"Maybe the thing to do is go back and take some courses that might interest you," Jules suggests.
"Yeah, not sure my parents are going to be that willing to let me go back to college just to 'find myself,' " I mutter, and then take a bigger sip of beer.
"You never know unless you ask," she says, but I barely hear those last words as I'm unable to swallow.
Van just walked in with Lucas, Max, and Reed Olson, a right winger the Cold Fury picked up two years ago. I met him about a month back at Garrett's birthday party. That was the night I first met Stephanie, and I remember being so happy because Lucas looked deliriously happy.
He doesn't look that way now. For a man who just helped his team win game two of the second round of the play-offs, he looks like he just lost his puppy.
Or his pregnant girlfriend.
I think those outside of our family wouldn't notice much different about him. But I can tell by the flat line of a mouth that's usually always smiling and the deadness in his eyes that he's hurting terribly. And while he hasn't gotten drunk like he did a week ago when I had to clean lasagna off the walls and nearly got crushed by our fridge, he's been drinking a lot. That's not like Lucas either.
Max sees Jules and me and gives a shoulder bump to Lucas, who also looks our way. Van and Reed peel off for the bar, and that's fine by me. I'd actually rather focus on my brothers heading this way, because they're both awesome. Max is wearing a loose, casual grin, but his eyes are pinned on Jules, and I'm sure he's not thinking of the win but of his fiancee. Lucas gives me a wan smile, but there's still no spark in his eyes. It's clear he's operating on autopilot at this point.
Max bends to brush his mouth over Jules's in quiet greeting, and I can't help but swoon a little inside. I might be all about the pure chemical attraction with Van right now, but if he ever kissed me like that, I'd probably just melt into a puddle of goo.
"Great game, bro," I tell Lucas, and give him a soft elbow in his ribs. I get another smile, this one slightly more emotive than the last, but still no true happiness.
There's nothing else I can say, so I just slip my arm around his waist and snuggle into his side. He has no choice but to wrap his arm around me, and I'm rewarded with a hard squeeze. It's his silent way of thanking me for my support.
I hold my beer up and ask him, "Want a sip?"
He shakes his head. "Van and Reed are getting us some beers."
I tamp down the slight tingle at just hearing Van's name. Not going there. Can't go there. It's more important to keep my brother's peace of mind than to pursue Van at this time.
"Well, here," I say as I push my pint glass into his hand and pull away from him. "You finish mine. I'm going to head home anyway."
"Why are you going home?" Max says, and that tells me he was keenly listening in and not just playing kissy face with Jules.
"I'm beat," I tell him truthfully. The late-night hours at Lulu's have been kicking my butt. I took tonight off to go to the game, but the thought of actually going to bed before midnight is appealing to me, very much.
Besides, I've decided I'd like to escape before Van joins us. It's just easier that way.
"How's your job going?" Max asks. I haven't been big on the details, and I most certainly didn't tell them the name of where I worked. I've been able to get away with just a vague reference to a call center job that I was able to snag, but I was looking for something better. This seemed to have satisfied both of my brothers.
"It's fine," I say with a shrug, then I redirect. "But I'm applying to some day jobs. Third shift really sucks."
That definitely works. Max and Jules both smile at me, and Lucas doesn't, but that's okay. He's already checked out.
"That would be awesome," Jules says to me. "I remember the days of working those late hours and it was so hard."
"Well, you were raising three kids," Max remarks, not to denigrate me, but to just remind Jules that she had far more than just "hard" work going on in her life.
Laughing, I lean over and give Jules a hug. "Yes. I have no right to complain about anything. You are a true role model."
She blushes over my compliment and I stand on tiptoes to kiss Max's cheek. "Great game. Proud of you."
"Love you, twerp," Max says.
I place my hand on Lucas's chest and just give him a soft pat. He responds with a quiet, "Catch ya later."
Hitching my purse up over my shoulder, I start making my way to the bathroom so I can pee before I head out. There's actually a line coming out of the women's bathroom, but not the men's. I think that's because there are actually more women here tonight than men. This isn't a broad statement about women maybe wanting to hook up with some of the players, because I know there are plenty who want that, but I've just found over the years that hockey draws some seriously fanatical female fans, which is awesome.
I decide to ditch the bathroom. I'll probably make it home before I can pee here. As I turn to head for the door, I run into a solid wall of muscle and freshly showered man.
Lifting my head back, I see Reed standing there, holding his pint glass a little out from him as it sloshes to the rim.
He grins widely and teases, "Watch it there, little Fournier. There is no bulldozing over hockey players today."
I grin back. "Sorry. Wasn't watching where I was going. You played amazing tonight, Reed."
"Thanks," he says affably. "Can I buy you a celebratory beer?"
"Awww, that's sweet, but I'm actually headed out."
To my surprise, I see genuine disappointment in Reed's eyes. "Well that sucks. I've been hoping to hang out with the prettiest Cold Fury fan for a while."
My body jolts a little in surprise. When I'd met Reed four weeks ago, we spoke for maybe five minutes and I haven't seen him since. I hadn't gotten any vibe off him, but yeah...he's actually being genuine here.
Before I can even think of what to say, he continues. "But I totally understand. Maybe after the play-offs are over I could entice you out to a nice dinner?"
And God, that's so sweet.
And tempting. Especially given my utterly complete failure in snagging the actual man I do want.
Reed is a yes in all ways but one. Gorgeous and sweet. Genuinely a good guy by all appearances. An awesome hockey player and a Cold Fury to boot.
But he's not Van.
Before I can even open my mouth to po
litely decline, though, I'm completely stunned when Van appears at my side and takes my elbow.
"I need to talk to you," he says, and then to my complete astonishment he looks back to Reed. "She's not interested by the way."
Reed's lips curl up in amusement. "And you know this how?"
"Because I room with her brother," Van says blandly. "And let me rephrase...he wouldn't want you to be interested in his sister."
Reed chuckles but nods in acknowledgment. "I get it. And Lucas has enough shit on his plate to worry about."
I give an audible sigh of appreciation of Reed's genuine care for my brother. His eyes come down to mine and he winks. "Maybe we'll talk after the play-offs."
I'm not one to genuinely lead men on, but I can't pass up the opportunity to dig the knife into Van's back a little.
Giving Reed a flirty smile I tell him, "Yeah...let's plan on doing that."
I swear I can feel the rumble of a growl flowing from Van's body, down through his arm, into his hand locked on to my elbow and into me. He tugs me away from Reed and I offer a tiny wave goodbye.
Van pulls me only a few feet, then releases his hold on me. My first instinct is to use the opportunity to flirt, perhaps joke about the way he pulled me away from a teammate in that fabulous display of jealousy. But I keep to my word and just tilt my head at him in question.
"I'm worried about your brother," Van says in a low voice, and well...damn. The concern in his voice--from a man who seems to avoid personal relationships--causes my insides to melt. That's as swoony to me as the way Max just kissed Jules.
"I am too," I admit.
"He's drinking way too much," Van continues. "I think you should talk to him."
"I have," I say glumly. "After the infamous lasagna incident. He assured me he was fine."
"And you accept that?" Van asks a little aggressively.
"Do I look like the type of woman who would accept the first words out of a man's mouth?" I retort, giving a little jab of a reminder that I'm not so easily persuaded about some things.
"Fair point," he mutters. "What are you going to do?"
"Keep an eye on him," I say with worry as I look past Van's shoulder to where Lucas is standing quietly with a group of teammates, a liquor drink in his hand.
"Were you leaving?" he asks, and my eyes come back to him.
"Yeah. Was going to take advantage of an early night to bed, but I'll stay with him. That's more important."