Page 7

CHAPTER 7

Tempe

A fter hanging up with Rafferty, I take a moment to process everything. My heart hammers harder than usual—not just from the sudden influx of afternoon plans, but also from what I’m about to admit to my mom. She only knows the quirky story of the man who kissed me in the grocery store, but there’s a lot more to the tale now.

Pushing up off my bed where I’d been reading a book, I go down into the kitchen. Mom’s at the table, her wheelchair snug against the edge, absorbed in a crossword puzzle on her tablet. She gently taps the pen against her temple, a soft hum of concentration audible in the silence of the room. Cooper’s still at school and it’s always so quiet when he’s not here.

She doesn’t look up as I grab a bottle of water from the fridge. As I open it, I take the chair adjacent. “Mom,” I start hesitantly.

She looks up, a smile brightening her face as she sets her tablet aside. “What’s up, honey?”

My mom is the type I can tell anything to and always has been. It’s with no trepidation that I launch into the story. “We have some company coming over in a bit.”

Her eyebrows lift in surprise. “Oh? Who might that be?”

“Do you remember that guy I told you about last week? The one who kissed me at the grocery store?”

Natalie Martin laughs, a sound that hasn’t come out of her much in the last several weeks. “That was an epic story. Is he the one coming over?”

“Him and a few others,” I murmur, taking a quick sip of water. “Okay, this is a bit of a story, so buckle up.”

Adjusting her wheelchair, she angles toward me so I have her full attention. “Lay it on me.”

“So the guy, Rafferty, came back to the store the next day—”

“To ask you on a date,” she exclaims with sparkling eyes. Hands clasped to her heart, she croons, “So romantic.”

“Not really,” I deadpan. “Turns out, he needed my continued help to convince this crazy woman who won’t leave him alone that I’m truly his girlfriend. He asked me to go to a photo shoot with him, and that’s where I went after I took you to your doctor’s appointment on Monday.”

My mom’s face scrunches up. “Photo shoot? I’m confused.”

“Rafferty, well… he’s a professional hockey player with the Pittsburgh Titans.”

I didn’t know a person’s eyes could go so big and wide, nearly threatening to pop out of her head. “No way.”

“Way,” I agree with a smirk. “I went to the shoot and it didn’t work. So he asked me to continue to be his fake girlfriend and I’m going with him to a wedding for one of his teammates day after tomorrow.”

I can see the wheels turning behind her green eyes. “So it’s a date?”

“No, it’s fake,” I assure her. “And he’s paying me too. I got a thousand dollars for going to the photo shoot and I’ll get another five after a few weeks of fake girlfriending it.”

Yup. Eyes can get bigger. “He’s paying you?”

“It’s a job, Mom. Nothing more, and we need that money. Rafferty’s in a tough spot. This woman—he slept with her once without knowing she was related to the owner of his team, and now she’s making his life miserable. She even threatened to go to his boss if he doesn’t play along with her. I’m doing him a solid and he’s paying me for it, and that will in turn alleviate some financial stress.”

Her expression crumbles, mouth turning downward. “I’m so sorry that all this burden has fallen on you.”

“No, Mom!” I push up out of my chair, bending right over her to give her a quick hug. “You have nothing to apologize for. None of this is your fault, and we’re getting through it like we always do… as a family.”

“But you had to drop out of school—”

“I’m going back.”

“But we have to eat boxed mac and cheese as Cooper insists on helping to feed us,” she whines.

I burst out laughing and hug her again. Her arms go around me for a squeeze, the Velcro on her wrist braces scratching my neck. When she releases me, I plop back down in my chair. “At any rate, this woman will be at the teammate’s wedding and we’re going to put on a big show to convince her our relationship is real and that she needs to drop it. His closest friends are in on the ruse, so they’re all coming over to meet me so we can act authentic.”

“This is crazy,” my mom murmurs as she shakes her head in amusement. “Only you, Tempe.”

“It’s an adventure and it just so happens to pay well.” I laugh. “Plus, they volunteered to put up the mobility rails in the bathroom. I’m also going to use their muscles to rearrange some furniture while we’re at it to give you a bit more room to maneuver.”

“And you’re personally okay with this charade?” she asks, a mother’s concern now in her tone. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

I pause, considering. The truth is, Rafferty’s easy to be around, more than I expected.

Actually… he’s quite fun and well, add in that he’s hot and kisses like a fiend and I’m more than good. “It’ll be fine. It’s just for a short while longer. Plus, the money he’s offering will really help out with bills and maybe even give us some breathing room for once.”

Mom reaches across the table, her hand brushing mine. “I just want to make sure you’re not getting in over your head, sweetheart.”

“I’m not, Mom. I promise.” I squeeze her hand, grateful for her concern but also for her trust. “And you’ll get to meet him and his friends soon. Rafferty’s good people, so I’m going to assume they are too.”

“Well then,” she says, drawing back and picking up her tablet with a soft chuckle, “I suppose I should get ready to meet your ‘boyfriend’ and his merry band of helpers. Just be careful, Tempe. Hearts can start out pretending, but they don’t always end that way.”

I smile, a flutter of something inexplicable stirring in my chest. “I’ll be careful.”

I help Mom first to the bathroom and then to her room where she insists on changing into a different outfit. It makes me wonder if I should touch up my own makeup, but I decide against it. That would be nothing more than freshening up my mascara and possibly putting on some lip gloss, as working at the grocery store doesn’t require much more than that.

By the time I have Mom situated in the living room in the reclining chair, I hear vehicles pulling up outside. “Looks like they’re here,” I say, glancing out the living room window.

Our modest house is in a lower-income neighborhood where space is efficiently maximized. The exterior is clad in faded redbrick, and for as long as I remember has shown signs of age from the relentless Pittsburgh weather, with patches where the mortar has crumbled away. The front yard is virtually nonexistent with a small patch of dead winter grass before a broken concrete sidewalk, although there’s a little more in the back. A few resilient shrubs sit at the base of the porch and it looks like every other home, neatly wedged in beside one another on our block.

The driveway is but a narrow strip of cracked asphalt, just long enough for Mom’s car to be parked in a detached garage that has seen better days, its paint peeling and eaves drooping slightly. My car is right behind hers with its tail end almost blocking the sidewalk.

I see Rafferty’s Escalade at the curb with a huge white pickup behind it. Doors open and holy hotness… apparently Rafferty isn’t the only gorgeous Titan visiting my house today.

Five men are all dressed in athletic wear—track pants, tennis shoes, heavy winter jackets with the Titans logo. If I had to guess, they just came from practice.

I glance back at my mom and she grins. “Time to meet your Prince Charming.”

I roll my eyes at her and at the sound of multiple heavy footsteps on the wooden porch, I smooth down my shirt nervously and take a breath. Through the lacy curtain covering the glass in the door, a line of large, athletic forms loom—Rafferty at the front with his hand poised to knock on the storm door. My heart races. Inviting one hockey player into my home was daunting enough, but now it’s five. The reality feels overwhelming as I pull open the door.

Rafferty greets me with a boyish grin, the cold air swirling around him and his friends. Behind him, I recognize the four faces from team posters and TV games (as well as some quick stalking of the team roster since meeting Rafferty), looking slightly awkward under my scrutinizing gaze.

“Hey,” I murmur, stepping aside. “Come on in.”

One by one, they duck through the doorway, each of them as big and broad as the next, filling up the small entryway of our little home. Rafferty turns to his friends who all nod with keen interest. “Guys, this is Tempe Martin, the friend I told you about.”

One by one, he introduces them—North, who I met at the photo shoot, towers with a gentle, shy smile, King with keen eyes and a firm handshake, Foster with his easygoing grin, and Atlas whose eyes already sparkle. They each greet me with warmth, making jokes and offering polite compliments that ease the tension from my shoulders.

“Nice to finally meet the famous Tempe,” Foster says, his tone low and friendly.

Atlas nods in agreement. “Rafferty hasn’t stopped talking about how you saved him at the store.”

Embarrassed but amused, I laugh, shaking my head. “Oh, I’m sure there’s a bit of exaggeration there.”

With introductions out of the way, I turn toward my mom, who’s been watching the exchange with a mix of excitement and apprehension. “And this is my mom, Natalie Martin.”

“Mrs. Martin,” Foster says, stepping forward first. He gently takes her hand, mindful of her condition. “Looks like you’ve had a tough road.”

“Please… it’s Natalie, and thank you for coming to help,” she says.

King, North and Atlas all make the same greetings and though they call her Natalie, there are also some “ma’am’s” uttered and it’s adorable.

Rafferty is the last to step up and take my mom’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Natalie. Tempe speaks so highly of you.”

“That’s good to hear. Otherwise, I’ve got a few embarrassing childhood stories of hers up my sleeve.” My mom’s eyes twinkle with mischief. “I really only heard about you less than an hour ago. Some scheme you got my daughter caught up in.”

“Mom,” I exclaim in admonishment. “Be nice.”

Rafferty laughs. “No, it’s all good. She’s being a protective mom and I dig that.” He turns his focus back to her. “I promise, I’ll take good care of your daughter.”

Atlas, the apparent handyman of the group, changes gears quickly. “Tempe mentioned you needed some help with mobility rails and maybe some furniture moving?”

“Yes.” Mom nods and I’m grateful for the shift. “She bought shower rails we need installed.”

“The stuff is in the garage. I’ll show you where.”

Atlas looks to King and Foster, motioning with a jerk of his head. “How about you help me with the rails and Rafferty and North can move furniture?”

“And the Christmas tree?” my mom asks, her voice soft and hesitant.

“Mom,” I say soothingly. “I told you I can get that stuff down from the attic. I’ll handle it.”

“It’s a lot,” my mom says, her eyes moving to Rafferty. “I don’t like the idea of her trying to carry everything down by herself. It’s an artificial tree and a few boxes of lights and ornaments. We usually do it together with Cooper’s help, but…” She gestures to her broken body. “I can’t this year.”

“No worries,” Rafferty says with a wave of his hand, sparing me a short glance. “We’ll get it all down for you and we’ll even set up the tree so all you have to do is decorate.”

I don’t think to argue, because I can tell he’s already added this to his list of helpful to-dos, and besides… I won’t have to risk breaking my neck trying to get our Christmas décor down the attic ladder.

Quick plans are confirmed and I’m shuffled off with Atlas, King and Foster, the three hockey players who are just meeting me for the first time. It doesn’t take all three to install the rails and only Atlas can fit in the bathroom, but while he works, we all chat and get to know one another. I hear laughter from the living room, mostly from my mom, so I know she’s being charmed by Rafferty and North. It’s not long before I hear them upstairs, the attic flooring creaking and a lot of cursing as they try to maneuver everything down the narrow ladder.

When everything is done—the rails installed, the tree set up in the corner with the ornament boxes stacked neatly—we all sit down in the newly rearranged living room, which was done so well, they were able to move the love seat back in from Cooper’s room.

There’s an easy banter among everyone and Rafferty’s friends dutifully ask me questions to have genuine things for us to talk about at the wedding. In turn, I nosily ask all kinds of questions of them, and I’m promised that I’ll adore Foster’s and King’s girlfriends, Mazzy and Willa, who will also be in attendance. The entire time, Rafferty is quiet but clearly enjoying watching the conversation unfold. I catch his eyes a few times, and I swear, I get a little giddy when it happens.

It’s North who checks his watch, claiming he has to get going.

“I can’t thank you all enough for what you’ve done today,” my mom says, her emotion evident. “It’s more than I could have asked for.”

“It was our pleasure, Natalie,” King says, and the others nod in agreement, their faces authentically happy at being able to help.

“We should be heading out,” Rafferty says as he stands from the love seat. “But we’ll be around if you need anything else,” he adds, and to my surprise, moves to my mom for a hug.

She returns it from her recliner, patting him on the shoulder. “You take good care of my girl.”

“The best,” he promises.

More flutters in my belly.

I walk the guys to the door, feeling a mix of relief and regret at their departure. The air is crisp as we step onto the porch, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the yard. I stand beside Rafferty on the top step, his friends waiting on the lawn for us to say our goodbyes.

“Thank you so much for the help. That was very kind. Especially putting up the tree. I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to get it down.”

“That was nothing,” he assures me. “The guys really like you, by the way.”

I tilt my head with a smirk. “How can you be sure?”

“Trust me, I know.” He chuckles, his eyes roaming my face. “What’s not to like?”

The sound of a school bus braking sharply at the end of our driveway cuts through the quiet and our heads turn that way. Cooper hops off, his backpack slung carelessly over one shoulder. He immediately locks onto the group of large men in our yard and his steps falter, eyes wide as he takes in the scene.

He’s a Titans fan so I know he recognizes all of them.

His mouth falls open and I look at the bus as it pulls away, faces pressed to the windows all staring agog.

“Hey, bud,” I say, quickly descending the steps to his side. I drape an arm around his shoulders and give him a reassuring squeeze. “These are my new friends.”

Cooper’s mouth opens and closes like a fish gasping for air, clearly starstruck by his hockey heroes standing in our front yard. Rafferty steps down from the porch, his approach gentle and friendly.

“Hey there, Cooper. I’m Rafferty,” he says, extending his hand. “Your sister has been telling us a lot about you. Huge fan, right?”

Cooper nods mutely, finally managing a small “Hi.”

The other guys come over, introducing themselves with smiles and friendly pats on the back, making sure Cooper feels included. His initial shock slowly transforms into a grin as he realizes these are actually Titans players here at his house.

“This is the best day ever,” he exclaims. “I’m going to call Danny and tell him to get over here.”

Cooper starts to pull away, but I grab him by the collar. “Not so fast, buddy. They have to leave.”

His expression falls but Rafferty puts a hand on his shoulder. “Hey Cooper, we’ve got a game tomorrow night against the New York Phantoms. How would you, your friend Danny and your sister like to come watch?”

“Really?” Cooper practically shrieks, then looks to me with absolute pleading in his eyes. “Can we go, Tempe?”

“I have to work,” I say, but seeing the near devastation on his face, I reconsider. “But I’ll see if I can get someone to cover my shift.”

Besides… it won’t hurt me to miss one day with the money I’m making from Rafferty.

“Awesome!” he yells, pumping his fist in the air. “I’m going to go tell Mom.”

We all watch as he runs into the house screaming “Mom!” at the top of his lungs.

Rafferty laughs, his attention settling on me. “I’m glad you’re coming. I’ll leave tickets for you at will call. Just show up and they’ll be waiting.”

“All right. Thank you.”

And then to my surprise, Rafferty leans in and gives me a quick kiss on my cheek. I have to resist the urge to touch my skin there… it’s positively tingling.

The guys wave to me and Rafferty follows them to the vehicles, giving me one last smile. I watch as they pull away and then head into the house.

Cooper is at the door, barely letting me in before he starts a barrage of word salad. “Tempe, they were really here, weren’t they? I mean… that was Rafferty Abrams, Atlas Karolak, North Paquette, Foster McInnis and Jack Kingston, all here at our house? And they saw the Titans poster in my room and they signed it! I hope they know I’m a real fan. I should have impressed them with some stats I have memorized, but it was all so crazy. They set up the Christmas tree. Can we decorate it tonight? And—”

“Whoa buddy. Slow down before you run out of air,” I say with a laugh.

But secretly, I love how excited he is. Money has always been tight and he’s only been to one hockey game in his life, and that’s when his friend Danny’s parents took them for Danny’s birthday last year. Cooper is such a good kid and he deserves good things.

My gratitude to Rafferty and his friends is boundless for all they did for my mom and Cooper today.