Page 16 of Unmasking Love (D.C. Renegades #1)

Aiden

Emotional Support Man

Was it enough?

When Harper told me she was eating Ritz crackers for dinner I shuddered.

I saw those in her pantry this morning and there were only a few left.

She didn’t have much food besides baking ingredients; flours, sugars, starches of different types.

No vegetables in her crisper drawer. A really old banana on the counter.

So I placed a grocery order for breakfast but didn’t think that she’d still be out of food for dinner.

We don’t look at our phones during the game, even in the locker rooms between periods. We focus. But the second the post-game speech was done I texted Harper.

It was, plenty. I’ll have left overs for tomorrow!

Good.

I try to picture Harper in her apartment. Is she on the sofa? Curled up in bed? Did she change out of her work clothes?

My brain can’t decide if Harper in the tight sweater and skirt she was in earlier is sexier than the idea of her curled up in sweats.

Caveman Aiden likes the idea of her wearing my sweats.

I s hove my phone away because I don’t want to draw attention. I barely got away with saying “Lunch with Harper was nice” when I arrived at the arena earlier. I can almost feel the guys looking at me, waiting, ready to pounce.

The last thing I want to do is try to explain how I’m not dating Harper but that I’m sending her dinner and checking up on her. They’re going to ask about ulterior motives and I’m not ready to admit that I have them.

Although, it is nearly impossible to ignore them as I ride home. As I make my post-game shake. As I slide into bed and stare at my ceiling.

Before I fall asleep I search for tomorrow morning's inspirational quote. When the perfect one is ready to go I put my phone on the charger and close my eyes. Visions of Harper in the autumn sun fill my dreams

***

Hello Harper! "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." – Albert Einstein

Enjoy your morning!

I hate the number of exclamation points I just used. I think I’m forcing the enthusiasm. She probably thinks it’s fucking weird that I am sending her a motivational quote but Wes was clear in his instructions.

Morning Aiden - thanks for the quote. My favorite Albert Einstein one is "Creativity is intelligence having fun" but I like the bicycle one too.

Are all your motivational quotes cycling related?

Some are hockey related too.

LOL

I grin. I hope I really did cause her to laugh. There’s nothing I’d like more than to hear her laughing at something I said. Well, maybe there are other things I’d like to hear from her with me hovering above her but laughter is a good place to start.

***

How’s your day going so far?

Busy, but I’m eating lunch right now.

I want to yell out “that’s great!” but I refrain because I’m boarding the plane to Texas. I settle for a close lipped smile to myself and a few nods of my head.

What’s on the menu?

Lapis left overs.

They’re almost better cold.

Don’t tell me you’re a cold pizza person.

And proud of it! Especially the next morning.

Who raised you and never corrected this character flaw?

Take that back!

Actually, let me be honest before you retract your statement.

What I usually do is eat a piece cold while I heat up the other.

I can’t decide if that makes it better or worse.

Both?

Neither?

Are you a glass half empty guy?

I’m a don’t leave glasses of water around the house kind of guy.

Ha, fair enough.

What are you up to?

About to fly to Texas. Game in Dallas tomorrow and then up to St. Louis the day after that. Then Jersey and New York a few days later before we come home.

What is your day like today?

I’m showing that family another house this afternoon. No late showings tonight so I’ll head home early.

What time is early?

I should be home by 6 tonight.

What are you doing for dinner?

Eating more left overs :)

Was there really that much food?

There was but I’m not complaining. It has saved me from grocery shopping.

Do you not like to grocery shop?

I hate it.

Really? Why?

Too many decisions all at once.

And I’m not even counting the meal planning and recipe checking part.

Do you like to cook?

I like to bake.

And that’s not the same?

Not at all!

Well, good news. I like to cook .

Oh shit. Was that too far? Did I show my hand?

Is she going to pick up on the fact that I am thinking about cooking for her.

The flight attendant chimes in that we are about to take off and that we need to turn our phones off.

I scramble to text Harper and hopefully dodge the conversation about everything I’d like to do for her.

Gotta go, we’re about to take off.

Have a good flight :)

Thanks Harper, enjoy the rest of your day.

***

Finally in my hotel room after the team dinner and I pull out my phone before stripping out of my suit.

How was the rest of your day?

I didn’t want to text Harper in front of the guys even though I’ve been dying to text her since the plane.

They’ve got a sixth sense for when any of us are speaking to a woman.

Poor Kasper got nailed because he smiled at his phone before a game.

When Ducnan learned it was his older sister giving him a hard time some of the teasing eased up.

I turn on the TV for background noise and unpack while I wait for Harper to respond. So far she’s been quick with her replies but it’s only been one day of my new duties as “emotional support man” as Wes dubbed me via text today.

He texted this afternoon as I was boarding the bus to tell me he liked my style. I didn’t know what he meant. He said taking lunch to Harper yester day was more than any boyfriend had ever done and he appreciated that I was the kind of person who would do that for her.

And with the way she’s been occupying my mind I’m thinking there is a lot I’d be willing to do for her.

As I zip up my suitcase and store it in the closet I realize she still hasn’t responded.

Before I let fear take over I give her a call.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

Ring.

I end the call when her voicemail picks up and run a hand through my hair. I force a deep breath.

She’s fine. She’s probably with a client.

Except she only had one showing this afternoon and it is past nine on the east coast.

Maybe she was out with Wes.

Or maybe something has happened to her and now I am in Texas and she is in trouble. My heart rate speeds up as I dial her number again.

No answer.

She’s fine , I tell myself. Bad things happen out of nowhere but they didn’t happen to Harper tonight. She’s okay.

My feet pace the small rectangle room. My hands occupy themselves with sliding off my tie and unbuttoning my shirt. Can I ask Coach to let me fly home to check on her? I could be back before the morning skate tomorrow.

The logical side of my brain is telling me I’m overreacting, especially since I’m not actually dating Harper. But that small voice is drowned out by the irrational anxiety that maybe she’s not okay and I can’t be there to help her.

I c all again.

“Hello?”

“Jesus, Harper, holy shit.” I exhale at the sound of her voice.

“What’s wrong Aiden?” She sounds as alarmed as I was feeling a millisecond ago.

“I called you and you didn’t answer. I was worried.”

“Oh, sorry, I’m baking and didn’t hear my phone.”

“So you’re home and safe?” The adrenaline drains from me as I collapse on the edge of the bed. I’m almost giddy with relief.

“Yes. I might give myself a stomach ache after eating this cake. But that’s self-induced and I’m aware of the risk.”

I can hear her smile over the phone and I feel my body relax further. I scoot back on the bed and lean against the headboard. “What kind of cake?”

“A cinnamon swirl cake with candied walnuts and a cream cheese frosting. It was supposed to be pecans but I didn’t have any so I made an adjustment.”

“Sounds delicious.” I tell her because it does.

I wouldn’t eat more than a bite if I was there but I’d make a point to try it because she made it.

I haven’t had a full dessert in sixteen years.

Mom tried making sugar free, vegan, cakes for my birthday and they were like eating dog biscuits so we gave up.

Just another thing my freak heart attack took away from me.

Instead of wallowing, I ask Harper a question. “Have you always loved baking?”

“Umm, yeah I guess. My mom and I used to do it together when I was really little.”

“And do you use real butter and sugar and all the stuff we’re not supposed to eat?”

She laughs, and I preen. “Yes, is there any other way?”

“ I guess not.” My fingers run the edge of the delicate chain around my neck. “It sounds delicious.”

“I’ll save you a piece.” She says and I hear her chewing. The mental image of her lips causes a reaction in my groin. The notion she wants to see me again causes a reaction in my chest. My entire body is tuned into her.

“How was the showing?” I ask after I force myself to swallow the lump in my throat.

“Fine,” she says quietly and I don’t like the sound of it.

“Just fine?”

“Yeah, umm,” she trails off.

“What? Just say it.”

“Well, they had their teenage daughter with them and it just brought back memories of being that age, I guess. I wasn’t ready for the trip down memory lane two days in a row.”

I think about being that age every day of my life.

We’re both quiet for a beat. I’m supposed to be checking in on her and making sure she’s okay after her breakup. Not going into my own head over the emotional trauma of moving away as a teen and living in a different country. Of dealing with a life changing injury and the process of recovering.

“Anyway,” Harper continues brightly in response to my introspective silence. “I moved in the middle of high school too and I’m doing fine, so maybe things will be better for this girl too.”

“Did you move around a lot as a kid?” I ask.

“Kinda,” Harper says around a mouthful of cake. “Every couple of years or so. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I guess in middle school and the start of high school we were in one place. That was the longest stretch, from age twelve to just after I turned seventeen.”

“Did you move around for your parent’s jobs?”

“It was just my mom and me but no, not really.”

She doesn’t expand any further.

I want to ask deeper questions. I want to understand why she and her mom moved. I want to know where her dad is. I want to hear about her in high school. Did she play sports? Was she into art? Theater? Student council?

My high school experience was hockey.

Until it wasn’t.

Again, this isn’t about me. This is about Harper and her breakup from 72 hours ago.

“How was the flight to Dallas?” Harper asks and I return my attention to my conversation with her.

“Flight was fine. I usually try to nap but Felix had other plans for us this time.”

She laughs, “You can’t just say something like that and not expand on it!”

I chuckle too, “Fine. He used the flight to lead the team through a presentation with all the possible ways we could bond as a group.”

“Ha, really? What were some of his ideas?”

“Cooking classes, ax throwing, beer pong trick shots.” That last one was followed by a twenty minute detour to watching videos of Emmett’s grandmother who has a huge TikTok following for her elaborate shots.

“Do you drink during the season?” She asks.

“Not really. Maybe a beer here or there.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think Felix did either, so I’m surprised he suggested a drinking game.”

“Oh, no this isn’t really playing beer pong. It’s about setting up an obstacle course for the ping pong ball before it drops into a cup.”

“Oh! Wait, I think I’ve seen those. Actually it was like some grandma doing it I think.”

“It was probably Emmett’s grandma. She’s internet famous for it.”

“ No way,” she laughs before it gets muffled, probably by another bite of food. “That’s awesome actually.” She finishes chewing and asks, “What’s your schedule like tomorrow?”

“We have team breakfast and a skate at the arena. Then back to the hotel for lunch and a nap. We take the bus back over to the arena at 4.”

“Are you playing?”

“Nope, I don’t think I’m on until next week.”

“Gotcha.”

“What’s your day like tomorrow?”

“Following up with this family I saw today. A few other things are still open. I dunno, I might putz with my designs for this house.”

“Your house?”

“Yeah.” She pauses to chew. I wait. “I bought it two years ago thinking I’d convert it into a single family home one day.

I also thought the man I was seeing at the time would be my husband and we’d fill the house with dogs and kids but…

that was five boyfriends ago.” She laughs at herself and it hurts like a crack in my chest.

Who the hell has she been dating? Why can’t they see the amazing person she is? I’ve known her all of five weeks and have only hung out with her a few times but each interaction leaves me smiling. Her impact on my emotional state lingers. I feel lighter.

Calm.

“Is the first floor rented out?” I ask.

“Not right now. It was but I didn’t get a new tenant last month when the couple living there bought a house and moved.”

“You’ll have to show me the designs sometime.”

“Really? You'd want to see them?”

“Of course. I don’t know the first thing about renovations or design but I bet your presentation would be a thousand times better than Felix’s forced fun one from today.”

She laughs. I let go and laugh along with her.

“Okay then, I’ll have you over for cake and design talk.”

“Can’t wait.” I say with a smile. She yawns on the other end of the phone. “I’ll let you get to sleep. Goodnight Harper.”

“Night Aiden.”