But she told Aaron, “That sounds fantastic.”
“Excuse me.” Rafe stopped next to Mia and offered Aaron a smile. “I hate to break in, but I should get back. Early practice tomorrow.”
“Of course,” Mia told Rafe.
While Rafe ordered an Uber driver, Mia gushed over Aaron’s hospitality and his time. Told him how excited she was to start the job. Then she found Cynthia, gave her a hug, and promised to call her in the morning so they could meet to see the apartment and get a tour around town.
When they finally stepped outside the ivy-covered wall and back into reality, an SUV was waiting. They climbed in, and Rafe told the driver where to go. Then he collected Mia in his arms, pulled her close, and murmured, “Put your head down and close your eyes, baby. I know you need to decompress from all that.”
Mia exhaled. Tears welled in her eyes. With no outlet, she did as he suggested, and with her cheek on his shoulder, his strong arms wrapped around her, his warmth and scent grounding her, the turbulence that party had whipped up inside her calmed for a moment. She couldn’t voice her fears. Couldn’t lament about wishing she could go back and change her mind over this job. She was afraid Rafe would validate her fears, and it was too late now.
Way too late.
14
“Maybe tomorrow,” Rafe told Mia, “we can rent a car and drive along the coast. Stop in those little towns you love and walk around. Shop at the little stores. Pick up some new things for your apartment.” Remembering her budget, he added, “It’ll be my housewarming gift.”
Her lips curved, and she snuggled closer in the backseat of the car. The vise gripping his heart tightened a little more.
“We can have an early lunch at a beachside café, just hang out there, sipping sangria and soaking up the sun while we listen to the waves. When our butts go numb, we can take a long walk on the beach.”
She sighed, and her warm breath penetrated his shirt. He bent his head to kiss her temple and closed his eyes, pulling in a deep lungful of her scent. Damn, she smelled like heaven and heartbreak all rolled into one.
“What about practice?” she asked.
“Doesn’t start till three. That will give us time to stop at your apartment on the way back and see Cynthia. And after I spend an appropriate amount of time with the guys at dinner, I’ll sneak back to your room and spend the night with you.” Tangled up in the sheets, naked, making love to her every way he could think of to show her how passionately he felt about her.
“God,” Mia closed her eyes on a soft moan. “That sounds like heaven.”
They fell silent for the rest of the drive, but Rafe’s brain spun for a solution to the distance that would soon face them. He didn’t want to accept that there was no reasonable way for them to be together.
He could wait until June and the end of hockey season to talk to Tate and Joe about his feelings for Mia. But her new job was a real problem. He couldn’t live on the West Coast. She couldn’t live on the East Coast. And neither could ask the other to give up their dream. That wouldn’t be such a big problem if either of their jobs allowed time for leisure travel. But by the sounds of things at the party, Mia would have her nose to the grindstone. And Rafe would be either playing or practicing nearly every day for eight months of the year.
This was screwed, plain and simple.
The SUV stopped in front of the hotel, and reality rushed in. They only had days left together. Once they went their own ways again, everything would change. They’d be friends, but it would be different now. A thin layer of awkwardness would always exist between them. Neither would know exactly where their friendship boundary lay, so both of them would stand back a little further, in fear of stepping over.
Next time he saw her, maybe this summer, she’d be dating some new hot surfer dude, all buff and bronze. Rafe and Mia would pretend their time together never happened. They’d laugh and talk about how they’d been friends forever, how they knew each other inside and out, but they wouldn’t. Not anymore. Because this time together had already changed them both. Rafe would hug her when he left, like he always did. Smile and wave as if he were the carefree bachelor that fit the rumors. But inside, he’d be leaving the most important piece of himself behind.
“God.” She exhaled and covered her eyes. “I just wish time would stop.”
Instead, the car stopped, and they both had to get out and face reality.
Rafe thanked the driver, offered him a tip, and opened the door, offering his hand. He glanced toward the hotel as the wide glass doors opened and a gaggle of his teammates wandered out. Thankfully, Kilbourne wasn’t with them.