Rush: The Season (Austin Arrows Book 1)(130)

I lean over closer so I’m not interrupting those around us.

“Turns out, the Wendy girl was dating one of the Detroit players. He apparently had a beef with Kingston over something that happened on the ice. You know, normal hockey shit. The girl didn’t know exactly what. Doesn’t matter. I guess the guy broke up with Wendy, and in an effort to get him back, she decided she would burn Kingston. She thought it would make the ex-boyfriend happy enough to take her back.”

“Did it?” Noelle’s mouth is hanging open.

I shake my head. “Nope. He thinks she’s a psycho.”

“Holy shit. So what happens now?”

“I told the girl she needs to tell the truth, or get her friend to. She agreed to talk to Phoenix, so I passed along the information to Spencer. He said he would ensure it made it to Phoenix so they could address this immediately.”

“What does Kingston think?”

I lean back in my seat and reach for my beer. I offer a quick shrug. “I didn’t tell him.”

Noelle doesn’t look happy with me. “Don’t you think he deserves to know?”

“I figure he has enough shit to deal with right now. The last thing I want is for him to start fretting over it. It might affect his game.”

“You affect his game,” Noelle mumbled, turning toward the ice.

“What does that mean?”

“Have you see the way he’s been playing? He kinda sucks right now.”

“He does not.” It’s in my nature to defend both Kingston and Spencer. I can’t believe Noelle would say something like that. Although, it might actually be true. The team hasn’t been doing all that well.

But surely that’s not my fault.





Kingston

I wish like f*ck I was out on the ice. It kills me to sit on the bench and watch the action in front of me. I’m programmed to pretend it doesn’t, but it does. The game has flown by and so far we’re up by one with six minutes left in the third period. I’ve got my fingers crossed that we can hang on to this lead. Based on the way things have been going, there’s not a good chance of that happening. Luck doesn’t seem to be on our side.

While the guys rotate on and off the ice, I can’t do anything but twiddle my f*cking thumbs. Locke actually looks pretty good out there tonight. More confident than he has been. I don’t think it’s due to my conversation with him last week, but I’d given it a shot. At twenty-three, the kid has a lot of growing left to do when it comes to his position on the ice. The fact that he’s cocky already doesn’t help. However, he does have skills, although he hasn’t been showing them much lately.

When the whistle is blown to stop the play, I take a moment to glance over at Ellie. Since I’m not on the ice, I’ve spent the past hour and a half stealing glances every chance I can. She seems happy. Always smiling and laughing with Noelle. I haven’t seen her look my way, though, so I’m starting to believe that James really is the guy who makes her happy, despite what Noelle said to me on Sunday.

Something is going to have to give, because I don’t know how much longer I can torment myself this way. It’s killing me to stay away from her, and though I know she would probably welcome me in her bed, I can’t seem to do that, either. She’s not just a quick f*ck for me, and every minute I spend with her draws me in deeper and deeper.

I’m torn. I’ve already f*cked this up, but I can’t stop thinking about her. I owe her an apology at the very least. But when I think about doing that, I think about what it would be like if she could forgive me. Would she take me back?

I know I could make her happy, but I don’t know that I could make her as happy as James could. After all, they’ve got a kid together, and that kid very clearly informed me that she’s happy now that her parents are trying to work things out.

Never mind the fact that I’ve watched Bianca grow up, and I’ve tried to spend as much time with her as I could over the years. And okay, maybe I did it more as an uncle than a father, but still. I love that kid. The idea of James coming in and getting to do all that stuff with her while I have to watch from Spencer’s side… I don’t think I can handle it.

It’s my own damn fault. Ellie did me a favor by pretending to be my girlfriend. She’s been up front with me regarding how this would work. She said she wasn’t looking for anything serious because she has a daughter to raise. Then I went and slept with her and now I can’t get her out of my head.

It’s slowly driving me insane.

The final buzzer sounds and I peer up at the score. Well, hot damn. We managed to win it. No help from me, of course. But that’s a positive thing for the team, so I force a smile and go congratulate everyone.

If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to keep my mind off Ellie for the rest of the night.

Then maybe I’ll be able to sleep for the first time in a month.





55

Kingston

Friday, February 24th

“Well, Willy,” I say to the little boy sitting beside me. “It’s clear you’re the better race car driver here.”

Willy smiles happily.

I’ve been at the hospital for three hours now. I can’t seem to make myself leave, although I know the nurses are starting to wonder if I’ve permanently moved in. Locke, Benne, and Valeri all came and went a long time ago, but I’m still here, still trying to make these kids smile.