“That was the most fun I’ve had in a long time!”
“Right? I never knew hockey and its traditions could be so much fun until I started attending games with Stone. Plus, all that testosterone in one building, and the fights are so hot!”
“Isn’t that dangerous, though?” I think about the pain I’ve seen Jax attempt to hide. That can’t be good for him. “Do the referees allow that?”
“It’s actually tolerated and encouraged to some extent. The fans absolutely love it. But from what I can see, the officials will stop it if it goes too far.”
I shake my head in disbelief. There’s a lot to learn about this sport.
Desirae’s brow wrinkles with worry as she concentrates on her phone, then calls her husband over. “Stone, it looks like the storm has taken a turn. We should probably stay at the condo tonight, rather than heading back to Pelican Point.”
She turns back to me. “You might want to leave soon if you want to make it home. Tropical Storm Susan is veering east. We’re about to get slammed.”
As I look out at the arena, the seats are emptying out quickly, even though the game is far from over. Seems the attendees are also monitoring the weather forecast. Being from Chicago, I’ve weathered many a winter storm.How bad could a little rain be?
Boy, did I speak too soon. After most everyone is gone except for a skeleton crew of staff, I’m storing my supplies and putting the teddy bear sculpture into the freezer for storage, when the sound of massive winds and rain rumbles through the building like a freight train. So much for beating the storm. When I return to my main sculpture, I groan in frustration. There’s a small leak in the ceiling and dirty water is dripping down onto my display.
In a panic, I grab my materials cart and push it over to the display, then begin dismantling the ice blocks to move them to storage until the storm passes.
With my focus directed on protecting my work and the roar of the wind, I don’t hear Jax approach until he’s right beside me.
“How can I help?”
“I’m going to move what I can, but it would be great if you could find some tarps or something and help me figure out how to stop the leaking.”
He returns fairly quickly with some plastic sheeting. Once we’ve protected my work from the storm that’s still raging outside, I breathe a sigh of relief. But the look of concern on Jax’s face worries me.
“What now?”
“I hate to tell you, but this storm is not letting up any time soon. And there are power outages all over. At least here, we’ve got generator power. It’s really not safe to leave at this point. I’m afraid we’re stuck here.”
Oddly, I feel a sense of calm. My work is protected, I’m dry, and the prospect of spending more time with this giant teddy bear is intriguing.
CHAPTER 5
Jax – On the Fly
When I tell Elise we’re not going anywhere tonight, it’s tough to gauge her reaction. Still, I want her to know she’s safe with me.
“Don’t worry. We’ve got all the comforts here. A lounge. Showers. A kitchen and food if we get hungry. Cots for sleeping. Just like home. I can probably rustle up some sweats from somewhere if you want to change your clothes. And if you prefer some privacy, there’s plenty of room for that.”
“Are we the only ones left here?”
“I have no idea. I guess we’ll find out.”
As we make our way to the team lounge area, our footsteps echo in the silent corridors. Once we reach the lounge, it does appear that we’re the only people in the building. It’s eerily quiet inside, but I can still hear the howl of the wind and the pound of the rain outside.
“Are you hungry? They usually keep this place pretty well stocked with food.”
I open the cabinet doors wide so Elise can see the assortment of snacks and non-perishables, then step over to the refrigerator, calling out the contents inside. “We’ve got sodas, waters, energy drinks, and some leftover veggies and cheese from one of the suites.”
Rather than waiting for her to respond, I go ahead and start placing some of the contents from the fridge and the cabinets on the counter, creating a snack food buffet, along with a bottle of water for each of us.
We both fix a plate and sit at the table, making conversation between bites. I want to know more about her, so I make an effort to shift the conversation from professional to personal.
“Where are you from? I’m Canadian, as you can probably tell from my accent.”
She nods and smiles. “I’m from the windy city, Chicago. Although right now, I think this wind has my city beat.”
