Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

A re You a Compulsive Eavesdropper?

Finn

Jacob works us extra hard at morning skate. It’s like he figured out there was a party last night and he wants to be an extra big asshole. We are all a sweaty mess. I know I feel like shit when we are getting off the ice to see Charlie holding up her camera. She’s asking each of us what we ate for breakfast this morning. Everyone who lives in our house says a protein shake. She told us this morning, on the drive over, she wasn’t going to expect us to be all cheery this morning because she was feeling pretty bad herself. I don’t know what I was thinking last night, pinning her to the wall like that. Well, I know what I was thinking. That I want in her pants, but that can’t happen. I could get kicked off the team and that is not something I want in my senior year. I also need to finish my degree. I can’t chance losing everything because my dick has decided it only wants one girl. I’m actually pissed with myself because Trisha, or was it Sasha, was beautiful, yet I couldn’t take my eyes off Charlie. Nate is a nice enough guy, but him having his hands on her made me feel possessive in a way I haven’t felt before.

I take a shower and get dressed for my day of classes. As I walk through one of the halls in the sports complex, I spot Charlie. Today she is wearing a pair of plaid shorts. I don’t know why she likes plaid so much. It’s odd but somehow those outfits look good on her. More than good. She looks sexy as fuck. Her back is to me as I enter one of the lounges.

“I’m fine, Daddy, promise. I’m better off without Raph,” she says.

She is definitely better off without that two-timing prick.

“I only missed one class,” she tells her father. “It’s no big deal.”

I shouldn’t be listening in on her conversation. She is speaking with her father privately.

“I promise I’ll attend class tonight. You don’t need to worry.”

Then there is more silence. “I should be getting paid next week, and I’ll send you more pay-as-you-go cards,” she says.

Again, more silence.

“Don’t feel bad. I want to be able to speak with you. Talk soon. Love you.”

She ends the call and turns before I can fully walk into the lounge. She glares at me, probably knowing I heard some of their conversation. I shrug and walk into the lounge, ignoring her. She doesn’t follow me in. I grab some breakfast and head to a day of classes. My last class of the day is a seminar in continental philosophy. The class is filled with a lot of students, who have a lot to say. I find myself unable to focus because I am thinking that I need to meet Charlie outside her class, which is just down the hall from this one. That’s how I bumped into her the day she found out that lying rat was cheating on her. I had told her I was finished for the day, when in reality, my class had just started and I was late.

I’m leaning against a wall outside her class, scrolling through my phone, when she bursts out of the door first, followed by a throng of other students.

“Charlie,” I call to her.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, looking thrown off or maybe surprised.

“I heard Ruby and you talking this morning. You said you were worried about leaving the class and walking home alone because of the cheating rat,” I explain.

A smile tugs her lips. “Are you a compulsive eavesdropper?”

“Excuse me?” I ask with surprise.

“You were eavesdropping on Ruby and me this morning, and I know you were listening to the convo I was having with my father.” Her green eyes narrow on me suspiciously.

I run my fingers through my hair. “Look, if you don’t need me here, I can walk away.” That’s exactly what I do.

“Wait.” Charlie reaches out and touches my arm. “Thanks for being here.” She looks over her shoulder.

We begin to walk toward the exit.

“Charlotte,” a guy calls from behind us. “Charlotte, please.”

It’s the cheating rat. He comes up to us.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I need to speak with Charlotte. I tried to get your attention in class,” he explains.

“Raph, I have nothing to say to you,” Charlie retorts.

“That can’t be true. We shared a lot. Please come with me for coffee. I want to make things right,” he pleads. He side-eyes me but he doesn’t acknowledge me.

“I need to go,” Charlie states and she turns away. The guy gives me a look and I give him a pointed glare, which seems to be enough. I turn to follow Charlie out of the building.

“That guy’s persistent,” I say to her.

“He wasn’t this persistent when we were dating,” she replies dryly.

“Are you heading home because I have my car in the lot. I can give you a ride,” I offer.

“Thanks, Finn.” She nods.

We make it to my car and her fresh floral scent fills the small space.

“So why were you eavesdropping on my phone call with my father? It was freaking weird,” she asks. I shouldn’t be surprised because this girl literally says what’s on her mind, and as much as I don’t like to be called out right now, it’s also refreshing.

I want to laugh because me eavesdropping on her was pretty out there. I don’t have a good explanation, other than she intrigues me, but I will not admit those words out loud.

“So you’re super close with him?” I ask instead.

“Dodging the question doesn’t make you less of a stalker.” She laughs.

“I assure you, I was not stalking you,” I snort. “I was trying to be nice. I thought you’d be worried.”

“My stomach was flipping the whole class,” she confesses, blowing out a breath. “But it’s not like I can stop attending class. I’d lose the internship.”

“Was he harassing you in class?” I ask.

“He came up to me at the beginning of class, but then the prof started class and her assistant told him to take a seat, preferably away from me. Then a bunch of people were whispering around me. I hate being the center of attention. This whole situation sucks balls.”

I laugh. “Sucking balls isn’t so bad.”

“Excuse me, why? Do you suck on balls?” she asks as I take a sip of a soda I just opened.

I almost spray the drink on my car. “I’m straight, Charlie. I just meant it shouldn’t be bad for a girl to suck a guy’s balls.”

“You’re crass,” she accuses, shaking her head.

“You’re just a prude,” I reply.

Her head snaps to the side. “How can you even say that after I spent the night with you on the beach?”

“We didn’t have sex,” I remind as I drive on to my street.

“I’m well aware,” she fires back, and I wonder what she means by that statement.

“Exactly my point. Any other girl would have had sex with me,” I state, and it isn’t a lie.

“Well, I’m glad I didn’t go there then.”

Ouch. That stung.

“I would never fall for a jock,” she declares.

“You didn’t know I was a hockey player the first night we met. Is that why you came with me to the beach?” I ask curiously.

“You didn’t give me jock vibes that first night, but then again my head was spinning over Raph, so clearly my whole perception was off.”

A smirk tickles my lips. I like Charlie’s honesty and her snarkiness.

“Last night I saw it though. The jock in you,” she clarifies, and I don’t know why but her words bother me. I was never that guy. I just became him in order to survive my breakup with Chelsea. I didn’t just lose Chelsea. I lost her family too, since they were good to me, and I planned to marry her.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask as I pull into the driveway.

“You know what it means, Finn,” she says like it’s obvious.

She takes her bag and gets out of the car.

“Thanks for the ride,” she says.

“We aren’t done here,” I tell her. “What do you mean about last night?”

“The redhead, your room. How many girls have you had up there?” she asks, as if it’s a challenging question.

I haven’t ever felt ashamed about my choices until now. Something about Charlie makes me want to be a better man.

“Lots,” I admit as shame fills me, but I don’t let it show. I say the word lots like I am proud of my behavior.

“Exactly, you’re a typical jock,” she throws over her shoulder. “Thanks again for the ride, Finn. You have a good night.”

She struts up the stairs to the house and I watch that cute ass of hers sway.

I have to adjust my semi-hard cock before I follow her into the house.

She’s leaving her room without her bag when I walk by. Cade is home and he walks up to her and hugs her, and then those two are whispering about something. I wonder if he is in to her too. Damn. I cannot be thinking this way.

I was planning on cooking up a nice meal tonight, but now I feel like I need some space from Charlie. So I head up to my room and see Aaron in the hallway.

“Bro,” he says, and he’s got a weird smirk on his face.

“What’s up?” I give him a chin nod.

“Were you about to kiss Charlie last night?” he asks, smiling mischievously.

I rear my head back. “Are you high? Dude, you were wasted last night. There is no way I would kiss Charlie.”

“Cool,” he replies, and I suddenly get a sinking feeling.

“Why?” I ask.

“’Cause I want a shot with her. She’s cool, beautiful . . .fun.”

Oh shit.

“Bro, she’s working for the team. That’s trouble,” I remind him, sounding like the world’s biggest hypocrite. Aaron is also my good friend.

“I know, I know,” he sighs. “But it’s just so hard. Did you see those shorts she was wearing at practice this morning?” He bites his knuckle like it was physically painful to watch, and he isn’t wrong.

“Bro, don’t risk it,” I say to him, hoping I can heed my own words.

“You’re right, bro,” he agrees, clapping me on the shoulder. “Glad we had this talk.”

He walks away and I walk into my room and fall on my bed, feeling like I am in bigger trouble than I realized.