Falling for the Backup (Novella): The Assassins Series (11 page)

“You’re right,” she said with a shaky voice, “Listen, I’m not feeling good, I think I’ll skip the benefit tonight. I’m sorry.”

She started for the hallway but he stopped her, taking her in his arms and dropping his mouth to hers. He could feel the tears rushing down her face and it killed him. Holding her close to him as he pulled away, he slowly moved his thumb along her cheeks, catching each stray tear. She looked up at him, holding him hostage with watery green eyes, her red lips still wobbling. He wanted to say so many things but he didn’t know how. He shifted to
 
whisper in her ear, “We’ll figure something out.
 
I can’t just walk away from you.”

She choked on a sob before closing her eyes tight and wrapping her arms around him. Moving her face along his chest, he held her as she cried, feeling his own tears about to fall. Walking away from her was the last fucking thing he wanted to do, but what other choice was there?
 

Pulling back, she looked up at him, her eyes filled with sadness as she said, “You’ve walked away twice before, why wouldn’t you once again? The only good thing is that at least we had this time together.”
 

His heart stopped as he held her gaze. “Don’t say that Ayns, I’m not going anywhere yet.”
 

He closed his eyes wishing that things could be different for them. He wanted to get lost in her kisses, take her to bed and never leave in a
 
perfect he world would be with her and they would both have awesome careers. That’s what he wanted but it seemed impossible.
 

As he ran his nose along hers, she whispered, “Yeah, not yet.”

Chapter 9

“How about the Predators, do they need a goalie?”

Jordan stood outside of a little pub in the heart of Buffalo on the phone with his dad. The Assassins were playing the Sabras the next afternoon for an early Sunday game and it seemed like everything in Buffalo reminded him of Aynslee. She had told him so many stories about growing up in the charming city that it felt like he had lived there with her. Thinking of her prompted the usual smile but it also brought on a little heartache. After skipping the Erik’s charity event, he laid in bed with Aynslee, holding her and then made love to her all night long. He was such an idiot. He knew this was going to happen and he still fell in love. Now he was scrambling, trying to figure out a way to keep them together. Bill cleared his throat and Jordan could hear his father’s fingers typing on the computer. After finding the answer he needed, Bill finally said, “Maybe. I could reach out to them.”

“Yes, please do,” Jordan said, feeling a glimpse of hope. It would piss some of his teammates off if he went to the Assassins’ most hated rival but if it allowed him to stay in Nashville, he’d do it.
 

“Why? I thought you wanted to play for the IceCats?”

“I don’t want to leave Nashville,” he admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose bracing for a fight, Jordan knew his father. Bill loved his wife more than anything and if bringing her son back home to play would make her happy, he’d do it, no matter how Jordan felt about it. He wanted to be close to his parents but Aynslee was becoming the most important thing in his world.
 

“Why?”

“I met someone.”

Bill paused and Jordan took the opportunity to hold the phone out from his ear before the screaming started.
 

“Are you fucking kidding me? You knew you were leaving at the end of the season. You wanted this! I’ve worked my ass off to get you the best deal with the IceCats and you want to stay in Nashville? For some woman?”

“Not just for some woman, dad, she’s the one. I love her.”

“Oh for fuck sakes son. Really? This is the first I’ve heard of her and you love her? What the hell?”

 
“Dad she’s different. I met her when I was flying back from that meeting with the Sabras, and I instantly knew that there was something really special about her.I tried to stay away but I couldn’t, dad. I can’t. I have to do everything I can to stay here, or I’ll lose her,” he said his voice breaking at the end.

Closing his eyes to keep the tears at bay, Jordan took in another breath as his father said, “Are you crying?”

“No, I’m not crying!” Jordan snapped as Bill’s chuckles came over the line.

“She can’t come here?”
 

He shook his head even though his father couldn’t see him.

“No, she has a really great job in Nashville not to mention friends and a life. I can’t ask her to leave it all for me.”

“Do you think she would?”

 
“Yeah, I do, but I’m afraid she’ll resent me in the end.”

“I understand that. Okay,” Bill said, tapping away on the computer again, “I’ll contact the Predators, maybe even Columbus since that’s close. You could always commute.”

Jordan grinned broadly, “Thank you so much dad. I love you.”

Bill chuckled as he said, “It may not work son, but we’ll try. If it doesn’t work and the contract is right with the IceCats, you’ll come here. Agreed?”

 
“Yeah, she knows I plan on leaving. I just don’t want to.”

“Understood, okay, well talk to you soon,” Bill said.

“Sounds good, bye dad.”

He was about to end the call when said he heard his dad clear his throat. “Son.”

“Yeah?”

“I love you too, and I’m very proud of you. Can’t wait to meet her.”

Jordan smiled, looking up at the sky as he said, “You’ll love her.”

“I know I will. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Jordan ended the call, tucking his phone back into his pocket.
 
He hoped to God something would work out. He didn’t want to make Aynslee cry any more than he already had. He only wanted to make her happy. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, to love her until his dying day and watch her carry his children. They could try to do the long distance thing but those relationships hardly ever work and he wanted to be with her all of the time, not part of the time. It was hard enough leaving her for road trips but to live thousands of miles away, he couldn’t do that.
 

Walking into the pub, he went to the bar and sat down. Shea, Tate, and some of the other guys were going to try to stop by later but he doubted they’d make it, they were pretty beat after the game. Looking around the pub, he took in the manly décor. Sports memorabilia, was everywhere. Pictures of hockey greats, like Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull, Patrick Roy, and Gordie Howe hung all over the walls. Glancing around for a bartender, he leaned against the bar, grabbing a few peanuts from the bowl on the counter and popping them into his mouth.
 

Finally, a tall redheaded man came out of the back. When he set eyes on Jordan, he turned around and yelled in a thick Irish accent, “I swear on everything holy that if I didn’t love you guys I’d fire you! We have a customer!” Turning to look at Jordan he said, “I’m so sorry, my family is very lazy.”

“No worries,” Jordan said with a
 
smil. The man reminded him o fhis own redhead.
 

“Can I get you a beer?”

“Yes please, draft,” Jordan said getting his wallet out but the man shook his head.

“Thanks, but it’s on the house as long as I can have an autograph,” he said, placing Jordan’s beer in front of him before holding out his hand, “The name is Bowie, and I’m a fan. You’re a fantastic goalie.”

Jordan took his hand and shook it as he said, “Thank you, it’s great to meet you.”
 

Bowie smiled with a familiar grin and suddenly it clicked.
 

“Do you have a daughter?”

“I do, six. Are you looking for a wife? My Aynslee is a peach.”
 

Hell yeah she was
, Jordan thought as Bowie pointed to a picture of Aynslee. Jordan didn’t know how he had missed it but it was something else. It must have been taken years ago, because she looked like a teenager, but even then, she was gorgeous.

Jordan reached across the bar again to shake the man’s hand once more and Bowie looked
 
bewildered. He then said, “I know you know me as a hockey player sir, but I am also dating your daughter.”

Bowie blinked twice and then let out a hearty laugh.
 

“Excuse me?”

“Aynslee Shaw? Spelled A-y-n-s-l-e-e, that’s my girlfriend.”

“You’re dating my Aynslee?”

Jordan nodded, as Bowie eyed him suspiciously.
 

“You’re not her normal type. She usually goes for fairy looking guys.”

Laughter sputtered out of Jordan as he said, “Thanks, I think.”

Bowie let out another hearty laugh turning to face the back of the barroom before yelling out, “Tully! Sweetheart!”

Jordan looked around him to see a short round woman with blonde hair walking towards them.
 

“What do you want old bat? You yell at me saying I’m lazy, but then I try to cook and you bother me,” she complained as she came up beside him.
 

Bowie snickered before pointing a thumb at Jordan and saying, “This man says he is dating our Aynslee.”

Tully looked over at Jordan and raised an eyebrow.
 

“Oh really?”

“Yes maam.
 
Has she told you about me?”

Tully’s green eyes were still locked on Jordan. “She did. But I was expecting a fairy looking guy.”

Jordan chuckled as Tully flashed him a wide smile, taking his hand in hers.
 

“I’m Tully Shaw, Aynslee’s mother, and you are?”

“Jordan Ryan. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too. I have a bone to pick with my daughter, she didn’t prepare me for someone so handsome.”

Jordan laughed as he pulled his phone out and said, “Let’s call her together.”

He hit Aynslee’s contact and put it on speaker phone. When she came on the line, Jordan smiled as she said, “Hey you.”

“Hey beautiful, guess what?” he asked as Tully and Bowie both beamed at him.

“No first, you have to guess what! Guess what I just bought for your welcome home gift,” she giggled into the phone, “And let me just say, it starts with crotchless.”

“Oh shit,” Jordan said before picking the phone up and taking it off of speakerphone.
 

“That’s right,” she cooed in the phone as Jordan looked up to see a shocked look on Tully’s face and Bowie glaring at him.
 

Fuck.
 

“Baby, I had you on speakerphone,” he said covering his face. It was probably not a good idea to laugh, but he couldn’t help it and soon she laughed along with him.
 

“Oh crap, did the guys hear me!? At least they know you got it good huh?”
 

Tully’s eyes widened and Jordan realized that she could still hear Aynslee. When she said, “Aynslee Kathleen Shaw!” Aynslee’s laughter stopped.

“Please tell me that wasn’t my mother.”

 
“It was.”

“Why are you with my parents when I am talking about crotchless panties?!”

“I was trying to tell you where I was, but you busted that out before I could!”

“Oh my God, did my dad hear me?”

Jordan glanced over to see Bowie standing very tall with his arms crossed over his chest, looking very scary and Irish.
 

“Yes, he did.”

“Well shit.”

“Yup, I’m pretty sure I might not make it out of here alive.”

Aynslee laughed causing Jordan to smile. God, he missed her.
 

“No, he’s a big teddy bear, put me on speakerphone.”

Jordan did as she asked and put the phone on the bar as she said, “Hi mom and dad!”

“Hello darling,” Tully said with a small smile playing on her lips.
 

“Aynslee Kathleen,” Bowie said, his eyes still glued to Jordan.
 

He was pretty sure he was going to die today.
 

“Dad, stop. I have sex. I’m thirty one, what do you expect?”

But Bowie didn’t budge until Tully slapped his chest.
 

“Stop, you’re scaring him,” she said in a mock whisper before turning back to the phone. “He seems nice.”

“He is. Jordan is wonderful mom, I’m glad y’all are meeting.”

Jordan smiled as he said, “I wish you were here.”

“Me too, but I’m buying crotchless panties so I’ll let you guys be,” she said teasingly. Jordan cringed at her words but he also became hard as a rock. He was glad he was sitting behind the bar because this woman drove him mad. “And daddy please don’t kill him. I like him a whole lot.”

“I’ll try,” he answered before receiving another smack from Tully.
 

“He’ll be good, and you be good too. For Christ sakes, crotchless, Aynslee?!” Tully exclaimed. She then reached over to take Jordan’s hand.
 

“We’ll take care of him, feed him good, and he’ll meet the rest of the family.”

“Oh for the love of God, please don’t do that to him.”

Bowie let out a big laugh as he said, “But he won’t be family until that happens. He’ll be fine, we promise.”

Something moved in his chest. It felt good to know they already considered him family.

“Oh God, Jordan I hope you still like me after you meet those crazy folks.”

“I’m sure I will.”
 

“So you think. Call me later?”

“Absolutely.”

As he talked more with her parents Jordan learned that even though Aynslee looked just like her dad, she was more like her mother. Tully was loud, funny and made Jordan laugh just as hard as Aynslee did. He loved her instantly and when he met the whole Shaw clan, he felt right at home. They were loud and very loving.
 
Though he wasn’t too sure about Flynn and Brady. He ate amazing food, played with all the kids, got interrogated by Aynslee’s sisters and even met the bat shit crazy aunt Fern. Everything Aynslee said about her klepto aunt was true --- she tried to steal his wallet and phone off the counter, but Tully stopped her, and told Jordan to put his things in his pocket.