He couldn’t help but to feel her eyes on him as she watched the festivities from the bench, trying not to make any eye contact that would break his facade. One look into her sad eyes would break him, and Aaron wasn’t ready for that yet. He didn’t know what it was about this woman but the time that he’d spent with Holly had gotten him hooked, both his body and his mind. She challenged him while she turned him on and few had ever done that to him in the past.
His mom had looked at him in surprise when he offered to take all of them to one of the best steakhouses in the city, sharing a long glance with his father.
“Son, this is your team and you should celebrate with them. Your heart is still on that ice.” Glen told him, making Aaron laugh bitterly inside of his head. His heart felt more like it was still with Holly in his apartment the day before.
“I’m not in the mood for the crazy. I’m an old man now, Dad.” Aaron replied, smiling around at his family. “I owe you for this, too. I don’t know where I’d be if it wasn’t for you guys.”
“You’d have found your way, Aaron.” Glen said calmly, both of them men feeling tears in their eyes. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you.” Aaron replied gruffly, slinging an arm around his mom. “Want some grub?” The kids started squealing and jumping around him in response while his sisters smiled at each other, asking if he was sure that he could handle it. They made their way out of the crowded arena as he glanced back to see Holly watching him, her eyes bright and shimmering as their gazes locked.
Aaron woke up in his bright bedroom, blinking as his head started pounding. Fucking hell but the whiskey was coming back to haunt him. After dinner, everyone else had headed home and he’d followed suit before finding himself alone and miserable. Instead of dealing with it like an adult, like he should have, Aaron broke out the bottle and started drinking as he watched highlights of the game and tried to force himself into that mindset. He tried to reason with himself why he was better off single as he always had been, free to do what he needed to do. He’d gotten sloppy drunk and passed out in his boxers and tee shirt like he would do in college.
Aaron was embarrassed as he slowly sat up, taking slow breaths and trying to figure out what he was capable of. There wasn’t anything pressing today, with just a practice scheduled and an away game the following night over in Philadelphia. Aaron didn’t need to travel with the team, though he had planned to upon the purchase when it was close and convenient. He loved the game and he wanted to be as much a part of it as he could.
Right now he just needed to recover. He glanced around as he stood slowly, his stomach lurching as he closed his eyes. “Asshole move, Neller.” He smiled wistfully at the fact that he called himself by his last name as it was done in the league. There was a beeping sound from somewhere in the room and he sat back down to look around slowly, seeing his phone on the mattress next to where he was sleeping. He reached over gingerly to grab it, standing up for some much needed water from the fridge along with a few Advil.
Water first. He took it to the couch, breathing in the air from the open window as he took a seat on the couch and ran a hand through his hair. Aaron glanced at the screen to see a few notifications, unlocking it to skim through them. There was a lot of congratulation themed messages on every form of his social media, along with Goggle alerts and emails. There were even a few texts that he decided to read, cringing when he saw the thread with Holly’s name. He’d been a jerk to her, starting an argument about the night before while drunk and senseless as he read through her concerned responses. The last one must have been after he’d fallen asleep, asking over and over if he was alright.
Well, fuck him. Aaron took a deep breath and another long sip of water before he stared forward for a few moments. He needed to say something, to do something. He started typing an apology, sounding weak and unfocused as he read it with a scowl on his face. Aaron had brushed off a lot of girls this way yet he found himself having trouble apologizing? What the hell was happening to him?
It was Holly. He could still smell her in the apartment if he inhaled deeply enough. Aaron could still feel her tight around him, clinging to him as she reached her intense orgasms as he heard her cries.
He forced himself back to reality and shook his head, composing something that sounded sincere and responsible, as opposed to what he’d sent last night. Apparently, he’d tried to sect her along the way as well, making him shake his head. He hit send and sat quietly, wondering what would happen from there.