Page 30 of A Shot at Love
“Three weeks actually and I think you’d really like her.”
“You’re leaving me alone for Christmas!”
“I asked you if you wanted to come with me! Remember?”
Jules pouted, grabbing one of his pillows and hugging it against her chest. “Yeah, but I don’t want to be the third wheel for three days while you andMackenziemake puppy dog eyes at each other on the beach.”
“I just want to have some fun, Jules, okay?” Cam said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “Things have been so busy. Between travel and practice and all the extra stuff that comes with being the captain now, I’m fucking exhausted and all this grey snowy weather is making me depressed. Is it so wrong ofme to want a little fun in the sun with a girl? We only get a three day break and I want to make the most of it.”
It wasn’t only the fact that Cam was leaving that had Jules feeling so far from the Christmas spirit, it was the fact that ever since the night of the team dinner after the Boston game, things with Frankie had been different.
She’d pulled away, spoken to Jules less often and when they did speak it was always short conversations about hockey, about how the season was going, always surface level.
Frankie stopped reaching out to make plans for dinner or to go grab coffee the way Jules had become so used to in such a short amount of time and the worst part of it all was the fact that Jules had absolutely no idea why.
Had she said the wrong thing? Asked the wrong questions? Given Frankie a reason to distance herself? Frankie had given her the puck, she’d cared enough to indulge Jules with the inscription and they’d looked at each other with some kind of understanding, a reverence, something Jules was certain they could both feel.
They’d been steadily growing closer, their friendship blossoming into something real, something that Jules was grateful to have and then it was just…gone.
Jules, afraid of putting an even bigger rift between them, hadn’t pushed Frankie. She’d let things play out the way Frankie obviously wanted them to but it hurt, she wouldn’t lie to herself about that.
”Of course you deserve a break and I hope you have fun,” Jules said, reaching over the suitcase to put her hand on top of her brother’s. “Just don’t come back too tan or else I’ll be so mad at you.”
“You know I’ll FaceTime you on Christmas morning, right?” He asked, smiling softly as he took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze then hooked his pinkie around hers. “You might not be there with me in person but you and me, we’re always together. No matter what, right?”
Her throat bobbed and she nodded, her bottom lip quivering as she fought back a spell of unexpected emotion.
“You and me, kid,” she replied. “Always.”
Cam squeezed her hand once more then stood and went back to tossing things into his suitcase with no order whatsoever. Socks, underwear, bathing suits, t-shirts – all of it pulled from his closet and thrown onto the bed.
”Maybe Stevens is sticking around for the holiday?” He called out from inside the walk-in closet. “You guys could hang out even if I do think it’s a little weird for my sister and my coach to be like, friends…or something."
Or something.
Jules sighed and laid back on the bed. She looked out the window at the water and thought of Frankie again. “I don’t know.”
He came out of the closest and rounded the bed to the nightstand closest to Jules. “Are you okay?” He rummaged around in the drawer, eying her curiously. “You’ve been different lately. Did you secretly meet some woman and have a torrid affair only for her to break your heart? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me, your only brother.”
He was teasing her and she smiled despite herself then punched him in the arm. “Shut up.”
”Ouch. Take it easy, killer!” He laughed. “Can you blame me for wondering? You’ve been so…mopey. And I know your period only lasts for like a week so it can't just be because of that.”
“Cameron...ew. Please don’t talk about my period.” She grimaced and pulled herself up to sit back against the headboard. “I did not have a torrid affair. I’ve had nothing.”
But she wanted it. She wanted Frankie in ways she hadn’t dared to act on but it was obvious to her now given the valley Frankie had put between them that either Frankie felt uncomfortable in some way, that she wasn’t attracted to women like Jules thought she might be, or she just wasn’t attracted to Jules.
Maybe Frankie didn’t feel the same connection that Jules felt when their eyes met, the way the energy in a room changed when they were close, didn’t feel the spark when their hands touched as Jules accepted the puck Frankie had signed especially for her.
And that was okay. She could accept it, even if she didn’t want to. Jules just wanted to knowwhathad happened because not knowing was making her crazy.
He stood up, put his hands on his hips as he stared at her. “That must be why then.”
”Why what?”
”Why have you been like…this.” He waved his hand around at her and she scoffed. “You need to get yourself some.”
”Oh my god.” Jules pinched the bridge of her nose and scrambled off his bed. “Stop talking. Now.”
