Page 42 of He Has It All (Boston Brawlers Hockey)
Chapter 11
Ryan
Waking up next to Chelsea should be an ecstatic occasion, except she’s not here. Sitting up in bed, I scour the room with my eyes. The bathroom door is wide open, showing the emptiness. I doubt she’s hiding in the closet, so I know she’s gone. Leaving without saying goodbye is the same thing as admitting regret for a horrible mistake. It only happened to me once before.
Four years ago. Also with Chelsea.
My heart rises to my throat with panic, everything in me rises except my dick, which shrinks into a shameful shadow of its former robust self a few minutes ago.
Fuck. Because I can’t tolerate the disappointment, the loss of all those romantic possibilities from the night before, I let anger rise above the panic, allow it all the freedom of expression over good sense, at least for the moment.
Jumping from bed, I feel a sharp pain go through my ankle, reminding me that I twisted it in the sand yesterday on the last play of the game. I’d buried that incident as a minor annoyance and now I hope that’s all it is as I walk gingerly across the room and throw on a robe. Eying my cell phone, I pause. There’s no fucking way I should call her right now. It’s seven thirty in the morning.
We should both still be in bed. Together. Here. But I know she’s gone back to her room. My family, thank God, were staying at the house a couple miles away. Levi’s family is back at the family’s house.
After I make myself presentable and throw on a robe, I venture into the hall to get some ice for my ankle. Last thing I need to do is limp around with people taking photos.
The wedding brunch isn’t until ten so I should be able to get it under control by then with some ice. Not something I’m used to doing for myself, not since my time at BC. I’m a spoiled fucker. Barefoot, I walk a few doors down the hall to the damn ice machine. With the bucket filled, I turn to get back to the safety of my room, but no such luck.
Standing in the entry to the small space is Maggie, hands on her hips and her face livid.
“What the fuck are you doing here?”
“What’s it look like?” I try to push past her, not giving her suspicions a chance to unnerve me.
“Don’t you fucking lie to me—why did you get a room here? Why aren’t you back at the house?”
“Convenience.” I stare her down. She stands in front of me, not budging, breathing heavily, then she closes her eyes and my heart sinks to my gut like a knife blade.
Her voice is soft and sure and there’s no way I can deny her accusation.
“You stayed with Chelsea.” I’m silent, so she opens her eyes and I nod.
“Don’t tell Ma.” It’s all I can think to say. All I have left. Because this was the one thing I didn’t want to happen, to mess up my sister’s wedding with drama and emotional turmoil. Or to break my invisible promise to a young man who cared about his sister the way I care about Maggs.
She laughs like she wants to hit me and I wish she would.
“What are you, a teenager? I’m not going to say anything to Mom. You know it’s Chelsea I’m worried about.” She shuts up and contemplates me, stern lines around her mouth and eyes, the kind I usually see on a much older woman, maybe a nun.
“I’m also worried for you. Only because I know you’re not as bad as your reputation.”
“How do you figure that?” I think I’m as bad as my reputation and now I’m even worse after spending the night with Chelsea. I’m doomed to hell.
“Levi—”
“Whatever Levi says doesn’t count. He’s my best friend and would defend me to the grave.”
“It’s not only what he says, Ryan. I know you. I know you have a good heart—even if your cock is sometimes out of control. I know it’s hard to resist women constantly throwing themselves at you—even if I’ll never get why they do it. Hell, I was there in college my freshman year and I saw it. Every one of my friends wanted to—”
I put my hands to my ears. “I should not be having this conversation with my kid sister.”
“Get over yourself. I’m no kid. And neither is Chelsea. But she’s more vulnerable than she lets on.”
“Fuck.”
“Exactly. But you already did that and now you need to make it right.”
“How am I—?”
