Hockey With Benefits(37)

And her ex. Fuck.

That guy. He was already a legend in the soccer world. I followed the sport, it was a nice escape from the pressures of hockey sometimes, but he was the real deal. Jesus. Fuck. Fuck! That took me right back to the beginning of what are the chances she sought out two guys on similar paths. The NHL was circling me, but I wanted one more year at least in college. I had hopes to still finish my degree, but no one knew that. Even my mom didn’t. So yeah, logically it would not make sense that Mara didn’t know who I was, but the thing was, I believed her.

Or I wanted to believe her.

Or fuck again because it’d been the perfect timing for that phone call. It worked. I got distracted.

I was still in bed with her.

I needed to go. All the mess happening, that was one thing I knew for certain.

“No more texting.”

I tensed but turned to see her. She shifted, bending her knee and bringing her leg back in.

Man, her eyes. So tormented. Now I knew what was in there, or got a glimpse, I couldn’t unsee it. She had serious ghosts from her past.

“No calls. Nothing. I mean, unless you want to come over for this, but we need to stop the other shit.”

She tucked her head down. I could feel her pulling away from me.

Whatever storm had been in her, was still in her, but it was like I fucked it down each time we went a round.

“Okay.”

I pushed up from the bed, and I could hear her breathe easier.

Such a mind fuck.

I ignored it, not knowing what to do with her, and began dressing. I was ready to go within minutes and grabbed up my bag and keys. Checking my phone, I cursed because there was a missed call from my mom and a following one from Titi. I’d have to send a text to both in the morning. Titi woke up early so she’d be happy. My mom, I’d like if she could’ve slept in, but I didn’t know what shift she was on with the hospital.

She was quiet in the bedroom. I was reaching for the doorknob but screw it.

I went back and paused in the doorway. “You’re going to be okay?”

“We’re not–”

“We’re beyond that right now. Are you going to be okay? I heard that call. That lady—her voice was loud.”

She wouldn’t look at me but nodded. She sounded so hollow when she said, “I’ll be okay.”

I braced. I didn’t know why. Maybe my own past history because right now she was reminding me of someone too, but either way, that situation was most certainly not this situation. “I can come over in the evenings.”

She looked up, and even her eyes were glassy and empty.

I winced at seeing that. “After practice, before dinner.”

“No. Eat dinner. Come after, and then leave after.”

She was pushing us back, giving us less time, but I got what she was doing. A routine, a schedule. No texting or calling, but we’d have this.

“See you tomorrow night.”

I left, not hearing her say goodbye, but she wasn’t like that.

Going down the stairs, I went out the door and headed for my truck.

“So, you’re fucking her.”

I stopped. It was the swimmer. “It’s none of your business.”

He had his keys in his hand, and he finished shutting his car door. A bag of food was in his hands. His gaze went up to where her place was and he nodded, slowly, looking resigned. “Guess not.”

I waited, but he didn’t say anything more.

I got in my truck, and drove home.





18





MARA





I woke the next morning, my body fully exhausted from everything, but it was a good exhaustion from Cruz. I could still feel him, deep inside of me. Not thinking about anything else, I grabbed my phone, unblocked one of my mom’s numbers and called it.

She answered with a clipped, “About time–”

I shot up in bed. “You are a shit mother. You were a shit wife. You want to blackmail me for fifty grand? Good fucking luck. You want to know what I’ll do in return? I’ll go to the police. I won’t let you threaten me, do you hear me? Do not try me or we really are done. Forever.”

She was quiet on her end.

I didn’t wait to hear the sobbing because that was her next move. She’d go straight to being the victim, so I hung up and blocked her number before going to get ready for the day.

I had a quiz I needed to ace.





Me: Need to run something by you. Breakfast on me tomorrow morning? 9 am? Campus Coffee Bar?

Leander Carrington: Who is this?

Me: Uh, show up and find out.

Me: Just kidding. This is Mara Daniels. Show up. Free food.

Leander Carrington: What’s this about?

Me: Are you serious?

Leander Carrington: No. See you there.





Tuesday morning, Leander was lingering outside the campus coffee bar when I approached. He saw me and came over, his hands in his pockets. “What’s this about? Also, was this a secret thing?”

I’d been reaching for the door past him but stopped. “Why?”

He had a sheepish look on his face. “I didn’t know if this was a date or something, but Mikey mentioned you asked for my number and yeah, Miller heard and, yeah.”