PUCK (A BAD BOY HOCKEY ROMANCE) (25 page)

I clean up after myself and get ready for the dinner shift. My mood hasn’t lifted at all and it’s still raining, which means the dinner crowd will be lighter than usual.

A couple of hours into the evening, I feel like this has been the longest day ever. My head is starting to throb, probably from a combination of too much thinking and the weather. I can’t wait to get home and crawl under my covers.

I’m delivering a tray of coffees to my last table when I see Rachel and Chris walk in and I have my first real smile since I got here today.

Rachel waves at me and they head over to the bar. My spirits lift a little and I work a little faster to close out my section. As soon as the table gets up, I am wiping it down and resetting it so I can end my shift. I wash up in the bathroom and join Rachel and Chris at the bar. Sam is in front of me with an extra-large glass of wine before I even sit down.

“You look like you need one of these—at
least
one,” Sam says as he passes me the glass.

“Thanks. I do,” I reply and turn my attention to Rachel and Chris.

“Hey, guys! Nice to see you here.” They each stand and we hug.

“You’re hard to track down lately. I figured this was a good way to find you,” Rachel teases. We each take a sip of our drinks and sit down.

“Yeah. It’s been a little crazy lately,” I start, and then give them a summary of what has been happening. I don’t mind talking in front of Chris. As my best friend’s boyfriend, we’ve spent a lot of time together and I know she would tell him most of it, anyway. Plus it’s nice to have a male point of view on things, sometimes.

I end the story with my mother getting engaged to my new boyfriend’s father. Rachel and Chris have listened attentively and I know I can count on them for some honest advice, like it or not.

“Okay, where to start…” Rachel begins. “As much as I hate to say it, I think you may have found love.”

“Why do you hate saying it?” Chris interrupts.

“I told you about my first and only meeting with Jayson. Wasn’t a big fan,” Rachel replies.

“Oh, yes. That’s right. I think you referred to him as ‘the asshole.’ ” Chris takes a swig of his beer. “Sorry, go on.”

“Anyway, I think all weirdness aside, your mom should understand that you might be in love and love is hard to find. You can’t—or shouldn’t—have to give that up because your mother doesn’t approve, or because of this newfound relation between your families. You’re all adults, so what you do is your own business,” Rachel advises.

“Really, Ashley, we can’t help who we fall in love with. It sucks your mom already compares Jayson to your father, but just because he’s older doesn’t make it the same. You’re not the woman on the side. He’s not leaving a twenty-year marriage for you. She’s going to have to get over that fact. She also has to stop caring so much about what everyone around her thinks,” Rachel finishes. I am so lucky to have this girl as my best friend.

“What she said,” Chris adds. “And also, men can be total dicks, but it sounds like this dude is sincere. If you let him go before really giving it a chance, you will regret it.”

“He’s right. That’s how I got stuck with him in the first place,” Rachel jokes.

We hang at the bar and talk some more. Thankfully, the subject changes to their vacation and random gossip about some mutual friends. My mind still wanders back to Jayson, but I’m happy to be talking about something and someone else. I love having these two on my side.

I know what I have to do. I have to talk to Jayson first and see what he knows. As long as he still wants to move forward, I will have to face my mother. I don’t know what her actual reaction will be, I can only hope that she takes the news better than I’m anticipating. From what Jayson has said, I don’t think Tom will have any issues with our relationship, but then again, you never know. Eric and Matt will both have to be informed, but part of their job as our brothers is to support us and then torment us, so I kind of know what to expect there.

We finish our drinks and Rachel and Chris decide to head out to the bar next door for another round. I don’t really feel like joining them tonight. After working a double and this emotional roller coaster of a day, I’m ready to head home.

On my way to my apartment, my phone vibrates in my pocket. It’s Jayson.

Have you heard the news?

Yes,
I reply. My phone rings almost immediately thereafter.

“Hello,” I answer on the first ring. I know it’s Jayson.

“Hey, beautiful. Are you okay?” he asks me. As uptight as I’ve been all day, I find the sound of his voice so soothing.

“I am. My mother is super excited and I’m happy for her,” I reply.

“You don’t sound so happy,” Jayson says.

“It just sucks. You’re going to be my big brother now. What the fuck?” Jayson chuckles at my statement.

“Come on, Ashley. You know it’s not like that,” he says.

“I know, but it kind of is.”

“Don’t worry, we will get through it. You’re mine now, remember? I will be by your side and we will make sure everything works out in the end.”

I feel better hearing him tell me that. I am still walking and almost at my building. I hate talking and walking, but I just want to get home.

“Did you tell Tom about us?” I ask.

“No. I think you should be the one to tell Cynthia,” he responds.

“You’re right. It should be me.” I sigh. “And I want to get it over and done with as soon as possible.”

“Do you want me to be there when you do?” Jayson offers. Knowing that my mother already has him pegged as a womanizing gigolo, I don’t think it’s the best idea.

“Thanks, but I think I should do it myself first and see how she takes the news,” I answer. I know she’s going to flip out and I don’t think Jayson needs to see that. I walk up to the front of my building and stop before entering.

“If you change your mind, I will be there,” Jayson assures me.

“Thanks. That means a lot.”

“Ashley…” Jayson says. There’s something about the way he says my name that still makes me melt.

“Yes?” I answer when he doesn’t continue.

“Everything will be fine. I promise.” And I believe him. Hearing Jayson say that so sincerely makes me feel more at ease than I have all day. I love him. I really love him.

“I know,” I say and I smile to myself. “Thanks for calling me. I’m home now and want to go up to my apartment. Can we talk tomorrow?”

“Of course,” he answers. “Sweet dreams, baby.”

“You too. Goodnight.”

I walk into my building, smiling once again. Hearing reassuring words from Jayson made me feel better than anything else. Knowing he still wants to see it through and plans to stay by my side means so much. I don’t know what our future will bring, but having him as my partner and my protector will give me the strength I need and make any battle worth fighting.

____________________

I
wake
up Sunday morning feeling renewed and much less stressed. Having Jayson say those things last night really helped boost my confidence in both our relationship and my will to fight for it.

While I wait for the coffee to brew, I brush my teeth and wash my face. I’m planning on calling my mother first thing so we can talk, and I don’t waste any more time with worry. Once I tell her about Jayson, we can at least begin to move on and work on damage control.

I walk into the kitchen and pour coffee into my favorite mug. I take my phone from the charger and sit at the counter with it in my hand. I decide to drink my coffee first so I can contemplate the best way to approach the subject with Mom.

About halfway through my mugful and several potential opening statements later, I realize there really is no good way. Maybe I’m making this into a much bigger deal than it actually is. Maybe she won’t even care so much. I’ll just hold onto that notion while I dial, even though I expect it’s not true.

I take a few deep breaths to calm myself before I dial. I then acknowledge that I’m using it more as a method of procrastination than relaxation, so I stop. I pick up my phone and call her. After a few rings, she picks up.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Mom,” I reply trying to sound pleasant.

“Hi, Ashley! Nice to hear from you so early on a Sunday. Did you get your schedule already?” she asks.

“No. Just wanted to say hi.” I’m losing courage every second. I need to regain my composure.

“Even better! Tom is out back so it’s quiet in here. What’s new? How is everything? How is Michael?” Mom questions all at once. And there it is, my opener: Michael.

“Nothing much. Not sure how Michael is. We broke up,” I inform her.

“Aw. So sorry, Ashley. I know you really liked him.”

“Yeah. It’s okay. I thought I did, but he lied to me. Actually, he cheated on me, which involved many lies over time, I’m sure.” I try not to sound too bitter. “I’m over it, though. He’s not worth my time.”

“Well, good for you for letting him go,” Mom encourages me. “You’re an amazing girl and you deserve someone that appreciates you. Besides, you’re still young. You should be out having fun and not concentrating on one guy. Find some nice college friends and boys your own age. Michael was already out in the world, working a corporate job—he would have moved on at some point, anyway.” Wow, Mom is on a roll.

“Thanks, Mom. You always know how to make me feel better,” I reply. I’m only being somewhat sincere. Mostly I’m trying to butter her up a little bit.

“I’m older and wiser, remember?” Mom kids. “Plus, after almost twenty years with your father, I learned a lot about men. Especially cheaters. More so, men that prey on younger women. Trust me, Ashley, I’ve seen and heard it all,” she finishes. She just touched on almost every negative thing I know she is going to hate about Jayson. This should get interesting.

I chuckle because I know she’s trying to make a joke, but also because I’m extremely nervous now. She gave me the perfect segue initially, but now I have been set up for failure. I prepare myself for the incoming shit storm as I begin my response.

“Yeah. I saw what you went through. Good thing you have Tom now.”

“He’s perfect, Ashley. Truly perfect. I am very thankful he’s in my life.” I can almost see her smile through the phone. I decide this is my chance and go for it.

“I hope I find my own Tom one day, Mom. Actually, I think I might have. Losing Michael may not have been the worst thing.” I tell her officially opening Pandora ’s Box.

“Already?” She sounds dubious. “That happened fast. You thought Michael was perfect, too, though. You wanted me to meet him just a couple of weeks ago.”

“Well, yes. I kind of met him while I was with Michael, but didn’t bother with him since I was already in a relationship.” I’m trying to sound like I didn’t just jump into something.

“Oh. And you think he’s the One now?” Mom replies, sounding disappointed already.

“He might be. He’s honest and loving. He’s supportive. He’s head over heels for me. I’m pretty sure he is also in love with me, although we haven’t said it yet.”

“He sounds fantastic, but I don’t know. You should be careful, Ashley. Sometimes when something—or someone—sounds too good to be true, most likely it is.” I don’t even know if I want to take this conversation further, but at this point, I don’t have a choice.

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone. And I’m sure his feelings for me are true. I just know it.”

“You’re too young to know these things, Ashley. You’ve been in college for three years and haven’t even settled on a major. You will learn as you grow and mature.” Now Mom is lecturing me. I was trying to be patient, but now she’s just being mean—and I haven’t even told her who this man is yet.

“Don’t be so judgmental, Mom,” I snap. “A career is one thing, my feelings are another. I know how Jayson and I feel about each other, and it’s real. I don't have to go to school to know that.”

“If you say so, Ashley,” she concedes. “I only want you to be happy. I’m just looking out for you. I will wait until I meet this Jayson to judge.”

“Crazy coincidence, Mom. You actually already know him,” I reply in a calmer tone.

She’s quiet for a moment, as if she can’t possibly believe that what she’s thinking is true. When the silence between us only thickens and I don’t correct her, she whispers, “
That
Jayson?”

“Yes.
That
Jayson. Crazy, right?” I give another little laugh, hoping against all odds that it’ll lighten the situation.

“Oh, no. No, Ashley. Just… no,” Mom replies, obviously at a loss for words.

“No?” I ask. “I don’t need your permission, Mom. Although you think I’m young, I’m an adult and can make my own decisions.”

“First of all, Ashley, you may be an adult by law, but Jayson is way too old for you. He’s a grown man who owns and runs a multimillion dollar corporation.”

I blink. I knew Jayson must make nice money just from his apartment but wasn’t aware he was doing so well. But what the hell does that have to do with anything?

“Not only is he too old for you—way too old—but he is a womanizer,” she continues. “I’m pretty sure I told you that before. He has never been serious with a woman and probably never will. Don’t think you will be any different than any of the other countless woman he’s bedded.” She makes a sound that’s half amusement, half disgust. “You’re just a lovesick college girl with a crush on an older man. You’re falling for the oldest trick in the book.”

Thanks for the vote of confidence,
I think, but I can’t form the words. I’m too pissed. When I say nothing, Mom fills the gap in our conversation with more vitriol.

“And what about him being your stepbrother? Tom and I are getting married, for God’s sake! You cannot be dating my husband’s son. Move on, Ashley. This relationship you think you have will never work—none of it.”

“Nice to know you care so much, Mom.” I snarl, finally finding my voice. “You obviously don’t think that much of my intelligence or ability to make decisions. I know about Jayson’s past—it’s not a secret. I’m aware of our age difference, too. Just because Dad cheated and left you for a younger woman doesn’t mean that all men are like that!”

Mom starts to say something, but I cut her off. I’m not done. Nowhere near.

“Maybe he’s like his own father, Tom,” I continue. “You know Tom, right? Perfect Tom, the man you love? The one that treats you like a queen—
that
Tom. Jayson is
his
son. Maybe he inherited some of his qualities. Did you ever think of that?”

Mom snorts, and I can tell she’s going to dismiss me again. She almost gets my whole name out of her mouth before I interrupt her a second time. I can’t help it. Rage is making my blood boil.

“You think Dad is such an asshole for what he did—and maybe he is—but you had many years of love and happiness. People change, it’s a part of life. Who cares how old he is? Who cares if you and Tom are getting married? We’re not kids. We’re not going to be living together under the same roof. We might be in love, doesn’t that count for something?”

I finally stop, realizing that I’ve been yelling. I hate arguing with my mother, but I feel so much better now that everything is out in the open. This conversation has been so heated, but also completely liberating.

“Okay, Ashley,” she says after a minute, her voice much quieter and more resigned now. “I don’t know what else to say. I think I’ve said my piece and you’ve said yours. It’s a lot for me to swallow right now. I need to think about all of this.”

I sigh, putting my face in my hand. “Yeah. I’m sorry about yelling, Mom. I just don’t think you understand, and it’s frustrating.”

“I don’t think you understand, either, Ashley. Let’s just try not to fight about it. I want to talk to Tom and see what he has to say. Maybe he can shed some light on the situation for me.”

“Sure,” I answer.

“Love you, Ashley,” she tells me. I know she means it, even though there is so much tension between us right now.

“Love you too, Mom,” I reply, and we end the call.

Well, that went pretty much just how I expected it to go: like a fucking nightmare.

I’m pacing around my living room like I have been since my mother started in on me. I have so much anger and frustration built up, I don’t know what to do. If Jayson wasn’t Tom’s son, she couldn’t say half of those things—she wouldn’t know or have to.

I hope Tom can talk some sense into her. Since she thinks he’s so amazing, maybe she’ll listen to reason if it’s coming from him.

I decide I should call Jayson and fill him in on what happened. I dial his number as I continue to pace around the room and get his voicemail. I don’t bother leaving a message, what would I say? “Told my mother about us. She hates you. Call me back.” I know he’ll return my call when he sees my number so I just hang up.

I go into the bathroom and undress while I wait for the shower water to warm up. I step in and let the warmth roll over me and sooth my tension. Showering was a good idea. I begin to loosen up and calm down.

By the time I emerge, I feel much more settled. I brush my hair and my teeth again and go into my bedroom to get dressed. I put on some clean clothes and I definitely feel better than before.

I head back into the living area and see my phone lit up. There is a text from Jayson.

Been on the phone with my Dad. You really stirred shit up over there. Call u when I’m off.
He wrote that almost fifteen minutes ago, probably shortly after I called him. Must not be going too well.

No sooner do I have that thought than my phone rings. I already have it in my hand, so I answer it right away.

“Hey,” I greet Jayson when I pick up the call.

“Hello, beautiful. How’s your Sunday morning?” Jayson replies with a touch of sarcasm.

“Just peachy,” I answer. “Guess you heard already.”

“I did, I did. My father just called me in a panic. He wanted to make sure what Cynthia heard was true.”

“And?” I ask, prompting him to continue.

“It is,” he says with a laugh.

I roll my eyes. “Ha, ha. Come on, what happened?”

“Hard to say, exactly. He’s a little upset, but mostly because your mother is. He doesn’t care what I do with my love life but doesn’t want it having an effect on his.”

“Makes sense,” I reply.

“It does. We spoke about a bunch of different things. Pretty much everything Cynthia said to you. We came to the conclusion that the four of us should sit down and talk,” he informs me. Definitely not the news I was expecting to hear.

“That sounds like a terrible idea,” I reply and Jayson chuckles.

“It’s a great idea, Ashley, for a few reasons. Most important of which is because it was mine.”

I make a face. “Why would you even suggest something like that?”

“Because it’s a great idea,” he says matter-of-factly. “We can just put everything out in the open and hash it out together. It will remove the middle man and all the ‘he said, she said’ bullshit. You and I are on the same page. My father mostly agrees with me, or doesn’t care as long as it doesn’t affect your mother, so we can all just try to convince Cynthia that you and I are perfect together and there’s nothing more to it. Without ganging up on her of course.” he adds.

“You think we’re perfect together?” I ask. That’s the only part of his statement that I retain.

“I do.”

“Then hopefully my mom will understand. When is this meeting taking place?” I ask.

“As soon as possible. They’ll come in and meet with us here in Manhattan. We’ll decide when you have your schedule for the week.” When Jayson mentions my schedule, I glance at the clock. With all these other things going on, I forgot I had to work today.

“Shit! I have to go,” I tell him. “Thanks for trying to smooth things over, Jayson. I’ll call you later.”

“Are you working late?” he asks quickly.

“Not too late, it’s Sunday. I should be home early enough to call.”

“Call me anyway. Try to enjoy your day,” Jayson says.

“Thanks. I will. Talk to you later,” I say and end the call.

I rush around my apartment getting ready and putting on my uniform. I’m glad I took a shower instead of going for a walk. I can’t believe I was so absentminded that I forgot about work.

I put my hair in a ponytail and collect my purse and keys. I put my phone in my pocket, step into the hallway, and lock my door. I push the elevator call button impatiently and wait for it to get up to my floor. When I reach the lobby, I wave goodbye to the doorman and speed walk to the restaurant. I get there with seconds to spare.

I throw my things in the office, tie on my apron, and get right to work. The Sunday afternoon crowd is loud is big and there are lots of kids. It gets a little hectic, but with all the tension and rushing this morning, I fit right in.

I bustle through brunch and lunch working faster than usual and the afternoon goes by in a flash. I follow my usual break routine and take my lunch and drink outside to sit in peace before the dinner folks start shuffling in.