Page 12

CHAPTER 12

Rafferty

T he hum of the plane melds with the muffled noises of my teammates settling in, their laughter and chatter a backdrop to my own thoughts as we fly southward. I recline in my seat, headphones draped around my neck—not for music, but as a barrier, a sign I’m not quite in the mood to talk. Yet, the music stays off. I need time to think, to brood.

Outside, the sky stretches—a vast canvas of bright blues and fluffy white clouds. We’re Florida bound, a quick there-and-back that feels much like my current personal life: fast, furious, and somewhat forced.

I don’t know how things have become so confusing but last night at Stone and Harlow’s party, everything changed. Or rather, what I did to Tempe in the bathroom changed everything for me.

She’s been nothing but supportive, sliding seamlessly into a role we crafted. She’s been perfect as my fake girlfriend, dazzling in her sincerity and warmth, and it should have been enough to convince anyone that we were a match made in heaven.

Except it’s not fake anymore. At least not for me. I can’t drop to my knees and worship a woman’s pussy, getting as much satisfaction from her orgasm as any I’ve had myself, and not think that shit just got very real.

I have no clue what Tempe is feeling and I’m sure she’s probably confused about it because once we walked out of that bathroom, I put some distance between us. Not anything cruel or thoughtless, but I needed to tread carefully with her. I need her to know that she’s not like anyone I’ve ever been with and I want this to be authentic. I need to know if we can both leave the ruse behind, but there was no time to talk about it. We spent the rest of the evening drinking, dancing and eating good food. Tempe got on so seamlessly with my friends and ended up meeting more teammates throughout the evening. At one point, I even introduced her to Brienne and Drake, and the best part of that was I’m confident Tansy hasn’t said anything to her cousin as Brienne couldn’t have been warmer or more gracious to Tempe.

I dropped her off at her mother’s house, walking her to the door. I gave her a lingering kiss and an even longer hug, keeping her wrapped up tight to convey my genuine affection. But so many things were left unsaid and now I’m flying south, away from her and the ability for us to have a meaningful conversation. I’m hoping that will happen tomorrow after I return.

And then… there’s Tansy. Her actions have been sharp and calculating, and I don’t think I’ve seen the worst she has to offer yet. There has been a constant prick at the back of my mind that she’s moved from fixation to possibly retribution. It’s not me I’m worried about though. My concern is Tempe and if Tansy might do something to hurt her and I have good reason for my worry. I got a text late last night after I dropped Tempe off and was in my own bed. My phone dinged and I’d hoped it might be from Tempe, but instead, it was from Tansy. Its simplicity was more chilling than anything she’s said or done so far.

What goes around, comes around.

I could interpret that in a dozen different ways, but I ultimately conclude that despite me being clear I’m not interested, Tansy has been hurt by my rebuff and now she intends to hurt me back. She’s a storm waiting to break and I’m in her path.

And so is Tempe.

This is what’s been plaguing me the most and has me thinking the unthinkable. Perhaps I should distance myself from the woman I find myself falling for.

Someone sits in the empty seat next to me and I turn to see North. He grins, tossing his thumb backward over his shoulder. “Atlas is already snoring at max decibels, but I drew the line when his head landed on my shoulder.”

Snickering, I welcome him to the seat because he’s the dude I’m closest to on the team, and it’s not a chore hanging with him. However, I had planned to ruminate the entire trip about my dilemma with Tansy and I realize I should have put my earbuds in to dissuade conversation. To do so now would just be rude, though.

“You looked deep in thought,” he observes. “Thinking about the game?”

I could say that’s all that’s on my mind, but I’m not a liar nor am I afraid to seek help and advice. “Thinking about Tempe. And Tansy, for that matter.”

“The two Ts in your life,” North says with an amused smile. “You’ve got a lot on your plate. How’s the whole… situation going? With Tempe, I mean. If you don’t mind my take, you two seemed genuinely into each other at the wedding. It doesn’t seem fake at all to me.”

I chuckle dryly. “It’s not fake anymore.” Of course, I’m not about to tell him what happened between us in the bathroom or that I’ve fantasized about fucking her a hundred times since I kissed her good night. But I will share my feelings. “She’s… she’s amazing, actually. Fits right in and doesn’t miss a beat.” I pause, the image of her laughing with my friends, her eyes sparkling with genuine joy, fills my mind. “Makes it easier. And harder, in a way.”

North raises an eyebrow. “Well, that really tells me nothing important.”

Okay… time to be vulnerable. “I like her a lot, man. And I want something more with her, but…”

“But you’re afraid she doesn’t feel the same?” he guesses.

I shake my head. “No, I’m not worried about that. I mean, she might not feel the same, but I’m not afraid to ask. Not afraid to go after her. But I am concerned about Tansy.”

North frowns, eyes darkening with concern. “Do you think she’s dangerous?” I answer by pulling up the text she sent and show it to him. North shakes his head. “Dude… that’s a threat. Maybe it’s time you went to HR about this.”

“Yeah, maybe. But on the off chance that she’s just blustering… that my performance with Tempe has convinced her to back off and this is her last-ditch effort to cause me angst, maybe I should wait it out for a bit. I guess my biggest concern is if I should put distance between me and Tempe to be sure. To protect her in case Tansy tries to cause trouble for her.”

North nods in understanding. “That’s not a bad thought, but if I have one piece of advice for you, it’s don’t make that decision unilaterally. Talk it out with Tempe, tell her your feelings and then let her have a say in how she wants to proceed.”

Of course he’s right, and that puts everything into perspective. Tomorrow I’ll talk to Tempe, lay it all out, including my feelings. I’ll see what she wants to do, and I’ll move heaven and earth to make it work while protecting her.

We continue to chat about other options to handle Tansy if she doesn’t back off, but eventually that topic grows old. I’m tired of that woman in my life.

North switches to talk of another woman. “How’s Farren settling in?”

“She was settled in before she even landed on my doorstep,” I mutter, a nod to my sister’s uncanny ability to go whichever way the wind’s blowing and not get blown over in the process. “She’s supposedly out looking for a job. I gave her a deadline by which she has to have one and start paying me rent.”

“Think she’ll really stick it out here in Pittsburgh?”

North knows Farren since I talk about my family all the time, and he’s met her on the two other occasions she’s visited since I moved to Pittsburgh. “She’s impulsive, sometimes bratty, way too smart for her own good, and a source of constant worry and anxiety for me.” I give him a droll smile. “But I wouldn’t have her any other way. And to answer your question, she’ll stick it out here until she gets bored. Then she’ll leave.”

The expression on North’s face is classic. He looks like he’s searching for something nice to say. “Your sister is a unique individual.”

I snort at the description that falls far short of really pinning down my sister’s personality. “I might need to issue a general warning to the team. Keep an eye out, she’s trouble. I know she hit it off with Tempe at the game and I can totally see those two getting up to no good.”

“I’m sure your sister will be just fine. You’ll have to handle the shenanigans with Tempe though.”

That thought warms me from the inside out. My sister and my… girlfriend… becoming good friends. I could get on board with that.

“What about Stevie’s bar?” North asks.

I blink at him, not following at first as I’d gotten lost in thoughts of Tempe. Again. “Stevie’s bar for what?”

North rolls his eyes. “Farren’s got bartending experience. Maybe Stevie has a job for her.”

“Yeah, I’d thought about that. She’s such a people person, she sort of shines. Still… I wish she’d aspire to something more.”

“That’s big brother talking,” North teases.

“Echoing my parents’ frustrations,” I explain. “The woman has an IQ of like 130 and could be anything she wanted, but she has no interest in college or doing anything more than being a bartender and having fun.”

“She’s young,” North says knowingly. “She’s got plenty of time to get serious about life.”

“Yeah, I know. But sometimes… I look at her and the way she flits through life, and I have my doubts. Unfortunately, my parents have enabled her a bit. When she falters, they’re always there to help her with a soft landing on her feet. I’ve told them they need to let her fail or else she’ll never learn.”

“My younger brother is the same,” North says. “Granted, he’s only seventeen, but I’m not even sure he knows how to fix his own breakfast. My mom is a bit of a helicopter parent in that respect.”

“Was she that way with you?”

North snorts, eyes twinkling. “Fuck no. Both my parents let me sink or swim, but that probably was more my dad’s influence since I took to hockey and he was involved in that with me. Jared’s into music, which my mom always pushed. We’re apples and oranges.”

North and I continue to talk about our siblings and it’s a welcome relief because for every minute I spend comparing my sister Farren to North’s brother Jared, both of us lamenting and laughing, I’m not thinking about my woes with Tansy.

I actually don’t think about Tempe for the rest of the flight. Having North to talk to is a reminder of the solid friendships I’ve formed here. These bonds keep me grounded and remind me why I do what I do, both on and off the ice.

It’s only when we land that I check my messages and I’m jazzed to see a text from Tempe.

Hope the flight was good.

I try not to read anything into it other than a general politeness, but I seize on it as if it’s a clear message from her that she likes me the way I like her. While I’m concerned about Tansy’s craziness and how it could impact Tempe, North is absolutely correct in that Tempe gets to weigh in on the decision as to how this should be handled.

I’ll concentrate on exploring my feelings for Tempe and push back at her to give the same to me.

Up for dinner tomorrow night? My place?

The plane is still taxiing to the gate as I await her response. It doesn’t take long and my pulse skitters. Only if I get to pay you back for what you did to me last night.

Jesus. The thought of her on her knees before me is almost too much to bear right now, but I play a little hard to get. We can discuss it, but I’m not averse.

I get a laughing emoji back from her with another short message: Good luck tonight. I’ll be watching.

And yeah… I like that too.

Tempe will be watching me on TV, which means she cares enough to care that I do well in my job. Knowing that she’ll be pulling for me, wishing me the best, cheering me on… it adds a new element to my already competitive motivation when out on the ice. I want her to be proud of who I am and what I do, and that’s not something I’ve ever cared about in my life, other than my parents and Farren.

It tells me that these feelings for Tempe are legit, and I’m not about to let this slip away.