Page 21 of Roughing the Princess

The Thursday before my home game, I was asked for an interview. Before I even went on, I knew they’d ask about Tova. Because everyone was asking about me and Tova. She’d been right. It had completely blown up overnight. But this was the first time I was actually addressing all the rumors. I pulled on my earphones and waited for the broadcaster to put me on the screen.

Tova would probably be pissed about what I was going to say. But I was just going to be honest.

It took less than 30 seconds before the reporter asked me the pointed question: “You have to give us all the details about you and Tova. Are the two of you really dating? There have been sightings of you together. Two times. Is that right?”

I smiled.I wish.Tova didn’t seem to have any interest in seeing me in person. I wasn’t sure who had “seen” us together, but whoever it was was full of shit. It was probably Mav. Maybe he saw me signing an old man’s jersey or something and thought it would be funny to say he saw me and Tova. Even though it was definitely her, Mav still liked to warn me about it possibly being a stalker. I exhaled slowly and stared at the camera, hoping Tova was watching. “All I’m going to say about that is…this all started when I went to see Tova at Labyrinth Stadium. It only seems fair that I put on a show for her at Labyrinth Stadium too, so I’ve sent her some tickets for our game this weekend.”

“So she’ll be there?”

I shrugged. “We’ll see what happens. The ball is in her court.” I smiled at the camera. I smiled at her.Come to the game, princess. Let me give you everything you need.

Chapter 7 – Game Day

Talon

I stared at all the unanswered texts I’d sent her. “Good night, princess. Don’t have too many dirty dreams about me. I’ll be dreaming of you.”

She hadn’t responded to me for a week and a half. And for a week and a half, all I thought about was her.

You’d think that her not speaking to me would make me believe she wasn’t coming to my game today.

But for some reason…I had this hope in my chest. Or maybe I’d just lost my damn mind because I had perpetual blue balls. I couldn’t stop staring at the pictures I had of her. She was probably out there forgetting about me and I was still obsessed with her. And I wasn’t sure how to stop. It was like I needed to see her. Needed that release when I stared at her image. I was a sick fuck.

“Interesting choice of outfits if she shows up,” Mav said as I walked into the locker room.

Jasper snickered too.

I looked down at my outfit. “I look good. Both of you quit it.”

“It’s so…geometrical,” Jasper said.

“And so Canadian tuxedo,” Mav added.

I took off my jean jacket and hung it up. “I’m ignoring both of you.”

“Do you think she’ll show?” Mav asked.

Thinking she would and hoping she would were two very different things. But I was a determined guy. “Yeah, she’s coming.”

“I knew it,” Jasper said. “I knew she’d come. Did she already pick up her ticket?”

I didn’t respond.

“Mom is going to be so excited,” he added. “Is she coming early? Let me text Mom.” He pulled out his phone.

“Don’t,” I said.

“Why?”

“Because.”

Mav shook his head. “Dude, she’s not coming, is she?”

“She is.”

“That’s exactly what you said during that afterparty in New York.”

Don’t remind me.

---