BrickWall_Kobo (8 page)

Besides, he didn’t fuck and tell like some of the team.
A few of the guys were worse than high school kids the morning after a date, spouting off about shit Shane never wanted to know.
At least, not and be able to look the girl in the eyes the next day.

“Everything…okay?”

Shane shot his teammate a look.
Cary sounded worried about something.

“Yeah.”
He frowned.
“Wait, why?
Did Bliss—”

“Nope.”
Cary help up his free hand.
“Not why I’m asking.
Lori hasn’t heard from her.
I’m just…kinda worried about you.”

Okay, this conversation was heading off the rails fast.
“What the hell?”

Cary shrugged.
“Never mind.
So, you ready to do some work?”

Because he didn’t want to talk about what’d happened, at least not yet, Shane grabbed his helmet and stick from the bench and headed for the goal.

For the next half hour, he and Cary ran through a series of drills meant to increase his acuity.

Cary was one hell of an offensive defenseman so he was no stranger to scoring goals and he got a few by Shane early, which just frustrated the hell out of him.

Cary skated in from the left circle, where he’d scored his last one.
“You’re leaving that top corner open every time.
You gotta get that glove up.”

Shane swung his stick from side to side, clearing the ice out of the crease.
“I know.”
Frustration made his tone sharp.
“It’s always been one of my weaknesses.”

“Then we’ll work on it until it’s not.
But you gotta retrain your brain so you’re not constantly thinking about that as a weakness.”

For another twenty minutes, that’s all they worked on until Shane knew he was gonna have to ice his right shoulder for the rest of the fucking week.

But by the time they headed for the showers, Shane thought he might actually have a little better handle on that corner.

“Hey, thanks, man.
I really appreciate you taking the time for this.”

Shane was already dressed while Cary pulled on his jeans.
He was ready to leave but couldn’t force himself to get off the bench and head for the door.

He’d been able to keep Bliss out of his head for the past hour while he and Cary had been on the ice but now…

Fuck, now he had to bite his tongue to keep from asking about her.

“All right, Shane.”
Cary finally lifted his head, a wry grin on his lips.
“Spit it out.
You should know by now that nothing you tell me goes anywhere.”

He knew it.
It was part of the reason Cary had the trust of every guy on the team.

But damn, he hated the fact that he was gonna come out of this looking like a dick.
He must’ve done something wrong for her to sneak out in the middle of the night.

But since he didn’t even know how to get in touch with her and he didn’t want to put her on the spot by walking into the shop where she worked…

“Can you give me Bliss’s number?
I didn’t get it last night and I want to call her.”

Okay, that didn’t sound too creepy stalkerish.
He hoped.

“I thought you left with her.”

He forced himself to hold Cary’s steady gaze.

“I did.
But she left before I could ask for it.”

Cary’s brows lifted slightly.
“Any reason for that?”

His back straightened.
“No.
I thought… No.”

Now Cary nodded.
“I knew that, Shane.
Just had to ask.
Yeah, I can get her number for you.
Let me text Lori.”

He almost bit his tongue through, trying not to ask the next question.
But finally, he couldn’t help himself.
“So is she seeing someone?”

“Do you think she would’ve left with you if she were?”

Fuck.
“No.
Shit.
It’s just…” Jesus, what could he say that wouldn’t make him seem even more like an ass?
He sighed.
“You know what?
Never mind.
She left while I was sleeping, didn’t leave me a number.
If she wants to see me, I guess she knows how to find me.”

Now Cary started to laugh.
“Damn, kid.
How the hell do you manage to be so damn clueless?”
He whipped out his phone and started to text.
“Hang tight.
I’ll get you the number.
Then you need to call her.
And Shane?”

“Yeah?”

Now Cary looked serious as all hell.
“We’re heading into the stretch.
Don’t let anything fuck with your focus.”

Shit.
“You don’t think I should call her?”

Cary’s shit-eating grin made a return.
“I think you’d be an idiot not to.
And you’re no idiot.”

* * * * *

“I can’t believe you didn’t leave him your phone number!
What the hell were you thinking?”

Bliss groaned between sips of her too-hot coffee, which she needed to mainline if she was going to be any good today.

“I wasn’t thinking.
Remember?
Too much mind-blowing sex.
My brain was stuck somewhere between ‘Oh my god, I’m never going to get any sleep tonight and be worthless tomorrow’ and ‘Oh god, I want to stay all night and lick his pecs.’
I mean, come on, my brain wasn’t exactly functioning correctly.
Not after he—”

“Nope.”
Faith Donovan took one hand off the arm of her wheelchair and held it in the air.
“Don’t wanna hear it again.
The first time was more than enough.”

Grimacing, Bliss fluffed the skirt of Faith’s wedding dress hanging on the stand, waiting for its big day, which happened to be tomorrow.

A Christmas Eve wedding.
Just thinking about it made Bliss teary.

Too bad the groom—

Nope, not going there.

“Sorry, sorry.
But now I don’t know what to do.
Should I ask Lori for his number?
I mean, I snuck out of his apartment like I was embarrassed to be there.
He probably thinks I’m a bitch.
Or worse, he doesn’t care and was happy I left and didn’t have to deal with the morning-after bullshit.”

“From what you were telling me about him, that doesn’t sound like something he’d do.
But I never met him so…” Faith shrugged and sipped her own coffee.

“I know.
Ugh.
Maybe I just have to let this one go.
I mean, last night was amazing but I know from talking to Lori that these guys are always on the move.
The good ones barely ever stay in one place more than a few months.
And from what I’ve heard, Shane’s good enough for an NHL slot.
He won’t be here long.”

Faith’s eyebrows rose.
“Sounds like you’ve been doing some online creeping.”

Sighing, Bliss picked up Faith’s veil from the chair and hung it on the rack with her dress.
“Maybe a little.
Just to depress myself even more.”
With a huff, Bliss sank into the seat across from Faith.
“All right, no more.
So, is everything ready for tomorrow night?”

Faith laughed, though Bliss swore she heard a little strain that hadn’t been there before.

“You’ve met my mom so you know the answer to that.”

Bliss had met Faith’s mom, Shelly, at the same time she’d met Faith.
A year ago, just after Faith had gotten her chair.
Bliss’s shop had been the third one Faith and Shelly had visited.
Faith had been near tears but unwilling to give up in pursuit of the perfect dress.
Shelly had been ready to strangle the next person who treated Faith like an invalid.

Bliss had shaken their hands, asked Faith her size, and started to pull out dresses, never once mentioning that they could be altered to take her “condition” into consideration.

Faith had smiled and Shelly had burst into tears.
And Bliss had gained a new friend who didn’t let her disability define her.
Something Bliss had a little experience with.

“So then everything’s been checked at least five times.”

“You know it.”
And there was that look on Faith’s face again.
“I just…”

Bliss set her coffee cup on the table and leaned forward, concerned.
“Just what?”

With a shake of her head, Faith smiled.
“Jitters.
They suck.
You know what, I think I do want to hear more about this amazing guy you met last night.”

Since Faith was getting married tomorrow, Bliss decided not to push.
Every bride had jitters before her wedding.
They came with the territory.

“There’s really nothing else to tell.
Except I think I made a really stupid mistake by not leaving my number.”

“It’s not like you don’t know how to get his.”

Bliss rolled her eyes.
“Then I look pathetic, and if he really doesn’t want to hear from me, then I’m being clingy.”

Faith’s nose scrunched.
“Yeah, I get it.
But still, if you want to see the guy again, and I think you do, then get his number.
You never know, he could be the one.”

And there was that tone in Faith’s voice again, and she couldn’t ignore it this time.

“Hey.”
She reached over and grabbed Faith’s hand.
“Is something going on?
I mean, other than the fact that you’re getting married tomorrow?”

Faith didn’t answer right away, wouldn’t meet Bliss’s gaze for several seconds.
When she finally did, Bliss knew her friend was having more than jitters.

“I’m afraid Jimmy doesn’t want to get married.”

Bliss didn’t say anything…mainly because she wasn’t sure Faith’s fiancé deserved her.

She’d only met Jimmy Collins a few times but hadn’t been impressed.
Yes, he’d stuck by Faith after the accident that had put her in the chair.
Faith’s spine had been badly damaged, to the point that the doctors had told her she’d never walk again.

But between Faith’s will and Shelly’s determination, Faith had been working her ass off at physical therapy with the goal of being able to walk down the aisle at her wedding.

Bliss had no doubt Faith would manage it.
But she wasn’t sure Jimmy was worth that effort from her.
Faith needed to walk again for herself.
Not because she thought her fiancé would feel better about himself because she could.

And maybe Bliss was being a total bitch to a man she really didn’t know.
Then again—

No.
Bliss was damn good at reading people.
And Jimmy Collins didn’t deserve this woman.
Not one bit.
But no way would Bliss ever say that to Faith.

“Why do you think that?”

Faith made a wry grimace.
“I’m probably being stupid.”

Faith sounded as if she wanted Bliss to agree, but Bliss couldn’t bring herself to lie, not even to set her friend’s mind at rest the night before her wedding.
There was still time for Faith to call it off.
But it had to be her decision and not something Bliss advocated in any way.

“You’re one of the smartest people I know.”
Actually, Faith was
the
smartest person Bliss knew.
She designed rockets for a living, for chrissake.

“Well, I don’t feel smart at the moment.
I think I’ve been really, really stupid.
Or maybe just blind.
He’s been so distant lately and I think…” She took a deep breath.
“I think he wants to tell me he doesn’t want to get married but doesn’t know how to say it.
And I’m afraid…”

Faith’s expression made Bliss want to punch Jimmy right in his perfect nose.
The guy had walked away from the accident with barely a scratch.
He’d been going too fast for conditions and had sailed off the road around a sharp curve.
And then there’d been the matter of a few drinks at dinner…

Yes, he’d stuck with Faith through her long recovery.
But there was just something about the guy that made Bliss want to scratch at him every time he came toward her.

“What are you afraid of?”

Faith’s fingers tightened around hers.
“That I’m making a horrible mistake.”