Taking Shots (Assassins) (67 page)

“
Jesus, baby girl, every time I see you I wonder if it’s even you.” Bryan said as Elli entered his box, “You’re getting skinner by the day, I swear to it.”

“
Is that complement?” Elli asked, wrapping her arms around her papa, kissing him on his cheek.

“
No, baby girl, it’s not. You are scaring me.”

“
I’m fine.” Elli said for the umpteenth time that day. She walked past him, going to the bar for a beer. Once she had one, she looked down at the ice, watching the guys warming up. Elli knew she could probably pick Shea out of a crowd of a million, and hated the way her eyes drifted right to him as he lined up his shot before shooting the puck in the net.

“
Honey, aren’t you cold? I should go get you a new jersey.” Bryan said as he came to stand beside her, Elli shook her head. It would be a cold day in hell before she would ever wear another Assassins’ jersey with someone else’s name and number on the back.

“
I don’t want another jersey.”

“
I can have it say your name, darlin’.”

Elli looked up at him, “That’s not the reason I don’t want another jersey, I’m fine.”

“
So you say; I know you’re not darlin’.”

“
I am,” Elli emphasized. Bryan let out a frustrated breath as Elli continued to watch the guys.

“
Who did you sell your seats to tonight?”

“
I don’t know; someone on StubHub.”

Bryan nodded, “You know if you don’t want them anymore, I can give them to someone else.”

Elli shook her head, “I do want them, I just wanted to sit with you for a while.”

“
Gracious me, you’re lyin’ your tail off,” Bryan said with a laugh, Elli looked up at him.

“
I am not.”

“
Well, I don’t want you to sit up here anymore, you depress me,” he gave her a cheeky grin as he grabbed a hot dog off the buffet.

“
Fine, I’ll sit down in my seats next game.”

“
Sure you will.”

“
I will! And how am I depressing you!”

“
You’re a walking zombie, darlin’, it’s sad how much your hurtin’ and won’t try to make it better or get the hell over him. Do you think he’s okay? Cause I sure don’t.”

“
I ain’t no zombie, I’m fine!”

“
So I’ve heard,” he said with a shake of his head.

“
And why don’t you think he’s okay?”

“
Because he isn’t! I saw him the other day and he’s a mess, he couldn’t even look me in the eye Elli; he probably thinks I think he is the sorriest piece of shit, especially after-” Bryan stopped, and Elli cut him a look.

“
Especially after what?”

Bryan took a bit out of his hot dog, holding up a finger for Elli to wait. She knew he was buying himself some time, and it drove Elli crazy! He took more time than needed to swallow before saying, “I’m sure he knows you told me what happened.”

“
So? You do think that, don’t you?”

Bryan looked deep into Elli’s eyes, “Honey, if I believed he did what you said he did, do you really think he would still be on my team?”

Elli’s heart came up into her throat, “But I thought you kept him because I asked you not to trade him!”

“
No, baby girl, I’m hoping; praying, really that you’ll come to your senses, but honey I don’t know how much time you have to do that.”

“
What?”

“
He hasn’t signed his contract, he’s a free agent, and I heard he has offers. He could leave at anytime.”

“
Oh,” Elli said as her world crashed around her. Why it felt like her chest was seizing up, really didn’t make sense to her, shouldn’t she be happy he might be leaving? Maybe then she could get over him. “If he leaves, he leaves. I don’t care either way.” Elli made herself say as the arena went dark. With that the conversation was over, and Elli was glad.

Because if they kept talking, she was sure that her Papa would see right through her.

Which he probably already did.

Elli was finally hanging up all her clothes from the many bags that she had dragged in from her living the next afternoon when the text came.

Are you going?

It was from Harper.

Elli wiped her face, clearing the tears away. She had been hanging the clothes that she had bought when they were in Boston and each outfit that Shea had picked out brought a whole new round of tears.

She ignored the text, and continued to hang the clothes she would probably never wear in her closest as she listen to her ‘break up’ playlist she had made. It consisted of a bunch of disgusting, sad ass country music, that wasn’t helping Elli’s notion to move on at all. When her phone went off again, Elli rolled her eyes picking it up.

Come on Elli, please.

She continued to ignore the text. If Harper wanted to give up their friendship because Elli wasn’t over Shea yet, and didn’t plan on making amends with him, well forget her then. As she unzipped the dress bag that held three of the most gorgeous Gucci dresses money could buy, Elli’s stomach heaved. Shea had loved all of them, saying she should wear them when they went on their vacation that summer. She ran her hand through her hair, God she missed him and just the thought that he might be leaving hurt her even more than she expected. He had told her so long ago, that if they weren’t together then he would have no reason to stay in Nashville. Which he didn’t. Elli was nothing important; she hadn’t heard from him in weeks, not that she would have answered anyways, but still. He was probably over her, moved on.

But what if he wasn’t.

Elli glanced down at the phone, watching it blink and beep, waiting for her to answer it.

What if he wasn’t over her, and was just waiting for her to make a move, to come back to him. What if Harper was right? What if Papa was right? Could she really truly get over him if he left without her knowing if he still loved her? If he still wanted to be with her? Why did it matter though? She made her bed, she broke up with him, didn’t give him the time of day, even though deep in her heart, she still felt he would never hurt her.

She slammed her hands against her head, wishing she wasn’t such a basket case. What the hell was she supposed to do? Her phone beeped again, and she glanced down at the message from Harper.

I know you still love him. Please, come.

She couldn’t believe it, but she picked up the phone.

Okay, When and where?

After hitting send, she could actually breathe. She was done trying to act like she was okay, that everything was fine. Because it wasn’t, and until she knew what he felt, she would never be able to get over him.

Beep.

Shea, this is crazy! I haven’t seen from you in two months! Two fucking months! I am over it! I don’t know where the hell you’re staying but let me tell you this, you have thirty minutes before I call mom and tell her the truth, that your fucking MIA!!!!!!!

Beep.

Shea, its Jill Mancina. I had another fax about buying your house. I know you said before that it wasn’t for sale, but are you even living in it? I mean I’m just looking out for your best interest but don’t you think a house that beautiful should be lived in? Please call me back.

Beep.

Adler, Damon Thompson, you know the agent of yours that you won’t return calls to. Just wanted to let you know that New York wants you, so does Boston, at double the rate Nashville is paying you. We gotta sign something, buddy, I don’t know what you’re thinking but it would be nice if you called me. Soon. Please.

Beep.

Unky Shea? Its Ryan, I was calling because I haven’t seen you in a really long time and I miss you a lot. The only time I see you is on TV and at the games and you don’t even come see us in the box. Mommy says I can’t say much because it’s your phone mail but I love you Unky.

Beep.

Shea? Its Jakob, do I need to come get you? Call me please, don’t be driving dude. I know you’re drunk. Don’t do anything stupid, please.

Beep.

Okay, having Ryan call you was kind of a low blow, but I’m desperate Shea, I’m worry about you, and I love you so much, please just call me. The emails saying your okay, aren’t working for me. I’m hurting and I’m your twin, please. Call me. If not for me, for Ryan and Amelia. Ryan is having surgery in a couple day- okay that was low, it’s not like its life threatening, just some tonsils, but please, call me. We all miss you.

Shea deleted all the messages, shutting off his phone since the blonde beside him needed more attention than the people that left him messages. Yeah, Ryan’s message hurt, but Shea wasn’t going to think of that. He was gonna take home Sarah, no wait, Julie, Jackie, no, Savannah! That was her name.

“
Shea, do I need to call Jakob?” Ramsey asked. Shea shook his head as Savannah kissed down his neck, running her hand down his thigh.

“
No, Ram, I’m good. Savannah here is going to take me home, right ba-girl.”

Shea was drunk, extremely drunk, but even in his drunken state, there was no way he would call Savannah baby. Baby was….was
her
.

Savannah grinned up at him, “Oh, yeah I am.”

So off they went, drunkenly walking to her car. A sexy little crossfire, something a girl should be driving, instead of that damn truck
she
had. Savannah drove like a mad man, and Shea wished he had known that before he got in the car with her, but how was he supposed to do that when he had just met her.

When they finally arrived at his condo, she was wrapped around him like a straight jacket as he walked through the condo with her mouth glued to his neck. She ripped off his clothes, biting and sucking all over his chest as he laid her down on the bed.

“
Wow, your pretty beaten up, huh?” she asked looking over his chest, she had that same look the others had, the “oh well, at least his face is hot” look.

“
I do play hockey for a living.” She grinned seductively as she ran her tongue up from his belly button to the middle of his chest.

“
What’s this?” she asked breathlessly as she held the pink diamond engagement ring that hung around his neck in her fingers. “It’s pretty.”

“
It’s my reminder to never fall in love again,” he said before pulling it out of her fingers, so he could continue to kiss down her throat.

“
Wow, that’s intense.”

“
Yeah, it is,” he answered back, as she ripped her shirt off, her large full breasts there for his taking.

“
So I’m guessing this is a one time thing, huh?”

“
Yeah,” he said with an empty chuckle as he ignored her breasts, kissing down her stomach, before pulling down her jeans and panties with one jerk. When he looked at her warm center, he saw that she wasn’t a true blonde. What a disappointment. He fell back on his hunches, running his hands through his hair as she looked up at him.

What was he doing?

“
Get out.”

“
Huh?” she asked looking up at him. He picked up her clothes, throwing them down on her chest as he got off the bed.

“
Go, leave. I don’t want you.”

She gave him a maddening look as she hurried to get her clothes on, obviously embarrassed. As she parted, she screamed, “You probably wouldn’t be good, anyway!”

He shook his head as she marched her skinny little, fake blonde ass through his condo. When the door slammed, he let out the breath he was holding.

That was the seventh girl that week that he had kicked out. There was something wrong with a man when he couldn’t even sleep with a willing female. Something seriously wrong. Or maybe it was the voicemails he had gotten earlier, maybe that was what was fucking with him.

Who was he kidding?

He missed
her
.

He moved his finger over the ring that hung around his neck, something he did often when he was thinking of
her
. He knew wearing the ring around his neck was a little
masochistic
of him, but ever since he found it, while cleaning his truck out a week after she had left, he had put it on his chain, wearing it as a reminder, because he never wanted to feel this way again. He never wanted to feel like his world was crashing around him and there was no one to hold it together. Not his mother, Jakob, not even Grace could help him at this point. The alcohol he consumed every night didn’t even help, but it did numb the pain, and really that’s all he could ask for at this point.

Shea was still so mad. Mad because she didn’t believe him, mad because she wouldn’t answer his calls, his pleads, his flowers, his gifts, nothing! She ignored him, making him feel like he was worthless. He gave her everything, he was totally devoted to her, didn’t cheat, nothing, he loved only her, and this was the way she repaid him? By continuing to break his heart day after day because she wasn’t with him.