Rap, rapon my door. I bolt upright.
“Huh?” I run my hand through my turbulent hair again as I lift my gaze to the open door; my mystery guest nudging it open. My eyes spring wide, and I rub them with the palms of my hands like that will solve everything.
Is it just me, or are Jade Jones’ sparkling topaz blue shiners staring back at me?
Jade Jones? How the fuck did she get in here?
“What the…” I only realize I’ve spoken out loud when she speaks.
“Jay, are you alright?”
I sigh into the cool morning, pulling the comforter up a little higher while I try to make sense of why my best friend’s little sister is standing in my doorway. I don’t usually care about being modest, but I’m sure she won’t appreciate the morning glory I have going on under here.
Yeah, I’m a morning guy. Always have been.
“I think so… what are you do?—”
Her eyes narrow and her hand moves to her hip in a half-amused, half-defiant kind of look. One I’m not used to in a girl. Usually I’m rolling a woman over and doing very dirty things, or in most cases, we’ve had our fun and we’re going our separate ways. “What am I doing here?” she finishes for me, her blue eyes twinkling as she tucks a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.
“I didn’t mean that.. I…” I shake my head when I come up short. Of course, I do mean that. I don’t remember a damned thing. I quickly rack my brain…
Fuck. She’s back in town after not seeing her for a few months, I know that much. It was right after the Stanley Cup finals when she was here last. I chagrin at the memory because I inadvertently tried to pick her up at that bar after not seeing her for several years. I still can’t believe I didn’t realize then who she was. But it had been a long time since I’d seen her, and the bar was very dark that night.
High school memories for me aren’t the best, even if Jade and I were pretty cool back then. She was smart and helped me a lot when I was staying at their house for finals. It used to annoy Tanner a lot, but I had to keep my grades up and Billy made sure I didn’t crumble. His wife, Ellen, did too, but Jade was the one in my final year that really pulled out all stops. It was never a romantic thing, well, except for one night when we had a moment, but she was only sixteen.
One thing is for sure… she has only gotten cuter over the last decade.
“We were going out today,” she prompts, like I’m mentally challenged. “You gave me your spare key and told me to come wake you up since you don’t have training until later.”
I’m half sitting now, feeling like a fucking dumbass as last night comes flooding back to me. We met up with my teammates, Tyler, and his girlfriend, Cindy, Taylor andEmmerson as well as Ashton and Maddison for pizza and drinks downtown. Jade met them when she was last in Seattle at one of my favorite places; The Italian Spot.
That was when Ty and Cindy were celebrating their relationship being out in the open, after months of sneaking around trying to avoid the tabloids. Ty has been in the press just as much as I have in the past, and not always for the right reasons. Cindy is our coach, Clive Carter’s daughter.
And while last night was reminiscent of the one a few months ago; a great night with all the guys and their partners, it wasn’tthatcrazy… was it?
“I think I’m trying to get rid of a hangover I didn’t know I had.”
Jade laughs softly and edges a little farther into the room. She’s game coming in here, I’ll give her that.
There’s no way my teammates would ever enter my room. Ty, who happens to be the captain of the Hawks and now one of my best friends, loves to joke that you never know who or what could be found in my room with me. Rude? Maybe. But probably true all the same.
“Must have been that glass of red and the two tequila shots, Jay.”
I scrunch my brow in confusion. “That’s it?” When did I become such a lightweight?
“Yeah. But we all stayed up pretty late, you were giving me some half assed attempt at a dancing lesson.”
Hmm. Maybe I was more drunk than I thought last night. Now I’m just plain tired. I recall she wanted to take a couple of dance lessons while she’s here for her brother’s upcoming wedding we’re both attending, but not much else. “I guess red wine is never a good thing for me. I’m sorry, I guess I slept in and I’m having a mild dose of amnesia. Maybe the last crazy season is catching up with me now the new one has started.” We wonthe Stanley Cup a few months back in June, it was one heck of a season, too. It took countless knocks, bruises, concussions and an insane traveling schedule to get there. But we did it.
We had a break for a couple of months before pre-season training started up in September, with a few charity games and exhibition games here and there.
“Luckily, I brought you some breakfast.”
My face crinkles a smile upon hearing that. Jade has always been a sweetheart. She’s a little more feisty now than she was back then, but I like it. I guess she’s grown tougher over the years. Jade was a delicate little thing back in school. I always wanted to protect her from the world, and the people in it.
She’s the kind of woman that would knock me into shape, and probably one of the few who could.
“Now that sounds good.” I stifle another yawn as I stretch my arms out.
