Chapter 31

Stephanie

”But that’s just it. Why me?” I ask, trying to understand.

He grins. “Because you stood up to me.” I scoff. “Seriously. Do you know how many people in my life don’t argue with me? People always say what they think I want to hear. Women dote over me.”

I roll my eyes and move away from him. “Yeah, it’s a real hardship.”

“Okay, that didn’t come out right. I just mean that you argue with me and won’t let me get away with anything. It was really refreshing because you’re like the other women in my life—my sister, my mom, and my sister-in-law. And I love sparring with you; I’m pretty sure it’s my favorite pastime.”

“Oh goodie. So if we get bored, we can just fight with each other?” I ask, lifting an eyebrow.

“Exactly.”

“I think you’d better check your chicken.”

He spins around and lifts the lid off the skillet. The smell hits me, and my stomach growls. He glances over at me. “We’d better put some food in that thing.”

A few minutes later, we sit down at his kitchen table. Every time it’s just the two of us, I think it’s going to be uncomfortable. But every time, it’s relaxing and easy. I’m beginning to realize that’s how it is with Sebastian; he just makes it easy. The conversation flows from my teaching to his hockey schedule to his family. At this point, he covers my hand with his much larger one. “Thank you again for what you did for Kayla.”

“It’s no big deal.”

“Well, to my family and to me, it’s a huge deal.”

“Did she get the stitches out yet?” I want to shift the conversation away from me.

“A few more days yet, I think.” He clears our plates away, and I pick up our cups. “Hey, I’ve got a few things coming up I’d love to have you with me for, if you’re interested.”

“What are they?” I ask as I put our water glasses in the dishwasher.

“The first is a friends and family day. It’s a day where our family and friends all have lunch together and even play one giant game of hockey. It’s really fun, and I’d love to have you there for it.”

“Won’t your family be there?”

“Nah. It’s more for like wives and girlfriends and kids.”

“Oh, is that what I am now?” I tease. “Your girlfriend?”

“Absolutely!” he responds with gusto.

“When is it?”

He gives me a sheepish grin. “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Can you come?”

I cross my arms across my chest. “You’re like a little puppy, wanting a treat.”

He pants. “Do I get the treat?”

I cock my head to the side. “Am I the treat in this situation?”

“Yes. Will you come? Hopefully Brielle will come; so at least you have somebody there you know.”

“Will I have to do anything weird?”

“Define weird.”

I put my hands on my hips. “Sebastian.”

“Stephanie,” he returns. “No, nothing weird.”

“What time tomorrow?”

“You’ll come?” he asks, his smile huge.

I can’t help but smile in return. “Sure. What time?”

“I’ll pick you up at nine-thirty. Dress warm because we’ll be in the hockey rink for a while. Oh, and wear something you can skate in.”

“Wait, I have to skate?”

He grins. “Yes. Don’t worry; I can teach you how.”

I purse my lips. “Fine.” I look around the kitchen; it’s all picked up.

“Want to work on your book or papers or whatever you need to work on while I watch game footage?”

“Sure.” And that’s how I find myself on the couch next to a sprawled-out Sebastian. I have my laptop on my lap, and he’s watching game footage, taking notes. It”s actually relaxing and surprisingly an enjoyable way to spend the evening. Before I realize it, it’s ten. When I realize that, I start packing up. “I’d better get home.” He stands and stretches. I will my eyes away when his shirt raises, and I get a peek at his stomach muscles.

“I’ll walk you out. Do you want me to follow you home?” he asks as he opens my car door for me.

“No. I’m totally fine.” I look up at him and can see his face from the lights on his garage. “I had a really good night tonight; thank you.”

“I’m glad. I did too.” He steps closer and wraps an arm around my back, pulling me to his chest. His lips are light on mine, and the kiss is over before I realize it. “I’ll see you tomorrow at nine-thirty.”

“See you then.” My voice is airy, and I throw my bag in the back seat and climb in before I do anything dumb. He watches me drive away, and I take a deep breath when he’s out of sight. I think I”m falling faster than I realize. The reason I think that? Because I’m fighting the urge to turn around and drive right back and ask if I can just stay with him for the night. And not in a sexual way; I just miss him already. I blow out a breath. “I’m in so much trouble.”

___________

The next morning, I call Brielle. “Hey,” I say as soon as she answers. “Are you going today? What are you wearing?”

“Good morning to you too, Bestie,” she says.

“Sorry. Good morning. How are you?”

“I’m fine. Thanks for asking,” she says with humor in her voice.

“Okay, now can we get back to my crisis?”

“Yes. What’s wrong?”

“Are you going to the hockey thing with Aiden today?”

“Yes.”

“What are you wearing?”

“Uh, I feel like that’s a very suggestive question?” Brielle says. I can hear Aiden’s low voice in the background, and she laughs.

I shake my head. “Could we focus, please?”

“Sorry. Okay. I”m focused. What can I help you with?”

“I don’t know what to wear to the event today,” I tell her.

It’s silent a moment. “You don’t know what to wear? Who are you and what did you do with my friend?”

I groan and sit on my bed. “I’m serious. I really don’t know what to wear.”

“Is Sebastian picking you up?”

“Yes.”

“What time?”

“Nine-thirty.”

“That’s less than an hour,” she nearly shrieks.

“Yes. I am aware of that; that’s why I’m panicking.”

“Okay. Give me a minute.”

It’s quiet for a moment, and it leaves me nothing but time to regret saying yes to today. I should have told him no. Brielle comes back on the line. “Aiden’s going to bring me to you, and we can drive in together if we can take your car. He said we don’t have to be there right away.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I try to argue.

“I’m coming, and you can’t stop me. I’ll be there soon.”

I want to argue with her, but I really don’t know what to wear for today. So I admit defeat. “Thank you.”

“What are best friends for?” She’s gone before I can say anything.

I pull out my phone, debating if I should text or call Sebastian. I decide to just bite the bullet and call him. I have a feeling if I try to send him a text saying I’m not going to ride with him, he’ll just call anyway.

He answers on the second ring. “Hey, Beautiful, you ready for today?”

“That’s what I’m calling about.”

“Are you canceling on me?”

“Well, not exactly,” I hedge.

“Baby, you sound like you’re trying to cancel on me.”

“I’m not. Just listen a second. Brielle is coming here, and we’re going to drive in together.”

“Wow. Shafted by the best friend. I’m not sure my heart can handle it.”

“I think your heart will be just fine,” I respond dryly. He laughs, and it tugs at my heart strings.

“No problem. I’ll see you when you get there.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. “See you.” Some of my pressure dissipates, knowing I’m not under as strict of a timeline.

I decide to at least finish my hair before she gets here. After I finish straightening it, I stare at the mirror. Do I leave it down? Or is that too dressy for something like this? A knock on the front door pulls me from my hair crisis. I open it to find Brielle wearing a big grin and a duffel bag that dwarfs her small body. I wave at Aiden and pull her inside. “Thank you so much for coming over. I don’t know what to wear.”

Brielle’s grin widens. “I just want to revel in this. My calm friend who always is dressed perfectly needs my help today, the girl who only ever wears leggings.”

“I know,” I say with a head shake. I know how to dress well. My mother drilled that into my head, as did a closet of professional outfits by the time I was sixteen. My lawyer parents would never be caught dead in less than anything name brand and professional. But going to an event where I have to ice skate? I’m totally lost. “Please help me,” I tell my best friend.

“I’ve got you covered,” she says as she puts her big bag on my kitchen table. She unzips the bag and pulls out something. She holds up a Green Thunder shirt. It’s long and has a v-neck; it looks like a feminine version of their jerseys. “Aiden got this for me several months ago, but it’s just too long on me. I look terrible in it; I think you could totally pull it off.” She tosses it to me and then digs in her bag again. This time, she holds up a pair of jeans. I stare at them. She grins and throws them to me. “I got those for you one time after I asked you to go to a game with me, and you showed up dressed to the nines. I forgot about them until this morning.”

I hold them up. “They’re ripped.”

She grins. “Yes.”

“And faded.”

“Yes, Stephanie. They are; it’s called casual. Now go put them on with the shirt.”

I examine the jeans as I head to my room but realize I don’t have any other options. I throw on the shirt and then put on the jeans. It takes some effort, but I finally get them on. I look down at myself critically before I go out to the living room. “Yes, that’s perfect. I knew that outfit would look good on you.”

“Okay. I trust you.” I’m not entirely sure about it, but I meant what I said—I do trust Bri.

“Put your hair in a high ponytail and put on sneakers.”

I frown. “I’ll look like a cheerleader.”

Bri rolls her eyes. “That’s just what your mother always said; no, you won’t. Go do it and let’s get going.”

I do as she says and put my hair in a high ponytail; then I put on some makeup. I try to keep it light. When I walk back out to the living room, Brielle is doing something on her phone. She looks up and looks at me pensively. “See? I totally look like a cheerleader, don’t I?”

“All right fine. Yes. Go do a messy bun instead,” she orders. I stare at her. “Just throw your hair up on top of your head. You have no idea what I’m talking about, do you?”

“I mean I know what you’re talking about, but I don’t know how to do it.”

“Come here,” she says, waving me forward. “You have to sit, so I can reach you.” I sit in a chair and she pulls my hair free from my hair tie before gathering up again and pulling it into an even higher ponytail.

“I thought we agreed on no ponytail,” I say.

“I’m not done yet.” She works on my hair a few minutes. “There. Perfect. Now, you look ready to go to a friends and family day with the Green Thunder.” I look in the mirror and am surprisingly pleased with what she managed to pull off. It looks like I just threw my hair up on top of my head; it looks effortless and casual.

“You sure I don’t look like a cheerleader or a high schooler?” I ask when I come back out.

“I’m pretty sure you’re being negative to cheerleaders everywhere, but I’m also sure Sebastian is not going to be thinking either of those things about you,” she responds. “Now, let’s go. I want to see Aiden; I miss him.”

“You just saw him a few minutes ago,” I remind her.

“Yes. Exactly, and now I miss him.”

I shake my head and grab my purse and phone. “Let’s go. We wouldn’t want you to have to spend any more time away from your boyfriend.”

“Fiancé,” she corrects me.

We both settle in my car. “Does Aiden like these kinds of events? I wouldn’t think he does because he doesn’t really like people,” I say as we get going.

“Oh, he hates days like today. But that’s why I’m going—so I can cheer the grump up and try to make him pleasant enough to be around for the day.”

“Well, if anybody could do it, it’s you. Should we stop for coffee?”

“Like that question even needs an answer.”