Chapter Seventeen

 

 

 

 

 

Tori

 

 

 

 

“Where are we going?” I asked as Evan maneuvered his truck onto the interstate. “And will there be food? I’m starving.”

“There will certainly be food.” He reached over and dropped a hand to my thigh. “You can tell me if this is a stupid idea, but I thought we could head into the city and catch the hockey game.”

I turned my head and stared at his profile, blinking several times as I did.

A hockey game? God, could Evan Coleman get any more perfect? I half-expected him to be one of those guys who tried to impress me with a fancy dinner and some stuffy activity like dancing.

A hockey game was something I could definitely get on board with. I hated the idea of going into Las Vegas for any reason but just the thought that I would have Evan by my side made me feel better about it.

“Tor? What do you think?”

I shook myself out of my stupor and couldn’t help the grin that spread across my face. “That sounds great. Think we can still get tickets?”

“One of the partners in my stepfather’s firm is a season ticket holder for the Vegas Golden Knights,” he replied with a smile, squeezing my thigh once. “His son’s a good guy and the two of us worked together at my old precinct. He told me to hit him up if I ever wanted tickets because his father rarely uses them.”

“Oh, wow. That’s awesome.” I stared at him for a moment before shaking my head. “Do you keep in touch with a lot of your old co-workers?”

He nodded. “Just from my last precinct. We were a tight-knit group who had morals. Too many of the departments were in someone else’s pocket and on the job for the wrong reasons. Kind of like my mom was a parent for all the wrong reasons. I’m pretty sure she only got pregnant with me as a way to force my father to support her. When she realized he couldn’t live up the lifestyle she wanted, she traded up to my stepfather. I was just a pawn in the game.”

“That’s horrible. I can’t even imagine growing up like that. Vincent and I grew up with the best parents.”

“You think they’d still be married if…?” Evan asked and I nodded immediately.

“I have no doubt in my mind that they would be. Dad never remarried, said she was the love of his life, but he never neglected us even when he was deep in his grief.”

“I’m sorry, Tor. I bet she was a great woman.”

“Yeah.” I placed my hand over the top of his. “She was. That’s why it’s hard for me to imagine growing up with parents who didn’t care.”

He gave me a sad smile. “It just showed me exactly how not to parent when I have my own kids.”

A small stretch of silence passed between us but I broke it up with lighter conversation. He told me more stories about work, never delving into anything too dark. I told him about the guys in my company and we compared stories from annual police and fire department baseball tournament that had ended a few weeks ago. Evan’s team was knocked out of the running for the championship the same week my team was.

The traffic getting to the arena sucked but Evan managed to park us in the New York New York parking garage and we headed down to the main entrance. Once we were waved in, he led me right into their pro-shop and gestured around us.

“It’s going to be cold in there. Pick a jersey or a sweatshirt.”

I settled on a black hoodie that had the team’s logo and Evan grabbed a similar grey one. We pulled our new sweatshirts on and headed to the concession stands. I looked over the menu and shook my head.

“I’m going to regret this tomorrow but I’ll take a slice of pizza and a beer.”

He ordered the same and we walked into where the rink was. The game was just getting ready to start and I followed Evan down the stairs until we were at a couple of seats right along the glass. I looked over at him in confusion and he grinned before jerking his chin towards them.

“Did I forget to tell you that they were amazing seats?”

“Holy shit.” I shook my head and sat in one while he took the other. “I don’t know much about hockey or the games but I know these kind of seats are a big deal.”

Evan leaned over and gave me a sweet kiss. “Just remember this because the next time we come, we’re probably up in the nosebleeds.”

It was amazing. I’d never watched hockey in my life but I was a fan before the first period was even over. Evan was patient with me, explaining the rules when I was confused. I was still trying to figure out exactly what icing was but felt like I was getting the hang of it otherwise.

We stood and cheered with the crowd, high fiving random strangers when our team scored, and we groaned with everyone else when the other team scored. The buzzer sounded, alerting us to the fact that the period was over, and I dropped my head onto his shoulder.

“Thank you. This is so awesome.”

Apparently our seats even came with in-seat service. That was a bad idea, though, because Evan ordered us two more beers and nachos. I got up and ran to the bathroom, standing in line for ten minutes, and the intermission was almost over when I sat back down.

“Is this your favorite team?” I asked, gesturing around us. Evan shrugged and draped an arm across my shoulders.

“I’ve never had a team that I really rooted for. I’ve always just liked the game. This team was formed last year so it was easy to jump on the bandwagon and be a fan.”

“I don’t know,” I murmured, biting back a grin. “The other team’s goalie is pretty cute.”

He narrowed his eyes and moved until his lips were at my ear. “Have you ever been spanked, Victoria? Because you keep talking about how cute the goalie is and you’re going to be tonight.”

I almost moaned at his words and the promise they held. He nipped my earlobe and pulled back, leaving me feeling completely bereft. I turned and raised my brows.

“Promise?”

“You’re killing me,” he muttered as he shifted in his seat and all I could do was laugh.

During the second period, the whistle blew and people came out to shovel away the ice shavings from the ice. Evan had explained earlier that those were TV Timeouts and the video screen above loved to capture the audience during the full two minutes.

“Pucker up, hockey fans!” the announcer called through the PA. “It’s time for the Kiss Cam!”

A heart shape framed the video on the screen while people cheered throughout the arena. It settled on different couples who excitedly pointed to the video and then turned to kiss the person next to them. After the fourth couple, I suddenly saw my face up on the huge screen. I gasped and heard Evan chuckle next to me. I turned to look at him and he was grinning like a fool.

“We can’t deny the kiss cam, sweetheart.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t keep myself from smiling as I moved to meet his lips. He brought one hand up so his thumb and forefinger were holding my chin and I melted into him. It wasn’t until we heard whooping and cheering that I remembered the kiss cam and we pulled apart.

There on the big screen was me with red cheeks. Evan grinned and held his fist up victoriously, causing the crowd to burst into cheers again. The people sitting around us moved into the frame, holding their hands up for high-fives, which Evan happily obliged.

When our faces finally disappeared from the screen, I turned to look at Evan with wide eyes.

“That was embarrassing.”

He pulled me close to him. “You were perfect.”

Going to that hockey game was probably the most fun I’d had in a really long time. It wasn’t just the game, either. The company was outstanding and for the first time in years, I truly felt like me again. Not like the girl who just went through the motions but like the old me who loved to smile and laugh. Evan was slowly helping me reclaim her, one piece at a time. Wearing shorts to the game a few days before when I knew that someone handsy like Wickman would be there was a big example of that.

The Golden Knights ended up losing by two goals to Nashville’s team but it didn’t diminish the fun that we had. As we followed the hordes of people up the concrete stairs, Evan gripped my hand in his and kissed my temple once we were up to the top.

“Thanks for coming with me. Best hockey game I’ve ever been to.”

I was just about to reply when someone shouting behind us grabbed my attention. I glanced over my shoulder and heard whoever it was again.

“Rookie! Hey, Rookie! Jones- Tori Jones!”

My eyes went wide when I saw who was calling me.

Leandro Reyes was grinning when he pushed through the crowd with Tim Palumbo on his heels. Two other guys I didn’t know were behind them and they were all in civilian clothes.

The second he was close enough, Reyes wrapped his arms around me and lifted me off the ground, twirling me twice.

“I thought I saw you on the video board earlier! Dumbo didn’t believe me when I said it was you!”

He placed me back on my feet and Dumbo immediately squeezed me in a tight bear hug. When he pulled back, his blue eyes were kind but assessing.

“You look good, Rookie.”

I grinned and nodded my head. “So do you guys.”

And they did. Dumbo’s hair was more silver than blonde but he looked good for a man in his late forties. Reyes was only a few years older than me but he’d lost a lot of his boyish features and looked more like a man. That smile was the same, though.

“We’ll meet you at the bar,” Reyes told the other two guys and they nodded before following the mobs of people out of the arena.

I glanced behind me and looked to where Evan was watching the interaction with a smile on his face. I grabbed his hand and pulled him forward.

“Evan, these are two of the guys I used to work with at station forty-one, Tim Palumbo and Leandro Reyes. Guys, this is Evan Coleman, my…” I trailed off and Evan finished for me while holding his free hand out to the guys.

“Her boyfriend. Nice to meet you both.”

I gawked at his usage of the b-word but none of the guys seemed to notice as they shook hands. Dumbo chuckled and nodded his head.

“After that kiss you laid on her for the kiss cam, I certainly hope so.” He focused his gaze on me and shook his head. “How are you, Rookie? It’s been a long time. Last time we saw you…”

He didn’t finish his sentence and I just gave him a crooked smile. “The last time you saw me I was a hot mess. I’m still a hot mess, honestly. I’m good, though. I’ve been at station three in New Hope for about six years. It’s a good group.” I paused and felt remorse hit me hard. “I’m sorry for not keeping in touch.”

“We get why you didn’t,” Reyes replied quietly, reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. “We’ve missed your obnoxious ass, though.”

All of us laughed and I used my fist to slug him in the shoulder before looking to Dumbo. “How’re Tammy and your son?”

“They’re both great. Ronnie left for college at UCLA.”

“Wow.” I shook my head in disbelief. “He was just in elementary school.” I glanced to Reyes and raised my brows. “What about you? Did you ever settle down?”

He held up his left hand, showing off a shiny wedding band. “Four years ago. We have two little boys. I’d love for you to meet them all.”

“I’d like that,” I murmured, slipping my arm through Evan’s so I was gripping his bicep “I really would.”

We all exchanged phone numbers and more hugs before we went our separate ways. When Evan and I made it back to his truck, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him before he could open my door. His own arms came around my middle and he held me close to him while taking control of the kiss.

He tasted like a hint of beer and a flavor I was quickly learning was just Evan. I could get drunk off of that man without a single drop of alcohol involved. I could have kissed him for hour in that dark garage but a horn honking somewhere had us slowly pulling apart.

“Is the next part of our date the sleepover?” I asked, my voice a breathless whisper, and he nodded his head.

“Most definitely.”

He grabbed my door and held it open so I could slide in. I had to admit, I didn’t hate it. It’d been a long time since someone other than my family had dared do something chivalrous. Most of them lived in fear that I would punch them in the stomach and it was a legitimate fear, honestly. I stopped letting people hold my door or offer a helping hand after everything happened with Tristan. I refused to do anything that might allow them to see me as weaker than them.

Letting Evan do those things didn’t make me feel weaker, though. It made me feel cherished, desired, like I was worth his time. And I liked the feeling.

He pulled his hoodie off his head and tossed it in the backseat. Then he unlocked a compartment under the dashboard, pulling out the gun he’d stashed there before we went into the arena. I watched him settle the weapon back on his hip and our eyes met.

“Does it bother you?”

I shook my head and pulled my own hoodie off. “No, it’s just weird to see. I have my CCW but it’s been years since I’ve even handled a gun.”

“We should go to the range sometime.” Evan leaned over and kissed me once and then backed out of our parking spot. “They’re good skills to keep fresh.”

The conversation turned to the game and he clarified a few things I was still confused about. One hockey game and I was totally hooked.

“My place or yours?” I asked once we were driving down the interstate and Evan’s fingers were trailing up and down my thigh. They were slowly getting higher and higher to the point that I was damn near panting.

“Yours, if that’s okay.” His ascent made it all the way up until he was almost to the top, right to where I needed him to touch me, but he reversed direction and started to make his way back to my knee. “It’s closer.”

I groaned and shifted slightly in my seat. “Drive faster.”

Two hours and two condoms later, I was laying with my head on Evan’s bare chest. Our legs were tangled together and his fingers were running through my hair slowly. My heart was still pounding in my chest and I could feel his doing the same under my cheek.

“You called yourself my boyfriend.”

His chest rumbled beneath me when he laughed softly. “Was that okay?”

“I haven’t had a boyfriend in probably ten years.” I propped my chin onto his chest so I could look up at his face. “I’m not sure I know how to be a girlfriend.”

“Want some pointers?” he asked as he reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. When I nodded, he grinned. “You let me take you on more dates. We eat meals together. We spend time doing absolutely nothing with you wrapped in my arms. We definitely get naked as often as possible. We support each other with the big crap and the little crap. You let me kiss you whenever I want.”

I swallowed loudly and dropped my cheek back to his chest. He made it sound so easy and so fantastic. “I think I can handle that.”

“Good.”

If I got more moments like the very one we were sharing, I could definitely do the girlfriend thing.

“I have to set an alarm so I can make it to the office before my appointment with my forensics team,” he murmured as he adjusted us so I was sharing the pillow with him. I brought a hand up until it was on his cheek, loving the way his stubble scratched against my skin.

“Thank you for tonight, Ev. That was the best date I’ve ever been on.”

“Me too, Victoria.” He smiled and turned slightly so he could kiss my palm. “I’m glad you gave me a chance.”

We stared at each other in the dark room for a moment before I spoke again. “Why Victoria? Why not Tori like everyone else?”

“Victoria is so regal and it reminds me of the way you carry yourself. And doesn’t it mean victory? I’m not sure there’s a better word to describe you.”

I didn’t reply. I wasn’t sure what I would even say if I did.

We fell asleep like that, with our faces inches apart and our limbs entwined. The last thing I remembered before dozing off was thinking that I could fall in love with Evan Coleman.