Page 82 of Hard Hitter
“Keep the pendant, unless you don’t like it.”
“I love it.”
“Then wear it sometimes, and remember that your birthday is coming. Because by the time August rolls around, I’m betting a whole lot of the bullshit in your life will be finished. You’ll be out to dinner with your girlfriends and thinking,hell, that year sucked. But things are looking up.”
She smiled against his cheek. “God, I hope so. I’ll be thirty—a new decade. One where I don’t cohabitate with any criminals.”
“Aim high, honey.” She laughed. At least he had her laughing.
Ari straightened up, flicked a single tear away from her cheek and smiled at him. “You always cheer me up.”
“Back atcha, babe.” He offered her the box again. “Here. Wear it in good health. Start the countdown.” She took it from his hand and opened it. “You’ve got... four or five months until the big three oh. That seems like enough time to let it all blow over.”
She reached behind her neck and removed the silver chain she wore. Then she opened the box and threaded the pendant through it. “Would you...?”
“Sure.”
She pulled her hair to the side, swiveling to turn her back, and he carefully lowered the pendant over her head, securing the chain with clumsy fingers around her slender neck. The urge to kiss the back of her neck was so strong, but he did the right thing and abstained. He stood up instead. “We should get downstairs. Dinner will start soon. It’s in that fancy dining room with the curved ceiling.”
Ari stood up, straightening her skirt. “You say that like other people would say,dinner will be served from the garbage can in the subway station. What do you have against the Chateau?”
“Eh.” He grabbed his jacket off the bed and put it on. “It’s stuffy.” He smoothed down his lapels (a word he’d managed to learn while shopping for his second or third suit) and joined her in front of the door.
“Thank you,” she whispered, her hand on the knob.
He didn’t have to ask what she meant. It sucked that she didn’t want everything he wanted to give her. But if she wanted to be friends, he’d do it. He’d do anything she asked. He bent down and kissed her forehead. Just once. It was enough to fill his head with her lavender scent, and he had to hold back a sigh. “You’re welcome. Now let’s go eat rich food and rub elbows with the owner.”
Downstairs, they reached the dining room together. Trevi and Beacon stood there, practically tapping their feet. “I’m starving,” Beacon complained. “They’re not quite ready to seat us.”
“Hey, guys,” Castro said, catching up to the group. “Hey, Ari. I hope I’m on your schedule tomorrow morning. Nobody has rubbed my feet in ages.”
“You poor thing,” Ari said. “Coincidentally, nobody has proposed marriage to me in ages.” She smiled at the silly young forward, and O’Doul noticed her fingers flutter up to her breastbone and touch the pendant that hung there before falling away again.
“Hey, that’s pretty,” Castro said. “That color suits you.”
O’Doul had the sudden urge to yank Castro’s chin upwards, removing his eyes from Ari’s chest. Who knew there was a downside to buying your girl something pretty to wear?
“Thank you,” Ari said, touching the pendant again. “It’s my birthstone.”
“Reeeeally,” Castro said slowly. “Your birthstone.”
“Right. August.”
Castro’s eyes—plus a few other pairs—cut to O’Doul’s.
Hello, awkwardness. Slowly, and with great deliberation, O’Doul gave a single, sad shake of his head.
Maybe hockey players weren’t known for being the most subtle bunch of guys in the world, but not one man said anything about it until later. After the official team meal they were allowed to ditch their suits and slink across the street to a bar.
“So. Ari?” Trevi asked, grabbing the stool next to his. “You and she are a thing?”
“Damn,” Bayer said, rubbing his hands together. “Didn’t see that one coming. We’ll all stop proposing marriage to her on the massage table if that makes you uncomfortable.”
“Not sure it matters, champ,” he said, tossing back his Scotch. “She told me quite firmly today that it isn’t gonna happen.”
“So I do have a chance,” Castro joked, nudging O’Doul’s shoulder.
O’Doul made a growling noise. He couldn’t help it. He was willing to accept the fact that Ari wouldn’t date him. But if anyone else started hitting on her, they’d better brace for some trouble.
