Clipped by Love
Page 19

Leaning on my elbow, I glare at him. “Because when I go into the NHL and I bring home the Cup, my dad will know his sacrifice was worth it,” I say more sharply than needed, but I don’t like that he thinks he knows me.
When Jude and Jace start laughing, I fully expect Jayden to join in—this is the reaction I always get—but his gaze is locked on mine.
“The NHL? The National Hockey League that only men play for? Don’t you mean the women’s league?” Jace asks, but I shake my head as I look over at him.
“No, I will be the first woman in the NHL,” I said confidently.
I watch as Delanie covers her face while Mandie rolls her eyes. Even they don’t believe that I can do it. Jude and Jace obviously think it is the funniest thing they’ve ever heard.
“What!?” Jace laughs. “Really? You think so?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Jude asks but then stops laughing when I look down. But I refuse to allow myself to be embarrassed. I know I can do it. “You’re not kidding.”
“No, I’m not,” I say simply.
“And why should she think differently?” Jayden says then, bringing all the attention to him. I look up, but he isn’t looking at me, but at Jace. “She’s the only girl I’ve ever seen who could actually pull it off.”
No one says anything, and when his gaze falls to mine, he nods. “I don’t doubt a bit that you’ll make it.”
Before I can say anything, Jace laughs. “Dude, I’ve never seen you work this hard to get laid.”
“Shut up, Jace,” Jude and Jayden say then, and I can’t believe I almost believed him. That I almost thought he was being true.
“You don’t have to mock me, I don’t need your approval,” I say then, and Delanie lets her head fall back, groaning.
Looking over at me from where he was glaring at Jace, he says, “I wasn’t mocking you, and I apologize that my brother is a fucking idiot. I am speaking the truth. Believe me or don’t, but I believe in you.”
No one says anything as the air thickens with tension. For some reason, I want to believe him, but it’s so hard.
No one believes in me but my dad.
And Jayden does want to get laid.
But when I look at him, in his eyes, I’m not only lost in the green depths of them, but I think I may believe him. I don’t understand that. I don’t believe that anyone believes in me. I don’t trust anyone, but for some damn reason—and believe me, it pisses me off—I want to trust him. Stupid and so naïve, I know, but I do.
Looking away because he honestly freaks me out, I look down at my steak to eat and push the idiotic part of myself away, reminding myself that guys are assholes. That they will use you to get ahead. That they are selfish and only look out for themselves. That no one will love or believe in me like my dad does. But then I look up and I see this guy, looking at me differently than anyone else has ever looked at me.
And I just don’t understand it.
Before anyone can say anything, a group of voices comes from the side of the house and then a guy is yelling, “Hey, fuckers! The party is here!”
Jude hops up along with Jace to greet the group of guys, but Jayden doesn’t move as he takes a long pull of his beer.
“These are y’all’s friends, right?” Delanie asks Jayden.
“Yeah, some guys from Nashville drove down to party for the weekend. Then some guys from the Kings are coming too. I heard it’s gonna be insane in a couple hours.”
“Cool,” she says and he nods.
“Yeah, it’s gonna be a good night.”
When he stands, he picks up his plate and then glances over at me, catching me looking at him.
“Come on, Moore, hurry up. It’s time for me to kick your ass.”
I smile as I move my steak around. “Not gonna happen.”
His grin widens before he starts for the house, and I watch until he disappears. Once the door shuts, I regret it since Delanie and Mandie are looking at me with knowing looks.
Looking away, I roll my eyes and say, “Shut up.”
“I’m glad we don’t have to say anything,” Mandie says and I flip her off, which sends her into a fit of giggles.
“But just in case, go up there and fuck him on the table. Please!”
“Whoa, who’s fucking who where?” Jace says, coming up and wrapping his arms around Delanie’s shoulders.
She giggles, leaning her cheek against his. I glare at her, telling her to keep her mouth shut, and thankfully she does. “Me and you, duh.”
“Oh, for sure,” he agrees, kissing her jaw. “I was kinda hoping you were talking about Baylor and Jayden.”
She sends me a look as Mandie giggles beside her. “Oh really?” she asks as I look up at Jace. He’s like a mixture of Jude and Jayden. He isn’t as dark as they are, hair- and eye-wise, but his facial features are a lot like theirs. He’s adorable but looks like a baby, unlike his gorgeous brother who is big and burly. But the way he’s looking at me now, like he’s well older than his years, makes me uncomfortable.
“Yeah, I think my brother likes you. Like more than a random fuck, like.”
“What makes me you say that?” I find myself asking.
“Because he isn’t one to just talk. When he talks, it’s for a reason, and he definitely doesn’t blow smoke up someone’s ass. With you, he respects you. You have to respect a chick to like them, so yeah, I don’t know. It’s weird.”
Looking down, I suck in a breath as he goes on, “I think you’d like him if you got to know him.”
“What’s the point?” I say, looking back up at him. “I’ll never see him again.”
He nods. “That’s true,” he says with a shrug, and it’s obvious he’s bored with me now. Looking down at Delanie, he asks, “You done? Wanna help me start the fire?”
“Sure,” she agrees before getting up, and then they are off, leaving me and Mandie at the table. She stands as I pick at my steak before gathering the plates that were left.
Looking over at me, she says, “I agree. What’s the point, right? But what says you guys can’t keep in contact afterward?”
“I don’t have time,” is my answer to that, but she rolls her eyes.
“You better find time before you’re left with nothing to remember your life outside of the rink.”