Delayed Call Read online

  Looking in the mirror as her hair was being touched up along with her makeup, Brie felt her stomach all tied up in knots. She was worried about seeing Vaughn that night. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but something wasn’t sitting right. She had been so confident about them. But after that phone call, she was worried. She knew things would be weird; she had professed her love for him, and he didn’t accept it. It wasn’t going to be smooth sailing, but she believed in them. Especially after he fought for them against Elli.

  At that moment, she knew he loved her, but it blew her away that he didn’t know. Or that he did, and he wouldn’t acknowledge it. Either way, she worried that he was on the run. That he was on his way out because he couldn’t handle what he was feeling. The thing was, she didn’t know how to keep him. How to convince him to just ride it out, that it would work because they were right. Damn it, they were so fucking right.

  Closing her eyes, she fought back the tears as she pulled in a breath through her nose and blew it out. When she opened her eyes, the hairdresser nodded. “All done.”

  “Thanks.”

  Glancing in the mirror, she looked good, she guessed, but she felt like ass. While Vaughn hadn’t slept, neither had she. She was up just as he was, wishing he would sleep instead of worry himself the way he had. She wanted to ease his worry like he had so many times for her, but she didn’t know how. How did you make someone feel better about not loving you? Was that even possible? She wasn’t sure, but then, she felt like she wasn’t sure about anything.

  All she did know was that she loved him. A lot. And she sure as hell didn’t want this to end.

  At all.

  When Russell stopped beside her, handing her the interview list, she took it as he asked, “How’s your brother doing?”

  She looked up, smiling. “Really good, thank you for asking.”

  “I’m glad. We’re glad to have you back full time again.”

  “I am too.”

  He smacked his hands together. “Ready to get out there?”

  “Yeah,” she said, looking down to check the names, and she was disappointed when she didn’t see Vaughn’s. Standing, she followed Russell down the tunnel just as the puck dropped and the Assassins started to play the Sharks. Oh, San Jose. She didn’t have fond memories of that place. But in a way, San Jose would always be the place where she realized Vaughn was someone important. Someone she couldn’t live without—though, she’d tried to.

  When her eyes fell on Vaughn as he drove hard to the net, trying to score, she couldn’t help but smile. Their love story wasn’t perfect by a long shot. It wasn’t even complete, but it was by far her favorite story. She wasn’t sure if it would end or if they would get their happily ever after. But one thing was for sure, she would love him until her dying day. She just hoped she heard him say he loved her before that day came.

  She watched as Vaughn skated back to the bench, and his eyes met hers. Heat rushed through her body, but he didn’t smile. He didn’t even wink. He just sat down, and her shoulders fell. She might need to prepare herself for the worst, but that would have to be later because she had a job to do. A job he had fought for her to keep. So there was that. But was it for nothing?

  The uneasiness had her guts in knots, and she just wanted the game to be over so she could get out of there. She knew she wasn’t very cheerful through her bench interviews or even her intermission ones. But then, she doubted anyone cared since the Assassins had come out with a two-to-zero victory, Jensen getting his third shutout since coming to the Assassins. Which was great for him, even though she hated life at the moment.

  Brie tried to put a smile on her face as she climbed up onto her box, ready for her interview with Jensen. But it wasn’t working. It was as if her smile was broken, and she couldn’t stop thinking about Vaughn. About what was going to happen once she got to his place. She wasn’t sure how she’d gone from being so fucking sure of them to being a scared little girl, but she was definitely the latter, unsure what that meant. But damn it, she was a confident girl. She believed in them, and she loved him.

  Wasn’t that enough?

  Hadn’t they had enough bad shit happen?

  Couldn’t they just be happy?

  Man, why did life have to be a dick so often?

  As she shook her head, she saw Jensen out of the corner of her eye, standing by the corner. But he had his helmet on as he came toward her. “What’s up with the helmet?”

  “I’m ugly,” he mumbled and she snorted.

  “I don’t think people think that.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “Okay,” she sang, shaking her head and taking in the fact that he was wearing his jacket with his hood up. “Weirdo.”

  “What is he wearing?” Russell called out, and everyone looked at Jensen like he had lost his mind.

  “I have no clue,” she said, and Jensen waved them off.

  “Let’s get this over with.”

  Russell looked to Brie, and she shrugged as he rolled his eyes. “I’ll be quick. I don’t want to be here either.”

  “’Cause Jo is an idiot?”

  She smiled ruefully. “He’s…he’s something, but I love him.”

  “Yeah?”

  She looked over at him and nodded, though he looked away. “Yeah.”

  When he didn’t answer, she glanced back to Russell as he started to count her down. She looked into the camera and decided she would be quick about this. Neither of them wanted to be there.

  When Russell pointed to Brie, she plastered on a grin as she said, “Hello, Brie Soledad back with Jensen Monroe.” But when she turned to talk to him, he was pulling off his jacket along with the helmet, and looking back at her was not Jensen, but Vaughn.

  And on his chest in big, bold black letters was “I love Brie Soledad.”

  Her eyes widened, and her heart jumped into her throat as she looked from his chest to his face, her jaw falling open. “Vaughn?”

  “Brie,” he exhaled. “I ruin your interviews the best, and I figured I needed to ruin this one to tell you I am the biggest coward on the face of this planet.”

  “Vaughn?” she gasped once more, but he only shook his head, taking a step to her. “What are you doing?”

  “Let me get this out,” he begged, his eyes pleading. “Not only did I handle everything that happened yesterday completely wrong, I went to the tattoo shop today to get your name tattooed on my chest, and I chickened out.”

  She was stunned. “What? Really?”

  “I know, this is Sharpie, I’m a crybaby. But that’s not the point. A while back, my best friend reminded me that you can’t be a coward and be in love at the same time. You have to choose one or the other. I’ve chewed on that statement the whole time I’ve been with you, but it never really meant anything until the moment you told me you loved me.”

  As he came closer to her, she felt like a cat on crack, shaking as he took her hands in his and held her gaze. “I don’t want to be a coward, Brie. I want to be the man you deserve. I want to be a man that Nathan would be proud of. I want you to look at me and be proud to be mine. I want to make you laugh. I want…I want it all. Because no one makes me feel what you make me feel. A love that is true and pure. There is no one like us, and I don’t ever want to lose that.”

  “I don’t either,” she whispered, lacing her fingers with his.

  “My therapist says I play best on the delayed call. With my back against the wall and I have to score with that extra man advantage. You’re my advantage, my partner, and together we can score.”

  “Wow, that was really hockey-ish,” she muttered as the tears gathered in her eyes. He grinned big with so much love in his eyes. Just like that, happiness hit her hard, like a runaway train, as she held his gaze. “You’re lucky I know what you’re talking about.”

  “I am. But just in case… Brianna Soledad, I fucking love you,” he said, loud and proud. “That was a five-thousand-dollar I love you, and let me tell you, I know