PART 3
CHAPTER ONE
Aaron left the restaurant with a grin on his face, pleased to have scored another sponsor for the team. Since their games had been all wins and things were looking great, they were starting to step forward.
At least that was working in his life. It wouldn’t leave his mind that he hadn’t seen Holly in a week though it had been a busy one for all of them. Three away games, practices and some meetings on his end as well. She had a few small injuries with the team that she was working out but he hadn’t really even talked to her. Aaron hated to admit it, but he missed her. He missed everything about her, pushing away the feelings that he knew were cemented within him even as he did it. It made him wonder too much about their future. He stopped at the curb on the way back to his apartment, slipping his phone from his pocket and glancing down at it.
Nothing from Holly. He decided to take a chance and wrote a text about the lunch as well as asking to see her. The light changed and he strode forward, making it to his house in twenty minutes without any response. He took the elevator up, feeling restless with his free afternoon as he changed into workout clothes and debated which gym to head to. He didn’t feel like being home and the silence from his phone was eating away at him. Aaron decided on the team one and left his place again to walk over, using his key to get inside and into the huge room, happy to see a few players doing their thing. No redhead though, making him feel bitter inside.
Aaron had always enjoyed an intense workout when he had things on his mind, particularly after his depression. He had found himself doing it more and more these days, missing the daily exercise of the game. Aaron knew that he had replaced it with Holly, making love with her every chance he got. He hardened at the memories of it, glancing around as he set his bag down against the wall. There was some hard rock playing over the speakers as everybody greeted him in cheerful moods, feeling the positive spirit of the team fill the room. He loved it.
Holly was on her computer when her phone chimed, researching everything that she could about a healthy pregnancy. She looked sadly at the screen, seeing a text from Aaron that would go ignored. She didn’t know what to say, though the team had been so busy that it hadn’t been an issue yet anyway.
She missed him. She missed talking with him, cuddling with him and her newly awakened hormones missed sex with him when she wasn’t feeling sick. Holly had no idea how she was going to handle that knowing fully well that she couldn’t imagine being with anybody but Aaron. She loved him but she needed to protect him. She returned to the page about nutrition that she had pulled up, making a grocery list as she looked over it. All of her energy was going into this baby and work, something she was trying to tell herself was a healthy thing. She heard the front door open and glanced over to see her roommate walk in with a bag from a nearby store. “Hi Lisa. Shopping again?”
“Just on the way home from meeting with a client.” Lisa replied walking over to Holly with worry etched on her pretty face. Holly had been honest with her about everything going on and Lisa had even met Aaron once at the apartment when they were closer to it than his, seeing how happy her friend was in the smile on her face. “I saw Aaron walking back. He looks unhappy, Hol.”
“I got a text from him. I need to make up an excuse as to why it’s over.” Her tone was sad and Lisa read the page closely, realizing that there was going to be a lot of good food in their kitchen soon.
“You could tell him about the baby as well,” Lisa suggested, looking at Holly as she glanced up. “I love that you’re into the health aspect of this, but all of the physical work isn’t going to help your head. I mean, you are keeping it and he should know too.”
“He loves hockey, Lisa. He’ll probably step down and he can’t do that. Aaron needs it in his life too much.” Holly told her stubbornly, her hand dropping to her stomach. “This little one is going to have two awesome moms here and my family will love the time that they get too. There will be holidays and all of that fun stuff.”
There was a lot that Lisa wanted to say, but this was new to her friend and she allowed her to keep thinking that was for the moment. She walked into her room to pull out her clothes and hang them up as she pictured Aaron in her mind. She had been jealous seeing Holly with him in a good way, because the man was gorgeous. He’d be snatched up in no time if Holly kept being insistent about not wanting all of this and she’d be really hurt. Lisa was aware that they both said it wasn’t that serious but they were clearly in love when seen together. Not to mention how happy his family would be about the baby.
The next day at work, Holly stepped into her therapy room as she sipped the orange juice that she seemed to depend on to get her through the day. One of the guys was having some leg pains that she was working on. Every step in this place made her think about Aaron and her body ran with the thoughts as she heated up uncomfortably. She pulled her loose curls up into a ponytail and wiped down the chair that she used quickly before he came in. Holly heard the door open and glanced up to see Walter enter as she forced a smile on her face. “I saw you come in. Shoulder?”
“Sit down.” He’d pulled it during the last game and she watching him sit down as she took another sip of the organic juice. He was dressed in a tee shirt for a workout and she pressed into his skin with her fingers. “You see Todd about this?” She worked closely with the team medical staff and all of the guys knew that nothing would get by either of them.
“It’s mild. Just a little muscle pull and it will heal. Don’t even suggest my staying out of the game because it isn’t happening.” Walter told her, making her laugh as she massaged him hard and deep.
“Such the cocky center you are.” She teased him back comfortable as her stomach rolled, realizing how hungry she was. He did too, chuckling.
“Did you forget to eat?” Walter teased her and she grimaced as she thought back to how she was throwing up nothing over eating.
“I was sleeping too late.” Holly glanced at the clock on the wall. “Mike should be here in about fifteen minutes. I can grab something after that.”
“Want some company?” Walter offered and she accepted easily. Despite his arrogance on the ice, she really liked him as a friend. She finished him up before grabbing a banana from her bag to eat before Mike came inside. Walter stayed in to chat as she pressed against his leg, laughing sadly inside as she realized that she was surrounded by hot guys every day and not tempted by any of them. That was reserved for Aaron. She checked on the intensity of it, choosing to ice it today after she was done with the intense massage. “We’re going to grab some grub at The Diner. Want to join us?” Walter asked Mike, who agreed as she glanced up with a frown on her face. “Is that cool, Holly?”
“Yeah, of course. I was just thinking about something.” She smiled at them to make it seem like everything was fine even as her head started to hurt as the thoughts invaded her mind.
An hour later, Mike was ready for the day’s practice and she was starving. They headed out onto the street to walk the short distance to the diner as Holly felt her mood rapidly changing, hating this part of pregnancy. Holly remained quiet knowing that she’d let loose on her roommate a few times in this state before she’d fed herself. It wasn’t pretty.
It took a few minutes with fans stopping them to get autographs from Walter and she stood back and watched as she sighed softly. They finally made it into the glass doors and she felt eyes on her as she stepped up to the hostess and asked for a table.
Aaron stood outside and across the street, watching her go inside with two of his teammates. He frowned, not blind to the fact that Holly was getting closer to Walter as time passed. Aaron couldn’t tell her not to spend any time with the players even as he was constantly aware of how beautiful she was and how they might want to get involved with her at levels that she might not be able to handle.