl, I never have to worry about kids. Maybe this will fix my issues with her, too. All that pent up… everything.

I’ll just have to keep myself busy this weekend since the entire fucking team and their wives and girlfriends will be at Marie’s house with my little sisters.

Good thing they’ve been around them for years and I trust all of them. That’s not the major issue I’m having. I feel like shit and don’t know how to fix any of this.

I sigh as I make the drive home, finding Alex sitting out back, talking on the phone. I open up the door and wave to her and she waves at me as she finishes up her call.

“Hey! How was practice?”

I lean down and kiss her cheek. “It was fun. Any plans for us this weekend?”

She hums and shoves her hands up my shirt, her tiny, cold hands are pressed against my abs. “Can we go on a quick trip? You leave on Monday, right?”

I nod. “Yeah, but I have practice this weekend, it’s mandatory this time since it’s before away games. We can go out to eat tomorrow?”

She reluctantly nods and bites down on her plump red lip. “Sounds good. We can go shopping! We can get me a new dress for Christmas and for your friend’s wedding.”

I sigh internally and nod. Of course. Shopping. “Sounds good. What do you want for dinner tonight?”

She shrugs and winks at me. “Surprise me, you know what I like. I have an open bottle of red wine on the counter if you want some.”

I kiss her forehead again as I head to the kitchen, finding it bare aside from alcohol inside of the fridge. There’s no food in the house at all. Not even leftovers.

Fuck, I miss the girls, they almost cooked as well as Marie did.

The more time I spend with Alex, the more I realize we have nothing in common aside from passion and attraction.

We don’t talk about hockey, or her work, or anything with substance.

She usually just sits around the house, watching movies or sits on her phone.

She seemed perfect for me for selfish needs. Did I make a mistake?

I step over to the pantry and pull it open, frowning at the barren shelves.

There’s not even any peanut butter or crackers in the pantry.

I need to order groceries, maybe I can get another bottle of wine.

I need to talk to Alex more about getting out of the house.

I miss my friends, I miss the cookouts, the parties, or I can wait to order the groceries when I get back from the away games.

No reason to buy food when Alex won’t eat any of it, that girl barely eats.

The majority of her diet is salad, wine, and my dick.

I snort to myself as I work on ordering us some dinner. I crack open a cold beer and lean against the counter as I scroll through social media after I place the order from a new Mexican restaurant down the road.

I frown when I see a picture on Nolan’s page of him and Landon in some random backyard, their hands on… Marie’s swollen, protruding belly. She’s smiling, laughing in the photo. She looks radiant.

She’s pregnant?

Is that why she left and is ignoring me?

Are you fucking kidding me? Just because I didn’t want kids doesn’t mean I would drive her away if she had any… Holy shit how far along is she? Is the father even in the picture? Literally and figuratively. Is it Nolan or Landon’s?

They all knew?