Page 61 of A Little Crush
“My forehead,” I rush out. “I probably should’ve clarified that.”
“You think? But also, uh, when did he kiss you, and why didn’t you immediately call me afterward?”
“Fore. Head,” I emphasize. “And it was after Uncle Mack popped my shoulder back in, and I was crying and he was trying to comfort me, and…it was purely platonic.” I toss my arm over my eyes in an attempt to block out this conversation entirely, but it doesn’t work.
“You sure about that?” Tatum retorts.
“Positive. I mean, it’s Jax. What else would it be?”
“Hmm. How did he react when you went out with the hockey player?”
“Fine?” My nose scrunches as I replay our stilted conversation before I left to meet Crowther like a bad horror movie. “Even said that he still looked at me like I’m a kid, so…”
“Ouch.”
I swallow past the bitter taste in my mouth. “Exactly.”
“Well, I’m proud of you,” she decides. “You’ve officially spent a copious amount of time with your childhood crush,and not only did you keep it in your pants despite drowning in his schmexy pheromones while watching his adorable daughter, you also accepted a guy’s offer to buy you a drink, which we both know you’ve only done like ten times in your entire life. To me, that’s a win.”
“Is it?” I challenge.
“Yup. And that’s worth celebrating, Squeaks.”
I want to call her out for her bullshit, but I don’t. Mainly because she’s so deliriously happy that I’m pretty sure she can’t even help it at this point. Her overly enthusiastic positivity, even when it’s not warranted. “Thanks, Tater Tot,” I mutter.
“Anytime,” she quips. “So what’s the plan? Are you going back?”
“I mean, yeah?” I pause. “Poppy’s with her mom this week, so I’m hanging out at home and sorting through some resumes. Jax gets her again next Monday, then we fly out for the first game of the season.”
“Well, that’s exciting.”
I hesitate, nibbling on the edge of my thumb before deciding to focus on the less tender parts of last week’s adventure. “Yeah, I think it will be an entertaining game. The team’s really good.”
“I believe it. Now that Reeves, Griffin, and Everett are back on the same team and have the infamous Jaxon Thorne at the helm, people are stoked to see how the season plays out. I bet he’s nervous.”
“Who?”
“Jaxon,” she clarifies. “It’s gotta be a lot of pressure, don’t you think?”
I drop my hand to my side. “Probably.”
“He’ll be fine,” she decides. “I mean, it’s Jax.”
“Yeah, totally,” I agree. “The man’s a rock.”
24
RORY
He isn’t fine.
And for being a rock, Jax sure knows how to…crumble. Throwing his iPad against the bench, he curses as the final buzzer sounds in the arena. Grizzlies win three to one. I left Hades at the hotel, unsure if I wanted to juggle the public chaos of an NHL hockey game, a baby, and a dog who hates humans. As the Grizzlies’ fans cheer around me, I decide I made the right decision. One by one, they each funnel into the main aisle before filing up the stairs until only the cleaning crew is scattered around the seats, sweeping up spilled popcorn and empty candy wrappers. It sucks. Witnessing the first loss of the season. But the really crappy part? It’s the fact that I can’t do anything about it. It might only be a game to most people. But to my family? It’s work. It’s passion. It’s life. And I hate to see them hurting or stressed.
Balancing Poppy on one knee, I keep my arm wrapped around her little belly and send out a handful of texts. To my dad. To Reeves, Ev, and Griff. To Crowther. And last, toJaxon. I hover over his name, unsure what to say or how to help while knowing the silence will only make it worse.
Keep it simple, I decide.
Me
