Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

S hut Off the Sun

Hayden

Buying a last-minute plane ticket to Toronto was not in my budget, but heading back to Riverside U by myself seemed too depressing. I charged the flight to a credit card, knowing soon I’d be making enough money to pay for it without a worry.

One of my best friends, Shane Stalkhouse, plays for the Toronto Eagles. He has a condo in downtown Toronto and told me I could visit whenever I wanted. I leave the airport and head into the snowy night. The wind whips at my face as I enter the Uber waiting for me. Shane wanted to pick me up, but I told him there was no point.

As we head down the highway, my mind is still working overtime. I can’t believe Macklin is with my sister and he hid it from me. I think of all the times I asked him to watch out for her when I wasn’t around, and he made me think he had my back. Ruby is my baby sister. She is my responsibility and I’ve been watching out for her ever since I can remember. In high school, I made sure all the horny guys who were after only one thing kept away from her. I was on my school hockey team. I knew almost everyone and so my warnings were heeded. After I left it was Macklin watching out for her. I remember when Macklin first moved across the hall from us. He was quiet and seemed lost. He kept to himself and didn’t really have anyone since his foster mother was a big bitch. Abuela brought him into our little family. We treated him like one of us. I considered him a brother. I can’t believe he’d stab me in the back this way.

The Uber drops me off in front of the tall condominium building. It looks like a newer building. I text Shane I’m here and he tells me to enter the lobby, and security will let me through. I head up to his apartment on the tenth floor, thinking how some of us don’t come from much, but the NHL gives us opportunities we would not have otherwise. I obviously have worked my ass off but being here feels surreal.

I knock on Shane’s door. He opens it. “Bro.” He pulls me in for a hug. “Come on in.”

“Thanks, bro,” I say as I roll my suitcase into his swanky apartment. “Shit, bro, you’ve scored big.” The place is decorated in dark grays. It looks like an ultimate bachelor pad with a large screen TV and a large couch. He has music playing in the background and he asks Google to stop the music.

“Yeah, bro. Things have been good here. Toronto is a nice city and I’ve lucked out with my teammates.”

“I’d thought you’d go home for the holidays,” I say to him.

“I did but we don’t have that much time off. I only flew out for the day and came home. Besides, Christmas with my dad and his girlfriend’s family isn’t much to write home about.”

I snicker. “Probably better than mine.”

He takes my jacket and tells me to leave the suitcase where it is.

“Are you hungry?” he asks.

“I’m starving,” I admit, and we walk into his kitchen. It’s made of dark gray lacquered kitchen cabinets and black stainless-steel appliances that are all built in to the wall. This place looks pricey as shit.

“Take a seat.” He points to the breakfast island.

I take a seat. He begins to take all kinds of containers out of his massive fridge, and he pops them in the oven.

“You were always with the family on the holidays, I was surprised when you called,” he says.

“Yeah, well, we had a little too much family drama for my liking,” I reply. There is no way I am sharing with Shane what went down between Macklin and Ruby. He was teammates with Macklin and I know they are still in touch, and he’s met Ruby a number of times too.

“Anything you care to share?” he asks curiously as he takes the trays he put in the oven out. He sets them down on the breakfast bar and passes me two plates and some cutlery.

“Nah, my head is swimming. I need to forget about it for a while,” I deflect.

“Are you up for going out? Some of my teammates are headed to a club. We got the VIP section.”

“That sounds perfect,” I tell him.

We dig into the food. “This is gourmet,” I remark of the chicken in a mushroom sauce and the mashed sweet potatoes. He also has a tray of some kind of beef, and everything tastes amazing.

“I’ve got an assistant; she cooks for me and does the cleaning. She’s great in the kitchen.” He waggles his brows. “Perks of the job. We’re on the road so much there’s barely time to do my own shopping and it’s important to eat well.”

“Sounds like the life. Did I tell you I signed with Tampa?”

“Bruh.” He smacks my chest. “I knew you would land in a good spot.”

“Thanks. It’s cool. I was just down in Florida before the holiday with the team,” I tell him.

“So, you know what it’s like in the clubs for us?” he quizzes.

“Not really, there were games and practices. Everyone was super focused. What should I expect?”

“You’ll see,” he says conspiratorially.

He shows me to the spare room, and gives me a minute to change. I put on a pair of black chinos I packed, and I match it with a dark gray dress shirt.

When I walk out to the main part of the condo, Shane is ready.

“Now we’re talking. We’re going to have some fun tonight,” he hoots.

Shane had always been a ladies’ man and the life of a party, but he was a serious player too, and there was no nonsense when the season was running.

He calls an Uber, and we head out. We arrive to some street where there are a row of bars, clubs, and restaurants. It’s a cold night but we didn’t bring jackets. There are all kinds of fancy cars parked on the street too.

“What is this place?” I ask, looking around because there are literally Ferraris and Lamborghinis parked on the street.

“It’s called Yorkville,” he replies, and I follow him past a bouncer who nods to him. We enter the club and head to the VIP section, which is off to the right and up a few steps. He introduces to me to his teammates. There are also a bunch of girls around. All of them are wearing short little dresses that barely cover their behinds.

When a waitress comes up to me, Shane says, “Give my friend anything he wants on me.”

“Thanks, bro,” I say.

Some of his teammates are doing shots. Shane sticks with Perrier, which he says is sparkling water.

I order a tequila because that is what everyone is drinking. The guys on his team are cool and they ask me about Riverside. We throw back shot after shot and I am feeling good. It seems like the tipsier I am the closer the girls get. When some of the guys go to dance, I figure it’s a good idea to burn some of the alcohol out of my system. One of the girls who was flirting with me comes to dance. She is all over me on the dance floor. As drunk as I am, I start to think of my life. I felt shitty about hooking up with Vicky again in Mario’s house. Shittier still that I also hooked up with her friend, Summer, at the same time. Luc had gone with Jocelyn and Summer too. Everything was such a big mess that night, but that’s what I liked, situations that wouldn’t lead to anything serious because if I was anything like my dad, I wasn’t cut out for a family.

I dance until I am parched and then I head up to the VIP section. Shane is completely sober and talking with some of his friends.

The waitress comes up to me and I say, “Some sparkling water.” That shit sounds fancy.

“You’re learning quick, home slice.” Shane laughs. “Enjoying the girls?” He winks.

“Why are there so many of them all over us?” I ask through my drunken haze. At Riverside I am not lacking attention from females, but here they almost feel like magnets.

“They’re hoping one of us falls in love with them. They know who we are.” He grins. “Enjoy the ride.”

His words don’t sit well with me.

There are a bunch of appetizer dishes on the table, and I begin to eat a little, which helps with my state of drunkenness. I also drink the sparkling water, which isn’t that fancy because it tastes like crap. By the time we get back to Shane’s I am barely standing, and he helps me to bed.

I wake up the next morning with a pounding headache. I open my eyes to too much sunlight and I realize I never closed the blinds. I take a pillow and bury my head under it.

“Hayden, I made breakfast,” Shane calls from somewhere in the apartment.

I groan. “I can’t move,” I call out. “Shut off the sun.”

A couple minutes later, Shane enters the room looking too cheery and refreshed. He hands me a tall glass of orange juice and some acetaminophen.

“Thanks.” I take it from him and swallow both pills at the same time.

“Breakfast will help you. I got some bacon frying.”

My grumbling stomach appreciates his efforts. “I’ll go shower.”

He nods. “Towels are in the cabinet,” he calls after me.

The stream of hot water feels glorious on my achy body. I get washed up and get out feeling a little more human. When I go to check my phone, I see multiple missed calls and text messages from Ruby and Macklin. When my cell rings and Abuela’s name pops up, I know I have to answer.

“Hello.”

“Mijo, where are you?” She sounds worried.

“I came to Toronto to stay with Shane,” I say to her.

“Luc went back to Riverside and said you weren’t there. I was so worried,” she says. I feel terrible to make her worry, especially after hearing the truth about her daughter Carmen.

“I’m sorry.”

“I know, mijo, but you need to listen to me. You’ve always been a stubborn boy and you like to stand your ground, but not everything is black and white. There are gray areas in life. I don’t want to speak for Ruby or Mack, but you know how your sister is,” she explains.

“And I know how Mack is,” I add.

“That isn’t fair, mijo. Mack is a good boy, and you know it. He deserves a listening ear,” she advises.

“I don’t want to hear what he has to say,” I retort. “I’m sorry.”

She exhales a sigh. “Okay, at least I know you’re safe. Love you.”

“Love you too,” I reply.

We end the call, and I get dressed. When I trudge to the main room, Shane has breakfast ready.

“Dig in,” he says, moving a plate across the counter toward me.

“Thanks.” I take a seat at his breakfast bar. I dig into the scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast which is lathered with butter. It all hits the spot.

“Did I hear you say this has to do with Mack?” he asks.

I sigh and nod. What is the point of hiding it now?

“He’s your brother,” he reminds.

“Was,” I correct.

“Bruh, look, I think I know what this may be about,” Shane says, and I watch my friend carefully. “A while back he asked if he could stay on my boat in Saugatuck.”

“What the fuck?” I mutter, feeling pissed.

“You knew he was taking my sister to your fucking boat?” I fly off the stool feeling enraged.

“Bro, sit down and fucking listen,” Shane says.

“Mack said it wasn’t like that and he wanted to do something romantic for her. He really likes her, bro. Did you ever consider that his intentions were pure? She isn’t some puck bunny. She isn’t after him because he’s going to be making millions. They grew up together. They’re close in a different way than you and him.”

I consider Shane’s words and feel my anger subsiding to the point I blow out a long breath of air. Those are things I hadn’t considered when I flew into a rage.

“They were lying and sneaking around,” I say to him.

“Look, I don’t know why they did that, but you should talk to them. You all deserve to know the truth. And you hating on the most important people in your life isn’t worth it. My family is broken. My father barely invites me for Christmas and when I do show up, he doesn’t really care I’m there because he’s focused on Christie’s kids. You’re lucky to have your sister and Mack. Don’t go fucking it up because of some ego protective shit.”

He isn’t wrong. I didn’t hear them out. I was willing to hear Abuela out when she kept a pretty damn important secret. I have a mother out there and I wonder what she is like. Why she ran off on us. I forgave Abuela because she’d basically put her life on hold for me, and we weren’t even related. I still don’t know how I could repay her. But Ruby is my blood, and Macklin was like a brother. I expected more from them than sneaking around behind my back.

I dip my head. “I should go back to Lonsdale,” I admit to Shane.

“I love having you here, bro, but yeah, go back to your family and fix this shit,” he advises.

I walk over to him and hug him, and he gets thrown off but then he hugs me back.

“You’re my family too, bro. My door is always going to be open to you when I get to Tampa.”

“Thanks.” He hugs me back and then we separate.

“I’ll go pack my things. Thanks for knocking some sense into me,” I say to him.

“Maybe Mack wants something more than what you saw last night,” Shane adds.

His words hit home. “Yeah, you may be right.”