Winning Whitney, page 3
part #3 of Alaska Blizzard Series
“It’s colder in Boston than it is in Anchorage right now.”
Whitney made a face even though he couldn’t see it.
“Whit?”
“I can’t get involved with anyone. My life is too complicated.”
“How long are you going to let the past ruin your present?”
“I wish I knew.”
“You’re a pain in the ass.”
She sighed. “I know. Why do you put up with me?”
“I ask myself that every time we talk.”
“Nice. Look, I should go. Call me soon, okay?”
“You know you could come to me if you need anything, right?”
“Of course.”
“But would you?”
“I called when Dennis was after me, didn’t I?”
“Technically, you called Hailey, and then Kane got ahold of me.”
“I’d lost your number, but you’re stuck with me now, don’t worry.”
He chuckled. “I do worry, but we’ll talk soon.”
Whitney put the phone down and sighed. Why couldn’t she be attracted to Nate? He was a great guy. Good-looking, rich, athletic, and loyal. What more could she want?
Jackson.
Oh, hell, that was the wrong answer.
Chapter Three
Snow had already begun to fall on Christmas Eve as guests started arriving at Kane and Hailey’s house. It was cold outside but inside the house the fireplace was roaring, lights and decorations set a beautiful backdrop, and it took on an ethereal glow as it filled with friends and laughter. Whitney stayed upstairs a long time, listening to the sounds below and dreading her entrance. The women had decided it would be a “formal” affair, just for fun, since Gage’s Christmas Day event would be casual to make it easier for everyone with kids and large families.
Standing in front of the mirror in a form-fitting red velvet dress, she was torn between thinking she looked nice and aching to put on jeans and a sweater. She loved dressing up and had more fancy clothes than any woman needed, but she’d kept them hidden since arriving in Alaska. Not only had there been no occasion to wear them, she also didn’t want people to see the extent of her designer labels. She’d always loved nice clothes and had been lucky enough to afford them, but she didn’t want to stand out too much. This dress was beautiful but not as over-the-top as some of her formalwear, and she hoped the red made it more festive than expensive.
“Oh, who are you kidding?” she muttered into the mirror. “You want Jack to notice you.”
As much as she wanted to deny it, knowing he was probably already downstairs made her heart speed up. The pull to be near him was impossible to ignore and though she knew better than to get too close to him, it couldn’t hurt to talk to him, right? Hailey had been right that they needed to be friendly because she was going to be seeing a lot of him. She had to get past her feelings and keep things casual. Her emotions were so disparate it was giving her a headache, but the best thing to do would be to get it over with. Maybe he wasn’t everything she remembered. If she were lucky, he would be an arrogant ass in front of his friends and she’d discover she didn’t like him nearly as much anymore.
With a final dab of gloss on her lips, she slipped her feet into high red pumps that matched her dress and walked out into the hall. She descended the stairs quickly, hoping not to be noticed right away, but she wasn’t that lucky. Aaron let out a low whistle and met her at the bottom of the stairs with a grin on his face.
“Merry Christmas, Whitney. You look lovely tonight.”
“Thank you.” She hugged him and smiled. “You look pretty handsome yourself.”
“Sara said I couldn’t come in jeans so I guess I have her to thank.” He glanced over at Sara with a wink.
“He’d be in sweats and a twenty-year-old Black Sabbath T-shirt if someone didn’t remind him to be a grown-up sometimes.”
“Hey, I wear a suit for every damn game,” he protested.
“That’s work. It doesn’t count.”
They laughed and Whitney was thankful for the reprieve. Jack was in the room and though she avoided eye contact, he was definitely watching her. Shit! She’d hoped he wouldn’t be interested. Okay, that was a lie. She probably would’ve been devastated if he didn’t notice her, but this was all kinds of confusing and a faint pain behind her eyes told her she needed to relax.
“I need a drink,” Whitney told them, moving off toward the makeshift bar Kane had set up.
“What can I get you?” Jack’s baritone voice in her ear made goose flesh raise on her arms and she glanced over her shoulder at him.
“I’ve got it, but thanks.”
“Merry Christmas.” He leaned against the bar.
“Merry Christmas.” She busied herself making her favorite drink, a Painkiller. Pusser’s rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut, with a pinch of nutmeg sprinkled on top, and Kane had thoughtfully bought all the ingredients for her.
“What is that?” Jake asked curiously.
She explained it to him and he nodded. “Will you make one for me, too?”
“Taste it first. It might be a little sweet for you.” She handed it to him and he took a sip without hesitation.
“Damn, that’s good. A little sweeter than my norm, but it’s Christmas. What the hell.”
Whitney told him to keep hers and made another, going a little heavier on the rum. She was going to need it.
“Do you think we could finish our talk from before the road trip?” he asked as she lifted her glass to her lips.
“Um, sure.”
“I know you don’t like me, and I don’t blame you, but maybe we can move past what happened four years ago and just, you know, be cordial, say hello when we’re in the same room. I hate making you uncomfortable in your own home and how you never come to the games or other events. I don’t want to be the cause of that.”
“I’m busy with the twins,” she responded automatically. “It’s more important for Hailey to go to the games, so I stay home.”
“Are you staying home tomorrow, too?” he asked.
“Shh!” she hissed, glancing around. “It’s a surprise for Hailey.”
“She’s in the other room,” he said. “Don’t worry.”
“Yes, I’m staying home. It’s too cold that early in the morning to take the twins to an outdoor game like that.”
“You’re not a hockey fan, I take it?”
She shook her head. “Not particularly, no.”
“I’m sorry you won’t be there tomorrow. I think Hailey’s going to have a good time.”
“Kane’s worked hard on the surprise.”
Jake nodded before pausing and fixing her with that same look that always made her heart beat faster. “So…can we be friends? Let go of the past and all that?”
Staring into the depths of his light blue eyes, she managed a bright, lighthearted smile. “Of course. I’ve forgotten all about that. My discomfort is in being the other woman; I don’t ever want that to be my reputation.”
“You aren’t, and you weren’t. I was planning to get divorced. I realize my track record isn’t good, but when you and I met, we were on the road to divorce. She called and told me she was pregnant, farther along than she’d ever gotten before and it felt wrong to go through with the divorce at that point.”
“But she lost it anyway?” Whitney got no pleasure in seeing him nod; she wasn’t that petty. “I’m sorry.”
“Thanks.” He looked down at her and squinted slightly. “I’m glad to bury the hatchet, Whitney, but please know I wasn’t out to get laid that night and I wasn’t cheating on my wife. That’s not who I am. Even though I wasn’t planning to sleep with anyone at that point, I spoke with my lawyer about it to make sure I didn’t do anything that would come back to haunt me. He said at that point in the process you’re essentially living separate lives.”
“I understand.” She looked back at him, a million thoughts whirring through her brain. How handsome he was. How his icy blue eyes seemed to be looking right into her soul. How it felt when his full, firm lips were on hers. Damn, she needed to get away from him.
“Then why do you look so sad?”
“It seems like so long ago, but also like a few weeks ago at the same time. Hearing you say you were still married made me feel cheap, like I’d done something terrible, and I hated myself for a long time.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispered softly. “Nothing that happened was on you. If anything, it was my bad, not yours.”
“I hit on you. You were being a perfect gentleman and I asked if you were going to kiss me.”
His face was thoughtful as he gently ran his knuckles across her cheek. “Whitney, I was seconds away from asking you the same thing. It was going to happen.”
She held the gaze for another second before slowly stepping back. “Well, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, it’s good to see you again. I’m going to go mingle, but I’m sure we’ll catch up later.”
“I hope so.”
* * *
Whitney watched Jack watching her over the next couple of hours and wondered what he was thinking. Was he as caught up in the past as she was or was he simply looking for a roll in the hay with what he considered an easy target? She probably shouldn’t have dressed up tonight, seeing the way his gaze followed her around the room, but it had been a long time and sometimes she couldn’t help herself. She hadn’t gone drinking, dancing, or had sex since arriving in Anchorage and it was tempting to lose herself in one of these handsome, interested men tonight. Not with Jack, though. Definitely not with him.
Unfortunately, that didn’t leave her a lot of options. Logan was adorable, following her around half the night, but he was far too young for her. Aaron would have been perfect but he and Jack had been best friends since college, so that would be trampy and uncomfortable. Mikka was cute but Hailey said he was ready to settle down, anxious to get serious with someone, and that was the last thing Whitney was looking for. A year from now, she didn’t know where she was going to be living, and Anchorage probably wasn’t it.
“I saw you and Jake talking.” Hailey stole up behind her and whispered in her ear. “Did you guys work everything out?”
Whitney nodded. “Oh, yes, absolutely. We’re good. No worries.”
Hailey narrowed her eyes. “Why am I having a hard time believing you?”
“Everything is fine. Promise.”
“I still don’t believe you, but I’ll let it go because I’m having too much fun and it’s Christmas.”
Whitney smiled. “I’m having fun, too. Thanks for making me part of your family.”
“You’re welcome. Thanks for taking care of my babies.”
The doorbell rang then and Hailey excused herself as Whitney went to make herself another drink. She’d just poured the rum when a familiar voice wafted over the sound of music and laughter.
“Merry Christmas, Whit!”
She looked up and her eyes widened with delight. “Nate!”
Chapter Four
Jake watched Whitney run into the arms of the muscular young man who’d just arrived. Who the hell was this guy? Kane had told him she wasn’t dating and though the guy seemed vaguely familiar, he didn’t know him. He narrowed his eyes slightly as she hugged the younger man tightly, laughing up at him with a lightness he hadn’t seen since the night he’d met her. She seemed completely at ease with him, and their body language suggested a comfort level that made him want to step between them and declare her off-limits.
What the hell was that about? He had no right to her, especially after the way their brief affair had ended. The thought of her with someone else bothered him, though, and he sought out Sergei.
“Who’s that guy? He looks familiar.”
“Nate Calloway. First pick overall in the entry draft four years ago, picked up by Buffalo. He got traded to Vegas over the summer. He and Hailey knew each other in Boston.”
“Boyfriend?” Jake tried to keep his voice level but figured he hadn’t done a very good job when Sergei’s eyebrows rose slightly.
“Supposedly just really good friends, but I don’t know much. If you want details, you’ll have to ask Dani.”
Jake snorted. “Not hardly.” He followed Whitney’s movements as she linked her arm through Nate’s and led him to the bar to get a drink.
“If you’re into her, why don’t you ask her out?” Sergei asked quietly.
“Been there, done that, fucked it up.”
“You and Whitney…” Sergei looked surprised.
“Four years ago, during the first separation. Unfortunately, I went back to Addy and Whitney wasn’t amused.”
“Shit. You still into her?”
Jake gazed over at the lovely blonde who’d haunted his dreams for the last four years. “Kinda. I mean, it’s been four years, and it was barely two nights, but I never forgot her.”
“If you ask me, and I’m no expert, you might want to work on friendship first. Otherwise, how will you know if you really like her or not?”
“I already know I like her, but you’re right. I’m not in any position to think about more than friendship yet, no matter who it is.”
“She’s beautiful and sweet, but there’s something off about her,” Sergei said thoughtfully. “I don’t mean in a bad way, like I think she’s a serial killer or anything, but it’s like she’s hiding from someone or some thing. Kane said she had a stalker in Boston, but my gut tells me there’s more to it.”
“I get the same vibe,” Jake agreed.
* * *
“What are you doing here?” Whitney asked Nate once they had drinks.
“The Sidewinders play here on the twenty-seventh so I got permission from Coach Barnett to come up early on my own. The team gets to town on the twenty-sixth and we’ll practice the morning of the twenty-seventh, so I’ve basically got two days to hang out.”
“What about your family?”
“My parents are on some Christmas market cruise in Europe so I wouldn’t see them anyway, my sister is skiing in Aspen and, honestly, I’d rather hang with you than sit home.”
“I’m so happy to see you.” Whitney settled onto the loveseat next to him. “Tell me what’s new. And everything about playing in Vegas.”
“I love it,” he said. “My teammates are fantastic, the fans are amazing, and I’m having a blast.”
“I’m so happy for you.”
“You’re not nearly as happy,” he said gently.
She shrugged. “You know how complicated my life is.”
“Your secrets are safe with me, Whit, but you can’t live this way forever.”
“A few more months,” she murmured.
“And then what?”
“I honestly don’t know.”
“Does Hailey know you’re leaving?”
“Absolutely. But I’m not going anywhere until she’s found someone to replace me. Besides, I don’t know what’s going to happen, where I’m going to go, or what I want to be when I grow up.”
“Come to Vegas.”
“Maybe. Eventually I need to find a job.”
“You have a business degree from Harvard,” he said dryly. “How hard can it be?”
“Harder than you think to find a job I’m not going to hate. I’m not going to be some lackey running around getting coffee for the V.P.”
“Like you’d ever be anyone’s lackey.”
She dipped her chin. “I’m attractive and blonde with big boobs—you know that’s what everyone will assume no matter what job I get hired for. I’ll have to work three times as hard as everyone else, and while I don’t mind working hard, there has to be a goal. The light at the end of the tunnel has to be an industry and a position I’m passionate about.”
“I agree. I couldn’t work as hard as I do at something I didn’t love as much as I love hockey, but you’ve been out of school, what? Two years?”
She nodded.
“By the time you start looking it’ll be three. What are you going to tell people you were doing?”
“Traveling. Being a nanny. Growing up?”
“Sounds good in theory, but in practice you may find it harder than you think.”
“Stop being a killjoy.” She nudged him.
He nudged her back. “Stop burying your head in the sand.”
“Can we not talk about this when you’re only in town for a few days?”
“You don’t want to talk about it on the phone, either.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m going to go talk to somebody else if you don’t knock it off.”
He just laughed. “Whatever you say.”
* * *
Christmas morning was low-key since the twins didn’t know any better and Kane had Hailey’s big surprise going on. They all had breakfast and then Kane dragged Hailey out of the house, leaving Whitney and the twins behind. She didn’t mind, using the time to call a couple of friends, as well as her grandmother. They weren’t particularly close anymore but Whitney called her on occasion, no matter how awkward things were.
“Merry Christmas, Gran,” she said as the older woman answered the phone.
“Merry Christmas, Whitney dear.”
“I’m sure you have company, but I wanted to say hello.”
“It would be better if you came home.” The older woman’s voice was sharp but was also laced with a touch of sadness.
“We had a deal, Gran.”
“Deals can be amended.”
“I don’t want to amend it.”
“It’s been two years. What are you doing with the fancy education you wanted so much?”
“Nothing yet. I’m still growing up.”
“You’re twenty-four years old. Just how long does it take? When I was your age, I had three children and had been married seven years.”
Whitney sighed. This was how all their conversations went. Was she insane for holding out hope that this time it would somehow be different? “Gran, please don’t do this on Christmas.”
“I only talk to you a few times a year. When else would I do it?”
