Page 114 of Fear of Intimacy

“Thank you,” Wyatt said politely to the stewardess as she walked back to the front of the plane. “Have you texted Tasha yet?”

“I have, but for some reason, it won’t go through. I’ll tryagain.” As soon as the plane had landed, I was up and out of my seat, ready to go. All I could think about was getting off this damn thing and getting to that gala. Even if I had to wear the suit I packed for away games.

Grabbing my phone, I tapped the screen only for it to stay black. I hit the power button, but the only thing that flashed was the dead battery icon.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” I squeezed my phone in my fist. “Dead battery. Can I try your phones?” I asked Wyatt and Bryton.

They both held up their phones and said, “No signal.”

It’s okay, Trevor. Doesn’t matter if you’re late as long as you get there.

“Just think about it. You can make a grand entrance when you do get there,” Bryton joked. “Everyone loves a grand entrance.”

“Get someone to play a song as you walk in,” Wyatt added, causing my lips to twitch. I knew they were trying to make me feel better about the situation, which I appreciated, but it did little to help the growing tension in my body.

For the next twenty minutes, we sat there on the plane. Every minute that passed made me more late and made the pit in my stomach double in size. Tasha was probably thinking I wasn’t coming at all and ignoring her.

I never wanted to be someone that Tasha felt she couldn’t rely on. She had enough people in her life like that, so I wanted to be the person she could always count on. Be the person she’d always go to when she needed something and knew that, no matter what, I would be there.

I was staring out the plane window when I noticed we were starting to finally move. The pilot’s voice came overhead, saying we would be able to get off in the next ten minutes. With that, I had a little bit of hope that I would get to that damn gala before the night was over.

As soon as the plane came to a halt and the stewardess came out to put the door down, I was up and out of my seat.

“Trev.” Wyatt got my attention as I reached for my bag overhead. I glanced at him over my shoulder as he held up his phone. “Josie is already here with your suit. I’ll get your bag and take it back to your place.”

“Josie’s here?” was all that left my mouth.

“I texted her a little bit ago when I got a signal. You can change here and head over.”

“She brought my suit?” I was repeating what he just said, but Josie being here, waiting for me, threw me off.

“Changing on the tarmac of an airport probably isn’t the greatest but it will work.” Bryton shrugged. “Mila brought stuff for you to clean up a bit too.”

The fact that they both went out of their way to help me get to this event reminded me why they were my best friends. We may not have been blood-related, but they were more of brothers to me than anything.

“We know.” Wyatt read my expression as he hit my shoulder and gestured toward the front of the plane. “Josie and Mila are waiting.”

With a wide grin, I tapped Wyatt and Bryton’s shoulders before hightailing it toward the door of the plane. Thankfully, the rest of my team had enough sense to stay seated. With the plane door finally open, I all but ran off the plane, shouting a quick apology over my shoulder.

I barely stepped off the stairs when I saw Josie and Mila standing off to the side of the tarmac, waiting for me. They waved their arms as I jogged toward them.

“Got your suit right here.” The words were out of Josie’s mouth before I even reached them. She held up the bag with a bright grin.

“And I got some makeup wipes to clean your face with.” Mila added.

I was glad I took a shower before getting on the plane earlier, so I was perfectly fine not going home to take one.

“Thank you.” I breathed.

“Let's get you to that gala.” Josie declared.

Behind me, I could hear my teammates getting off the plane, but I didn’t even care as I stripped out of my sweats and sweatshirt. A few of the guys whistled as I stood there on the tarmac in just my underwear. I flipped the bird over my shoulder as I tugged on my slacks.

When Tasha asked me to be her date last week, I instantly went out the next day to get a new suit. I had a bunch, thanks to hockey, but this wasn’t just any party. From what Tasha has told me, it was an event with the richest people in Toronto. A suit I'd worn multiple times wouldn’t cut it.

“Tasha is going to kill me for being late,” I told the girls as I quickly buttoned up my black dress shirt.

“Maybe not kill you but threaten to chop your balls off, yes.” Josie said.

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