Page 29 of The Puck Player

I don’t bother correcting him, I’ve got nothing to prove to this twat, but to my surprise Aubree is the one who snaps, “Actually, Alexander is already the silent CEO of three insanely successful companies, has a 4.0 GPA, plays for the highest team in the college hockey league, and donated nine million dollars to charity just last year alone.”

It takes everything in me to hide my surprise at her not only standing up for me, but for also knowing all that about me. I guess her internet stalking didn’t stop at my social media, and seeing Ben seething at her words brings a smile to my face, as I reply, “Remind me to give you my assistant’s card before you leave, maybe we can give those little charities of yours a much needed boost.”

Ben doesn’t respond, just continues to stare me down in some kind of warning, that means quite literally nothing to me, but the tension is so thick it has Jake jumping in to say, “So, how did you two meet?” he asks, looking between Ben and Aubree, but Ben doesn’t even spare him a glance, the conceited little fuck.

“Yeah, Ben, why don’t you tell us what eighteen-year-old you saw in fifteen-year-old Aubree?” I ask, and much to my delight, my words have him snapping back to his feet, again in warning, but I don’t even fucking flinch.

“Oh shit,” Archer laughs, but I don’t take my eyes off Ben.

“Careful, now,” I warn quietly, because one wrong move and I will lay the pathetic twat on his ass in front of everyone here.

“We’re leaving,” he commands at Aubree, and I try to remain calm and let them go, knowing I was purposely pushing his buttons to get a reaction, but then Ben leans across the table and grabs Aubree’s arm in a vice grip, dragging her to her feet. “Come on, let’s go,” he snaps, and I’m on my feet ready to rip his arm clean off his fucking body, but Archer is there within a second holding me back, as Aubree snatches her arm from his hold.

“Ben, stop, please, you’re embarrassing me,” she begs, her soft pleading tone nothing like the one which she usually calls me out with, and it just makes me want to hurt the prick even more.

“Bree, are you fucking kidding me right now?” he asks, looking between the two of us, and only now just realizing how much I tower over him.

“Please, just stop,” she begs again, and I grind my teeth to refrain from saying anything else.

“Fuck this, I’m out of here,” he snaps, turning on his heel and storming from the table, and I’m not surprised in the slightest when Valerie pushes out of her chair.

“Don’t worry, B, I’ve got it, you know what he’s like, I’ll go and calm him down,” she explains, not even letting Aubree protest before she is already rushing after him, and as I watch her leave, I come to only one conclusion.

Those two are definitely fucking.

Embarrassment has me in a silent chokehold as I watch Malorie rush after Ben, and all I can do is watch them leave in disbelief. I can feel Alexander standing firm at my side, and I know he probably riled Ben up on purpose, but I can’t even be mad at him, because from the second I opened the door to my boyfriend this morning, he’s been acting like nothing but an asshole. I don’t even have the energy to ask Alexander how he knew about the ages Ben and I started dating, not when the rest of the table is staring at me with nothing but silent sympathy.

“Excuse me for a moment,” I breathe, pushing past Alexander to get out from the table.

“Erm, Bree, I think we need to talk about the elephant in the room,” Evie starts, but Alexander cuts her off with a warning glare.

“Not now,” he snaps, and again I don’t have the energy to ask what they are referring to, as I rush away from the table and head to the restroom.

Pushing inside, I reach the sink as the first tear starts to fall, and then the second, and I swipe at them furiously because why the fuck am I crying? I didn’t do anything wrong, Ben is the one who ruined lunch and embarrassed me in front of my new friends, and for what? Because he chose to feel inferior? As soon as he saw Jake this morning, standing in his underwear, he decided he was going to let that ruin our time together, that’s on him, not me.Right?

I take a deep breath and grab some tissue to blot my face, taking a few minutes to compose myself before I find the courage to return to the table, but when I open the door to leave, Alexander is there waiting. He is leaning on the wall opposite the bathroom with his legs crossed at the ankle, looking like he doesn’t have a care in the world, but the second his stare meets mine, I can see genuine concern there.

He probably feels just as guilty, and honestly, he didn’t really do anything wrong. Ben saw his jersey in my room and got jealous, which is ridiculous, there is nothing between Alexander and I, but Ben judged him from the get go and now here we are.

“I think I should start calling you Trouble,” I sigh with a huffed laugh, moving to lean on the wall next to him, and he lets out a soft chuckle that scrapes against my bones. “I’m really sorry,” I add in a whisper, and he pushes off the wall and is in my face in an instant.

“What the fuck are you sorry for?” he demands, tipping my chin up so I am forced to look at him. “You did nothing wrong, Aubree, he’s the one who acted like a wanker,” he tells me firmly,and all it does is bring back my urge to cry. “Why the fuck are you dating a tool like that?” he asks, and I huff another laugh, as one more tear escapes, but he catches it with his thumb, swiping it again, and looking at me earnestly while waiting for an answer.

“He’s not normally like that,” I start with a shrug, pulling back from his touch, the moment feeling more intimate than it should between friends, and just like I knew he would, he retreats instantly, so I can take a deep breath. “I don’t have a lot of friends where I’m from, it’s always been me, Ben and Malorie. We were inseparable, so my coming here was a big change for all of us,” I explain slowly, trying to collect my thoughts of everything that has happened today. “I’ve never really had guy friends before, outside of Ben, and honestly, if I turned up at his house and the first thing I saw was a girl in her underwear, and another girl’s clothes in his room, I can’t say I wouldn’t be pissed either.”

I know I shouldn’t be defending him, not after how he just acted, and definitely not after he stormed out, but I can see why he’s so pissed off. We’ve never experienced distance like this before, and it’s not like we have a physical connection to fall back on when things get tough. The only thing we have is love, and trust, and after what he saw today, clearly the latter is an issue for us.

“And this weekend was supposed to be about us spending some time alone, and then Malorie tagged along, so I guess it’s all just a bit too much for him,” I defend with a shrug, forcing my emotions back down, a skill that has become far too easy in the last few months.

“Sounds like he isn’t secure enough in your relationship,” he grunts, seeming more pissed off than I am about the whole thing, and I can’t help but offer him a reassuring smile.

“It’s fine, it will all blow over, Malorie will calm him down,” I tell him with a nod, knowing she’s been a great go between for us since my mom died.

“Yeah, I’ll bet,” Alexander mutters with a shake of his head, and when I look at him with a frown he quickly adds, “You know, since they’re such good friends. Now come on, let’s go have some lunch, the food here is amazing.”

He holds out his arm for me to move first, as I push off the wall. “Eurgh, I want comfort food now, not my stupid steak,” I laugh, just as I spy a waitress dropping off our meals, and Alexander comes to my side matching my step.

“Why? What’s your comfort food?” he asks, and I can tell he is genuinely interested in the answer, and I’m sure if this place sold it he would magically make it appear.

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