6. Ella

CHAPTER SIX

ELLA

I head downstairs to the parking garage and tap the lock button on the remote August handed me. A black car honks several feet away, its taillights blinking twice. I cock my head a bit confused because the black car that belongs to the remote in my hand is not the one he was driving when he picked me up from the airport. That car is sitting a few spots down. This one is much fancier looking. A quick glance at the back of it as I approach makes me smile.

"Son of a bitch, he finally did it." My smile widens with a sense of pride for my best friend as I marvel at the shiny black Ferrari California T convertible parked in spot number eleven. She's the most beautiful car I've ever seen. "He's always wanted this car," I whisper to myself, smoothing my hand over the back. "I can't believe he didn't tell me."

A rush of anxiety shoots through my chest at the mere thought of trying to drive this car out of the garage and to my interview.

Why the hell did he offer me this car?

What makes him think I could drive this thing?

Or that I would want to?

Especially without him with me.

Morbid curiosity gets the best of me though because who wouldn't want to sit in one of these babies if given the opportunity? Smiling, I click the button to unlock the car and open the driver's side door and then slip into the driver's seat.

Daaaaaamn.

This is sleek!

I run my hands over the leather steering wheel and across the dashboard.

And makes me feel sexy as fuck!

Speaking of sex…I wonder what that feels like in a car like this.

Wait.

Ew. What if he's…

Has he…

No…he wouldn't…

But then again…

"Nope. Can't do it," I mumble to myself as I step out of his stunningly sexy car trying hard not to envision my best friend inside with another woman.

It shouldn't matter, and it doesn't really, but even the thought that he may have driven some woman he barely knew to a random fuck pad or hotel, or hell, even on a date, suddenly gives me the ick. And even worse, what if he made out with someone in here? What if some nasty ass puck bunny used him and the adrenaline rush that comes after a game? What if she took advantage of his fame and fortune for nothing more than a romp in the sheets?

What if I punch her face in for using my best friend or for…for…

Fuck.

"Too far, Ella. Calm your tits." I stand beside Auggie's beautiful new car and take a deep steadying breath.

"It's okay. Too many bells and whistles anyway and besides, I don't even know where I'm going." Shutting the door behind me, I click the remote to lock the car and then pull out my phone to order a quick Uber.

It was nice of him to offer but no way in hell am I going to be the one who wrecks his car on the way to a job interview that won't even pay me enough to afford a replacement vehicle in the first place.

"Thanks, but no thanks, Auggie."

Auggie

Okay, three things: 1. It's been hours since I've heard from you. 2. Are you out moping somewhere because you didn't get the job because so help me I will wring someone's neck if that's the case and 3. You didn't take my car? It's still parked downstairs. WTF? Are you ok? Did you walk to the interview because if you walked you're probably only just getting there which means you're really late which means you missed your interview and didn't get the job and now I'm worried about you. Please tell me where you are and I'll come get you.

Me

Dude! You got the car! You got the car of your dreams and didn't TELL ME! What the fuck is up with that?

Auggie

Uh…yeah about that. I'm sorry. I got it that day you had an injured cheerleader who ended up in surgery. It didn't feel like the right time to bring it up and I didn't want to brag. I guess I forgot I hadn't told you after that.

Auggie

But what the fuck is the car still doing in the garage? You were supposed to take it this morning!

Me

Psh Not a chance. I was not going to be that person who messed up your brand-new car. Plus, it had too many bells and whistles anyway. It made me nervous.

Auggie

Babe, I would've driven you. You should've told me. Where the heck are you now? What about the job? Are you okay?

Me

What if I told you I got the job and I'm out celebrating?

Auggie

What if I told you I'm now crying in my agent's office because you're celebrating without me? Did you really get it?? Is that a yes?? You're killing me here!

Me

Yes Auggie. That's a yes! I GOT THE JOB!!!!! And I'm not really celebrating but I did stop at the mall to buy myself a new outfit (or three, don't judge me!) and I want to take you out to dinner tonight if you're free to celebrate with me!

Auggie

How about I take YOU out for dinner? You're the one who deserves to be celebrated.

Me

Ugh. Auggie! You can't always pay for everything!

Auggie

Why not? It's just money babe.

Me

Because I didn't move here just to mooch off of you and I shouldn't be your burden.

Auggie

Okay, let's get one thing straight right now. You have never been, nor will you ever be a burden. So, get that shit out of your pretty little head right now.

Me

Geesh. Bossy much?

Auggie

I mean it, Ella.

Me

Okay, okay. I'm not a burden. But I also meant it when I said I didn't move here to be your financial responsibility. Please just let me take you out to dinner. I found this really cute diner that looks fun!

Auggie

Ziggy's Diner?

Me

Yeah! Have you been there? Is it any good?

Auggie

They have the best meatball subs in the entire city.

Me

Well, who am I to say no to a fantastic meatball sub? I can be home in fifteen!

Auggie

Stay there. I'm leaving my agent's office now. I'll come to get you.

Me

My hero

"So, then she said to me, ‘Ella, I'm not going to beat around the bush anymore. Your experience on paper and your energy just sitting here chatting with you make you perfect for this job so before we let you walk out that door today, we would like to offer you the position'."

Auggie shakes his head, swallowing a bite of his meatball sub. He offers me a high five but when I reach my hand to his, he clasps his fingers with mine joining our hands. "Fuckin' right they did! I had no doubt you would knock 'em dead in there today. Congratulations, babe. Seriously, I knew this would be the perfect opportunity for you."

I'm all smiles watching how happy my best friend is for me. "And they said they're making me a new suit because the one they had me try on was a little big on me. I worried for a minute that maybe I wasn't tall enough for the job given the suit but they said they've been wanting to give Lumin an upgrade and now is their chance. And I actually got to have a little input on the new design!"

"Lumin. What's Lumin?"

"Oh! Lumin is the name of the new mascot! They said they wanted to change it since Astro is retiring. Just wait till you see her, Auggie!" I clap my hands excitedly. "She's going to be so cute when she's finished and I'm super pumped to get to debut her."

He sits back against the booth where we're seated in the diner watching me in awe. "I can't believe you're going to be our new shooting star. I mean I totally believe it, but like, God, you're here." He beams and a sudden wave of warmth rushes through my chest. "You're really fucking here and you're staying. You'll be at every one of my games. We'll be doing all this together."

Strangely, I'm flattered by his excitement.

"Just like we dreamed when we were kids, huh?" I scrunch my nose as I smile, remembering the days and nights of our childhood spent lying under the tree in my backyard dreaming of what life would be like as adults. August always knew he wanted to play hockey but I never aspired to be a professional sports team mascot. I thought I would be a teacher or nurse or, thanks to August, maybe some sort of sports announcer. After all, I had been to every one of his games growing up. I knew all his stats. I probably knew his strengths and weaknesses better than he did. I was his biggest cheerleader, even more so than his parents. I loved watching him excel at something he loved doing. I never expected I would grow up and actually get the opportunity to cheer him on and get paid to do it.

He looks at me like he's photographing me with his eyes and with an affection I've never seen before. It's enough to cause butterflies to flutter through my stomach, which is weird because I don't get butterflies around Auggie. Not since early high school anyway.

"What are you thinking about over there?" I ask him when the silence between us becomes a little too close to awkward.

He swallows with a tiny shake of his head and with a smile tells me, "The guys are going to love you."

"I can't wait to meet them. I can't believe you haven't taken me to Griffin's apartment yet. Didn't you say a lot of you live in the same complex?"

He nods. "Yeah but fuck them. If I'm going to be forced to share you throughout the season, I want to keep you to myself for as long as I can."

"Share me?" I giggle. "Sounds like kinky fun. Where do I sign up for that?"

Auggie's smile fades and his face turns red. "Not at all what I meant, babe."

"Relax, I'm just kidding with you." I pass him a wink even though I haven't forgotten the conversation we had about my ability to have a life inside or outside his apartment. "I think it's sweet you don't want to share me. I've missed you so damn much, so I'll take all the Auggie time I can get."

"Good, can we go home now? Because I kind of want to be able to chill with you before life gets hectic again."

I wipe my mouth with my napkin and take one last sip from my drink. "Absolutely. I paid with the QR code so we're good to go," I tell him, slipping a twenty from my wallet as a tip for the table.

"Don't worry about it. I've got the tip," Auggie says, pulling cash from his wallet and laying it on the table between us. My jaw falls open when I see he's laid down a one-hundred-dollar bill.

"Auggie are you insane? That's one hundred dollars!"

That could feed me for a month!

He eyes me under his ballcap and gives me a slight shake of his head. "No, I'm not insane. I'm a professional athlete eating in a very public diner. People know who I am."

I shrug. "Okay. So? Our bill was only?—"

"Doesn't matter what the bill is," he adds. "I can't be known around town as the pro hockey player who only tips twenty percent."

"Twenty percent?" I scoff. "I'll have you know that twenty-dollar bill was a forty percent tip."

"And now it's a four-hundred percent tip." He eyes me as he stands from the booth waiting for me. "And it's no big deal. It's just money and it'll make the waitress's day. Besides, who else am I going to spend it on? Come on. Let's go home."

Taking my hand in his, I follow him out as he waves to a few customers who recognize him.

It's just money.

Easy for him to say.

I suppose he's right though.

I wouldn't want his reputation to go down the drain over a tip in a diner.

He really is a good guy.

"You know what you need, August?"

He chuckles as he opens his car door for me. "No, but I'm certain you're going to tell me."

"Yeah I am. Because what you need is a steady girlfriend to spend your money on."

Closing his door and clicking his seatbelt he laughs softly again. "How about I just spend all my money on you?"

"Me? No, no, no. I'll make my own money thank you very much. I just mean you've had a bunch of hookups here and there with all the women you've…well, you know."

Let's not think about the number of women Auggie has slept with.

That's a rabbit hole of depression waiting to happen.

"But maybe what you need is a real woman in your life. Like a solid relationship. Maybe I need to help find you a girl you can fall head over heels for. Then you'll have something and someone to spend your money on."

As he pulls out into traffic he nods and then casts a quick glance my way.

Damn if he doesn't look hot in those sunglasses.

"And you think you're the perfect person to help me with that?"

"Yeah of course." I shrug. "Duh. I know you better than any woman. Well…I mean, I haven't seen those assless chaps you talked about a while back so if you want to pull those out for me…"

"I do not."

Damn!

I tried.

"Ugh. Okay. No chaps. And so, maybe I don't know you like…you know, biblically and all that, but I know your brain and I know your heart. Who could be better at finding you a girlfriend than me, your best friend?"