Page 17 of Breakaway (Nashville Knights Hockey #3)

Chapter Seventeen

DAX

I ’m doing it. I’m having the adult conversation.

I don’t care that every single fiber of my being is stressed beyond belief. I was not this nervous before my first NHL game.

That was different.

This is different.

It’s Chloe. My best friend. And I want to ask her to make this thing between us more permanent. We were lying to ourselves if we thought nothing could change. Everything changed. I’m hoping for the better, but that remains to be seen.

With the team’s annual fundraiser gala coming up early in the season, I want to bring Chloe as my plus-one.

But I don’t want to push my luck. It’s been a hard few weeks for her. Why would she want to take a chance on me?

I’m hoping I might be able to convince her.

Packing up the last of the lunch items into the wicker basket, I grab the blue-and-white checkered blanket and head out to my truck .

I drop the basket into the backseat and pull out of the driveway. I know she said she was busy today since I had practice, but I’m hoping I can pull her away for at least an hour or two before I head over to the arena to start studying film.

I mean, everyone has to eat, right?

I smile, thinking about Chloe working on her dream. The one my brother never encouraged her to pursue.

My knuckles go white around the steering wheel. How did I get stuck with the world’s biggest dick for a brother? Someone who treated his fiancée like utter shit?

Frankly, I’m glad she’s done with him.

Chloe deserves better.

Flicking on my blinker, I turn into the parking lot of her apartment building and find an empty spot.

I spot her curtains from my seat, seeing her shadow move beyond. Even through the flimsy material, I can see just how sexy she is.

I only hope she says yes to me. But I won’t know if I never get the courage to leave my truck.

Opening the truck door, I hop out and make the short walk to her apartment. Rapping my knuckles on her door, I wait.

When she greets me with a wide smile, I have to do everything in my power to keep it together. Because in a white tank top with a fancy lace pattern that covers her chest and a pair of cutoff jean shorts, she looks fucking stunning.

It’s hard to be around her and not think of what the two of us have done together. Does she think about it as much as I do? It takes all I have to focus on hockey and not her every second of the day.

“Hey. What are you doing here?”

“I thought we could do lunch together today. ”

“Don’t you have practice?”

“Not until later. I’ve got everything waiting in the truck.”

“Umm.” Chloe looks at the messy table behind her. “I guess I could take a break for a little while.”

I give her my best smile. “I mean, everyone has to eat at some point, right? I promise, I won’t keep you long. I don’t want to be a distraction.”

“You’re not a distraction, Dax. I mean, I already burned myself today, so I probably should take a break.” Chloe reaches toward the table behind her and grabs her keys and sunglasses before stepping into a pair of sandals. “Let’s go.”

She brushes past me in a whirl of citrus and blonde hair. That faint aroma pulls me right back to that night where I had my hands all over her. Where it was just the two of us in that room. No one else.

Fuck. I do not need to be sporting a boner at a picnic with my best friend.

“Where are we going?” Chloe asks as I hop into the truck after her.

“There’s that cute park near downtown I thought we could go to. Do I need to swing by the store and buy you something for your burn?”

She holds up her bandaged finger. “I’m all taken care of.”

“As long as you don’t lose any fingers,” I say.

“I won’t.” She slides her dark black sunglasses on and rests her feet on the dash as I steer us toward the city.

A silence settles over us. One that I’m not used to. Could things be weird because she wants to forget about what happened? How can you forget about your friend dry humping with you and getting off?

I don’t know if that’s possible .

I don’t know what possessed me that night at the club, but it was like I was a different person. Drake went after what he wanted. And who he wanted.

Cora.

It’s not a long trip to the park, but I don’t want things to be awkward for even the short drive.

“How much did you get done today?” I ask. It’s about the only thing I can come up with.

Chloe tucks a lock of hair behind her ear, resting her head against the back of the seat and turning to face me. “Not as much as I would have liked. I tried my first bracelet last night. I’m still learning the best way to get the charms onto each link in the most efficient way.”

“Learning curve. You’ll get there.”

“I hope so. What if I have this dream that I want to open my own store but I’m actually terrible at it?”

“What makes you think that?” I ask, merging onto the highway.

“I’ve never run my own business before. What if I don’t have a knack for it?”

“Then you’ll take a class.”

“Just like that?”

“What can I say? I won’t let you give up.”

Chloe reaches across the center console and squeezes my forearm. I ignore the zap of electricity that floods my veins.

“Thanks for believing in me.”

“I’ll be your first customer,” I say, finding the exit we need.

As we pull up to the stoplight, Chloe turns to face me. “You already have a necklace. Maybe I can make you something else. Like a clover.”

I beam back at her. “My very own good luck charm.”

“Would you want gold or silver? ”

“Silver.”

“You got it. I’ll do anything for you, Dax.”

Like say yes to being my date to the team gala?

Jesus. I really need to get my shit together or I’m just going to blurt it out that I’ve been in love with her since high school. And the last thing I want to do is scare her off right now.

The park comes into view. Thank God.

“What a gorgeous day.” Chloe hops out as soon as I park and turns her face to the sun. “Thanks for bringing me here. I probably would have stayed inside all day otherwise.”

“What are friends for?” I smile, the picnic basket in one hand with the blanket thrown over my shoulder. “C’mon. Let’s find a spot.”

Even though it’s in the middle of the day, it’s busy. Sprawling green fields. Trees rustling in the slight wind. Bees buzzing around flower beds as we stroll down the sidewalk.

“How about right here?” Chloe asks.

“Looks good.”

It’s a quiet area with only a few other people spread out with books in hand. The perfect spot for the conversation I want to have.

“What’d you make for us?” she asks, throwing the blanket into the air with both hands and letting it fall into a perfectly neat square on the ground.

“Sandwiches.”

She beams back at me. “Ham?”

I set the basket down, drop onto the blanket, and start to pull things out. I hand her the sandwich wrapped in brown butcher paper. “Of course.”

“Did you?— ”

“Leave the mustard off? Of course. Bottle is in here. I know you don’t like them to get soggy,” I finish for her.

“It’s like you know me or something.”

I don’t miss the blush that creeps up her cheeks as she kicks off her sandals and plops onto the covered ground.

I pull out a small bowl of fruit, some pita chips and hummus, and hand over the yellow bottle to her. She wastes no time pulling off a slice of the sourdough bread and covering one side in mustard.

“Did you save any for me?”

“There’s plenty left.” Chloe takes a hearty bite and smiles at me as she chews.

I grab the bottle and put some on my own sandwich. “Sure there is.”

She leans over and pecks me on the cheek. “Thank you, Dax.”

My entire body seizes up. One peck and I’m a goner. I don’t know how I’ve made it this far in life keeping my emotions in check around her.

I give her a smile. What that smile tells her, I don’t know, because she sets her meal down and brushes off her hands.

“Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be okay?” I fire back.

“Because you look nervous. And you’re never nervous.”

Sunglasses hide my eyes from view. Of course she would still be able to tell I’m nervous. I mean, why wouldn’t I be? Asking my best friend to take a chance on me when she ran out on my brother?

Why would I have anything to be nervous about?

Her eyes trail over every inch of me. From my black T-shirt to my tan shorts all the way to my scuffed-up Converse sneakers.

“Why do you think I’m nervous? ”

She points to my hand resting on my knee. “Your fingers keep tapping.”

“Am I that easy to read?” I shove a nervous hand through my hair.

“Yes.”

Do I rip the Band-Aid off and just blurt it out, or do I ease her into this?

“Spill it, Dax.”

Band-Aid it is.

“About the other night.”

A flush creeps up her cheeks. “What about the other night?”

“Look, I know we said nothing would change, but it feels like it did.”

“Yeah.” This time, it’s Chloe who looks nervous. Shit. Is she about to let me down gently? I don’t know if I could bear it.

“I know we said it wouldn’t,” I rush out, “but it did. And I can’t stop thinking about it. Or you. And I was wondering if you’d maybe, kind of, sort of, be interested in doing more of that.”

She smiles at me. “As Drake and Cora or as Dax and Chloe?”

“You and me.”

Chloe studies me before crawling over to sit on my lap. She kicks her legs out, and I rest my hand on her warm, soft skin.

“What would you and I look like?” She drags a finger along my jaw.

“Kind of like what we have now. Maybe a bit more of what we did at the club.”

“Maybe with some kissing?”

She waggles her eyebrows at me.

“You want me to kiss you? ”

“Yes, Dax. All I’ve been thinking about is how much I want you?—”

I kiss her. I crush my mouth to hers and holy fuck. We’re kissing.

And it’s the best fucking thing of my life.

The taste of her. The feel of her. The sounds she’s making.

I love every bit of it. When she gasps, I slip my tongue in her mouth. Her fingers dig into my biceps as we savor one another. We’re in no hurry.

I have dreamed of this for God knows how long. It’s better than I ever imagined.

“Wow.” Chloe pulls pack, resting her forehead against mine.

“Yeah.”

“What was the question you asked me?”

“About wanting to make this official.” I smile at her. “And possibly coming with me to the team gala that’s coming up in a few weeks.”

“I think you have my answer.”

“To which one?”

“To both.”

“I think I missed it.” I tap my lips. “Mind telling me again?”

She does just that. Telling me all afternoon how much she wants this.

Who knew having an adult conversation could be so easy?