Room for You(61)

I looked into Brody’s soothing green eyes as he bit his lip, patiently waiting for my answer. I was proud to be his girlfriend and I wanted him to know that. Soon enough, people would figure out who I was anyway. I might as well rip the Band-Aid off fast, right?

“Let’s do this,” I said, raising up on my tippy-toes and planting a kiss right on his beautiful mouth.

He palmed the back of my head and held me there, elongating our kiss before he rested his forehead on mine.

“You. Amaze. Me.”

I didn’t have time to tell him he amazed me more before he took my hand in his own and morphed into ‘Sports Superstar Brody,’ confidently shaking hands and working his way through the crowd.

The red carpet was overwhelming, suffocating. Flashbulbs right in my face, hundreds of them causing me to blink so fast, I’d be surprised if there were one picture with my eyes open. My heart was pounding as hard as ever, the only thing keeping me from sprinting back to the limo and barricading myself inside was Brody’s warm hand resting comfortably on the small of my back.

Brody! Brody, over here! Brody!

The reporters were piranhas, all begging for his attention as we walked the line, pausing for pictures every five feet or so.

“Brody Murphy, who’s your date?” One yelled out over the others. “Is she your new girlfriend?”

“She’s my only girlfriend,” he yelled back to the feeding frenzy with that charming grin plastered to his face.

“Do we get her name?”

“Soon enough, soon enough. Tonight is about the kids though, don’t you think?” He went over and signed a few autographs, took a few pictures and the crowd cooled it a bit. He said goodnight to the masses and led us inside.

After a few more stops to meet people in the foyer, we headed into the ballroom.

Oh my God.

The room was permeated with the soft, unmistakable smell of roses. Every table was decorated with the lushest white and silver linens, and the tabletops were sprinkled with enough candles to give the entire room a romantic glow. Waiters in black tuxedos strolled from person to person, balancing sterling silver trays of foreign looking food on their fingertips. Bartenders poured pale, bland-looking drinks. Personally, I liked my alcohol in brown glass bottles.

As I stood, completely mesmerized, taking in all of the beautiful scenery in that room, I didn’t even notice Andy walk up to us. I turned as he and Brody were doing their weird man hug. I immediately panicked and peeked to see if anyone was behind him.

Not anyone—Blaire.

“She’s not with me,” Andy said as he turned toward me.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment that I’d been caught looking for her.

He leaned forward and gently kissed my cheek. “She actually wanted to come over and apologize, but I told her she was to stay away from you the whole night. I don’t even want her looking at you. And it has nothing to do with Brody’s contract, it’s because you’re the girl that has made my best friend the happiest I’ve seen him since he was twenty-one and got signed to play professionally.” A tight smile formed on his lips and I couldn’t help give him a bigger smile back.

“I appreciate that, Andy. Thank you.”

“I’m so sorry for the way she acted. You didn’t deserve that. It won’t happen again, I promise.”

Brody stuck his hand out for Andy again and they shook in some sort of show of mutual respect. He turned and walked away, and I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I’d been holding.

“You okay?” Brody looked nervous.

A small laugh built up inside me at the irony of that interaction making him nervous, but the hordes of people outside calling his name and clawing at him was nothing.

“I’m good.” I beamed at him. “I’m so good.”

“Let’s find our seats, then get a drink, huh?”



I was having the best time … dinner was out of this world, the people at our table were wonderful and Brody couldn’t keep his hands, or lips, off me.

I felt like Cinderella.

“I’m gonna use the restroom, I’ll be right back, okay?”

Brody stood politely as I got up from the table. Dina, a wife of another hockey player, got up and said she’d go with me. We gabbed about hockey life once the season started, and she actually put my mind at ease. Her life wasn’t so different from any other woman who had a husband that traveled for work.

“I’m so glad we talked. You really calmed my nerves.”

“Absolutely! You’re so sweet. Brody is lucky to have you,” she said as she reapplied her lipstick. “You coming?”

“I’ll be right behind you … I’m going to call my mom and check on the girls.”

She smiled and squeezed my hand on the way out.

“Hockey wife? You really think you’re going to be a hockey wife?” An achingly familiar voice cackled as I started to dial my mom’s number. My stomach flip-flopped as Blaire slithered out of one of the bathroom stalls. “Hi, Kacie. So nice to see you again.”

“Hi, Blaire,” I said, tucking my phone back in my purse. “I’ll see you later.”

“Where are you going? I wanted to talk to you some more.” Her tone dripped with insincerity as she inspected herself in the mirror. “We never finished our conversation a couple weeks ago because your douchey boyfriend so rudely interrupted us.”