2. Ella

CHAPTER TWO

ELLA

" S o, then Timmy Randulph, remember him from high school? I mean he's fully grown now obviously and has a wife and two kids, but anyway, he pulled his pants down right there in the middle of the drive-in and gave us all a good look at his full moon, and Auggie," I pause to finally take a breath. "The man has the whitest ass I think I have ever seen."

"How did we get on to the subject of Timmy Randulph and his white ass again?"

I scoff. "August Blackstone are you even paying attention to me?"

"What if I told you I wasn't?"

"Wouldn't be the first time," I respond with a quick roll of my eyes. "What if I told you this facetime call is over?"

He gives me a smile and a quick wink because he knows I hate it when he's not paying attention to me. I only get to talk to him once a week so I really value our time together.

"I'm just kidding Montgomery. Don't get your panties in a twist. Timmy Randulph has a white ass. Noted. Also, because of that statement, I'm now making myself an appointment to have my ass spray tanned."

I laugh at his retort. God, I love that he can always make me laugh. I love that we laugh a lot when we're together like this. It's like no matter what's going on in life, our Tuesday nights are always a happy night.

A night of hometown comfort.

A night with my best friend.

I miss the old days.

I miss him.

The day we graduated from college back in Indigo Bay, Massachusetts, we knew we would be taking different paths. August would go wherever his hockey career would take him, and I would stay in Indigo Bay to become one of the new cheer coaches while working as one of the resident directors. I've done a few other odd jobs to make extra income since being an RD doesn't pay all that much, but I've always been great at pepping up a crowd. I enjoyed cheerleading growing up and was always good at it. To be honest, I think August was surprised when we graduated and I didn't try out to be an NFL cheerleader. He always said they'd be lucky to have me, and I always appreciated how much he supported my efforts. Instead, though, I stayed behind and made him promise we would always stay in touch. Hence, our weekly facetime calls. August hasn't been home in almost two years but seeing his face every Tuesday evening, even if it's after a game and he's exhausted or I'm tired because I've waited up for him due to the time difference, have always been one of my favorite things. It's like I can finally be me again. And he can be August Blackstone, the guy from small town Massachusetts instead of August Blackstone, pro hockey player for the Anaheim Stars.

"I'm sure your ass isn't nearly as white as Timmy's, Auggie. Don't forget you live in California."

"And don't you forget that just because I live in California does not mean I walk around in the sun with my assless chaps on all the time."

"Oooh are you saying you actually have assless chaps?" I gasp, sitting up on my bed ready for a show. "Oh, my God, you have to show me!"

My enthusiasm for his non-tanned ass makes him laugh. "I'm not showing you my ass, Ella."

"Come on, I saw it when we were like…"

"Four," he finishes, leaning back on his bed, his head resting on his arm behind him. Damn when he does that it makes his arm look massive. "Maybe even younger. Trust me, babe. It looks much different now."

I'm sure it does.

"Right," I giggle. "It's all swole now because you're a big bad hockey star. My bad."

He chuckles softly. "Something like that."

"Well, I'm certain many other women have gotten to see August Blackstone's ass. I'm your best friend, which means I love you more than all those women combined and I am still in the dark."

"And the dark is where you are staying."

"How am I supposed to talk you up to all my friends and all your fans? I could be telling them all what a fine as fuck ass you have."

"You gonna show me your tits?"

I scrunch my nose and squeal with laughter. "What? No!"

"Why not? I could be telling all my friends what beautiful tits you have."

"Ugh. You're incorrigible." I roll my eyes and give him a goofy grin.

He chuckles again, softer this time, and I can tell he's a little tired. "And I'm right. So, I rest my case."

I lie back on my bed and release a loud sigh. "Fuck my life."

"Why? Just because I won't show you my white ass?" He passes me a sideways smile. "Now you think your life is that bad?"

"Alright. Alright. Subject change. Did I tell you Paige is falling for a goat man?"

He almost chokes on his water. "Come again?"

"Okay so he's not a goat man. But he owns a goat. More than one I think. She's in Tuft Swallow for the summer filling in for her aunt and uncle. They own that antique store there. Anyway, she met a guy and I think she's falling for him and you know what that means?"

"Nope but I'm sure you're about to tell me."

I rest my arm across my eyes like I can't bear to say it. "It means she's finding someone to spend her life with. And now I'm all alone!"

"You're not all alone. I'm right here."

I lift my arm. "Umm, no offense but you're all the way on the other side of the country. And you've got your hockey career and all the sex, love, and rock and roll that comes with that."

"You're making my life sound much more glamourous than it really is, you know."

"You don't have to lie to me, Auggie. You're a celebrity. And you deserve all the things a celebrity athlete could possibly have in life. I'm just jealous because I'm stuck here in stupid Indigo Bay with nothing and nobody."

There really isn't much in Indigo Bay. It's a small college town where everybody knows everybody else. Honestly, Auggie was right to get out, but it killed me that he was leaving me with no promise of when I would ever get to see him again.

"Quiet around campus this summer I assume?"

"Of course. It's always quiet in the summertime. I'm starting to hate it. You guys are out there living life and loving every minute of it I'm starting to regret staying here."

"Okay, then change things up. Make a move. Do something new."

"Like what?"

He's quiet for a minute and I can tell he's thinking something. "Well…actually, what would you think about becoming a hockey team mascot?"

I cock my head. "A what? What are you talking about?"

"Astro, our mascot. The guy who wears the costume is leaving the team," he explains. "His wife got a promotion and they're moving to Seattle. So, the Stars are going to have to do a search to find the next Astro, only Bear mentioned something about them creating a whole new mascot and retiring Astro so I guess I don't really know all the specifics yet."

Me?

A hockey mascot?

The wheels begin to turn in my head. "You're serious about this?"

"Why would I bring it up if I weren't serious babe? I wouldn't do that to you."

My smile widens and the sparkle returns to my eyes for just a moment. "You think I could really do it though? You think I could seriously wear the costume and do all the things and like, be the face of the team?"

"Of course. You're great at what you do now. As long as you can skate on ice, and I know you can because I'm the one who taught you, you can do this job."

Oh, my gosh! How cool would it be to be a freaking team mascot! Wait…" My smile morphs into an uncomfortable cringe. "Uh…what does a job like that pay? California has a much higher cost of living than Indigo Bay. I might end up living on the streets. Hmm, maybe I could substitute teach by day and mascot by night. I don't know. It sounds cool but I'm sure there are more qualified people out there. Honestly, it's probably too good to be true."

"Don't sell yourself short, Ella. Hang on," he tells me as he swipes through something on his phone. "Okay so I'm sure I can find out what Kingston was making but Google says starting salaries run anywhere from sixty to seventy thousand per year."

"WHOA! Sixty to seventy thousand! That's way more than I make now! Ugh…but we're talking about California. Is that enough?" I cringe. "I mean I feel terrible for even asking that because to me that's more money than I could ever dream of and I realize I'm talking to a millionaire hockey star but still. It's a ton of money compared to what I'm making now but California is California. I'm pretty sure just breathing costs a couple thousand dollars a day. Can I get a nice place on that salary Auggie? You would know better than me. Where would I live? Would it be like a relatively sturdy carboard box in an old, abandoned parking lot somewhere or would there actually be an apartment with working doors and windows?"

He chuckles lightly on the other end of the line and looks straight at the camera on his phone "What do you mean where would you live, Ella? Why wouldn't you live with me?"

Wait.

What?

My brow furrows. "Uuuh, why would I do that?"

"Uuuh…" he mocks. "Why wouldn't you? My place is huge. It's more than enough space for two people. We're friends who haven't gotten to really see each other in…how long's it been?"

"Two years at least."

Two years, five months, and fourteen days, but who's counting?

"Right. Two years. Plus, for about eight to nine months out of the year, I'm not here, so you'd have the place to yourself."

I give him a gentle smile and clear my throat. "Auggie. My dear sweet Auggie. You're forgetting one thing."

"What?"

"If I move out there, it's because I'll have the job as the new Anaheim Stars team mascot. So that means for eight to nine months out of the year, I also won't be there much."

"Damn," he mumbles, shaking his head. "Guess there goes the getting a cat idea."

I spring up in my bed, my eyes widening in surprise. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?"

He shrugs, but I see the tiny smirk on his lips. He knows what he's doing. "I was just thinking man, it would be cool to have a pet around here. Some rascally cat that makes me laugh but keeps me company. Thought maybe if you moved out here we could get one together."

I've never jumped out of bed faster. "SOLD! OH, MY GOD! I'M MOVING TO ANAHEIM! NO TAKE BACKS, AUGUST!" I point at him with a seriously serious face even though he's laughing at me right now. "You said cat! And you never say cat! You hated cats when we were younger! You threatened to put my cat in the microwave when we were ten!"

"I didn't mea?—"

"Do you remember that day?"

"Yes but?—"

"Do you remember how much I cried?"

"How could I for?—"

"Wait!" I narrow my eyes and lower my voice to a low whisper. "Do you have a microwave in that palatial home of yours? Because if you do, it better not be there when I get there or so help me?—"

"ELLA!" August's guttural laugh is one of the most comforting sounds I could ever hear. He doesn't laugh like that often but when he does it makes me miss the younger version of ourselves. When we would run free all day through the fields or play in the creek or ride our bikes into town to grab ice cream sandwiches. It never mattered what we were up to in those younger years. As long as we were together.

"What?"

"I promise I won't put our new cat in the microwave, okay?"

"Will you let me name him?"

"Not a chance." He shakes his head, his smile fading.

"What? Why?"

"Because if I let you name our cat, he'll end up with a name like Sunflower Teapot."

It's my turn to laugh now. "Don't be absurd. I would never."

"You totally would. We would have a little Sunflower Doily Teapot walking around our house and our cat is going to be a manly cat. The manliest cat we can possibly find."

"Alright, alright. Just promise you won't name him something weird like Cletus or Dickface or...Greg."

"How about we pick it out and name it together?"

"Okay that sounds wonderful." Feeling a little calmer now, I climb back into bed and take a few silent breaths. "Am I really doing this, Auggie?"

"Moving to California to start a new chapter of your life next to your lifelong best friend who loves you and can be here to support you through it? Yes."

"Wait…we didn't talk rent. I can pay you. How much do you want? I think I have a good bit in my savings to start."

He blinks ever so slowly, staring at me like I just said I was walking to California. "You're not paying me, Ella."

"But—"

"No."

"Aug—"

"No."

"What if?—"

"Nope."

"I have to gi?—"

"No, you don't."

"Why?"

"Because I fucking said so, El."

"Auggie."

"Ella, listen to me. I make millions of dollars a year. Not hundreds. Not thousands. MILLIONS. Do you understand that?"

"No. No I don't," I answer honestly with a shake of my head. "I can't begin to understand that kind of money. I don't know how you even do it."

"So, on top of those millions of dollars, the last thing I need, the very last thing I need is to charge you even a dime to live in my space. Believe me when I say there's enough room for you, and ten cats if we?—"

Too late.

He said it.

My eyes bulge and my jaw drops and I gasp. "OH, MY GOD are you saying?—"

"No." He shakes his head, staring me down and giving me the parental point of his finger. "No, I am not saying anything. I said one cat."

"You just said ten."

"I meant one. And then a zero after that. One and then none. So, one."

A huge smile spreads across my face at the prospect of my life taking a completely new turn. "August?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"I'm really doing this."

He nods, giving me that sweet smile I remember. "You really are."

Realization of what has to come next hits me and I fall back against my pillow. "Oh fuck."

"What? What's wrong?"

"I have to tell my parents."

Paige

GIRL! Where have you been? Did you not get my last text? I've been wanting to talk to you for DAYS!

Days? She's been waiting to talk for days? Did she get wind of my impending move and now she's mad at me for not telling her sooner?

Shit.

I should've told her weeks ago when the idea was brought up, but I know she's been busy with the antique shop and falling for the hot goat-dad guy and I didn't want to bother her until all my plans were made. I certainly didn't want her to talk me out of it. August is right. This is a good move for me. After emailing the Stars front office a video of my cheer work, and having an initial phone interview, they offered me a chance to interview in person so they can really get to know me better before deciding. Gah! This could be a super fun job opportunity that would earn me tons of new connections. The last thing I want is for my best friend to think it's a bad idea.

Me

Why? Did you hear something? What did you hear? Who told you?

Paige

Uh…was I supposed to hear something? Now I'm intrigued.

Me

Oh. Umm, hehe wellllll I might have some news.

Paige

You're not pregnant! Tell me you're not pregnant.

Me

Wait, what? Why would I be pregnant? I'm single AF right now.

Paige

That doesn't mean you can't go out and get yourself knocked up.

Me

Truth. Okay but rest assured, I'm not pregnant. But I do have news and I'm sorry I haven't been answering my texts over the last couple of days. It's been a little stressful and a lot busy and HOLY SHIT HE KISSED YOU?

Paige

Oh, NOW we're talking about the kiss? What's your news?

Me

Not until you tell me about this kiss!

Paige

What do you want to know? It was a kiss. His lips touched my lips. And then we moved them together in a slippy-slidey kind of way.

Me

LOL. Okay but was it like…sweet and slow? Or did he grab you and take what he wanted?

Paige

Definitely sweet and slow. It was almost like he was nervous and then once he actually went through with it he was like "yeah, that's right. I'm good at this. I remember now." I mean, I know I joke about it but it really was a moment with him I don't think I could ever forget.

Me

AAAAAHHHHHH!!! This is so exciting! So, have you seen him since? How does he seem? Did you bone him yet?

Paige

There has been no boning. And yes I've seen him since. Obviously. He's kissed me a few more times now. Well, pretty much every time he's around me. It's kind of cute, but he'll stop in when I'm working and drop something off like a drink or a cookie but really it's just his excuse to kiss me.

Me

Oh, my goodness that's so sweet.

Paige

It is. I know he's always come across as grumpy to everyone else but he's actually a super sweet guy. I really think I like him a lot. But more on that later. What's your news?

Me

Right. Soooo ummmm I'm moving to California.

Paige

"WHAT THE FUCK? CALIFORNIA?"

Me

OH, ARE WE TALKING IN CAPS NOW? OR ARE YOU ACTUALLY SHOUTING IN REAL LIFE?

Paige

ELLA!

Me

Okay, okay. Yes. California.

Paige

You're seriously leaving me? What are you going to do? Where are you going to stay? Have you had this plan this whole time and never told me? I thought I was your person?

Me

You are Paige. You are my person. Which is why you also know I haven't been happy sticking around Indigo Bay any more than you have been. I need new. I need the unknown. I need a challenge. And Auggie told me there's a job I could apply for with the team and he said I could move out there and stay with him. It's a fantastic opportunity for me.

Paige

Have to go for a bit. Customers need me. Talk later. Love you E!

Me

Yes! Go be an antique star! Love you, P!

"Well, that wasn't nearly enough time to talk to you about all this new stuff." I get it though. My best friend is having the summer of her life in Tuft Swallow and I couldn't be happier for her. I really hope things work out between her and this goat-dad guy. I've really got to find time to find out more about him. I sigh as I toss my phone onto my bed and stare at the three boxes I'm shipping to California. If all goes well, I can just travel with two suitcases. I think I have enough winterish clothes packed, but seeing as I'll be living in the warm sunshine state, hopefully I won't need too much.

Paige

OMG so sorry I never got back to you. I'm a terrible friend right now. Tell me you're still in Massachusetts and I didn't miss the big move!

Me

Nope! Still here. Boxing up all my shit. Just confirmed my flight reservations.

Paige

Tell me more about this move to California. What's the job? And you ARE coming to see me before that happens, right?? (You had better say yes!) Also how did your parents take the news?

Me

Of course, I'll come and see you! A couple of hours drive is nothing compared to an entire country between us. And the job is to be the new TEAM MASCOT! Also, my parents weren't the happiest but they know I'm an adult and will do whatever I want anyway so they'd rather know where I'm going than have me move away and not tell them.

Paige

Well, that's…mature of them. Team mascot!? OMG are you SERIOUS?

Me

Yes! Apparently the one they've had is leaving California with his wife and Auggie says I have all the qualifications and it actually pays pretty decently. I mean much more than I make now anyway.

Paige

Holy shit, Ella! What an opportunity!

Me

Right? That's what I said. Even if it's a steppingstone…it's something new and exciting and I need new and exciting.

Paige

Okay so, when do you leave?

Me

Mid-September, so a couple weeks. Once they finally posted about their job search I applied and had a phone interview. Then I waited several days while they interviewed the rest of their top contenders and then I got an invitation to fly out and interview in person but their person in charge is going on vacation so they asked if I could do the interview in a couple weeks.

Paige

And so, you're not waiting to see how the interview goes before moving your whole self out there?

Me

Would you? I mean, I've been in Indigo Bay my whole damn life. And something just felt good on the phone with them. It felt right. I'm getting all the good vibes.

Paige

No, I guess you're right. It makes me sad that you could be leaving me but this could be a wonderful opportunity for you. I'm positive even if this job doesn't work out (which I'm sure it will if Auggie has anything to say about it), you'll have no problem finding something! And as long as you're living with Auggie, you won't have to be immensely stressed about living expenses while you're looking.

Me

I really hope Aug doesn't insert himself too much into trying to get me this job. I really want to earn it on my own. The last thing I want is for someone to say I got the job because of who I know.

Paige

Meh. I wouldn't worry about that. It's not like you're sleeping with someone to get the job. You just know one of the players. Shit like that happens all the time. Sometimes a connection is what we need to get our foot in the door. After that, you have to show off how awesome you are! Trust me, you're going to be great!

Me

So, tell me more about the hot kissing goat daddy!