Love on Ice

Chapter 8 - Olivia

As soon as I step through the front door I collapse into a ball of utter shame. Fuck. Two days I've knows this dude and I fucking cried in front of him.

I have only cried once in the last year.

Oh god that reminds me.

That fucking day.

I need to ask James if we have a game and if so to book it off.

Maybe if I explain it's something to do with my sister he will understand and not pry? He didn't pry after I started crying and I am so glad of that.

I look over towards Megs, still soundo on the sofa.

"Megs, I'm going to get some sleep, I need to talk to you when you're sober," I shout as I walk to the kitchen and grab some water.

"You good Liv?" I hear a mumble from the cushion.

"Yeah. Sober up Megs, I need you in a few hours," I say as I make my way up the stairs towards my bedroom.

I get changed and snuggle down into my cold crisp bed and enjoy the darkness and slowly rising warmth.

~~

I get up and glance to my bed side table, the clock reads 245pm. Perfect, an hour to shower, eat and blurt my morning encounter with James to Megs. 

I make my way downstairs and find a freshly showered Megs tidying up the pizza trays and wine bottles.

"There's chips in the oven Liv, they will be ready in 10," she says.

"Perfect, I'm starving," I respond as I grab a glass and fill it with some fresh water and fill one for Megs too.

"Right girl, tell me your worries," Megs says as she sits at the breakfast table, "fuck, you're not fired are you?".

"No, no, thank god," I say as I pass her one of the glasses of water.

"Thank god," Meg replies, "so what was it you needed me for then."

"Something happened," I start.

"What do you mean? What happened?" Megs responds.

"Well...I may have..." I look at her.

"What? You may have what?".

"CriedinfrontofJames," I blurt out.

She sits up abruptly like a dog seeing a squirrel in a park.

"You what Liv? You didn't have a panic..."

"No, no thank god. Crying in front of him was bad enough Megs."

God, I am thankful I didn't have another panic attack in front of him. I haven't had one in a while but when I do, they hit me like a tonne of bricks, especially when I don't have Megs or my medication.

"Wait, who is James?" she asks.

"The coach, the head coach, the one that was shouting all those things yesterday at us," I reply.

"Oh, okay, so what made you cry in front of him Liv? It takes a fucking lot for you to cry these days."

I rest my head onto the cool marble worktop and take a deep breath, I never talk about Ellie these days and Megs knows not to pry.

"I bumped into him..." I start.

"Ha. Of course, you fucking did you clumsy bitch," Meg laughs.

I lift my head to look as her as I roll my eyes and continue.

"I bumped into him and he was grilling me about being late and hungover at work and then I got lightheaded and he took me back to his office," I carry on.

"...oh he did, did he," she smirks at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Megs, this is fucking serious right now," I give her a stern look.

"Okay okay sorry...oh god you didn't faint on him did you?" she states as she covers her mouth.

"No, no. Jesus girl can you just let me speak."

"I'm shutting up now, go on," Megs shuffles forward on her seat, listening intently.

"Okay, so, we went to his office and he was actually being really nice and got me some water, then he told me I could come back this afternoon and finish off my shift for the day during their practice," I take a sip of my water.

"Okay..." Megs responds.

"Then he told me he had something of mine, a picture that I must have dropped from yesterday when I dropped my portfolios...he gave it to me...and for fuck's sake out of the hundreds of fucking photos in those portfolios Megs, it had to be one of her," I lightly slap my hand on the countertop and sigh.

Megs eyebrows raise into a disbelief and understood look of why I cried in front of this dude, she knows me so well.

"Oh shit Liv," she replies quietly.

"As soon as I saw it, I just couldn't even get two words out, I didn't even know what to say to him."

"What did he say Liv? God he better not have been an arse."

"No...no...Megs, he was actually really understanding and was so comforting, he didn't even say much but his presence just made me so calm," I say as I glide my finger around the tip of the glass of water.

"Oh good, so wait I'm confused, how did you get home?" she asks.

"Oh yeah, ha, so," I say, "I didn't drive because of the hangover so I got an uber and he offered to take me home as he was headed out as well," I reply.

"So, he helped my little damsel in distress did he," Megs responds, full smirk back on to her face.

"Megs, he was just being nice. Also, he has another job alongside the team," I state.

"Really? What does he do?" Megs asks.

"He's a detective apparently," I respond.

"Ooooo, yes girl, fuck you need to get in there Liv."

"No, Megs, he's my boss and anyway, I need this job remember? I already told you I'm not letting him fuck that up."

She goes to open her mouth, but I hold my hand up and she instantly shuts it.

"Look, I embarrassed myself big time, so I need to show him why I'm there, I'm gunna spend the rest of the day at the arena trying to get some pics for my portfolio, so I will grab dinner on my way out okay?" I tell her.

"Yeah, yeah that's cool Liv, I was planning on going over Marks anyways so I might be late home too."

"Right, come on let's eat," I say as I remove the chips from the oven and set them down on the counter. Who needs plates right when you can eat off the baking tray?