Page 7 of Mr. Broody

I don’t bother looking at anything but the back of Henry’s head and his dark-blond hair that’s slightly mussed. He whips around, standing. Our eyes lock, and my breath halts in my chest. The corner of his lips starts to tip up until he notices Tweetie’s arm around me.

“Jade?” Henry asks.

“Get your ears cleaned. I just said that.” Tweetie removes his arm from my shoulders as if his job is done and he’s brought the lost item back to his owner. “I’ll cash in my reward later.”

“Hi, Henry,” I say.

Everything in the room fades, and it’s only Henry and me. I realize my feelings for him never waned like they were supposed to. I’m in deep, deep trouble.

Four

Henry

I can’t believe it’s her.

Jade.

In the flesh.

When I was midway through turning around, I thought Tweetie was just messing with me, and I regretted telling him about her earlier, thinking he was making a joke of me. But she’s here… my Jade. She’s standing in front of me. Unless someone spiked my drink, and I’m hallucinating, but from the uneasiness in her stance, I’m pretty sure I’m not out of my mind.

“Hi, Henry,” she says as if it’s any other day, and it hasn’t been three years since we’ve seen each other or talked.

The room quiets, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” in the background now the only sound. All attention is on us. And how can I blame them? None of my teammates have ever seen me with someone. And I’m sure it’s clear there’s more than a passing familiarity between us.

My gaze runs down her body. She’s not the girl I first asked on a date over a decade ago. She cut her dark locks shorter so they’re only a little past her shoulders, and her brown gaze doesn’t sparkle with the same kind of uninhibited thirst for life it used to, as if life has stolen some of the shine from her.

I step closer, unsure how to react. Shaking hands is too formal, but hugging doesn’t feel right either. “Hey,” I say softly as if the entire room can’t hear me.

She sips her dark drink I’m fairly sure is whiskey. When did she start to drink whiskey?

My gut twists over how many things I probably don’t know about her anymore. “What are you doing here?”

She looks around the room, and her cheeks pinken. This is so weird. Glancing over my shoulder, my assumption is confirmed when I see the entire group staring at us.

I take her by her elbow, guiding her to a small table along the wall, away from everyone. My teammates take the hint and talk to one another, but I still feel their glances our way.

“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have…” She sighs, and her shoulders drop a bit. “I’m here for Aubrie’s birthday.”

“Aubrie?” My eyebrows draw down. Is she talking about Chelsea and Dean’s daughter, Aubrie? She must be.

Jade nods. “She’s outside. Well, not outside outside. She’s in the regular room.” Her smile suggests she’s already noted the fact that all the Falcons hide out in here.

“Ruby helps us to actually enjoy our night, so we don’t have to sign autographs and take selfies for hours.”

She holds up her hands. “No. I get it. You’re a celebrity.” Something crosses her face before a sweet smile emerges. “Congratulations, you have everything you wanted.”

My chest almost caves in. Jesus, does she really think that’s true? I run a hand through my hair. She’s so wrong, but it’s not the time to tell her. If I had everything, I’d have her.

“Thanks.” I clear my throat. It’s unbelievably awkward, and I hate this distance between us. “When did you get back?”

The when isn’t my business, and I need to drive down the hope inside me that she’s back for me. As if her suitcase is outside the door because she came straight here from the airport.

“About a week,” she says.

My heart cracks wide open. Instead of running to me, she’s been within ten miles of me for seven days. I can’t lie. The fact that she’s okay with that guts me.

“You picked the worst time of year to come back,” I say, trying to lighten the mood and my heart. Chicago winters aren’t for the weak.

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