Endless December (Sleepless November Saga Book 2) Page 4

  "Kayleigh." He cuts me off. "It's just one beer. You're okay."

  I smile cautiously, taking the beer and thanking him. The sound of cans opening fills the room and I take a breath before bringing it to my lips. As the liquid flows down my throat, I realize he's right. It's just one beer.

  A half hour later, Holden goes downstairs to check how much is left. While he's gone, Caleb appears at my side, leaning against the counter.

  "You know, he's still in love with you."

  "No, he isn't." I reply.

  Caleb chuckles. "Yeah, he is. He told me on the way over here."

  "He did not."

  "Okay, maybe those weren't his exact words, but he definitely is." I can't help but laugh. "Oh, come on. You think he would have made it mandatory for us to be here if he wasn't? Kayleigh, he's crazy about you."

  "He made it mandatory?"

  "Mhm." He nods. "Hey Jay, come over here."

  Jason walks away from his conversation with one of the new guys and over to us. "What's up?"

  "True or False, Holden's still hung up on Kayleigh."

  "True." He answers immediately.

  "See?" Caleb says with confidence. "And we know him best."

  Just as I'm about to respond, Holden walks back through the door. Caleb and Jason scatter like cockroaches, trying to play it off like nothing happened. My ex, however, isn't convinced.

  "What was that about?" He asks.

  I roll my eyes playfully. "They were just being idiots, as usual."

  He hums in acknowledgement and takes a sip of his beer. I sneak glances at him, wondering what it would be like if we got back together.

  Chapter 7

  Ido my best to play it cool as I sit in the passenger seat of Dawson's car. My knee is bouncing and I'm chewing on my sweatshirt sleeve while he drives to our destination.

  "What’s up with you? You seem nervous as hell."

  I put my hand down, pressing on my knee to stop it from shaking. "I'm fine. Just anxious today, that's all."

  If he realizes I'm lying, he doesn't mention it. Instead, he focuses on the road ahead of him, side-eyeing me while I try to keep myself calm.

  After spending the entire day getting the apartment set up, it finally reached the time for me to get Dawson there. We thanked the guys for all their help, and I went to Dolce. Dawson was just getting off work when I asked him to drive me to a friend's place to pick up some notes. He agreed and we both climbed into his car – leading us up to this moment.

  "Turn left up here." I tell him. "We're almost there."

  He gives me a look, but makes the turn anyway. Shit, did he figure it out?

  As we pull up to the familiar building, I point it out. "It's that one. Just park in one of those spots."

  "You said this is your friend's house?" He asks, and I nod. "What friend?"

  "A new one, from one of my classes." I lie.

  The two of us climb out of the car and enter the building, climbing up the stairs. Dawson hesitantly follows behind me. When we finally reach the door, I put my hand on the knob.

  "You're not going to knock?"

  Oops.

  "No. She's expecting me."

  I open the door and step inside, holding it open for Dawson to come in as well. He looks around the room, thankfully not noticing the pictures of him and Skylar on the mantle.

  "Nice place."

  "You like it?" Skylar asks, stepping out from the hallway.

  The look on Dawson's face is priceless. His jaw drops and he does a double take, almost as if he doesn't believe it's really her.

  "Skylar? What are you doing here?!" He goes over and embraces her in a tight hug, picking her up and spinning around.

  She giggles happily. "I transferred. I didn't want to spend another day without you."

  Dawson looks at me and then back at her, still in disbelief. "Wait, so this is your apartment?"

  "No, baby. This is our apartment."

  He looks up the ceiling and then places his hand on his chest, taking a deep breath. "Oh, thank God."

  Skylar and I share a look. When she seems just as confused as I am, I question him. "What?"

  "I thought..." He pauses, taking another breath. "I thought you were doing drugs again."

  It's quiet for a few seconds before the three of us break out into hysterics. We laugh until our stomachs hurt and tears are streaming down our cheeks.

  "Okay, in hindsight, we really should have thought about that." I say to Sky.

  She nods, still giggling. "But do you like your surprise?" She asks Dawson.

  He places one hand on her cheek. "I love my surprise, and I love you."

  A COUPLE OF DAYS later, I'm working a shift at Dolce with Dawson. He still can't get over the fact that him and Skylar live together. I must say, out of all the time I've known him, I've never seen him this happy.

  I take the last customers coffee from Dawson and hand it to the girl. She thanks me before walking away. I turn around and pull my phone out of my pocket, seeing another text from Holden.

  Since the day of the move, the two of us have been texting constantly. Neither of us have brought up the topic of our relationship, though, and what exactly we're doing. I think we're both too afraid of the answer to ask. Still, I've missed being able to talk to him all the time.

  "There's that smile again." Dawson nudges me.

  I roll my eyes as I open the message.

  Holden: Practice just ended, and I need caffeine.

  I chuckle slightly, typing out a reply.

  Me: Dolce is open for another half hour.

  Holden: I'm on my way.

  I put my phone back in my pocket and pick up the closest dishtowel, wiping down the counter to get a head start on things.

  "You're really going to act like there is nothing going on between you two?" Dawson stresses.

  I sigh, dropping the towel and turning around. "Not exactly. I don't know what's going on between us."

  "Like last year?"

  "No. Not like last year." I say, shaking my head. "We haven't done anything. We just text a lot."

  "So, you're friends."

  "I guess."

  He studies the look on my face. "Are you sure that's enough for you?"

  "For now. I'm just glad he's back in my life."

  "And what are you going to do when it's not enough anymore?"

  Running my fingers through my hair, I take a deep breath. It's not like I haven't thought of this before. It's just never been an easy topic to come to terms with. If I could have things my way, I'd rewind everything – back to before it all got so complicated. Maybe then we'd stand a chance.

  The sound of the door opening pulls me from my thoughts. I turn around and see Holden walking toward the counter.

  "That was fast." I tell him.

  He smiles guiltily. "Yeah, well, I was kind of already on my way here when I texted you."

  I laugh, grabbing a cup and pouring the coffee into it – adding a little cream and sugar, just the way he likes it.

  "Hey man, thanks for helping my fiancé." Dawson says to Holden.

  "Don't mention it. I was happy to." He replies. "Besides, gave me something to make the new rushes do."

  "What happened to the days of scaring the piss out of them?"

  "Oh, we still do, but everyone gets offended these days. We have to balance the bad shit with lame shit so we don’t get sued or shut down."

  Dawson laughs, nodding in understanding. "Well, I appreciate it." He winks at me before walking away and into the back room, leaving Holden and I alone.

  "How was practice?" I question, walking around the counter to start wiping down some tables.

  He follows behind me casually. "Brutal. It had to be done though. We have a big game tomorrow."

  "Think you're ready?"

  Pondering it for a minute, he blows on his coffee and takes a sip. "I don't think we're in the best shape we could be in, but I think we can handle them. It's my first game as captain so I
'm a little nervous."

  "Don't be." I say honestly. "You'll be great. I'm sure of it."

  Holden hangs around while Dawson and I clean up. We talk about random topics, and he helps himself to more coffee.

  "Any more of that and you won't get any sleep tonight." I warn.

  He waves his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah."

  After he's done, he walks over to the couch. He places the cup on the end table and sits down - putting his feet in front of him. I walk over to wipe down the coffee table, knocking his feet down in the process.

  "Hey!"

  "Hey nothing, I've got a job to do." I sass.

  Holden reaches forward and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me down next to him. He moves his hands to my waist and starts tickling me. I squirm, laughing and begging him to stop. When he finally does, I realize the position we're in. I'm leaning back against him; his arms are around me with his hands on my stomach. His face is only centimeters away from mine.

  He slowly glances down at my lips then back up to my eyes. Just when he starts to lean in, the door from the back room swings open and Dawson comes into the room – whistling and effectively killing the moment.

  I close my eyes and exhale in disappointment. In typical Holden fashion, he plays it off perfectly, standing up and excusing himself to the bathroom. Once he's gone, I glare at Dawson.

  "What? What'd I do?" He asks innocently.

  I shake my head and chuckle at his horrible timing. "Nothing."

  When Holden comes back, he acts like nothing happened. "Do you want me to give you a ride home?"

  "Uh, yeah... sure. I just have to lock up first."

  "You guys go ahead. I've got it." Dawson tells us.

  "Are you sure?"

  He nods. "Yeah, I'm just about done. It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

  I walk over to the coat hanger and grab my jacket. "Okay, thanks Daws. Text me and let me know when you get home, alright?"

  "You got it boss."

  Holden and I climb into his car, and as soon as I buckle my seatbelt, he pulls onto the road. The ride is quiet, but not uncomfortable. Neither one of us dare to mention what almost happened earlier, but he's playing it off impressively. Maybe he wasn't going to kiss me.

  We pull up to my building and I thank him quietly. As soon as I open my door, though, he stops me.

  "Wait." I span around to face him. "Would you maybe want to come to my game tomorrow?"

  I smile, finding it endearing how nervous he looks. "Do you want me to come?" He nods shyly. "Then I'll be there."

  My words cause him to light up. He tells me he will leave two tickets at the door, and after we say goodnight, I get out of the car. I basically float inside, still unsure what's going on with us, but loving where it’s headed.

  Chapter 8

  "I'm telling you, Kayleigh. I just don't think it's a good idea." Bree cautions. "There was a reason I stopped going to his games."

  I roll my eyes, wrapping my hair around the curling rod. "I'm sure I'll be fine. He wants me to be there, so I'm going."

  She sighs, getting up from her bed and grabbing the wand from me. "Okay, don't say I didn't warn you." She takes a section of hair from the back of my head and begins to curl it. "Seriously though, if you need to leave, do it."

  "Your pep talk would be a lot more effective if you were coming with me." I quip.

  She glares at me through the mirror. Now that I think about it, being a smart ass to the girl holding a hot rod to my head is probably not the best idea. I smile sweetly, causing her to snicker.

  "Alright, fine." She caves. "But I'm only going so I can say I told you so."

  I hum contently, feeling accomplished. While Bree finishes my hair, I can't help but think about our ruined moment last night. Was he going to kiss me? Will he try again? Do I want him to?

  If I'm being honest, Holden's lips on mine is something I've been craving for months now. Every time I'm around him, I find myself mentally screaming for him to do something. Caleb and Jason said he's still hung up on me, but were they right? Could we end up getting back together? Would we make it? God, I hope so.

  THE ARENA IS PACKED with fans excited to see the game. The tickets Holden left for us are front row, right next to their bench. They're by far the best seats in the place. I look around, completely shocked by the amount of people here.

  How does he handle all this attention?

  Who am I kidding, he's Holden Rivers. He probably eats it up.

  The lights dim as music starts playing and the crowd cheers. A mascot comes out through the inflatable bear at the entrance, skating around the rink with the team flag. Spotlights move around, reflecting off the ice. Everyone's on their feet and screaming loudly while the music builds. Suddenly, the tune changes and the crowd begins clapping along.

  "Ladies and Gentlemen! The University of Maine, Bllllllllllack Bears!"

  Players skate onto the ice as everyone cheers. They skate in a circle to hype everyone up. The first player to break from the cycle skates past and hits the glass in front of us. I smile brightly, seeing RIVERS with the number 17 on the back of his jersey.

  I glance at Bree and see her looking behind us. I follow her eyes and then I see it. There are so many signs being held up.

  MARRY ME HOLDEN RIVERS!

  #17 - Meet Me Behind the Zamboni?

  Rivers, show me a hat trick, I'll show you a sex trick!

  Now that I'm getting a better look, there are so many girls in Holden's jersey. While I'm glad he has so many fans, I start to feel insanely self-conscious. How am I supposed to compete with this? I turn my attention back to the ice as my anxiety starts to build.

  Don't worry about them, Kayleigh. Just watch the game.

  Bree must sense my discomfort because she gives me a sympathetic look. Despite warning me not to come, she clearly feels bad. After all, she knows firsthand what it's like to be in my position.

  Another player smacks the glass in front of us, causing me to jump. I put my hand on my chest, and the two of us break into laughter. Fucking Jason.

  The Black Bears line up near their goal and the other team is introduced. As soon as they skate out, the arena mostly boos them. Of course, there are the few people that cheer, but it's obvious who the home team is.

  When they're done skating, they line up on the opposite side and the person singing the star-spangled banner is announced. She walks out to the end of the red-carpet runway that's laid on the ice.

  Her voice booms through the speakers as everyone stays focused on the flag, their hands over their hearts. She sounds fantastic and when she's finished, the crowd gives her a deafening applause. Holden skates over and gives her a brief hug, smiling in the charming way he does. I see her take out her phone and take a quick selfie with him. After signing her jersey, he skates off and she walks back through the entrance – clearly pleased with herself.

  "You okay?" Bree asks.

  I bite my lip and nod, hoping she believes me. Is my jealousy that obvious? I really need to work on having a better poker face.

  The game starts and immediately, the tension is high. You can tell the other team is good, but we're better. Holden and Jason skate around, navigating the ice like nothing I've ever seen. They pass the puck around with ease and make their way toward the goal. While effectively keeping the other team from stealing the puck, Jason passes to Holden and he takes a shot. Everyone jumps up, but their excitement is quickly killed at the loud sound of it bouncing off the bar.

  By the end of the first period, the score is still tied, 0-0. Holden skates past me and winks, causing me to blush. However, my happiness is short lived when the girl behind me starts freaking out.

  "OH, MY, GOD!" She shrieks. "Did you see that?! He totally winked at me!"

  Her friend agrees with her excitedly, causing Bree and I to roll our eyes in unison. I don't know whether I've just been blind to this going on, or if it got worse when he became captain, but I don't like it. Maybe I should have
listened to Bree when she told me not to come.

  The end of the second period is when Holden scores the first goal. The arena erupts in loud screams, cheers, and sirens. The other players skate over to him, hugging him and hitting his helmet. When they're done, he skates past the bench, high fiving all the players who are off the ice. As he reaches the end, he enters the bench to take a break, making it so he’s standing right next to me.

  We make eye contact, a wide grin displayed on his face. He puts his hand on the bottom of the glass and waits. I smile and place my hand on the other side – giggling when Holden smiles even wider, dimples on full display. He bites his bottom lip in an attempt to conceal it, but fails miserably.

  Bree laughs at the two of us, but when she glances back at the girls behind us, she loses it. I look at her confused, until I turn around and see exactly what she's laughing at. The two of them are staring at our hands, shooting daggers with their eyes. If I thought my jealousy was obvious, theirs could be seen a mile away.

  When Holden must get back on the ice, he taps the glass once more before skating away. The two girls are still shell shocked, until the one taps me on the shoulder.

  "Do you two know each other?" She asks me.

  Bree and I share a look before I half shrug. "I guess you could say that."

  I turn back around, focusing on the game in front of me. The opposing team is trying hard to score, but they're not having any luck. Our team is just too good, constantly stealing the puck from them and getting it back to the other side of the ice.

  Toward the middle of the third period, a fight breaks out between two of the players. Holden stands off to the side, just watching it unfold. I'm glad it isn't him. I'm not sure if I'd be able to handle seeing that.

  While watching the fight, something over by Holden catches my eye. The girl behind him pounds on the glass, effectively getting his attention. She passes something through the two glass panes. Holden smiles, taking it from her and skating over to the bench. He places the small piece of paper down before skating off. When I look at it, my stomach drops. She gave him her phone number.

  "Well, that answers my question of if they're dating or not." The girl behind me remarks smugly.