Page 4

INDIE

Latibule: (n.) a hiding place; a place of safety and comfort

A few weeks later…

“ H e would never!”

My pen skimmed along the pinked filled page in my journal as I drew around the word. Doodles. Hearts. Bats. A devilish looking girl ready to stab someone who kept irritating her.

Latibule .

Hiding indeed.

The smells of books mixed with coffee beans and sweet syrups. If only I could talk Nia into muffins or cookies. My mouth watered at the thought.

I glanced up and snorted as Eden, her pink hair twirling around her finger, stared down at the cover of Delena Bennett’s latest book.

The exclusive cover she made available only for Book Boyfriends & Lattes after the signing she headlined a few months ago.

“He would.” The journal snapped shut as I set it down, and shot her a wicked grin. I added teasingly, “And he did.”

The shop was empty, save for one of our regulars who had just walked in and headed to our blind date section. Eden’s eyes widened. “Noah would not skip to the end! He knows that’s against BFF code! We were supposed to read it together! And he asked Theo Gerard to-”

I bit my lip before the groan left my mouth and covered it by taking a huge drink of my double espresso white chocolate raspberry mocha to cover up the noise before she noticed. From the look she shot at me, she hadn’t missed it, though. “What?”

With a sassy grin, my friend swung her legs around and propped her elbows on the counter, hands folded. Chin tucked on her clasped hands. “I think there’s more to this Theo thing-”

“There’s no ‘Theo thing’, Eden.” I interjected. Sweet as fuck coffee shield activated. The look she continued to shoot sweetly at me didn’t falter.

“Are you sure?”

I narrowed my eyes at her and crossed my arms over my chest, still gripping my mug tightly. Eden might look adorable with her pink hair, but underneath it all, she saw more than she let on. “Why are you distracting me, Eden?”

The slow blink she attempted to pass off as innocent only made me more suspicious. “I’m not.”

“You’ve been suspiciously quiet, other than your shock at Noah skipping to the end. And no mention of how living with your really hot and broody stepbrother is going…”

Her cheeks flushed and she shrugged. “Maybe you’re suspiciously loud,” she countered, smoothing the material of the black jumpsuit before glancing at her phone.

A frown appeared on her face before it disappeared.

Her mask slipped back into place. “And there’s nothing happening with…

Cole. But, I have a meeting to get to, so,” she slipped her bag on her shoulder and kissed my cheek before making a getaway to the door.

I called after her, “I swear, I know you’re getting l-”

My last word was cut off by the door slamming and my phone ringing. I huffed out a breath, then checked to see who was calling. Nia was due at any minute, but her douchebag ex wasn’t exactly one for promptness, even when it came to their girls.

But it wasn’t Nia, or even Isaac, who hadn’t called me for our weekly check in. It was Laney, the head of PR for the Triumph.

“Hey!”

“Oh, thank God you answered!” The sounds of people talking were muffled, but it sounded like she was in a tunnel or something. “Indra, I need a huge favor.”

I plopped on the couch, and crossed my fishnet clad legs with a wave at the one and only customer still browsing, but with two wrapped books in her hands. So, score? “What kind of favor?”

“You’re bringing the girls to the season opener tonight, right?”

“Yep. They’ve suddenly fallen in love with hockey after Halloween and the Haunted house night,” I chuckled.

As a hockey lover myself, I was ecstatic.

Nia, however, laughed every time they tried to ‘chirp’ at one another.

Adorably, of course. Because if my girls were anything, it was how to be a girl’s girl. They knew girl code. And sister code.

“I have a player with an emergency, and it just so happens you could help me out. And I’d upgrade your tickets, comp snacks, food, even a few hats or whatever the girls want. Plus, I’d owe you.”

I sat up. Better seats, food, and swag? “What’s the catch?”

“One of my player’s nanny’s had a family emergency this morning, and she’s leaving the country tonight. Her mother is very ill, and he’s really particular about who watches Travis.”

My brain froze. “Travis?”

Laney continued as if I hadn’t spoken, and since I whispered and wherever she was, was loud, maybe she didn’t hear me having a silent freak out. Or whisper yell freak out.

The only Travis kiddo I knew…had a daddy I’d never want to do a favor for. Because I hated Theo. For letting me down, and treating me like I was too young before walking away. Not to mention he was a grumpy man whore player who didn’t deserve a favor from anyone, let alone Satan himself.

“And I know the girls took to him at Halloween when you were all there, and they’ve had a few play dates…”

She kept talking, oblivious to my panic mode and simmering anger, not at Travis, but his jerk of a father that I had done my best to ignore anytime we ran into each other when he was picking up Trav from Nia’s.

“It’s a crunch, and normally, I’d watch him, but home opener-”

I stifled a groan, and though she couldn’t see my face, plastered on a smile, and interjected, “No worries, Laney, I got you.”

The woman on the other side of the line let out a sigh of relief. “I’ll owe you, Indie.”

I laughed. “Oh I know, but Trav is such a good kid and the girls love him to pieces.”

She gave me instructions on where to pick him up, and told me to go to the box office early when we got to the arena so the girls could all swagged out. “Thanks again, Indie. And I’ll be sure to let Theo know he owes you one, too.”

“That won’t be necessary, Laney.”

“All the same, thank you.”

Because Theo did owe me. But not for taking care of Travis.

For breaking my heart and ignoring me since he rescued me. And waking away without another word.

“Can we come to alllllll the hockey games, Indie? Please?” Lizzy looked up at me, adorable in the Triumph hoodie she picked out earlier, the little tattoo she insisted on wearing on her cheek only slightly smudged with cheese from the nachos she decided looked better than the popcorn her sister split with Travis.

I bent down, and wiped it with a napkin before tossing it in the trash can as we walked past it.

“I don’t know about all,” I said, and ruffled Travis’ hair as I led the three of them through the crowd. “Travis might come to almost all of them, though. But, someone has to be at the bookstore sometimes.”

Tory, unimpressed with my logic, said, “But you or mommy can take turns. Or Miss Eden. Or Lizzy.”

Travis shook his head. “My dad said I can’t always go on school nights, in case I have too much sugar and can’t fall asleep. But, maybe we can all go and tire each other out for some games.”

“School nights are tough, kiddo,” I agreed as we went to the elevator that led down to the level where the families waited for players who weren’t trapped in the media circus of postgame interviews.

The doors slid shut, cutting out the cacophony of sound as fans vacated the arena.

“And I’m sure your dad has his reasons.”

Travis, his somber expression back in place, frowned.

“Yeah, but sometimes I miss seeing him, and now that Ms. Helen has to go home, I won’t get to see him as much.

” His lower lip trembled, and Tory, ever the worry bug and protector, glanced up at me, sadness in her eyes.

“She’d take me for at least half the game, then home so I wouldn’t miss my bedtime during pre-season.

And she promised she’d do it all season. But now…”

I lowered down onto one knee, and looked him in the eye for a moment.

Arm around his little shoulders, I gave Travis a hug.

“Oh, buddy, I’m sure you’re going to see a lot of your dad.

So much that you’ll get tired of seeing his face.

And he’ll find another nanny soon. He probably wants you at his games and misses you just as much. ”

Travis shrugged, and my heart ached for the little boy.

The little I knew about his situation was enough to think he probably worried Theo would leave him like his mom.

From what Nia told me, she had a complication from a medical issue and had passed.

The only reason Travis was with Theo was that she made arrangements beforehand in case anything had happened.

Even if she never told Theo he had a kid. I might not totally like him, but even I had to admit it was shitty. And Travis was such a great kid.

Ugh. I could even see Theo’s good parts in him. Of course, kids tend to gain filters, unlike adults who seem to pile them on like masks.

The elevator doors opened, and the girls grabbed Travis by the hand and led him into the room, unfazed by the other families and various people waiting in the family area just outside the locker room.

Laney had texted to let us know where to go after the game, and that she or Theo would meet us after to grab Trav.

A quick cursory glance around, and no Theo or Laney.

The kids were already over by the snacks, giggling and getting ready to add even more food to their already full bellies.

All I could picture was the girls throwing up on the ride home. Hot dogs. Nachos. I weaved through the waiting crowd of kids and mothers and caregivers who were oblivious to my panicked state. “Wait! I think you’ve had enou-oof!”

Fuck. Did I hit a wall? My eyes blurred for a split second before coming back into focus.

On Theo Gerard’s gorgeous, asshole face. I frowned, and he glared, then smirked, before we both turned to stop the kiddos from devouring more sugary snacks.

“That’s enough, Trav,” he chuckled as he plucked a cupcake from his son just as he went to grab it. “Besides,” he said in a conspiratorial tone, “I think Helen made a batch of cookies for you before she left, didn’t she?”

Travis’ eyes, so like his dad's, widened as he nodded, before sadness took over his face. “I think so.”

Theo ruffled his son’s hair and scooped him up, his eyes focused on my face as he continued. “I thought Nia was bringing the girls?”

I put my hands on my hips as the girls watched us, eyes volleying back and forth as we snapped comments at each other. “Nope.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Sorry.”

“Indie.”

“Theo.” I crossed my arms, oblivious to the spectacle we were making. Or maybe I wasn’t quite so ignorant. After all, I knew Theo had a reputation, and I couldn’t care less if people thought he was a jerk. God, I hated that look on his face, but I loved getting under his skin even more.

His jaw flexed as we continued our stared down.

Arms crossed, mirroring his glare, I refused to back down.

His eyes darted down to my chest, and flicked back up.

HIs nostrils flared, as if he wanted to yell at me for being there instead of Nia.

Well, too fucking bad. I narrowed my eyes, and I opened my mouth to tell him what exactly was on my mind, but Laney rushed over, and hugged me. “Thank you, Indie!”

“You said the girls were coming with Nia,” he muttered to her, as if he didn’t want me to hear his words.

Laney patted him on the arm, like he was a puppy that needed a little affirmation, and then grinned as the girls snuck one more bite of cupcake.

“I said the girls were bringing their buddy, and that I had someone very responsible to make sure Travis was able to see his dad score the game winning goal in the home opener. Stop making a spectacle, and thank Indie for coming through at the last minute, Gerard.”

A fake smile pasted on my face, I blinked my eyes at Theo, who finally bit out, “Thank you, Indra.”

Travis reached over to give me a hug while still in Theo’s arms, and whispered in my ear, “Thank you, Miss Indie.”

Ugh. I melted, even if my body pressed up against the wall of muscle and freshly showered man I would never forgive no matter how good he smelled.

Theo stepped back, breaking contact, and announced, “As much as I’d love to stick around, I promised somebody I’d watch the Lego Batman movie after the game.

” He nodded at Laney. “Thank you for everything, Laney. Indie.”

“Theo.”

His blue eyes lingered on me for a moment before he thanked the girls for making sure Trav had fun, and then, without a backward glance, he walked away.

Theo Gerard was an expert at doing that. Especially to me.