“Yeah.”
I grumble, “Until she met me. I don’t know, guess it’s not all my fault she stopped smiling. She was dating this drummer when I met her, real punk, cheated on her, so I beat him up and outed the affair. That’s when things got serious between us. For about two seconds. But I felt like it was going to last!”
Concentrating he jogs his chin up. “What changed?”
“Her. Me. Both? That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out. I don’t think she took me seriously, at first. And she shouldn’t have. I was just after sex. She knew it—I didn’t make it a secret. But then we had this moment after Mott knocked her tray and drenched us…it’s a long story. But we were in the bathroom cleaning up, laughing our asses off. And it felt good. Real good. I know that’s when I started thinking about her for real. Then we ran into each other outside of O’Neal’s—that’s where she worked at the time. Ethan was with me, one of ‘em. Ask him! He’ll tell you he liked her, too. For months I went in and hung out on weekend nights drinking cranberry juice and hoping to make her laugh. I did, too, all the time! But as soon as we slept together she shut down. Told me she didn’t want to see me again. I’ve been trying to get her outta my mind. You’d think I could since she quit the bar—she’s not in there when we go, so it should be easy, right? It’s not. I miss her. I want to know what happened. But she won’t answer my texts, calls go through to voicemail like her phone is off. I think she blocked me!” Shaking my head at the ground I mutter, “Can you believe this shit? I’m in love and she hates my guts. Fucking hilarious, right?”
Dad frowns at the clouds, the sheen of grey in his hair making him look older, wiser. “Right after sex this happened?”
“Almost right after, yeah.”
“What’s her name?”
“Wren.”
“This the girl with the poison ivy?”
“Yeah, you were watching that game?”
He eyes me. “I watch all your games, Eric. You fuckin’ kiddin’ me?”
I switch the helmet to my other hip. “Sorry.”
“After we saw that, your mom and I were expecting you to call a family BBQ so we could meet her. It was a pretty big deal for you to do that on live television.”
“You’re telling me.”
Sucking on his teeth Dad cautiously asks, “Was the sex bad?”
“Best of my life! Hers, too, she said.”
“You believe her?”
Glaring at him I bark, “We were in bed for two days! I only left because I had a game! That one, with my hand fucked up!”
“Calm down! I’m just askin’!”
“I’m very good in bed, Dad.”
A grin spreads on his lips. “Good to know.” Settling down, he stares into the brewing storm again, like there he’ll find answers for all problems women-related. “Your mom gave me a run for my money, I pined after her every night until we worked it out. Most fuckin’ miserable time in my life.” He claps a hand on my shoulder, “Eric, if you think she’s the one, ask yourself how to get through to her. Because if she’s your girl, she’s hurting right now, where she is. Trust me on that, I know from experience. So what’s it gonna take?”
“I’ve been asking…”
“The answer will come.”
“It sure doesn’t feel like it,” I rasp, getting emotional. “I’m giving up…on everything.”
Dad grabs me and pulls me into his arms, squeezing me tight. “Heart ache is the worst. I’m not going to lie and tell you it’s easy. But you’re stronger.” Clapping my back he releases me. “You a quitter?”
“Fuck no!”
“You just let Coach bench you.” Speechless I flick a glance to the door. Dad eggs me on, “You want to let your team down?”
“No!”
“What are ya gonna do about it?”
“Dad…”
“You think Wren’s attracted to a guy who’d give up, especially this close to the playoffs?”
I sprint to the door, with him right behind me.
It’s like I’m waking up from a dream, fire plunging into my bloodstream. It never occurred to me for a minute that she’d be watching. I guess I was thinking if she blocked my calls and quit her job then she wouldn’t watch the game, but what if she has been? Makes me disgusted at myself just thinking about it! I’ve been phoning it in, what the fuck was I doing?!
Exploding through the double doors with Dad shouting, “Wait up!” I pause for him, and spot a swarm of reporters at the far end of the corridor, perking up and readying their microphones for me.
Under my breath I say, “You manipulated me a little bit, didn’t you?”
“Yep.”
“It worked.”
“I know.”
“You’re pretty sly, Dad.”
“I can be a real prick.”
CHAPTER 36
WREN
A pretty woman, maybe in her sixties, takes a seat by herself at the mahogany bar, deep red wallpaper on the high-ceilinged walls behind her enhancing the rich tones in her dark brown hair and blue eyes. Like everyone who comes to St. Regis’ hotel bar she’s dressed well, a black pencil skirt and lavender blouse. I can’t see the heels from here but I’m sure they’re three inches or lower. A diamond winks at me from her ring finger as she absently adjusts the hair.
Setting a cocktail napkin down, I smile, “Good evening, can I get you a wine list and a menu?”
“I’d love the wine list but I’ve already eaten,” she explains, voice a smooth southern drawl.
I reach for one, black button-up shirt pulling at my forearm since I rolled the sleeves. Didn’t want
