A Lie for a Lie (All In, #1)(37)

“Rookie, Lance, you two comin’? We need you for the team picture,” Alex calls from behind me.

Fuck. I forgot that Lance is still here, watching this train derail.

Lainey takes a step back. “I have to get back to work anyway.”

“Just give me another minute,” I call out.

Alex throws an arm over my shoulder, completely oblivious to the tension flaring or Lainey’s anxiety, which I’m far too familiar with. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to borrow this guy for a minute—can’t take a team picture without the captain.”

“Captain?” Lainey parrots, eyeing me like I’m a stranger and not the man she spent almost six weeks playing house with.

“You being all modest again, man?” Alex slaps me on the chest. “This guy is the best player in the league.”

“Uh, Alex, I think—” Lance tries to interrupt.

“You’re an excellent player too, Romero.” He winks at Lainey. “You did a great job on the tour, especially dealing with the whole dolphin situation.”

“Thank you. That usually doesn’t happen during birthday parties. Typically Dillon waits until evening to get frisky with Daphne.” Lainey takes another step back, muttering something under her breath as her cheeks flush.

“Do you think we can put a hold on the team photo? I need a minute with Lainey. We know each other.” I pin them both with a meaningful look.

Alex’s eyebrows pop, while Lance’s pull down and then shoot up. It would be funny if things weren’t so tense right now. Alex drops his arm and steps back, eyes darting between us. “Sorry, sorry. Sure thing. Liam and Lane are getting antsy to open their presents.”

Lainey’s still trying to back away slowly.

“Please. It’s not what you think.”

Her spine straightens, and she crosses her arms over her chest. “You don’t know what I think.”

“Can we go somewhere and talk?” I glance over at the information desk, where three girls are huddled together, watching us.

“I can’t—I’m in the middle of a shift.” She takes another step toward a door that reads STAFF ONLY.

“What about when you get off? We could meet for coffee somewhere close by?” I realize how inappropriate the first part sounds after it’s out of my mouth.

Either she doesn’t notice, or she pretends not to. “I can’t. I’m busy.”

“It’s been a year, Lainey. I tried to call when I got to LA, but you never picked up. All I want is the chance to talk—at least give me that.”

“There was a storm. A tree took out the phone lines and all the power. Even the generator didn’t work.” Her rigid stance wavers, and her bottom lip trembles.

That explains why the phone just kept ringing and ringing and eventually all I’d get was a click and a dial tone, but she could’ve left me with a way to get in touch with her. “I didn’t know about the phones. Why didn’t you leave me a way to contact you?” I take a step forward for every step she takes back.

She blinks, confused. “I did. I left a note with my phone number and email.”

My stomach twists with this news. I’d considered going back to Alaska after LA, but things had been so difficult with Max’s birth, there hadn’t been time. “I didn’t find one when I went back this summer.”

“I left it in your bedroom. And maybe it was a good thing you didn’t find it, considering you’re a liar.” Her chin trembles, and her hands flutter in the air before she clasps them together in front of her.

I was in such a rush that morning, worried about my brother and Joy and the baby, wishing I’d done things differently with Lainey. I didn’t even think to leave her my cell. “I made a mistake—granted, it was a big one. I just . . . you didn’t recognize me. I didn’t think . . . can I give you my number now? I get that this is a lot to take in, and maybe you need time to think? I can give you that, but please, at least give me a chance to explain.”

She shakes her head, but she pulls her phone out of her pocket, keys in the pass code, and hands it over to me. I quickly add myself as a contact before she can change her mind. Then I send myself a message to make sure I have her number before I hand it back.

I don’t know what to do with my hands, so I shove them into my pockets. “Can I call you later so we can set up a coffee date?”

She holds her phone to her chest, eyes darting to the STAFF ONLY door and then to the group of women gathered by the information desk before coming back to me. There’s no warmth, just wary mistrust. “I don’t even know you. Why would I go on a date with you?”

“Don’t say that. You know me, Lainey. The only thing you didn’t know about was my job. That’s it.” I take another step toward her, but she shakes her head and backs away.

“That’s it? It’s not a little lie, RJ. You told me you were an alpaca farmer instead of telling me you were the captain of a professional hockey team. That’s kind of a pretty huge detail to leave out, don’t you think?” Her voice shakes, whether with anger or another emotion I can’t be sure, but she looks as if she’s on the verge of tears, and I hate that I’m the one who did that to her.

The door behind her opens. “Lainey? Sorry to interrupt, but I need your help with the otters. Ollie keeps trying to make moves on all the female otters, and you’re the only one who seems to be able to control him when he’s like this.”