Page 26

Chapter Twenty-Six

MAKE THE TIME GO BY

~~Junie~~

My eyes flutter open as sun pours through the cracks in my window blinds. I bask in its warm rays. It’s a luxury we cherish around here.

The guys lost last night and are down in this best of seven, two to zero. No one’s panicking yet, and I have faith in the team. They’re confident and upbeat. They’re determined and focused. They leave this morning for two games in Florida before returning to Seattle for game five, and there will be a game five. I believe in this team. They’ve overcome a lot of adversity this year from losing star goalie Martin “Brick” Bricker just before the playoffs to the early season-ending injuries of star forward Alex Markov and young sensation Paxton Graham. We fought back, even when the pundits claimed we were done for the season. I want this cup for Levi and every other guy on the team. It’s the ultimate prize in hockey, and hockey playoffs are the hardest postseason competition of all professional sports. That’s my biased opinion, but I’m right, and I know it.

A smile lifts the corners of my mouth as I stare down at a peacefully sleeping Levi. He’s so angelic when he’s like this. I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate the comparison, so I’ll keep it to myself.

Benjamin is on Levi’s pillow curled around his head. He’s so good with animals, especially for someone who was never allowed to have a pet as a child. I’m surprised my cat’s chainsaw purring hasn’t woken him up.

We’ve been doing this relationship thing for over a month. If I’d been asked back then, I’d have given us less than a week before we imploded, and the shrapnel caused permanent damage. We haven’t imploded. If anything, our relationship has grown stronger.

Caro is still holding out complete support for the two of us as a couple, but she’s toned down her disapproval and is cautiously optimistic about us. Her support means the world to me. She’s the only family I have left thanks to my bad decisions.

Thinking of my estranged family wipes the smile off my face. I wonder what they’re doing right about now. I long ago cut off anyone associated with them and my former hometown. As a result, I’m not privy to any information or gossip about the Diazes.

“Hey, what turned that smile upside down?” Levi studies me with those clear blue eyes that always see too much when it comes to me. His question catches me off guard. I thought he was sound asleep. I hesitate, not sure I want to burden him when he’s slated to take off in a few hours.

“You can tell me.” He nudges me gently and offers an encouraging smile. I can’t resist him for anything.

“Thinking about my family.” Just saying those words to Levi lifts a heavy burden off my shoulders. If a person only sees what’s on the surface, they’d never realize he’s surprisingly perceptive and practical, especially for a guy in his early twenties.

Levi sits up and dislodges Benjamin from his head. Not to be deterred, my cat snuggles against his side. “Why don’t you reach out to them?” His steady gaze holds mine, and I can’t look away. There’s no hiding my feelings from Levi. He senses them with an uncanny accuracy.

“I want to, but shouldn’t they be the ones reaching out? I’m the child after all.” I hear the bitterness sneak into my tone.

“Should they?” He watches me closely, and I squirm under the scrutiny.

“I’m probably not being reasonable. I resent that my mom and dad haven’t tried harder to stay in touch even though they did initially. I’m the one who forced them to leave me alone, and they’ve respected my wishes. I have no right to be upset with them, yet it’s easier than blaming my bad choices.

“Yeah, in a perfect world, maybe they should reach out, but this world is far from perfect. But they did as you asked. I’m not sure what else you can expect. I think the ball’s in your court now. I also think you need them in your life.”

“You think that?”

“Yeah, just what little you mention them, I can tell you’re hurting and missing them in your life. Call them. The worst that can happen is they don’t answer.”

I’m not sure that’s the worst.

“You know, you’re right. What could it hurt?” Actually a lot if they don’t respond. It’ll crack my heart all over again. I’ll prepare for rejection, just in case they can’t forgive, but holding grudges isn’t like my parents.

“Of course I’m right.” He plants a kiss on my forehead.

“Only when I let you be.”

His laughter lightens the load I’ve been carrying for too long.

“You’re good for me, you know that?” My admission brings a cocky grin to his handsome face.

“I know.”

I snort derisively at his answer, but it’s all in fun.

He sighs as he glances at the time. “I gotta get going. The team leaves the SHAC for the airport in a couple hours.”

“I wish you didn’t have to go.”

“I wish I didn’t either.”

“I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you more.” His eyes twinkle with a teasing challenge.

“No, I will.”

“Nope, I will.”

“Not a chance,” I counter, and he lets it go this time. Reluctantly, he moves Benjamin aside and gets out of bed. He stretches and pulls on his pants and shirt.

“Wish me luck.”

I leap out of bed and throw myself into his arms. He holds me while we share a deep, intimate kiss. I wish we had time for more, but we don’t. Once again, Levi’s running late, thanks in part to me.

Within minutes, I’m standing in my doorway. He waves from his SUV before driving away. I trudge back into my small apartment. I’m already mourning his absence.

I glance around the small living room. I still feel him here. His empty beer glass sits on the coffee table along with my wine goblet. I’m going to leave it there until he comes back.

I slump onto the couch. I need to get ready for work myself. Benjamin meows plaintively and hops onto the couch.

“I miss him too, buddy. It’s just you and me for a few days.”

Benjamin squeaks his answer, and I cuddle him close. He’s not happy with being crushed against my chest and wiggles free. He stalks away, shaking as he goes, as if I contaminated him or endangered his dignity. I laugh and head for the bathroom, where I stare at Levi’s toothbrush and comb. More reminders of his absence.

I’ll bury myself in work to make the time go by faster. Even though the team isn’t in town for the next three days, I have planning to do and inventory to take. I’ll carefully assess every item we have, checking pull dates, and getting rid of any perishable food that’s remotely questionable.

The next evening, I join the WAGs at Kaden and Delaney’s lovely home on Lake Washington. Delany is a senator’s daughter, and she knows how to entertain. I bring my now-famous freshly baked bread, and there’s no shortage of food when the WAGs get together. Caro’s present, but she’s clearly uncomfortable. That baby is due any time, and we’re all hoping he waits until after we win the Cup.

We gather around the huge television in Kaden’s large man cave and settle in to watch the game. The doorbell rings, and I jump to my feet, needing to burn off some nervous energy.

“I’ll get it,” I call to no one in particular.

“We’re all here. Who could that be?” Avery glances around, taking stock of who’s present one more time and frowns in confusion.

“I guess we’re about to find out.” I hurry to the door and open it to the last person I want to see tonight.

Celeste .

“Am I late?” She shoves a bowl of deli potato salad into my arms and brushes past me as if I’m nothing but the hired help, and she’s the princess of the team.

I put her food contribution on the table with the rest of the dishes. It’s woefully inadequate considering the WAGs have a friendly cooking competition and always try to one-up each other. Perhaps Celeste didn’t get the memo.

I hear Avery say to Cin, Steele Bailey’s better half, “What’s she doing here?”

“I didn’t invite her.” Delaney’s scowling in Celeste’s direction until the object of her disapproval turns in her direction. Then she smiles a big welcoming smile, like the politician she herself is.

“Thank you so much for the invite. The place looks great.” Celeste is gushing while Delaney’s smile is forced. I can’t tell if Celeste is getting a dig in or if she genuinely believes she’s an accepted part of the group.

The Sockeyes WAGs are good women, and we’re nice to Celeste if not a little warily suspicious.

As the game grinds on, it’s a battle. The last thing the team wants is to be down zero to three. To my knowledge only one team in Cup history has come back from that kind of deficit in the finals and won the Cup. We don’t want to deal with those odds.

Celeste, without the bolstering of her sisters in crime, is subdued and quiet. In fact, I forget she’s in the room until Landon scores a goal, and she leaps to her feet cheering and shouting his name. Of course, we’re all cheering, but she’s the loudest. After which she goes back to hiding in a corner.

“Why did she come here? She doesn’t appear to be having a good time.” Caro elbows me and looks pointedly at the subject of her question.

“I would guess she’s proving a point that she’s a WAG now.”

“God help us all.”

I giggle in spite of myself. I’m not any happier than the next WAG that we’re obligated to allow Celeste into our circle. I wonder if Avery will back off on the Celeste ban in the suite. I’ll leave that up to her. As long as the woman keeps to herself and doesn’t cause problems, I don’t care what she does.

The game is a defensive slugfest. It’s tied with one minute to go with one goal apiece. We’re on the edge of our seats. I’m biting my fingernails, something I rarely do, but this occasion calls for it. Caro and I hug each other as the seconds tick down.

“Hang in there, boys,” Caro yells as if they can hear her.

“We got this,” shouts Avery as Ice leaps over the boards for the final shift of the third period. Levi’s on the bench. The first line and first defensive pairing are on the ice. I search for glimpses of him, but the cameras are focused on the area around the net. Vick is in his stance and watching with those goalie eagle eyes. Ice and Wild are a few paces off as the last line of defense before the goalie. The forwards are pressing, attempting to keep Florida on the perimeter. Their star, Igor Kowalski, winds up for a shot. I hold my breath. It happens in a split second. The puck barrels toward the net, hits the upper crossbar, and by some odd twist of fate, angles into the net. The buzzer sounds at the same time as the goal horn.

The entire group of WAGs is silent while Florida whoops it up on TV. Our guys are shell-shocked. Most are standing and staring at the scoreboard as if they can’t believe it. The camera pans down the line of guys on the bench. My heart bleeds for Levi. Devastation is etched on every line of his face and mirrors just about every other Sockeye.

“That’s a once-in-a-lifetime shot. That should never go in,” Avery grumbles, breaking the silence in the room.

The rest of us mumble or nod our agreement. Celeste slips out the door without a word and none of us truly care. We’re all in mourning.

The guys have an impossible task before them.

We’re down three games, and somehow, we’ll have to claw our way back.