Number Eleven

Chapter 20.

Ava POV

"So let me get this straight, your dad pretty much ripped the skin off of Oakley's back cause he wants to play pro?" Tyler asks, seemingly gobsmacked as we come close to the end of our four-hour drive to Penticton.

"Pretty much. Talk about a great first impression."

My eyes roll on their own as I toss my feet up on the dashboard. 

As hard as I had tried to ignore my dad the morning after his very unnecessary hissy fit, I was cornered on my way out of the house. 

He was stone-faced as he demanded we sit and talk, not taking no for an answer. Being the stubborn gal that I so proudly am, I only grew more annoyed when he used the whole just looking out for me speech as his apology when I caved and decided to let him speak. I had rolled my eyes, crossed my arms and let his words go in one ear and straight out the other before I nodded my head and said goodbye, not letting him convince me to stay any longer than I needed too.

He was completely unfair the night before, and if I'm honest, seriously embarrassing too. A simple apology isn't going to do it for me.  

"That's rough. How did he take it? I would have been pretty pissed." Tyler gives a shrug of his shoulders while keeping his eyes planted on the winding road in front of us.

"He definitely played it off for my benefit. We haven't actually had a chance to sit down and talk about the whole NHL thing since," I state. Hopefully, that will change tonight.

There are so many unknowns in our relationship, just sitting above my head, taunting me day and night. I could pull my hair out at the roots most days as the worry and doubt clouds all of my thoughts. What do we plan on doing if he does get drafted early? Just sit and hope for the best? 

Are we just simply setting ourselves up for failure? Can we even make this work when I'm stuck here and he's jetting all around North America surrounded by beautiful women, or will we crash and burn like the most tragic of love stories? Everything in my brain is screaming at me to run away before things get messy and most importantly, I get hurt again.

I swore I wouldn't give anybody the power to break me ever again, but I did.

He can break me.

~~~

We pull up outside Oakley's house within the hour, and I can feel my heart physically swell as I study the house in front of me. You can almost feel the love radiating from the front door. 

"Ready to head in?" Tyler's strong voice rips through the silence and I slightly nod my head before opening the door and stepping into the freezing October air. Luckily this time I decided to dress weather appropriate and from the help of Morgan, had quite the cute look going on.

Much to Morgan's despair, I went for a simple outfit. A loose blush blouse and dark skinny jeans cover my pale skin and basically scream practical. It's perfect. 

"Ready as I'll ever be."

Tyler lets out a deep chuckle and falls into step beside me. Once we reach the front door it's him that raps on the door three times, announcing our arrival.

After a few seconds, the door flies open, revealing a very handsome looking Oakley. Dressed in a black button-down and a pair of very tight dark wash jeans he looks good enough to eat. His usual cap covered messy hair has been trimmed and gelled to perfection, and don't get me started on the beard that now fully covers his jaw and chin.

"Hey, baby. You look gorgeous." I hear Oakley say with a strong sense of approval.

Slowly I drag my eyes off of his gorgeous body and up to his even prettier set of eyes. They glimmer with happiness and I can't help but let my smile grow.

"Hi," I squeak, wishing Tyler wasn't standing beside me so I could just pounce on him already.

"Hello? I'm literally right here." Speak of the devil.

Oakley smirks and opens up the door wider so that Tyler and I can head inside. "Hey buddy. Glad you could make it."

"Thanks for having me. I don't remember the last time I was in a house that smelled like this much food." I search for the sadness in his words, but I don't find any. Unfortunately, I feel it claw its nails into my heart and squeeze tightly. 

"Where's that lovely mother of yours? I was promised quite the feast," I tease, hoping my comment will bring back the playful feeling from just seconds ago.

"And a feast you will get my dear Ava. Oh, don't you look just beautiful!" Anne exclaims while bustling into the entryway, an apron tied around her neck with the words Worlds Best Mom written across the front.

"So do you, I love your dress," I beam. The black dress falls a few inches above her ankles and has beautiful yellow daisies splattered across the silky material.

"Oh no need to flatter me, I already like you." She sends me a cheeky wink before turning her attention over to Tyler.

"And you must be the infamous Tyler that Gracie won't stop talking ab..." she cuts herself off when her very annoyed looking teenage daughter storms in the room.

"MOM!" Gracie shrieks, her hands on her hips and a deep pink color spreading across her cheeks. 

"I mean, that Oakley has told me so much about," Anne corrects herself, although she still wears a sly smirk.

A wide-eyed Tyler just lets out an uncomfortable laugh as he eyes up a very embarrassed Gracie.

"Hey Gracie, why don't you give me a tour of the house?" I pipe up. Oakley goes to protest, only to be rewarded with a tense stare. "You don't mind, do you, babe?" 

"No! No of course not. Go ahead," he gulps. 

"Perfect! Let's go." I link my arm around Gracie's and pull her away from the uncomfortable situation her poor mother created.

"You're seriously a lifesaver," Gracie breathes out when we make it to the back of the house. 

"Don't worry, in a few minutes Tyler won't even remember what your mom said."

"It doesn't matter anyway. He looks at me like I'm a little girl. Which yeah, I guess I am. But I don't care! It still sucks," she mumbles.

I feel her pain. Being a teenage girl crushing over an older guy that they know they can't have? What girl hasn't been there? According to Oakley, she's been fantasizing over Tyler since the first team practice they came to watch. Which happened almost six months ago.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, you're gorgeous and any guy would be lucky to have you," I say, smiling to myself when I start to see her frown turn into a slight grin. "Speaking of which, when will that boyfriend of yours be here? Jacob right?"

"Yes Jacob, and he should be here any minute now." Her usual giddy attitude is back and I mentally give myself a pat on the back. "Let's get on with the tour shall we?"

~~~

"So glad you could make it man." 

Oakley fist pumps who I can only guess is Andre and pulls him in for a loose hug.

Andre stands at maybe an inch or two off of Oakley's huge frame and truly does live up to the hype appearance-wise. Although, he really is nothing compared to the guy standing beside me. But then again, who is?

"Dude, I wouldn't miss meeting the girl who managed to tame my dear best friend for anything." The two guys belt out in laughter together and I simply stand back and watch them interact with a ghost of a smile on my lips.

"Ava, this i***t is Andre. Andre, this is my girlfriend Ava." 

"Bro you forgot to mention she's a f*****g smoke show." Andre slowly looks me up and down before shooting me a flirty wink. His way too obvious attempt at flirting with me rubs Oakley the wrong way as he takes a step in front of me, shielding me from Andre's wandering eyes.

"No," Oakley simply states. 

"Woah, stand down doggy. I'm harmless I promise." 

Oakley hesitantly moves back to his place beside me and I notice Andre drop his hands from the surrender position back down to rest in the front pockets of his beige khakis.

Typical. 

I feel an arm slip around my waist as I'm suddenly pulled right up against Oakley's side.

You would think by now he would know he has no competition when it comes to other guys.

"Damn girl you really f****d up my dude here. Tell me, what's the trick? I'm sure you know of the line ups of girls who would die to know your answer." His words come out teasingly, but unfortunately, this joke also doesn't sit well with Oakley either. Actually, I can't say it sits well with me either.

"Andre," he growls as we all sit down in the living room. I'm quickly yanked down on Oakley's lap, a shriek falling from my lips as I land forcefully on his thighs.

"Oakley," Andre teases again as he flops down on the remaining seat beside him. 

Does this guy have a death wish?

"What line-ups?" I question.

"Oh, Oakley has always been quite the hot commodity. Lucky for you, though, he never gave them any attention. Not many of them anyway," he laughs, shoving his fist out in front of him and waiting for Oakley to clash their fists together. 

He never does.

My stomach flips and I get the overwhelming need to punch something. I'm not naive. Obviously, I know he's a catch. It just freaking sucks hearing it come out of someone else's mouth. Especially someone as close to Oakley as Andre.

"Don't listen to him, Ava. He wouldn't understand the word relationship if it bit him in his own dick." His grip on my waist tightens and I try and will the overwhelming bad thoughts away. I want to enjoy this day. I need to. 

~~~

"That was absolutely delicious Anne," I compliment, rubbing the belly that is threatening to flow over the waistband of my now way too tight jeans.

"Thank you, sweetheart. Come help me with the dishes?" Her eyes beam with happiness and I give her a gentle smile, nodding my head as I get up from the table and start collecting the plates.

Once all the dishes are gathered and resting on the counter, we start washing. Anne starts filling the sink with warm soapy water, a light hum filling the peaceful space as I start loading the dishwasher.

"I'm so happy you could make it today, sweetie."

"I'm really happy to be here. You cook a fabulous turkey." I place a glass bowl into the top rack before sending her a grateful smile. 

 "You're too sweet." She plops a pair a gravy dish into the sink, the water sloshing over the middle divider as she innocently prods. " I hear things didn't exactly go to plan the other day?"

"Yeah, you can say that," I mutter, shoving a fork harder than necessary into the utensil holder.

"I hope I'm not overstepping here, but I just wanted to say that if my son wasn't serious about you he wouldn't have asked you to come here today. Believe it or not, you're the first girl he's ever brought home to meet me."

This spikes my interest, "Really? Andre didn't make it seem that way earlier."

"Oh, dear. Don't you listen to a word that comes out of his mouth. I love him like my own but that young man never did know when to stop talking." She gives her head a shake and clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

"I figured as much. He seems to have a set of loose lips." 

Her gentle laugh fills the room, "I agree with you, I hope he didn't end up getting that from me. His mother definitely didn't have anything to do with it, she's as quiet as a mouse that one."

That definitely doesn't sound like Andre. 

"My poor daughter, having to deal with my embarrassment all the time. Tell me, is she mad at me? For earlier?" Anne asks, her hands resting in the soapy water as she stares out the window above the sink. 

"She'll be fine. She's tougher than she looks." 

Anne nods her head, her eyes still staring into space. 

"Can I ask you something?" I mutter, my cheeks flushed. 

She turns to me with a gentle smile before pulling her hands from the sink and wiping them dry with her tea towel.

"Do you ever worry about when he'll be gone? It seems to be all I can think about since the other night." I watch as she reaches a now dry hand up to her neck, grasping a dangling locket in a tight fist. 

"Of course I do. But I know he'll always be here when we need him. My boy has been taking care of Gracie and I ever since his father passed away. It's time he did something for himself."

Time seems to slow as I drop the plate I'm holding, sending it straight to the tile floor and causing it to shatter. I stand frozen, my mind reeling as Anne starts to call my name, asking if I'm okay. I might have nodded, I don't remember.

I'm officially the worst girlfriend ever. How did I not know? He avoids the topic of his dad at all costs, always switching the subject or getting frustrated and stomping off. Why didn't he tell me? He knows everything about me. Every hidden secret, every memory I've tried so desperately to forget and I get this? I get to find out his father passed away, from someone who's isn't him.

"Ava! Baby are you okay?" A deep voice asks. 

That's definitely not Anne.

I feel two hands on my shoulders, familiar tingles rushing to where I'm touched as I blink my eyes, focusing on the mossy green ones staring back at me expectantly. Oakley is crouched down in front of me, rubbing his hands up and down my arms while repeating my name and asking if I'm okay. I shrug him off and turn around before stumbling to the back door.

I can hear his footsteps thumping on the floor behind me as he follows me outside. I make it to the backyard and stop walking when I feel the bottoms of my socks start getting wet from the damp grass underneath them.

"What's wrong? What happened in there? Answer me, baby. Please. I'm freaking out," he pleads while keeping a safe distance behind me.

"Did Andre say something else?" 

"When did your dad die?" I ask, barely above a whisper as I rip the bandaid off. 

My hands are shaking and my heart pounds. I hear him take in a sharp breath and I stand still, waiting for him to answer me.

One minute. Two minutes. Five minutes.

 Nothing.

I'm sure my nose is bright red from the cold as the harsh wind nips at the bare skin on my face. Standing out here, freezing my ass off in this weather is absolutely pointless if he's not going to talk to me.

 I turn around to head back inside when I hear him.

"When I was thirteen," he chokes out, keeping his head ducked down.

Silence warps the air around us once again as all words die on my tongue. What even is the right thing to say to that? Are you okay? I'm sorry for your loss? No. I don't think there is anything right to say. 

"Were you going to tell me?"

"Of course I was! But it's not something I tell just anyone!" he declares, his voice growing in volume as he becomes frustrated. Seconds later his eyes widen, his words rewinding themselves in his brain and sending a jolt of regret through his mind. 

The sarcastic laugh escapes my throat before I can stop it, "Just anyone? Really?"

"You know that's not what I meant." His eyes roll as he glares at me.

"Do I? I seem to not know anything about you," I start, my own voice getting louder. "You know, Adam warned me about this. And I brushed him off because I thought that when you were getting me to open up and tell you everything about my own screwed up past that you would have done the same. But I guess I was wrong. You're a f*****g hypocrite." I'm yelling at him now and I can only think about the show we're giving everyone for a second before he speaks again.

"Of f*****g course Adam would try to turn you against me! Are you seriously naive enough not to see that he's clearly in love with you?" he snarls, throwing his hand into the air before using it to grab a handful of his hair.

"Don't flip this on Adam. I don't know what personal vendetta you have towards him but you need to knock it off."

"Are you serious? A personal vendetta? The guy is so f*****g desperate for your attention and you're the only one who doesn't see it. Why do you think he sends me dirty looks? Or was so upset that I was the one who took care of you the night you found out your mother tried to contact you? He looks at you the way only I should be able to look at you."

My jaw drops and I just stare back at him with shock evident on all my features. I don't want to believe him, but I would be lying to myself if I said that it doesn't all make sense.

"This is about you and me right now. Not Adam," I force through my burning throat. 

This is too much for me. I can't handle this. Not tonight.

I tear my eyes off of his once I feel the wetness start pooling up. I refuse to cry. Not here and certainly not like this.

I need to go inside and ask Tyler if we can go home. We were supposed to stay here tonight but there is no way I can stay here tonight.

I need Morgan.

The Oakley I know isn't here, he's been replaced by this aggressive, hard-headed one and all I want to do is shove my knee straight through his groin.

I turn away and take large, fast strides to the door.

"Where are you going? We're not done here," he growls out, clearly frustrated. Welcome to the freaking club.

"Home. Don't follow me, just let me leave. We can talk once you remove your head from your ass."

With my words hanging in the air, I gather the remaining pieces of my confidence and walk inside. I say my goodbyes, thank Anne for the lovely dinner, after apologizing for the extremely embarrassing show in her backyard, and let Tyler drive us home. All while I desperately try to stop our fight from repeating over and over in my head for the entire four hours.