Chapter 15

"Good evening, Mr. Morgan." Sergio, head of security, opens the door to the apartment block.

"Hi, Sergio," I reply. Normally, I spend a couple of minutes talking with him, but today I need to get upstairs and away from people.

Heading across to the elevator, I punch in the code I've known by memory for years and ride the eleven floors to the penthouse.

"In here," I hear Zach's voice call through the dark as I walk through his hallway, kicking my sneakers off. I find Zach sprawled across his couch with the only light coming from the enormous TV mounted on the wall.

"What game are you watching?" I ask, dumping myself down on the opposite couch.

"Dallas footage. Want a beer?" He tips his bottle toward me. "There's some in the fridge if you want."

I'm surprised. Zach rarely drinks, especially during the season, but what the hell, after today, why not? "You read my mind." I stride across the open-plan living space and grab a beer from the fridge before heading back.

We spend at least an hour saying very little, simply studying game tape and exchanging the occasional thought or opinion ahead of Saturday. When I called Zach earlier, I asked him if he was home and if he had company, aka Amie. He knew I needed to talk but didn't push it any further, just told me his door is always open. In many ways, I see him as a brother. He's always been there for me, offering advice, even when it's not something I want to hear. Over the last six seasons, we've formed an unbreakable bond, and I trust him with my life.

"Coach told me to stay away from practice tomorrow and to take a rest day." I broach the subject first, draining the final dregs of my beer.

"How do you feel about that?" Zach sits up from his lying position on the couch, placing his empty bottle on the table in front of him.

"Honestly? Relieved. Kinda feels bad to say, but I don't want to be around people right now."

Zach bobs his head; he's already worked that one out based on my mood these past few days. "What's going on, Jon?"

I let out a low chuckle, gripping the back of my neck. "My game's going to shit, and I can't seem to get a handle on it."

"Yeah, I can see that, but why?" he pushes.

"Nothing's working out, and I'm frustrated."

"By nothing, you mean a certain girl?"

He called me out, no holding back, "Ugh, yes, no, I mean maybe."

"She still giving you the cold shoulder after the away game in Colorado?"

I shake my head. "No, worse. I turned up at her office, kissed her, then invited her back to my place for dinner. All was going great until she basically friend-zoned me and told me she wanted to ‘spread her wings' and be independent since her bastard ex-husband made her feel undesirable and trapped in a loveless marriage."I huff out a breath, running a frustrated hand through my hair. "So yeah, I know she feels something for me, and I know there's a part of her that wants me, but her worry over relationships and losing her newfound independence means she won't trust or date. It's obvious and there's fuck all I can do about it."

Zach stands from the couch and moves toward the kitchen, returning thirty seconds later with another beer for each of us. Flicking the cap off, he hands me the bottle and I take another swig.

"This might seem obvious, but have you told her how you feel? Because from what I'm hearing and seeing, bro, you are fully gone for this girl, and it's fucking with your head."

"Yeah, I think I made it pretty clear when I made out with her in the middle of her office and then invited her back for dinner and kissed her again," I bite out.

"All good and well, but how does she know what you want? Look at it from her point of view. This world-famous hockey player starts pursuing her, texting, and inviting her to his place for dinner. But he's got a reputation as a playboy with a different woman in his bed every night."He takes another swig of his beer, tipping the bottle toward me. "I know what I'd be thinking. I haven't jumped into bed with him at the first opportunity, and now he sees me as a challenge. Think about it, Jon, if you were a chick, would you want to be another notch on your bedpost?"

I swipe my hand across my face, giving it some serious thought. "Yeah, it's a possibility I guess, and no, I wouldn't want to sleep with me either. Not unless I knew there was more to it than just meaningless sex."

"Exactly." Zach sits back on the couch. "I've never met the girl, but Jensen tells me she's the type of woman you marry, not someone you have a one-night stand with. So why would she open the door to you if she thinks you only want one thing? And frankly, I know you have only great intentions with her; I can see the seismic shift in you. But based on your past, why would she see that?"

Christ, that stings. Yeah, I knew all this deep down but hearing it validated out loud, it's hard to take. I shrug. "Yeah, but that still doesn't help with her need to be independent."

Zach nods his head in understanding. "Look, man, I'm no expert, but has it ever occurred to you that her only experience in relationships has been controlling and unhealthy? That's what she's used to. She hasn't seen anything different, so she doesn't know what it's like to be with a man who shares her interests and wants to help her achieve her dreams and goals."

He waves a hand in front of him. "So really, it's simple: show her what she could have and that you want her for more than a cheap fuck. Women like her don't fall easily."

"And what if she still doesn't want me after all that? I genuinely don't think I could handle the rejection."

"Well then, she doesn't want you, but what are your alternatives? Walk away and don't try? I don't think I've ever known you to back off from something you want. Spell it out to her, take the risk. That's the best advice I have for you, buddy." Zach kicks back and lies down on the couch again.

"I thought I had," I reply, peeling the label off my bottle.

He low chuckles. "Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy, man."

I don't say anything, instead letting his advice sink in. He's right; I know he is. Still, it doesn't make putting myself out there for her any easier. I've never dated a woman in my adult life, let alone gone after someone for a full-blown relationship, and to be brutally honest, anything less than that with Felicity won't be enough for me. All my instincts tell me she's everything I want, everything I need.

Placing my half-finished beer back on the table, I decide to enter potentially dangerous waters. "So how are things with Amie?"

Zach scoffs, tipping his head up to the ceiling, "So Jensen told you then?"

I've no idea what he's talking about. "No, told me what?"

He looks genuinely surprised I don't know but answers me anyway. "Rumor has it she's been seen out in New York with Alex Schneider."

My jaw hangs open. What the actual fuck. "Fucking Schneider. Where did you hear this?"

He drains the last of his beer, and I can tell he's starting to feel its effects. "Well, I say rumor. Apparently, he posted a photo of her and him getting cozy in some club downtown last night. The photo was up for all of five minutes before it was taken down, but the damage was done, screenshots taken, and I've seen the evidence. She was blowing my phone up all night, denying there's anything going on before I switched the fucking thing off, so you're lucky you got hold of me. I was ready to throw it out the window."

I shake my head. I mean, I've always had bad vibes from Amie but cheating? On a guy like Zach, with a scumbag like Schneider? That's lower than I thought she'd ever go. "Shit, man, I'm sorry. You're sure she's been playing away?"

Nodding, he replies "She sat on his knee, arms wrapped around his neck, so yeah, it seemed pretty damning." Zach continues to stare absent-mindedly at the TV, the game footage having stopped several minutes ago.

I feel like the shittiest friend. Here I am coming to unload my issues onto him when the guy's girl has just been caught cheating on him with the worst possible person. It's clear Schneider is using Amie to get to Zach off the ice. He's that sort of person.

"I'm sorry I haven't been there for you, man; I've had my head so far up my ass."

"It's okay, not like you could do anything or change the fact that she's a cheating bitch."

"You really cared about her, huh?" I can see how much this is tearing him up. Now the beers, drawn blinds, and pitch-black apartment make sense.

"Yeah, I thought she was the one, but like I say, I'm no expert in relationships." He blows out a humorless laugh. "Just goes to show what I know."

"Never blame yourself for trusting the person you love. She's the one at fault here. Other than that prick."

Zach's jaw pops. "Yeah, and you've probably done me a favor tonight. I was googling flights to JFK when you called. Ready to track him down and beat the living shit out of him for touching my girl but…" he pauses, "that's probably what he wants."

"Yeah, you got that right, and she's not worth it. Hurts like hell now, but in a few weeks, you'll wonder why you ever bothered with her."

My best friend stands, swiping his bottle from the table. "Yeah, and on Saturday night when we crush Dallas, I'm heading out to celebrate with a puck bunny or two."

I want to tell him that searching for affection in empty hookups isn't the answer, but who am I to talk?

"Anyway, fuck it, whatever. You down for some Warzone?" Zach thrusts a PS5 controller in my hand.

"Yeah sure, but I'm not taking it easy on you." I clap a hand on his shoulder and come to sit next to him.

"Likewise. Just stop pussy footing around Felicity, yeah? It doesn't take a genius to work out that women like her don't stay unclaimed for long, and if you're as serious about her as I think you are, then you need to lock it down."

I smile, recalling how her skin pebbled under my touch. "She's all I want."