Whatever’s got her pissed off at me, it’s probably for the best.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jules
“Just text him,”Blair grumbles from the other side of the kitchen table. “Stalker daddy’s been around the block, and I’m sure he likes women who know what they want and aren’t afraid to ask for it.”
Sometimes I wish she didn’t know me so well. I set my phone back down on the table, face down. “Good one. I’ll just send him a nude even though he said something happening between us is a bad idea. What could go wrong?”
She sighs dramatically. “He said you’re a ten. He thinks you’re beautiful. But he’s in a position of power and he doesn’t want to initiate anything. So initiate, you badass bitch.”
Coop gasps from the doorway. “Mom, you called Aunt Jules a bad word.”
I give her a pointed look.
“I didn’t mean it like you think I did,” Blair says to her son. “Are you watching for your ride?”
He turns and leaves. I return to my phone, checking socials and commenting.
It’s been eight days since Lucien and Kyle’s fight, and the attention is dying down. I spent the first few days staying on top of every post on every social media site I could find. Though it hasn’t been officially confirmed, it’s out that Audra and Kyle are living apart now.
I’m back to posting my usual content, so I’m heading out on a road trip with the team in an hour. Other than working on home game days, I’ve taken time off over the past week. I took Eli and Coop shopping, to a pumpkin patch and a corn maze, and to the movies twice.
I want to get back to my work, but I don’t know how I’ll feel when I see Noel.
Nothing is going to happen between us, but I just can’t seem to let go of my attraction to him. That day in the conference room, I wanted to pick up the phone from the table and throw it at him, and that’s not me. I was just so jealous of Caroline telling him she’d be waiting upstairs.
Does he just enjoy the game? Is that why he made me feel like he wants me?
The answers to those questions don’t really matter, but it doesn’t stop me from asking them.
My suitcase is ready and I’m rolling it toward the door that leads from the kitchen to the garage when my phone rings. It’s an unknown number. I usually don’t answer those on my personal phone, but I slide my finger across my screen to answer this one.
“Hello?”
“Julie, it’s Mom.”
I stop walking, end the call and block the number, my heart racing nervously. It’s been almost four years since she’s tried to contact us. I thought I’d convinced her that she’s never getting another dime out of me or Blair.
Though I should tell my sister our mom just called, I don’t. It would stress her out, and she has a big test coming up. Instead, I take my bag out to the car and leave for the arena, pretending it didn’t happen.
I’ve never seenthe players so excited. Leo pours an entire bottle of champagne over Isaac’s head, Isaac shaking his head like a wet dog and sending the liquid flying everywhere.
They just pulled out a 4–0 win in LA. Magnus Lundgren scored two of the goals, and he hasn’t stopped smiling since the game ended. Our fans are going to love the video footage I’m getting in the locker room.
“This isn’t our house, boys,” Noel calls out. “We have to leave this locker room like we found it and we’ve got an early flight tomorrow.”
He has a mop in hand, and he brings it over to Leo. Leo gives him a puzzled look.
“You want me to clean it up? Right now?”
“You think your mom’s around the corner waiting to do it? It’s your mess.”
“His mom’s waiting in my bed at the hotel,” Anson says with a grin. “Probably gonna drain my balls dry again.”
I’ll have to edit that out of the video. Jokes about teammates’ moms are as prolific around here as hockey sticks.
Stifling a yawn, I stop recording. It’s been a long day. We were delayed getting out of Cleveland, and since we were running late, we didn’t check in at the hotel. It was straight to the arena for pregame meetings and warm-ups.
