Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“You look like you’re either in love with me and it hurts, or I kicked your dog.” I try not to make a big deal out of it. But my phone in my hand feels like a bomb ready to explode. “My parents called,” I tell him, and he puts his head back.
“We should have called them. We should have covered all our bases before this happened.” He hits his head with the phone in his hand. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck,” he repeats again before he takes his phone and whips it across the room. It smashes as soon as it falls to the floor.
“I don’t know why you would do that.” I shake my head. “It’s just adding one more thing to the list of things we have to do now. Get Zane a new phone.” I walk past him to his phone and look at the screen. “Well, it’s not that bad,” I say, seeing two cracks in the screen. “Screen protector saved it.”
“Victoria,” he hisses out my name, “I’m going to need you to start freaking out just a little bit. Or at least show that you are as bothered about this as I am.”
“Why?” I ask, walking into his bedroom. “You seem to be freaking out enough for the both of us.” He stands there. “What I’m going to do is take a shower,” I tell him, “get dressed, and head over to Jaxon’s house.” I walk to him and put my hands on his hips. “Once we are there, we will call my parents and discuss things.”
“I have to call Ken back.” He runs his hand through his hair. “He’s going to want to put out a statement.”
“Okay.” I shrug. “You do what you need to do.” I try not to show him that I’m going to be freaking out just a bit, but it’ll be okay.
“Just like that?” he hisses.
“I didn’t want to say this,” I smile at him, “but I’d be more worried about my father than the press.” I tap my hand on his chest. “You deal with Ken. I’ll deal with my father. See? Divide and conquer.”
He glares at me as I walk away. Ten minutes later, he’s in the bathroom. “How are we feeling?” I look over at him as I turn off the water and step out. “You look like you’re getting your color back.” I grab a towel. “What did you and Ken decide to say?”
He rubs his hand over his face. “It’s a private matter and we don’t discuss our team’s private life off the ice.”
“I approve. Now, you need to get into the shower if you are going to come with me to Jaxon’s house.”
“It’s not even nine,” he tells me.
“I’ve had five missed calls from my father, fifteen from my mother, and two from Jaxon.” Whatever color had come back on his face is now gone. “So I’m not going to say this is an urgent matter,” I roll my lips, “but I’m not not saying it. I will say you were right about one thing. We definitely should have told my parents.”
He puts his hand on his chest. “I think I’m having a heart attack,” he groans, rubbing his chest. “Like there is a pain in my chest.”
“Okay, that’s being a bit dramatic.” I roll my eyes. “But if you really are, that would maybe help a little.” I laugh. “Zane,” I say his name, “it’s going to be fine.”
“How can you say that?” he asks me, his hand moving up to touch my face.
“Because it can’t get worse.” I tap his chest. “Get in the shower.”
Forty minutes later, we are walking out of his house and headed toward Jaxon’s. His phone rings as soon as we sit in the car and I look at the center where it displays just the word dad.
“I think someone is in trouble.” I sing out and he shoots me a look before he presses answer.
“Hey,” he says, “I’m in the car and you are on speaker phone.” He warns him.
“Zane,” he says his name and I smile because he sounds so much like him just older, “what the ever loving F is going on.”
“I can explain.” He says, “it’s not what it seems.”
“I’m listening.”
“Oh shit you wanted me to explain now.” He laughs, “okay well I’m dating this woman.” He grabs my hand to kiss my fingers, “and she’s younger than me.”
“What is this hogwash about you grooming her?” He snaps out and I speak up to defend my man.
“No,” I snap out and then put my hands to my lips, “hi,” I say to the screen, “I’m Tori, it’s nice to meet you or meet your voice.”
“It’s good to meet you.” He says.
“Dad, I promise you that it’s all lies and when the season is over, I’m going to bring her down to you and you can meet her.”