SWNOVELS Weak Side : Chapter 32
Number 15 was plastered to my back, and the black jersey was a magnet for every set of eyes in the stands. Not only was everyone chanting his name, but they were all side-eyeing me whenever Theo would do something on the ice. I assumed whatever he had done was a good thing, because they all cheered at the same time, so I went along with it, yelling his name and clapping my hands. My voice was hoarse, and Taytum, along with some of the girls from her sorority, laughed every time I jumped up to watch Theo skate over the ice.
“I need you to tell me more,” Taytum urged, whispering in my direction. “I feel like you’re leaving out vital parts of the story.”
“I’m not giving you all the gory details,” I answered, brows crowding as I watched Theo use deft footwork to maneuver around the other player. Although I didn’t know much about hockey, it was clear that Theo was skilled. He demanded authority on the ice, and the team simply revolved around him.
“I tell you about my sex life all the time.” She pouted for a second but then bumped her shoulder into mine. “Chad’s been quiet?”
I nodded but kept quiet. The last several days had been a breath of fresh air without Chad lingering in the background like a possessive shadow, but if I allowed myself to think about it, I felt panicky.
I’d taken a small break in my extra rehearsals and babied my ankle during actual practices—something everyone had noticed, especially my professors. Angie sent me home from work one evening after she overheard Theo tell me I’d cause more harm to myself if I didn’t take care of my ankle. She promised I could pick up some extra shifts in between my classes the following week, so I listened and went home with Theo—who had been in our room every chance he could get.
We were more wrapped up in each other behind our door than in front of it, but not because he didn’t want to keep up with the charade in front of campus, but mainly because he wanted me all for himself—his words, not mine.
I wasn’t complaining, and neither was my body.
In fact, I was giddy just thinking about his hands on my skin, and although that should have scared me, it didn’t. Instead, it exhilarated me, just like it did as I watched him on the ice, working with his team to secure the win.
“Yes!” I shouted, raising my hands and jumping up and down. The sports commentator announced through the speaker that Bexley was the winner, and I clapped my hands, feeling my eyes well up from relief.
“Oh my God.” Taytum laughed from beside me, and I glanced over, feeling my cheeks ripen. “Who even are you?”
My smile was hard to hide, and I shrugged. “I’m not sure anymore, but I kinda like it.”
Taytum grabbed onto my hand, and she nodded. “Me too. You look happy, Claire. Happier than I’ve ever seen.” She paused before asking, “Is that because you’re rid of Chad, or is that because you have Theo?”
I nibbled on my lip as I looked down at the jersey I was wearing before taking my attention back to the ice. The rational voice in the back of my head reminded me that I wasn’t quite rid of Chad yet, but I still answered Taytum. “Both.”
Her head went to my shoulder, and I inhaled, finding number 15 surrounded by his teammates who had ripped their helmets off and all shared the same victorious smile. Ford came up beside Theo and ruffled Theo’s sweaty, dark hair. My stomach did a somersault when he searched the stands, and when he landed on me, I smiled brightly and gave him a thumbs up. I was proud of him.
Taytum whistled as Theo pointed at me from the ice, and I swore I saw every head in the stadium turn toward us. My cheeks blazed, and a choked laugh left my throat. Damn him. I rolled my eyes, and when he cocked an eyebrow at me, I remembered what I’d promised him I’d do if he won the game. My hand went up to my mouth, and I blew him a quick kiss. He winked in return, and eventually, he and the rest of the team all skated off the ice, and I knew that my next part was about to come to play.
“Okay, wow.” Rose’s eyebrows went to her hairline, showing off her shimmering makeup. “I just got butterflies for you.”
I laughed, and we all rushed out of the stands and headed down the long, darkened hallway that Taytum and I had gone down the first time we’d met the guys after a game. It was quiet, but the closer we got to the locker room, the better I could hear voices. Jealousy started to creep in as I thought about seeing puck bunnies standing there, trying to get the guys’ attention, but I gently pushed that thought away because although I was a little jaded when it came to trust, I knew that puck bunnies were no threat to me.
When I rounded the corner, proudly wearing Theo’s jersey, I felt a buzz in my back pocket. I paused for a second, pulling it out, and frowned at the name on the screen.
Chad: So you’re wearing his jersey now? Is that how you wanna play this game?
Taytum huffed from beside me. “Tell him the game is over, and he’s the loser.”
The color drained from my face. “I can’t. Not yet.”
I still had to figure out what to do to get out from under Chad’s thumb. I hadn’t heard from my mom since the last time she’d asked for help, but even so, I knew she wouldn’t listen to me about not taking money from Chad’s parents again. The more she took their money, the more debt she was in, and the more I was dangling out there in the open as some type of ransom to Chad.
It wasn’t as if the thought didn’t occur to me that I could leave my mother to fend for herself. She was old enough to understand how to budget, and she’d surely been an adult longer than I had, but for as long as I could remember, my mother and I were a team. We were always in survival mode, and if I ruined our relationship, who would I have left?
She was my mother, but when Angela Bryant got betrayed, she didn’t let it go. I’d learned that by hearing her talk of my illegitimate father for the last twenty-two years of my life. She’d feel betrayed if she knew I was with someone like Theo, and she would be up in arms if I stopped giving her money and ruined the relationship with Chad and his parents.
“And who is this lovely lady wearing my son’s jersey?”
My head popped up, and my hair flew out of my face as I locked onto an older man smiling kindly with a gentle-looking woman walking beside him. She was holding onto her purse strap, but her other arm was draped over his as they continued to head my way.
“Hi,” I whispered, clearing my throat. “I’m—”
“You must be Claire.” The woman, who I assumed was Theo’s mother—or grandmother, but known as his mother—smiled at me, and I felt it bury itself into my belly like I’d just eaten a warm chocolate chip cookie from her kitchen. “Theo said he wanted to introduce us, but he’s a little busy.”
The older man edged his head behind him, and I peeked back, squinting my eyes as I watched Theo talk with someone wearing a suit that likely cost more than what my mother owed to Chad’s parents.
“Who—” Oh, my God. It was the man from The Bex. The realization clicked immediately, and I instantly felt guilty for the judgment I’d placed onto him when I saw that he wouldn’t stop staring at me.
“That’s Tom Gardini.”
I pulled my attention away and hoped my cheeks weren’t too red from my silent embarrassment. It was no wonder he was staring at me. He was probably trying to figure out what kind of guy Theo was, and considering Theo’s eyes were on me that entire evening, he must have wanted to know about me too.
Theo’s father boomed with excitement. “It’s a pretty big deal, huh?”
“Huge!” I smiled as I moved past the shock and into excitement. I tried to hide the enthusiasm, but Theo’s mother let go of her husband, came toward me, and wrapped me in her arms. I was stunned at first, but when she pulled back, I was pretty certain my face was a mirror of hers. “It’s sweet to see you so excited for him. We are too. We really just want him to be happy.”
Me too. I smiled again. “He deserves to succeed. He works hard.”
Both of his parents nodded at me just as Taytum leaned in and whispered in my ear that she’d see me at the party later. I sent her a soft wave, along with the other girls, and turned around to find Theo’s parents staring adoringly at their son.
“We’re so proud of him.” Theo’s mom looked back at me and then sighed wistfully. “I’m sorry. I don’t even think we told you our names.” She patted her husband on the chest, and he let out a gruff noise before spinning around and putting his hands in his pockets.
“I’m sure Theo hasn’t told you much about us,” he said, skirting around something that I was certain he thought I didn’t know, but I actually did. “I’m Daryl, and this is my wife, Linda.”
“It’s so nice to meet you, and yes, Theo has told me about you two.”
“He has?” Linda’s eye twinkled with something that I couldn’t quite make out, and I nodded.
“Yes.” I paused as my heart took a quick beating of envy. “He’s really lucky to have you two as parents.” I gave them both my full attention. “And you’ve raised him right.”
Linda laughed out loud, and I caught the quick glimpse that Theo threw us while talking to Tom Gardini. “Well, it’s nice to hear that.” Linda grabbed onto my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I didn’t think he’d ever get a girlfriend.”
My cheeks blasted with ripening heat, and I forced a smile. Theo and I hadn’t really talked much about the logistics of whatever was going on between us. I mean, for all intents and purposes, I was his girlfriend. But it started out as fake, and as crappy as it made me feel, Theo had no idea that there was more to Chad than him just being my ex. He had no idea that Chad was simply putting a pin in our relationship until the end of the year and that he planned to have me by his side afterward. And Theo had no idea that I’d kind of agreed.
“Aw, now come on, Ma.” Theo’s smooth voice stole our attention, and I instantly relaxed when his arm landed on my shoulders. “I was just waiting for the right girl.”
“It only takes one,” Daryl said, grinning mischievously, just like Theo.
“Sweet talkers, both of ‘em,” Linda whispered into my ear, squeezing my hand once more before letting go.
I laughed out loud, and when I peered up at Theo, my heart did a double-take. His bright-green eyes were pleased, and there was an air around him that wasn’t there before. Confidence? Happiness? I wasn’t sure what it was, but I knew that I liked seeing it.
“So, tell us, son.” Daryl leaned in closer as the hallway began to empty. I sent Ford, Emory, and Aasher a little smile as they walked past. Ford winked, Emory flicked his chin at Theo, and Aasher made sure to say a quick hello to Daryl and Linda before Daryl pressed his son to fill us in. “What did Tom say?”
Just then, I turned and looked at Tom Gardini. He was the highly successful owner of the NHL team that Theo had his eyes set on, and he was the main source when it came to Theo succeeding in his future. He’d told me all about Tom last night as we feasted on French fries from The Bex before he began his nightly ritual of prepping for the game.
According to Theo, Tom Gardini was destined for the NHL many years ago but ended up in a crash that destroyed the nerves along his spine. He was wheelchair bound, in rehabilitation facilities, and never fully recouped. He was the epitome of success. News articles floated around of his injury and how his future was destroyed, but instead of falling into a pit of despair, he continued to build an empire by assistant coaching, which propelled him into head coaching, and then eventually owning one of the best NHL teams in the league.
It was an inspirational story, that was for sure.
The end of Theo’s explanation to his parents caught my ear. “He pretty much sealed the deal with a tryout offer and mentioned a spot at the team development camp.”
“Son, that’s great news.” I stepped away from Theo so his father could wrap him in a hug, and I couldn’t help but notice the height difference between the two. Hockey players were big, and I briefly wondered if Theo got his height from the father he never met.
“I am so proud of you, honey.” Linda swiped a tear away, and I smiled at her, wondering what it would feel like to have a mother who was proud of your achievements instead of always wanting more.
Theo’s hand fell to mine, and I glanced back over at Tom Gardini once more, and to my surprise, he was staring directly at me. A soft smile touched my lips, and I nodded in my attempt to show that I understood why he showed up at The Bex and seemed interested in me. His strong brow deepened, and the suit he was wearing suddenly seemed fancier than before. I dropped my gaze down to his hand as he held his wooden cane in it, and when I crawled back up to meet his blue eyes, my heart started to beat a little faster.
Tom Gardini was still gazing at me, but instead of nodding or looking away, he stared with a curiosity that was painfully obvious. His head tilted to the side, and although someone was trying to get his attention, he had a hard time pulling his gaze from me.
That is weird.
I chalked it up to him analyzing Theo even further, and that was when I realized that Theo’s overall plan of fending off the puck bunnies was probably a good idea in the end. I was certain it looked better for Theo to have a consistent girl by his side versus a line of girls who were, nonetheless, considered gold diggers.
But even as Theo pulled on my hand and headed for the locker rooms, I still got a sense of unease, but maybe that had nothing to do with Theo and everything to do with me.