“I’ll be there.” A low chuckle rumbled over the line. “You told me you didn’t like hockey, yet you use it to reference dates. Are you secretly a fan? You can tell me your secrets.”

  Excitement bubbled over and she hugged her pillow, wishing it was him. “I’m glad you’ll be around.” She debated how much to divulge about her ex and her history. Revealing her marriage to a famous hockey player would lead to questions, she wasn’t in the mood to answer. “It’s not that I don’t like hockey. I’ve spent a large part of my adult life invested in the NHL, but those days are over. The sport dominated a big part of my time. It’s complicated,” she said, stopping herself from blurting her entire life story.

  “Life is complicated,” Luka added.

  There was so much chatter over the line, she found it difficult to make out his words. She exhaled, rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, picturing him lying there with her. “True. Want to hear something funny?”

  “Sure.”

  “I thought I saw you tonight on the television. Someone had a similar sounding name, and I immediately thought of you. Must mean I miss you already. Crazy, right?”

  He laughed. The deep sound surrounded her, and she swooned. “Not crazy. Are you in bed?”

  “Yes,” she breathed. “Where are you?”

  “In a room full of sweaty men, but I wish I was in your bed,” he said, making her shiver and her nipples harden. “Send me a picture of your room. I want to see where you sleep.”

  “We could video chat instead.” She’d changed from the provocative jersey and wore nothing but his tank top. “Pictures are so informal.”

  The noise dissipated as if he’d changed locations. “Not now. I don’t have time to talk for long, but I am glad we will be together soon. One day, you’ll invite me to your room and I’ll see it then.”

  “One day,” she replied, chewing the corner of her lip. Her kids might never be ready for a day like that and she wouldn’t force it on them any time soon.

  Neither spoke for a while. The sound of their breathing filled the air. Comfortable and reassuring.

  “Luka,” she said, breaking the moment. “No matter what happens, or where this goes, I’m really glad we met.”

  “Jill, I was torn about you at first. Not sure if I should have taken your offer, but I couldn’t say no to you. Not then, and I have a sense not ever. Sweet dreams, my beautiful distraction.” He hung up, and she clutched her phone to her heart. She had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to say no to him either.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  T hey’d texted back and forth and spoke constantly over the next few days. Luka was her new addiction, and he’d said the same about her. Besides a few sexy comments, they had kept everything PG. Sharing their likes and dislikes along with stories of their childhood helped their bond grow stronger.

  From two different continents, and years apart, Jill found it odd how much they had in common. It was the little things. They both loved rainy days, and the energy that accompanied a thunderstorm. Reading a good book and being mesmerized by a wood burning fire, ranked higher than movies and gossip. Neither liked the feel of sand on their toes or sun bathing. With Jill’s fair skin, the sun burned more than tanned. Every conversation brought them closer.

  As game day approached, her excitement to see him and touch him had expanded. It got so bad; she had enlisted her mother to join her on the trip. This way her mom could watch the boys, letting her sneak away for some alone time with Luka. She hated sneaking around, but she had no other choice. Having a secret boyfriend was less than ideal, but she saw no way around it for the time being.

  “Please stow your bag for landing,” the flight attendant said.

  Jill placed her purse under the chair and double-checked TJ’s seatbelt. He was secure and asleep. Across the aisle, her mom sat with Wayne. The two smiled while watching an inflight movie. She checked over her shoulder, and Rianne’s nose was pressed against her tablet. Her fingers gripped the device, drawing Jill’s eye to the chipped, black nail polish. She didn’t mind the black, but the constant attitude was tiresome.

  Not that long ago, they had been best friends. Jill knew everything going on in her daughter’s life. These days, she knew nothing. Their relationship had morphed into something unrecognizable following the separation. Rianne blamed her for Terry’s increased absence. No amount of love, assurance or discussions seemed to make a difference. Unless she let him move home, she feared they’d always have this distance. She sighed, turned around and fastened her seatbelt.

  The plane descended into Winnipeg International without much fanfare. Terry and the players had arrived earlier. Nobody greeted them at the terminal. The plan was to meet him at the hotel and then she’d steal a few hours with Luka.

  “I want to swim!” Wayne pulled on her arm, dragging her towards the exit. “As soon as we get there. Okay?”

  She laughed at his eagerness. “We need the bags first, silly goose.”

  He let go of her hand and looked around. “Right. After that, do you promise we’ll hit the pool?” He was the spitting image of his dad but wanted nothing to do with hockey. He was a fish and lived for time in the water. He took after her in that regard.

  Rianne rolled her eyes. “Mom has an appointment. Remember? First thing we’ll do is see dad. Then we’ll all hit the pool. Relax,” she said, ruffling his hair.

  “I think it’s wonderful your business is doing so well,” her mother added, making Jill feel like a heel for lying.

  The only way she’d convinced her mother to tag along had been to tell her she had meetings set up with some alternate suppliers. The outcome might have been different had she been honest. At this point, she wasn’t willing to risk it. A little white lie wouldn’t hurt anybody.

  “Thanks. It’s been amazing. Things have taken off almost on their own. I appreciate your help.” She hugged her mother, and they headed for their bags.

  The last time she’d arrived, she’d brought a carry-on and had bypassed the baggage area. Clothing hadn’t been an issue. The ravenous look on Luka’s face when he’d seen her resurfaced and her knees buckled. He was only a car ride away. She dug into her purse and retrieved her phone.

  “I’m here. Where are you?” She sent the text as they waited with the growing group of the passengers in front of the unmoving carrousel.

  “Eager to see me?” His response made her chuckle because he was one hundred percent right.

  “Mom, can you grab my bag? I need to find a washroom,” she said, dropping her phone back in her purse.

  Her mother nodded. “No problem. Looks like we’ll be a while yet. It was a full plane.”

  The kids hung back with her mom as she raced to the closest woman’s room and closed the stall door. She wanted to convey her excitement and tease him at the same time. Chewing the inside of her cheek, she removed her panties and took a picture of them in her hand. She sent the photo to Luka with no caption.

  Less than ten seconds later, her phone chimed. “Keep them off.”

  Shoving her underwear in her purse added to the anticipation. “Room 1406. One hour.”

  An hour should be enough time to get the kids situated with Terry at the pool. She didn’t want to cut it too close, but she couldn’t wait to be with Luka. It worked in her favor that her ex had checked them in already. Her mom and the kids had a two-bedroom suite, and she had her own room. A room that would get used in the very near future.

  The sudden naughtiness of her actions left her winded. She sat on the toilet, staring at her phone. Nothing. No response came from him. She calmed her breathing before rejoining her family.

  TJ raced towards her and she picked up her baby. “Mommy, less go,” he said. His ability to pronounce t’s hadn’t developed yet.

  They made their way towards the hotel in a limo. The darkness of night had already claimed the city. When they arrived, Terry greeted them in the lobby. He wore a suit and a smile. An entourage of fans and media flanked him. The place was packed and noisy.

  “Hello, my family!” It was difficult to hear him over the loud chatter. His smile seemed genuine, but his acting skills weren’t that great. Something bothered him.

  She handed TJ over to him. “What’s wrong?” she whispered in his ear.

  His arm draped over her shoulder and he ushered them towards the sitting area rather than the elevators. There was no room on the oversized, leather furniture. They stood next to a stone fireplace.

  “You know me. I get nervous around the cameras. On ice, no worries, but off it… no thanks.” He removed his arm and rubbed the back of his neck. “They want a quick statement, but I said only once you all got here. Too bad I couldn’t put them off forever,” he joked.

  Jill checked her watch. Thirty minutes until Luka was scheduled to arrive. She hesitated and then noticed the distress in his brow and couldn’t say no. “No problem. Where do you need us?”

  He set TJ down. “Thank you,” he mouthed as he hugged their other two children. “I’m glad you guys are here.”

  “Pass me the keys.” Her mother’s tone was clipped as she addressed Terry. Only a handful of people knew the truth behind her separation and her mother was one. She supported her decision but valued the sanctity of marriage. “I’ll head to the room and get ready for the pool.”

  “Yes!” Wayne cheered. “Swim time.”

  “In a bit, buddy. I need you to stick with me for a couple of minutes first.” He ruffled his son’s hair and removed cards from the breast pocket of his blazer. “Here you go. Two rooms.”

  “I’ll take mine.” Jill snatched a card from the stack and slipped it into her purse. “We’ll join you shortly, Mom. Thanks.”

  For the next fifteen minutes they posed for pictures and stood by Terry as he gave a brief interview. The limelight wasn’t his thing. No amount of experience dealing with the press took away his nerves. His hands shook and sweat beaded on his brow as they asked their questions.

  She acted the part of the happy family with a fake smile painted on her lips. Her feet shuffled as time escaped. The reporter had a slew of questions and Terry rambled instead of being direct. Her eyes darted to the door more times than she could count, but there was no sign of her lover.

  “One more picture,” a young woman held the camera.

  “I’m not doing it alone. Come here,” Terry said, holding his arms wide for them to join him.

  They were shuffled into a spot with better lighting. This was all taking too long. She glanced at the doors and a wave of lust hit her hard. She stepped back as he entered. A leather jacket and a hat covered most of him, but she recognized his presence. It was Luka. The air became thicker and she shivered. Something squeezed her hand, drawing her attention. Her hand was threaded with Terry’s.

  “Perfect. Say cheese,” the photographer said.

  “Cheese,” the kids replied as she stood motionless. Her forced smile remained in place, but inside she was crying. He’d come for her and she wasn’t ready. She tore her eyes off him to look at the camera. One flash. “Thanks.”

  When she looked back, Luka stood by the door facing them. His face was covered by his hat, but she noticed his lips were thinned. He saw her. More specifically, he saw her with her ex and their kids.

  It probably looked like one big happy family. Made only worse when Terry hugged her, blocking her view of Luka. She froze, holding her breath. He lifted her off the ground and twirled her once. When he let get go, she stepped to the side and towards the doors, seeking her lover.

  It was pointless. By the time she completed her second step, his back was to her and his long legs carried him away. Before she caught her breath, he was out the door. Within the blink of an eye, he was gone. She couldn’t do a thing about it.

  Terry came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. “Thanks for that. I really appreciate it. I hope you aren’t late for your meetings.”

  She shook her head. “I hope not either. I need to make a call,” she said, reaching into her purse to find her phone. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  “Wait,” he said, grabbing her arm. “Good luck. I’m sure it will all work out.” He winked and let her go.

  She nodded and sent a text to Luka as she raced to find a quiet corner in the busy lobby. “Don’t leave.”

  Once she found an unused alcove, she called him. It rang, but he never answered. There was no option to leave a voicemail. She dialed again, with the same result.

  Her fingers flew across the screen. She sent another text message. “It’s not what it looked like. Please talk to me.” The message showed delivered, but he didn’t reply. Another minute passed and nothing.

  “Dammit,” she cursed under her breath. Keeping her phone in her hand, she returned to her family. “Ready for swimming?”

  Wayne jumped up and down before racing towards the elevators. TJ was in Terry’s arms and smiled back at her as he sucked his thumb. Rianne didn’t say a word as she grabbed her bag and her brothers. Jill followed them with a heavy heart. Her excitement had faded and only remorse remained.

  It was a long elevator ride. It took her another twenty minutes to get the kids ready for their swim in the indoor pool. She raced to her room for no reason. Sitting on her big, lonely bed, she waited for a man who never showed. She called three more times, but he never answered. More text messages followed, telling him she was sorry, and she could explain. She even typed the words ex-husband, but it garnered no reply.

  All her attempts to contact Luka failed. He’d seen her with another man and drawn his own conclusions. He’d written her off, and it stung.

  Losing him hurt more than it should have given their short courtship. After an hour had passed, the tears came. He’d come into her life unexpectedly, bringing her hope and healing her heart. In the process, she’d given him those pieces. Whether or not that was wise, it happened. She felt shattered and broken all over again.

  The thought of never seeing those dark, intense eyes again made her cry harder. She wiped away the mascara and stared at the ceiling. Her night was a bust. Not because she’d helped Terry deal with his nerves, but because Luka didn’t trust her. A relationship without trust wasn’t one she wanted to pursue. If Luka cared for her at all, he’d have read her messages and given her the benefit of the doubt. That wasn’t the case, and she had to accept that.

  Rather than wallow in her misery and sadness, she changed into her sweat pants, a comfy t-shirt, and headed to her mother’s suite. At least she didn’t have to be alone.

  CHAPTER NINE

  S leep had eluded her. The few hours she’d managed were far from restful, tossing and turning in the big empty bed. Jill awoke with a weight on her chest as she pictured Luka’s handsome face distorted in pain. She hadn’t seen his eyes the previous night, but they haunted her all the same.

  It was over. Her beautiful and unexpected interlude with the young stallion had come to a crashing halt. Part of her was relieved that she wouldn’t be keeping secrets anymore. But a larger part was devastated. In their brief relationship, she’d grown attached to him. His voice and lack of filter would be missed along with his body and the way he made her feel. She clutched the pillow and screamed into it.

  “Answer my calls,” she yelled into the stuffed feather mountain.

  Trust wasn’t inherent in all people and given Luka’s past, she could understand his need to protect himself. Being a hockey wife had forced her to trust implicitly or she would have driven herself mad. NHL players were away from home a lot. Traveling with Terry hadn’t always been an option, especially with kids. Jill had made the choice a long time ago to trust him. That turned out to bite her in the ass. So, more than ever she got why Luka had stormed off, but she wanted the chance to explain.

  Having someone hate her grated against her heart. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything she could do to fix it. She reached over and checked her phone. Nothing.

  A soft knock at her door and she bolted from the bed. “I’ll be right there,” she said, grabbing a robe off the bathroom door to cover her nakedness. Her heart beat faster, thinking it might be him.

  She checked the peephole and disappointment followed. It was only Terry.

  “What are you doing here,” she asked, opening the door only halfway.

  He pushed it further and stormed past her. “I had a shit sleep.”

  You and me both, she thought but didn’t verbalize. “Thanks for sharing.” She synched the robe tight and closed the door.

  He jumped onto her bed and rolled onto his side. “I need you at the game. Before you say no like you’ve been saying, just stop protesting and come. Stop trying to hurt me.”

  Jill crossed her arms over her chest. “The kids will be there with my mom. When I told you I wasn’t coming to see the game it wasn’t in protest. I’m busy. My life no longer revolves around you.”

  Hurting him hadn’t been her intention when she’d declined her seat. She’d planned to keep as many hours as possible free to spend time with Luka. Those plans were gone.

  “The kids want you to come. I asked them. Plus, I play better with you in the stands. Always have.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “When are you going to stop punishing me?”

  She sank into the leather club chair as the fight in her gave out. “That was never my goal. I’ll come to the game because we’re friends. At least, I’d like us to be friends. We can’t go back to the way things used to be. I want you to be happy, but your happiness can’t depend on me anymore. I still want a divorce.”

  “Don’t talk like that. I’ll never stop loving you.” He rolled to the edge and tossed his legs over. “Our family means everything to me.” His eyes implored her to listen to his lies.

  She huffed. “Your family includes one additional little boy you refuse to acknowledge. Throwing money at his mother to keep them away isn’t okay with me. Our kids deserve to know their brother. You—”

  “That woman is a vulture. Nothing but a gold-digging bitch. She trapped me on purpose and…” He ground his teeth and climbed to his feet. “They are not my family. We’ve discussed this to death. I don’t understand why you’re so fixated on this.”

 

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