The Mighty Quinns: Thom (14 page)

“You’re right,” he said. “I should go. I have a lot of explaining to do.” He leaned close and kissed her cheek. Lillian Pedersen was a beautiful woman, inside and out. It was easy to see why her marriage had lasted so long.

He returned Lillian to her husband, ignoring the glower that Davis Pedersen gave him. “Mr. Pedersen, I want you to know that my intentions toward your daughter are entirely honorable. I care for her a great deal, and though I’m aware how you feel about me, I’m going to make it my job to prove you wrong. I’m the right guy for her.”

“You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you,” Davis said. “And I plan to do everything in my power to stop you.”

“Malin is a wonderful woman, and I’d expect nothing less.” With that, he grabbed Natalie’s arm and strode off the dance floor.

“That was so romantic,” Natalie said. “It was like a movie and you were the hero. Fighting for your woman. Did you have that all planned? I mean, what you were going to say? If some guy ever said that about me to my parents, they’d lock him up in the basement and throw away the key so he wouldn’t be able to leave until he married me.”

Thom glanced down at Natalie, and she snapped her mouth shut. “Sorry. That sounded really weird, didn’t it? My parents have been pretty anxious for me to settle down. And they wouldn’t lock him in the basement. Maybe the garage, but not the basement.”

“I have to go after Malin. Do you need a ride home?” he asked.

“No, I brought my own car. Thanks anyway. I hope everything works out for you two. There have been lots of stories about you floating around the office, but now that I’ve met you, I don’t believe any of them. You’re a nice guy, Thom.”

Thom leaned in and gave Natalie a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll see you, Natalie.”

“If you have any brothers, bring them around,” she called after him.

As Thom strode through the hotel lobby and headed toward the parking garage, he reached into his pocket for his cell phone. He’d managed to put a small charge on it during his shower, but it was already losing power. He found Malin’s number and dialed it, then waited for her to answer.

When she didn’t, Thom cursed softly. Knowing Malin, she wasn’t going to make this easy. She felt betrayed, angry, blindsided. He’d made a decision that impacted both of them and hadn’t involved her.

And maybe she was right. Maybe he should have waited a little longer. After all, he could dig his heels in and stay with the Blizzard. If management wanted to make him suffer, they’d plant him on the bench or send him down. His hockey career would be over.

Thom thought about that possibility, turning it over in his mind. He wasn’t ready to quit. Hell, he was at the top of his game. But there were a few positives to retirement. He and Malin could begin their lives together immediately. They’d never have to spend a day apart. There would be no road trips, no training camps, no distractions from their relationship. Though there was still twelve million left on his two-year contract, he’d been careful and invested wisely. Still, he’d always planned his financial future for one person. A wife and children changed things.

He could always back out of the trade. Since it was a weekend and he’d made his decision only a few hours ago, there could be a chance to retract it. Thom scrolled through his address book and dialed his agent’s number. Jack picked up after just one ring.

“Hi, Jack. We need to talk about this trade deal. Is it too late to change my mind?”

8

M
ALIN
STOOD
ON
THE
roof of the firehouse, still dressed in the designer gown, though her shoes lay discarded beside the chaise. She’d slid the privacy fence aside to reveal a nighttime view of downtown St. Paul.

The rain earlier in the evening had left the plants glistening with droplets that sparkled beneath the strings of lights. It was nearly as beautiful as the ballroom, and yet Malin didn’t feel very romantic.

Everything seemed to be falling apart. Malin had expected some bumps in the road with Thom, and she thought she’d prepared herself to handle the emotions that followed falling for him. But she’d never anticipated the capacity Thom had to hurt her.

He’d made the decision to leave, to take the job in New York, without even discussing it with her. And though Malin had never expected to get a vote in his decision, she’d thought he’d at least ask her opinion.

“What would you have said?” she murmured to herself.

Malin groaned, burying her face in her hands. She would have urged him to stay and fight. To believe in her power to work it all out. To believe in a future for the two of them.

There was no future if he moved to New York—at least, not the kind of future she’d started to envision. They’d see each other whenever his schedule permitted or when she flew in to watch him play. Their time together would always be limited. A day, maybe two.

In the summer, he’d come home and they’d enjoy a real relationship. And so it would go for the next two or three or five years, their lives on hold.

Malin tipped her head back, closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. She was being selfish, focusing only on her needs and not Thom’s. After all, this was his career. He’d been playing professional hockey much longer than she’d been in his life. She had no right to force his hand.

If he decided to go to New York, then she had to respect his choice. It didn’t mean that he didn’t love her. It didn’t mean that there’d be no future for the two of them. It just meant that he wanted to continue playing the game he’d been born to play.

Malin walked over to the chaise. She grabbed a blanket draped over the back and wrapped it around herself, then curled up among the soft pillows. A warm breeze teased at the tendrils of hair around her face as she closed her eyes.

Exhaustion dragged her toward sleep. Malin wanted to let go, to put the doubts and regrets aside for just a few hours and clear her mind. She felt herself drifting...drifting...

Malin opened her eyes to the sound of his voice calling her name. She sat up, rubbing her eyes. Thom stood at the end of the chaise. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Your house, the office, your parents’ place.”

“I’ve been here, waiting for you,” she said.

“I tried calling.”

“I left my purse in the car.”

Thom sat down beside her on the chaise, then held his arms out. Malin fought the urge to fall into his embrace, but in the end she needed to feel his warm arms around her body. She snuggled against him, resting her head on his chest. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I had absolutely no right. It’s your life, and you have to make your own decisions.”

“And I was just thinking the opposite. Maybe you should make the decision for me.”

She pressed her hand against his chest, sitting up until she could look into his eyes. “What? Why would you let me do that?”

“Because, in the end, I will be happy no matter what you choose. But you can’t be happy with whatever I choose. And I want you to be happy.”

“No!” Malin said, shaking her head.

“Just listen, and then you can scold me. The way I see it, we have several good choices. One—I can stay. I risk not playing or the humiliation of being sent down to the farm team, but I really don’t think they’ll pay me millions to do nothing.”

“What are the other options?” Malin asked.

“Two—I can retire. Just drop the stick and walk away. Three—I can go to New York and we can attempt a long-distance relationship during the season and be together in the summer. And four—I can go to New York and you can come with me.”

Malin had never considered the fourth option. “There is one more. Five—we could just go our separate ways.”

He studied her for a long time, his gaze fixed on her lips. Malin thought he was about to kiss her, and she ached for the feel of his lips on hers. But for now, she waited, wondering how he would react.

“Could you do that?” he asked. “Just forget everything that’s happened between us and go on with your life?”

“When this started, that’s exactly what I had planned to do. And so did you. This wasn’t meant to last. Remember?”

He nodded. “I do.”

“When did it change? When did we exchange an affair with a definite end date for something endless?”

Thom pulled her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Such a simple and sweet gesture, Malin thought. And yet it was filled with emotion and affection, so much that it seemed to sustain her. Could she live without him? Was it possible?

“I called my agent. I told him that I was rethinking New York. He’s going to see if it’s possible to back out.”

“Thank you, but maybe you should go,” Malin said. “My father is not your biggest fan. And if you stay and we’re together, he’ll make your life miserable. He’ll do everything possible to punish you.”

“I deserve to be punished,” Thom said. “I screwed up. I put myself in bad situations, and now I’m going to have to pay the price for being The Beast.”

“You know what I wish we could do?” Malin asked. “I wish we had a pause button that we could push. Then we wouldn’t have to make any decisions. We could just live our lives in the present and enjoy each other the way we always have.”

Thom rolled off the chaise and held out his hand to her. “I never got that dance. You’re still wearing the dress. Will you dance with me, Malin?”

She tossed the blanket aside and stood. He placed his hand on the small of her back and drew her close, capturing her fingers in his palm. To her surprise, he fell easily into a rhythm even though there was no music playing.

“I used to think that I had my whole life figured out,” he said. “But I’m not sure of anything anymore.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

He shook his head. “No. It’s just a bit unsettling.”

“I’ll make you a deal,” Malin said. “Why don’t we spend the next week trying not to think about the future. We’ll just have fun. And at the end of the week, we’ll decide. If we can’t, we’ll put it off another week. And another, if that’s not enough.”

“All right,” he said. “One week. But we can’t put off our responsibilities indefinitely. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last two weeks, it’s that.”

Malin sighed. She didn’t want to make a decision. In truth, all she had to do was wait. At some point, the decision would be made for them.

Thom ran his hands over her body, and Malin felt a shiver skitter through her. She reached for the side zipper on the dress and drew it down. Then, shrugging her shoulders, Malin let the material slip down her body and puddle at her feet.

Thom laughed, then opened the front of his tux and let his jacket fall to the floor. Then he reached into his pocket and took out his phone, holding it up as if to take a photo of her.

“Don’t you dare,” she said.

“It’s just for private consumption,” he said.

“Said the last person who accidentally posted a nude selfie on the internet.”

“Come on,” he said. “I promise, I’ll toss them out right away.”

Malin grabbed the phone from him and shook her head. “It’s a hard-and-fast rule. No naked pictures. Ever.” She held the camera up and smiled. “Undo the studs on your shirt. Just the top three.”

He’d already unraveled his bow tie, and it was hanging around his neck. “All right. Now put your hands on your waist.” Malin focused in on Thom’s chest, tan beneath the pure white of his pleated shirt. The flash illuminated his body in the dim light, and she smiled when the picture appeared.

“There,” she said. “That’s sexy. Post that on Twitter. And mention the benefit.”

Malin picked up her gown and started toward the stairway door. “Don’t you dare take a photo of me,” she warned.

“Where are you going?”

“To bed.” She headed down the stairs and a few seconds later, she heard Thom behind her. He caught up with her in the workout room, slipping his hands around her waist and picking her up off her feet. He wrapped her legs around his waist and carried her down to the ground floor.

As they walked past the kitchen, the front doorbell rang. Thom groaned softly. “Did you invite someone over?”

“No,” Malin said. “Did you?”

“No,” Thom said. “It’s probably Charlie or one of the other neighborhood kids. They like to play roller hockey late at night in the summer. They probably want me to join in.”

“I’ll meet you in the bedroom,” Malin said.

She found a hanger in his closet and carefully took care of her borrowed gown. Then she went into the bathroom, brushed her hair and brushed her teeth.

They’d been apart for far too long. It would be good to feel his naked body next to hers in bed.

Was it wrong to grow fond of these simple things? Or should that be left to people who were married or enjoyed long, long relationships? She and Thom had been casual lovers, never meant to last.

As the minutes passed by, Malin wondered what was keeping Thom. She grabbed a blanket from the end of the bed and wrapped it around her body. As she walked out to the kitchen, Malin heard voices. Curious, she followed the sound. When she came around a corner, she saw Thom standing near the open front door, caught up in a kiss with a beautiful brunette.

They didn’t notice her at first, not until she cleared her throat. The pair stepped away from each other and Malin could see embarrassment written all over Thom’s face. The woman, however, didn’t appear to be bothered at all.

“Hello,” she said.

Malin was startled by her greeting. “Hello.”

Thom looked back and forth between the two of them. “Jennifer, this is Malin. Malin, meet Jennifer.”

“Malin? What an odd name. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m an old friend of Thom’s. Not old but, well, you know.” She glanced at Thom, a bright smile on her face. “So, threesome tonight?”

Malin gasped. Threesome? “I—I’ll just leave you to your guest,” she finally said. She spun on her heel and hurried back to the bedroom. When she was safely in the room, she locked the door, then sat down in the middle of the bed to wait.

It wasn’t long before Thom was outside, rapping on the door.

“Malin. Come on, baby, let me in. I can explain.”

“Is your little friend with you?” Malin asked.

“No, she left. Can I come in? I don’t like shouting.”

“Liar! You shout all the time on the ice. You’re a liar. What else haven’t you told me?”

“Nothing. That girl was part of my past, I swear.”

Malin crawled off the bed and unlocked the door. Thom came in, but she pointed at the wall. “Stand right there. Don’t some any closer. Now explain. Who was that woman?”

“She’s a friend. We used to have this...regular...appointment.”

“She’s a hooker?” Malin asked.

“No, she’s a pharmaceutical sales rep from Des Moines. Her business brings her here once a month and when that happens, she drops by.”

“When was the last time she ‘dropped by’?”

Thom thought about his answer for a moment. “A few days before you and I met in the office.”

“And when she said ‘threesome,’ can I assume you’ve done that before?”

“Do you want the truth?” Thom asked. “Or should I tell you what you want to hear?”

Malin groaned, pitching forward on the bed and burying her face in the covers. “I need a while to digest this,” Malin said. “You should find another place to sleep tonight.”

“All right,” he said. “I’ll crash on the sofa. But I want you to know that Tommy the Beast is the guy who slept with that woman and who engaged in a few threesomes. I’m not Tommy the Beast anymore. And that’s because of you.” He took a few steps toward her, then snatched a pillow from the bed. “I just need a pillow.”

A few seconds later, he left the bedroom and Malin was alone again. She drew a ragged breath. This revelation wasn’t all that unexpected. She’d heard rumors about his sexploits. The issue was whether she really trusted him. Could she trust him to involve her in making big decisions? Could she trust him with his former girlfriends? Could she trust that he had really changed?

“Malin?”

“Yes?”

“Would it make a difference if I told you that I loved you?”

Malin groaned again. “Go away. I’ll figure this out tomorrow.”

* * *

T
HOM
PACED
BACK
and forth in front of his bedroom door, listening for some proof of life inside. He’d spent most of the night tossing and turning on the leather sofa, rewinding their conversation.

It wasn’t just what they’d said to each other. Lately everything had grown so serious. He’d disappointed her not once but several times, and when that happened, he saw it on her face. That beautiful face. It killed him to be the cause of her distress or sadness.

And he seemed to be messing up a lot lately. Hell, it wasn’t like he had a damn roadmap, laying out all of love’s twists and turns, warning him of the hazards ahead. He’d grown up without any role models.

And then there was the biggest blunder of all—choosing that moment to tell her he loved her. It was a desperation play, one of those shots that had no hope of going in. But it was the truth.

He groaned and pressed his fingertips to his temples. “What the hell was I thinking?” How was she supposed to take him seriously after all that business with Jennifer? Sure, he’d lived a pretty wild life. A lot of guys had. That came with the job. Crowds of warm and willing women.

Thom had never regretted the way he’d lived his life—until now. Hell, he’d never expected to be judged for his choices. But he knew that Malin’s reaction tonight to his sexual adventures would be just the first in a long line of revelations and reactions. He’d thought that she accepted the true Thom Quinn, but had she? Or was the rejection still coming?