The Arrangement (New Hampshire Bears Novella) by Mary Smith Page B

smashed tonight.
    “I’m getting a chicken sandwich. What about you?”
    “I think a simple salad will be fine.” I flip through the menu again to see if I missed anything.
    “That’s it?” He put his down and looks at me. “You can get whatever you like.”
    “A salad,” I confirm and the waitress appears for us to give her our order.
    When she leaves again, Vance rests his arms on table, leaning forward. “Thank you for this evening. Helping Dad out. You didn’t have to.”
    “I did nothing for him.”
    Vance furrows his brow.
    “I did it for you.”
    “What?”
    “I went for you. My eyes have been opened to your parent’s behavior. No offense. I can’t handle your father’s words toward you anymore.”
    It made me ill to hear his tone and belittling attitude toward Vance. There’s no need for it. Vance has his good points, and I’m aware of his bad. But those are our hang-ups and what we need to work through.
    “Thank you, Dacey. That means a lot to me.” He gives me a sincere smile. “Um…do you mind if I ask you a question?”
    “Sure.”
    “When did you start liking hockey so much?”
    Deep down I knew that would be the question. “My arranged loves it. It’s his one true passion. If I wanted to be part of his life, I had to know about it as well.” I should have stopped, but, “I thought one day you and I would talk more, and I could tell you, but it never happened.”
    Vance grips my hand. “It’ll all change. I promise. I swear.” He holds on tightly. “I’ll beg if I have to if you’ll give me another chance.”
    I need to tell him I already made my decision, but I’m waiting until tomorrow evening after the draft. He has enough stress going on and I don’t want to be the cause of more.
    “I want us to talk this all though and come to a conclusion,” he pushes.
    I make an effort to smile and change the subject to hockey. I tell him about the games I’ve watched and the teams I like, figuring he would rather talk about it than us. Or more likely, me.
    When our food comes, Vance goes into detail about his workout routine and training. I knew he worked out a lot, but he’s over the top.
    When we finish our food, Vance takes my hand again, and we stroll back to the hotel. It’s later than I realize when we walk into the room. I’m suddenly tired. I lay on the bed and stare at the ceiling.
    “I’m going to get ready for bed, and don’t worry I’ll sleep on the floor.” Vance grabs his clothes and steps into the bathroom.
    I jump off the bed and quickly change into my shorts and tank top before he comes out in pajama bottoms. His chest and abs can make a blind woman come.
    He grabs a couple of pillows and asks for the top cover, but I stop him.
    “Sleep in the bed, just don’t try anything.” I pull the covers down and crawl under.
    “Dacey, are you sure?”
    “Yes.” I turn away from him, clicking off the light,
    “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
    I quickly turn and sit up, facing Vance. The anger bubbling over. “Uncomfortable? Why do you even care? Because it doesn’t matter. I’m already tainted because you can’t keep your pants zipped. So, there’s no reason for you to care about my feelings now.”
    “Dacey, I do care.”
    “No, you don’t and you know what,” I sigh. “I don’t why I care either. You want me to give you a second chance, but did we have a first chance?” He starts to say something, but I keep going. “We never went out on proper dates. We had one kiss that I count, but like everything else, it’s tainted as well. Do you know what it’s like to be a girl listening to everyone else gossiping about their boyfriends and such? All the while the boy I’m supposed to marry is sticking it to a girl across the globe. And what’s worse than all that is the time I spent learning hockey for you. Now, I like it, and all it’s going to do is remind me of you when I leave.” I yank the covers up and turn over on my side away