Ah. There it was. “So again, your dreams are on hold.”
“Not on hold. I have my path and I’m living it.”
“You put way too much pressure on yourself to be what everyone else needs you to be, instead of what you want to be. Why can’t you have what you want?”
“Because I can’t, and that’s just the way it is.”
It sounded more to him like she was afraid to ask for what she wanted, afraid to take that step forward to grab her dream.
And there wasn’t much Tyler could do to push her. Jenna was going to have to take those steps herself.
DAMN TYLER FOR PUTTING THE IDEA OF A SECOND BAR in her head. It was all she could think about now.
A crazy idea, one that would never, ever happen but now that it had been dredged up from the dark recesses of her dreams and fantasies folder, she couldn’t shove it back down again.
She’d started drawing up plans for a new bar a week ago. Ty was out on a road trip again, so when she wasn’t working, she had idle time on her hands. Her mind wouldn’t let the idea go.
Talking to him, really opening up to him about her childhood and what had happened, and singing for him was doing strange things to her. She’d never told anyone about her childhood. She’d never told anyone about Europe.
Why had she used Tyler as her personal confessional? Because he knew all the right questions to ask, or because he’d made it so easy to tell him? She had no idea. Admittedly, it was kind of nice. But she knew better than to stake any kind of permanence on their relationship. It was nice for right now.
Funny how things had changed so quickly now that she was sort of kind of seeing Tyler in a not really dating, but no longer just sleeping together kind of way.
When he was on the road, he texted and called her every day. She got used to hearing from him and missed him when he traveled. He told her on the phone that the next time the Ice played in Chicago she was going to have to go with him so she could meet his parents.
She told him she was horrified that their relationship had progressed to “meet the parents,” and no way in hell. He laughed at her and told her he’d kidnap her in the dead of night and throw her on a plane, but she was going to Chicago with him.
Truthfully, she was curious about his family and she was already anticipating his next game with Chicago to see if he was serious about that or not.
Today she was meeting Tara and Liz for lunch, something they tried to do at least once a week. They were eating at a midtown restaurant since Liz had a client meeting in a couple hours and Tara had an event that night she had to rush off to prepare for after lunch. Jenna had a few hours before she had to be at the bar, so this was going to be a relaxing lunch for her.
“Now that you’re married, it’s a wonder Mick lets you out of his sight,” Liz said to Tara after they ordered.
“I won’t see him at all when camp starts up in the summer. I’ll be a widow like you are now,” Tara said.
Liz nodded. “I know. This is miserable. The week down in Florida was amazing, though.”
“You are nice and tan,” Jenna said. “I’m jealous.”
“As tan as someone with my fair skin can get after I lather up with a fifty-plus sunscreen.”
“And how is my brother doing?”
Liz sighed. “Your brother is spectacular.”
Tara laughed.
“Gag. TMI.” Jenna made a face. “Not the information I was looking for. I meant at spring training.”
“Oh, his stats are great. In and out of the bedroom.”
Tara snorted.
“Is that all you think about?” Jenna asked.
“When you aren’t getting it regularly, yes. It’s all I can think about. If I wasn’t so damn busy with my own job I’d be parked at the beach house in Florida, na**d and spread-eagled, ready for him after every game.”
Jenna laid her head in her hands. “I give up. I should stop coming to lunch.”
“Speaking of people getting it regularly, how’s it going with Ty?”
Her head shot up and she caught sight of the surprised look on Tara’s face, followed by the smile.
“Oh, you’re still seeing Ty? Details, please.”
“Again,” Liz said to her. “Not a big secret, right?”
“I guess not now that you’ve spilled, you blabbermouth.”
Liz shrugged but didn’t look at all apologetic, so Jenna turned to Tara. “Yes, I’m still seeing Ty.”
“And?” Tara asked.
She sighed. “It’s good. Nice. We’re having fun. That’s all.”
Tara took a sip of water. “Hmmmm.”
Liz waved her fork at Tara. “That’s exactly what I said. But let me tell you, the sparks that ignited between the two of them after the last hockey game I took her to nearly set me on fire. So I think there’s a lot more than ‘nice’ going on between the two of you.”
She swallowed a bite of food and laid down her fork. “He asked me to go to Chicago with him to meet his parents.”
“He did? Oh, my, that is big.” Tara looked to Liz, then back at Jenna. “That sounds serious.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re not serious. It really is just a fling.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought it was between Gavin and me,” Liz said.
“I thought the same thing about Mick and me,” Tara said, flashing her wedding ring. “And look what happened.”
Jenna laughed. “We are not getting married. We aren’t in love. It’s just sex.”
“Honey,” Liz said. “If a guy is casually f**king you, he doesn’t bring you home to meet his parents. He’s serious about you.”
“You think so?”
“Definitely,” Tara said. “The question is, are you serious about him?”
“I don’t know. No, I’m not. He’s not my type.”
Liz snorted. “Yeah, there are so many things wrong with him.”
“So true.” Tara lifted her fingers and started counting on them. “He’s ugly. Poor. Bad job. Zero personality.”
“Horrible hair. And that body…ugh,” Liz continued. “That smile is wretched. No sense of humor. He’s so unfriendly that kids and dogs run screaming…”
“Oh, shut up, both of you. You know what I mean. He’s not the kind of guy I would have chosen for myself.”
Tara let out a soft laugh. “They rarely are. But they sneak up on you and surprise the hell out of you, and suddenly, you’re head over heels in love and there’s a not a damn thing you can do about it.”
Was she falling in love with Ty?
God, she hoped not. This was not in her plan at all.
NINETEEN
JENNA WAS ON A DAMN AIRPLANE HEADED TO CHICAGO.
How the hell had that happened?
She blamed Liz and Tara for this. Somehow, over lunch that day, they had convinced her she might be falling in love with Ty. Or if not love, then something that at least required she stay checked in to this relationship for a while longer. So when Ty actually made good on the offer to go to Chicago and meet his parents, she hadn’t run screaming in the other direction.
Ty had arranged everything, including a first-class ticket on the flight. She decided she was going to look on this as a mini-vacation away from her responsibilities at the bar, and nothing more.
The flight landed and she was met at baggage claim by a gentleman holding a placard with her name on it. He escorted her by private car to one hell of a luxury hotel. She had club seats for the game tonight, where she’d be seated with some of the Ice players’ wives and girlfriends who had also traveled up for the game.
She had just enough time to shower and dress for the game when it was time to meet the women downstairs to take the car over to the event center where the Ice would be playing Chicago tonight.
Admittedly, she was excited. She’d talked up Crista and Leslie on the plane, so she sat next to them when they got to the center. Leslie was married to Jeff Lincoln, the other center on the Ice, and Crista was engaged to Ruddy Meyers, one of their wings.
Leslie was a pistol, as full of fire as Jeff was cool and reserved. She was tall, statuesque, and built with an amazing body, with raven hair that fell straight down her back. She looked like a Victoria’s Secret underwear model when in fact she was a middle school math and science teacher. Jenna could well imagine the pubescent boys fantasizing about Mrs. Lincoln.
Crista was a beautiful blue-eyed blonde. Jenna found out Crista was a librarian, and so smart Jenna felt inadequate. But Crista’s knowledge level was so damned amazing, Jenna couldn’t help but ask her a million questions since she’d all but grown up in libraries as a kid, so they shared their love of books and had talked nonstop on the plane.
“It still shocks me the two of you are in love with sports players,” Jenna said as they took their seats.
“Why?” Crista asked.
“I don’t know. I guess I have this idiotic delusion that sports guys attract—”
“Bimbos?” Leslie finished for her.
“I didn’t want to say that without insulting all of us.”
Crista laughed. “I met Ruddy in college. We shared an art history class. He’s so intelligent. I fell in love with his brain first, but God, I love sports.”
“Me, too,” Leslie said. “There’s only so much math and science I can handle. And when school is out, sports are my outlet. I played basketball in high school and I love tennis, but there’s something about hockey that’s so…primal.”
“It gets my motor running,” Crista said. “Seeing my guy out there, whether he’s trying to score or fighting for the puck against a defender. It’s just hot. Huh. Maybe I am a bimbo.”
Jenna burst out laughing. “If you are, we all are.”
Listening to these two amazingly intelligent women talk about hockey and their men was a revelation to her. Then again, they didn’t have her life or her past or her job.
It was different for her.
Still, when the game started she was caught up by their enthusiasm and she had more to root for than just Ty. She found herself keeping an eye on Crista and Leslie’s guys, too. Observing their reactions to their men was a study in relationship dynamics. These cool professional women became crazed hockey maniacs, screaming at the opposing team and cheering for the Ice with fist pumps.
Jenna joined right in, unable to help herself. It was infectious once the action started. The Ice went up two goals after the first period, and she wanted to make sure that somehow Ty could hear her when he had that puck, that he could somehow feel her support when he fought a defender or got slammed up against the boards, or when he and Eddie had that two-on-one breakaway. She wanted him to know she had his back, and if she lost her voice screaming, then she’d do it.
Chicago came back and tied it, but the Ice ended up winning the game by one goal. It was a triumph and she, Crista, and Leslie were ecstatic.
After the game, they were taken back to the hotel.
“Who needs a drink? I certainly do,” Leslie said, leading them to the hotel bar. “I’m wrung out after that game.”
Jenna followed and they found a table. Leslie ordered a bottle of wine and soon they were drinking and laughing as if they’d known each other forever. A few of the other women came in and joined them, and suddenly another bottle of wine was ordered.
Jenna poured. They all drank. As a bartender, she knew how to monitor her own drinking, while making sure everyone else had a great time. And why not? They weren’t driving tonight, so she wanted all the women to have a great time. The guys would be showing up soon enough.
“You aren’t drinking.” Leslie narrowed her gaze.
Jenna held up her glass of wine. “Yes, I am.”
“Not as much as the rest of us.” Crista picked up the wine bottle and refilled Jenna’s glass.
“Not much of a wine drinker, actually.”
“Oh? And what do you drink?”
“Whiskey.”
Leslie snapped her fingers and the waitress, sensing a big tip, was right there.
“How do you want it?”
Jenna laughed and shook her head. “On the rocks is fine.”
“Bring this lady what she wants. Top shelf.”
Three whiskeys later, Jenna turned to Crista and Leslie. “I think you two are trying to get me drunk.”
“Of course we are,” Crista said. “You can’t stay sober while the rest of us are getting hammered.”
“I have a very high tolerance for alcohol. I run a bar, you know.”
Leslie pointed a finger at her and weaved back and forth in her chair. “Which has nothing to do with your ability to withstand the effects of alcohol.”
“True that. But I still have a high tolerance, while you’re both getting toasted.”
Crista looked at Leslie. “She’s so right. We’re drunk. I’m so ashamed.”
Leslie burst out laughing. The place was getting loud and Jenna couldn’t recall when she’d had more fun.
It got even more fun when all the players showed up.
Ty grinned when he saw her. He came over to her and pulled up a seat.
“Having fun?”
“They’re trying to get me drunk by feeding me shots of whiskey.”
He picked up the drink in front of her and downed it in one swallow. “Is it working?”
“Not really.”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “You are tough.”
“Told you.”
They sat and visited with the players and women for a while, rehashing the game. A few of the players and their wives and girlfriends decided to go to dinner.