Page 17 of Theirs

Chapter 6

After giving my cat, Mr. Snuffy, multiple forehead kisses and chin scritches, I leave him some food and water out while I’m gone for the weekend and I lock up my apartment, my duffle bag tossed over my shoulder for the weekend getaway. Mr. Snuffy is really good at taking care of himself, one of my favorite traits about cats. Colin takes the bag from me with a smile when he meets me in the breezeway of my apartment building. We’re heading out right after the hockey practice Colin chose for our date. He’s wearing a jersey for the team with a backwards baseball hat, and I smile when I realize we’re wearing the same jersey. Not that it’s a surprise, there are really only three jerseys that the Blackhawks sell. We both chose to go with the black and white alternate jerseys.

“Twinsies,” he teases when he sees mine. “Though it looks way better on you.”

“Looks like an oversized dress on me,” I say, I could have bought one of the slimmer women’s jerseys, but I like the authentic look like the player’s wear. I paired it with a pair of leggings and heels. That way I have the heels when I change into my dress after our date.

“You look great, Teagan,” Colin says, taking my hand and bringing it to his lips to kiss the back of it. How are Colin and Ben such sweethearts, but still friends with cranky MacKenna and aloof Alexander? And how had I never met them until recently. I should have visited my brother when he was in college.

“Thanks,” I tell him as we head to his awaiting car. I’m expecting us to have a driver, just like Benjamin did, but when I come downstairs, there’s a shiny Rolls Royce Phantom sitting at the curb. I know the price tag on one of those from my time growing up as a child born with a silver spoon in their mouth. The second I turned eighteen, I ripped that spoon out and threw it in the garbage. I didn’t want to be like my parents, taking for granted things in life. I wanted to stop the cycle, my parents both came from parents who came from parents with money, and so on. I wanted to earn my keep in the world, but I wanted to do it by doing things I loved. My mother was so concerned with keeping her social status, that she put her priorities over her own daughter’s safety. She wasn’t bothered that I was a victim...

Don’t think about it, Teagan. You’re safe now. You’re passed that time in your life.

Colin opens my door for me, and waits for me to climb in. I pause for a second, debating going back upstairs and disappearing from these four wealthy men’s lives. Alex wouldn’t even notice, I doubt MacKenna would care, but I think Colin and Ben might make it impossible. What the hell? Might as well enjoy the ride before they realize what a hot mess I am and that they could all find a hotter little wifey without a body covered in tattoos, who wouldn’t care if they fooled around on her, as long as she got to keep enjoying the lifestyle they give her, just like my parents’ marriage.

You only live once, right?

I get in the car, and Colin closes the door behind me. My heart races as I finally decide to have some fun while I can.

***

I’m beaming!

“Holy shit,” I say, jumping on the balls of my feet. “Do you know who that is?”

Colin laughs. “Of course I do. Is he your favorite player?”

I nod, my eyes shining bright as I watch the team doing drills on the ice in front of us. I’ve never been this close to the ice before, my feet are freezing, but I don’t want to go anywhere to warm them up.

“Yo, Binx!” calls Colin from beside me where the away team sits during games and I still, as number thirteen skates over to us. Colin fist bumps him and Aaron Binxley removes his mouth guard.

“What up, Colin?” the player asks. “It’s been a while. Haven’t seen you in your usual haunts.”

Colin shrugs his shoulders. “Just busy with the company, and this lovely lady.”

Binx pulls the giant glove off his right hand and reaches it out for me to shake. “Hi. I’m—”

I grin, shaking his hand. “I know who you are,” I say. “I’m a huge fan. I can’t wait for the season to start. I’m Teagan.”

He smiles brightly, and nods to my shoulder. “Want me to sign your jersey?”

“Oh God, yes!” I say, but my smile falters. “I don’t have a marker though.”

Colin reaches in his pants pocket. “You think I would bring you to sit on the bench, a foot from the players and not bring a Sharpie for you to get autographs?”

I smile as Colin hands him the marker, and I turn around, lifting my purple hair over my shoulder.

“Look at her!” Number thirteen says. “She’s got my jersey and everything.”

“Wasn’t lying when I said I was a fan,” I say over my shoulder as he signs his name. “Thank you so much, this means the world to me.”

“You guys staying for the whole practice?” he asks us, capping the marker and handing it back to me.

“We’ve got a flight to catch in two hours,” Colin says. “But we should be here for most of it.”

“Cool,” he says. “I’ll send some more of the guys to sign your jersey if you want.”

“That would be awesome!” I say as he puts his glove back on. “Thank you so much! Have a good practice!”

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