Page 146 of The Home Grown
“What are the jackets for, though?”
“Well, all the wives and girlfriends usually get matching jackets or something. Team logo. Their guys’ name on the back. It’s a playoff thing,” I say.
“Oh, right.”
Ellie’s eyes are down on her phone as she scrolls through the chat, messages flying in every few seconds.
“Do you … uh, do you think you’ll wear a jacket?”
It’s a loaded question and I’m desperate to hear her reply, though she’s still wearing the rings I gave her. They could well be a leftover prop from last night—but the jackets? Those are a public display of affection. Those tell everyone the story.
“Wait—actually, don’t worry.” I chicken out. She’s still here, still wearing the rings, and I’m not ready to test how fragile this all is.
“Mike—”
“Kitch, actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” I say, concluding that this needs to happen now because if she’s going to call it a day, then she needs to do it now, before the playoffs.
“Is everything okay?” she says, catching my eyes.
I dip my head.
“I—I just want to know where we go from here, I guess. Because the event was last night and … I still need to look for the certificate and, if I’m honest, I’ve been putting it off because I’m afraid to find out the truth.” I exhale, running a hand through my hair. “I’m … I really like you. And I want you to tell me now if this is … it, I guess. Because I can’t bear it.”
I think about the look she gave me. Post sex, sexy eyes looking at me. I think I know what she was saying, but that little voice in the back of my head is?—
“Mike,” she says. “Come here.”
I step forward.
“Hug me, please.”
And I do. Wrapping my arms around her and breathing her in.
“I’m going to wear the jacket. And whatever the certificate says, when you pull your finger out and find it, we’ll deal with it. Okay?”
She peeks up at me and I see that look again. The warmth in her eyes that makes me want to scoreall thegoals for her—defensive defenceman or not.
And she just made me the happiest guy on earth—at least for the evening.
It all comes crashingdown several hours later after we’ve drank tea, watched a game show, and revealed our favourite jokes. We’re in bed and I’m in the best place in the world. Right between Ellie’s legs, making her come over and over again.
The vibrating starts. Confusing me at first, but when it stops and starts again, I realise it’s my phone, shaking against the wood of the bedside table.
But I’m not in the mood to talk to anyone right now. I’m busy.
Ellie giggles, trying to push my head away, mumbling something about feeling sensitive, so I back off as my phone vibrates again.
Third time’s a charm.
Ellie grabs it and hands it to me, and I glance at the screen to see Hutch’s name.
Icy dread fills my stomach.
“Yeah?” I say, still halfway down the bed.
“You going to be home soon, mate?” he says flatly.
“I was going to head back tomorrow for practice,” I say.
