Rewind It Back (Windy City, #5)(37)

He closes his eyes in frustration, collecting himself. “That was just a reaction. The wrong reaction. I didn’t mean that you couldn’t join them. They’d love to have you.”

“It was the right reaction. Best not to get too comfortable while doing this job.” I cross the lawn to my house before calling back, “Good luck in your game.”





Chapter 11


Rio


“Have you ever been here before?” Zanders asks as we cross the street to the bar.

“Never even heard of it,” I tell him. “But I don’t really go out when we’re home anymore, so it’s not all that surprising, I guess.”

He pauses in front of the bar. “Are we getting old?”

“Yes, you are,” his wife chimes in.

Zanders wraps an arm over her shoulders, pulling her to kiss her temple. “Thanks for that, Stevie girl. How’s Tay?”

“Indy and Ryan are back home.” Stevie holds out her phone to show us the picture Indy texted of Taylor sleeping between her two cousins. “She was so excited to have a sleepover.”

“And I’m excited to have a parents’ night out, if you know what I mean.” Zee pumps his brows a couple of times before Stevie playfully smacks him in the stomach.

“Yes, we all know what you mean,” I deadpan. “It’s so fun being the only single one left.”

Zanders opens the door, letting Stevie in first, then me.

As soon as we’re inside, we don’t even attempt to continue the conversation because this downtown Chicago bar is packed and way too fucking loud. I’ve been in the league so long now that going out post-win has lost its appeal, but our rookie scored his first NHL goal tonight, so all the boys agreed to take him out to his bar of choosing to celebrate.

While Zee figures out where our team is, I check my phone again. It’s only about the tenth time I’ve looked to see if Hallie texted me back after my desperate attempt to get her attention right before my game started.



Me: Hey.



It’s still unanswered.

I don’t know what I was thinking, telling her she couldn’t join my friends at my game tonight. It was a dick move, but it was also one of those instinctual moments of trying to protect myself. She came to every game of mine until I left for college, and it caught me off guard to think of her coming to one of my pro games now.

Hallie is still new in town, and I know how much she values having and making friends and I’m over here stopping that from happening. I also know that she would love those girls.

And on top of all of that, I’m fairly certain she’s on a date tonight, and if I would’ve just shut my goddamn mouth, she could’ve been at my game instead.

A fucking date. Again.

What else would she be doing so late on a Friday night? And all week, I’ve caught her coming home after two in the morning. Is she seeing someone? Is it that same guy I saw her with at my game?

“Rio! Zee!” one of my teammates calls out, waving us over to join the rest of my team in the private corner of the bar.

With my text still unanswered, I slip my phone back into my pocket.

This side of the bar is a bit quieter but still packed because most of my teammates brought someone with them. I say hello to everyone before finding the last two empty chairs at the table. I offer one to Stevie, but she takes Zee’s lap, leaving the last seat for me.

“DeLuca.” One of my teammates, Thompson, pats me on the back as I sit. “The girl I’m seeing brought a friend for you. They’re in the bathroom, but they’ll be out soon.”

“Oh. That’s okay.” I quickly shake my head. “I’m not really trying to meet someone right now.”

Thompson throws his head back in laughter. “Rio, you’re always trying to meet someone.”

I look to Stevie and Zanders, and the panic must be obvious because Zee cuts in for me. “Thompson, he’s not into it tonight.”

“Well, he needs to be.” Thompson bends down to speak to me quietly. “I’m trying to . . . you know . . . finally close the deal. And her friend is always hanging around. I need you to do me a solid tonight and keep her occupied.”

“Yeah. Abso-fucking-lutely not.”

“Rio, c’mon.”

“He’s not interested,” Stevie adds defensively. “Leave him alone.”

“There they are!” Thompson says far too enthusiastically, throwing his arm over his girl’s shoulders when the two of them approach. “Kylie, this is my buddy I was telling you about. Rio, this is Kylie.”

“I already know who you are,” Kylie says. “I was hoping I would get to meet you.”

One of my teammates leaves his chair, so Thompson grabs it.

“And look!” he says, shoving it next to me. “There happens to be an empty seat for you.”

He’s pulling his date to the far end of the very loud, very rowdy table before Kylie has even sat down.

No, I’m not interested in her in that way, but she’s still a human being that just got pawned off by her so-called friend and I innately feel sorry for her.

“Uh . . .” I stumble. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Kylie’s attention bounces between me and Zanders as she sits down. “This is wild. I’m such a big fan of yours. Both of you.”