Chapter 8 & 9

Chapter 8


Lacy made it through dinner for the most part with the exception of Katie and her never ending talking, talking about Max.

On their way out of the restaurant Katie kept talking about something that she bought for Max…Lacy couldn’t help that it was with his money as she saw the looks around the table. She wanted to laugh along with some of the other but just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Lacy really surprised herself she was allowing herself to have a good time even if she wished it could be Max-less because she really was getting along with all of these other girls. However Katie was making that very hard to do.

Out of all the girls though her and Vero had hit it off the most…a lot of it had to do they were from the same area. She couldn’t help but wonder if they could have been really good friends if her and Max had stayed together…if Marc and her did why couldn’t they….

Everyone had finished and they were making their way to their respective cars to go home when Vero stopped Lacy…

“Lacy…ummm how about we go get some coffee tomorrow or something..”

“Well I have to work tomorrow but I could maybe do lunch.”

“Ok great…” They worked out the rest of the details for tomorrow. Lacy couldn’t really believe she was doing this but Mac didn’t show up tonight so he wouldn’t show up tomorrow.

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Lacy was surprised at how fast her morning at work and really how excited she was to go meet Vero. A little after 12 when Lacy showed up at a little diner called the Igloo…she was a little late so she hurried in and sure enough Vero was sitting there waiting for her.

Vero looked up and saw Lacy headed her way. “Hi”

“Hi, sorry I’m late”

“No its fine…work is important…sometime I wish I had a job to keep me busy some days when I don’t have charity work with the girls.”

Lacy was really surprised about what she just heard but it was a pleasant surprise. She sat down and the conversation picked up just like it had been the night before. As they both got their food Vero decided that she couldn’t wait anymore to ask about the reaction she saw the night before.

“Lacy…I don’t know how touchy this is but I couldn’t help but notice last night when Katie came in and I mentioned that she was seeing Max that you seemed a little upset.

Lacy quietly cursed herself she thought that she had hid it very well but apparently not. She put her head down hoping that she could come up with a reason….but realized that she couldn’t dodge the situation. She went to say something but nothing came out

When Vero saw this she knew something was up but figured she would just start,

“Do you know Max?”

“Ummm…” Lacy really didn’t not want to get upset about this but it was hard for her…so she just took a deep breath

“… yea we grew up together. I guess you could say that we have a history.” She was willing herself not to cry…again.

“O” was all Vero could say.

“No its fine…its stupid really. Long story short…He broke my heart when I was 15 and I never really got over it or him for that matter. See told you stupid”

“No Lacy…not stupid.” Vero didn’t know what else to say but she did feel for Lacy she wanted to say anything to make Lacy feel better and she said the first thing that came to mind.

“Well ummm… I don’t know if this will help but I don’t they think they are serious…Max really isn’t serious about anyone…or anything…well except for hockey.”

Lacy forced a smile but it really didn’t make her feel much better….because even now she found herself wishing she had what Vero and Marc had.

Vero decided to change the subject and Lacy was grateful…they talked about just about everything and were enjoying each other’s company and new found friendship.

“Lunch was great V…”

“Yea it was I hope that because of everything that we can still be friends.”

“Yea that would be great I really don’t know many….” but Vero cut her off

“Crap…they weren’t supposed to show up.”

“What…Who…” Lacy turned around and saw the face she could never forget and turned around so her back was facing them. “Oh my god”

“I am so sorry Lacy…I didn’t…” but Lacy couldn’t say anything she wanted to go hide…but knew that wouldn’t happen…she really was having to face way too many things lately.

Vero got up to say hello to Marc and Max who had just finished saw practice.

“Hey V…we saw your car. So…figured you would like some company…” Max said as he walked up with Marc behind him…

“Yea sure…” Vero said shooting a look at Marc who just shrugged and whispered sorry he knew Vero was digging for information..he remembered a girl named Lacy from way back when.

“SO V who is this lovely lady you have sitting here with you…” Max said and slid into the seat and looked up only to see Lacy picking up her head…that deer in headlights look back…

“Lacy…”

“Hi….Max”

“Its been awhile….”

Lacy just looked at him…he was completely clueless… “Ummm nothing…can you get up I have to get back to work.”

Max just looked at her and nodded… On her way out Max followed behind her…

“Hey Lacy….maybe we could get together after work…”

“I’m sure Kristi would love that Max…”

“We aren’t really a couple it just a light thing…”

She didn’t know if she could do this but knew he wouldn’t give up now that he knew that she had befriended Vero…he was always persistent.

“Fine..” She gave him he address and made her way to her car…If she was going to do this it was going to be on her terms and her turf…she just have to pull that box out again and find that damn letter.

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Chapter 9

Lacy’s POV

I couldn’t get out of there fast enough….and he still followed me..Damn it he was always so damn persistent I hated it then and I sure as hate it now…but I broke down and gave him the address to my place. I know he wouldn’t quit especially now that he knew a way to get a hold of me even thought I’m not sure V would say anything. Hell I mean I know he tried to see me after I went to surprise him and he broke my heart but he stopped after while I think my brothers had something to do with that and then I would just avoid him whenever he was home. Apparently those days are over…but right now I really had to get back to work.

Damn it I couldn’t stop thinking about him….I’m really starting to think that is sucks to be in love with Max Talbot…especially when he has no clue and doesn’t feel the same. I couldn’t get what V said out of my head either. I mean Max was never the most serious person I knew but the way V described Max was stuck in her head…so much so that when I had a break I opened up Google….

“OH MY GOD….he is a manwhore…” I was shocked I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

That was enough to get Erin’s attention who still only talked about the Pens with me it was really freaking annoying….

“Who is a manwhore?” she looked at the screen on my computer….

“Oh Max…”

I just looked at her she called him by his first name…no last name…nothing. I must have had one hell of an expression on my face because she kept talking…

“What Lacy…it is common Knowledge that Max messes around….never dates girls seriously” but as she said this I noticed she had this smirk…

“Oh my god” and I put my head down I really was feeling light headed…

“What”

I turned my head and looked at her again… “Did you…are you…one of those girls?” I know it’s none of my business but I couldn’t help myself.

“Yes….and it was quite possibly the best sex of my life.”

Not what I wanted to hear…V said something about puck bunnies I think Erin may just be one of those girls. Erin interrupts my thoughts…

“Hey are you….sleeping with him.” she whispered the last part so we wouldn’t get any extra attention.

“NO” That was all I was going to say…I really didn’t feel like explaining myself to her…we didn’t exactly agree and get along and let’s be honest she slept with man that I was in love with for as long as I can remember so….

I got up and decided to get back to work….trying not to think about tonight….HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS….

Max’s POV

I don’t really understand why she gets that look every time she sees me…and then when her sister saw me she threw coffee on me…not like she accidently dropped it…SHE THREW IT AT ME…WHAT THE FUCK. Maybe I can get something out of V so I got her attention even though it looked like she was having a private discussion with Marc…

“So V we miss anything good..” she looked at me and she knew what I was what I was trying to do. Seriously can’t get anything by her. But not going to give up…Superstar doesn’t do that.

“What I talked about with Lacy is none of your business Max.”

“Come on V. You saw the look she gave me…” please give me something.

“Yea and you probably deserved it…and anyways she didn’t tell me much.”

But she did tell her something…probably about how we used to date….so nothing…still at nothing. Maybe Lacy will tell me tonight.

“Fine”

Vero just smiles at me but shakes her head and we head out of the diner. V had her own car and I rode with Marc so we went our separate ways…Now its time to try Marc he always had a good memory.

“So”

“So what Max”

“Come on Flower.”

“Why are trying so hard to figure this out”

“Because I got her to agree to see me tonight”

Flower just looked over at me and he looked genuinely surprise…he definitely knew something.

“For Christ sakes Flower…”

“You seriously have no clue….you don’t remember”

“I know we broke up but come on we were 15 and it happens.”

Marc just shook his head….he definitely remembered something

“She came to see you in Montreal…”

“And”

“Really Max”

“Flower come on give me something.”

“the letter Max…”

I just looked at him…the letter…I wrote her a letters all the time and sent them to her…what the hell is he talking about. Guess I’ll have to see if she knows anything but those looks she has given me I think she does know something….

I hung out with Flower for a while before I made my way to her place. I wanted to be there when she got home…I was never really good at waiting.

Flowers…Girls like flowers…maybe that will help with the looks

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As soon as Lacy saw the clock hit 5 she was out the door. She made sure that she had all her work done already. She wanted to get home she had some stuff to put away and she wanted to have the letter out just in case.

She was making her way up to her door and wasn’t really looking where she was going while she was looking for her key to door…

“Need some help”

“HOLY SHIT” Lacy dropped everything and looked up to see Max standing there with flowers.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.” Max said as he bent down to help her pick up her things and saw her keys…

“Looking for these” Max asked looking at Lacy…she was really flustered…he couldn’t help but think what he did that was so bad. But god she was beautiful even more so than he remembered.

Lacy took the keys and opened the door…and just hoped that he wouldn’t see the box in the corner of the room.

“Nice place.”

“Thanks”

“How have you been”

Lacy had no clue how to answer that. She wanted to just open up and say everything but she couldn’t let herself do that especially with what she read today.

“OK. Here have a seat. I have to go get something.” She wasn’t going to make this an all night thing she wanted to get it over and mourn….

“Sure…” he watched her walk away and couldn’t help but look up and down her body…yea she was hot…beautiful…sexy…he really had to control his thoughts.

Lacy came back out with an envelope….

“Why Max?” and Lacy handed him the letter….

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Max’s POV

“Why Max…”

How am I supposed to answer that I don’t know why I don’t even really remember the letter. I started to read the letter and it was all coming back

I remember deciding that having a girlfriend wasn’t what I wanted…I remember why I wanted to end things…not because I didn’t love her because I did but the guys would all go out and there were girls everywhere and they all wanted to be around us. I felt guilty but I wanted to be like the other guys well except Flower, and they only way I could do that was by breaking up with her…its worked for the last 10 years…but seeing her I don’t know … would I be an ass if I said some of those feelings never went away I just buried them deep away so I could do what I wanted to

I finished reading the letter and I looked over at Lacy she was just sitting there. I could tell she willing herself not to cry. If I didn’t know then that I hurt her I do now. I understand the look on her face when she saw me. We hadn’t seen each other since I dropped the letter off at her hotel…I tried to see her right after I felt even worse about doing it the way I did and when I came home I wanted to see her. I mean we were friends before we did the whole boyfriend girlfriend thing. But no one would let me see her…I mean her brothers practically tried to kill me. Guess now that I look back on it I don’t really blame them.

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Lacy’s POV

He took the letter and I could tell that he was lost…how could he not remember the letter and everything he put into it …I guess he was telling the truth though..He didn’t want a girl to hold him down…he just forgot to mention it wasn’t because of hockey but because he wanted to mess around with girls…obviously a habit that he hasn’t broken.

I was afraid to look at him honestly I wasn’t sure what reaction I was going to get if I got any from him at all. All of those pictures and articles and GOD ERIN….that wasn’t the Max that I knew …it wasn’t the Max that I loved.

Maybe this is all a waste of time…

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It seemed like forever to Lacy but Max finally looked up at her and just sat there. He wasn’t really sure what to say…Lacy could tell that she even saw a glimpse of the Max she knew…the Max she loved in his eyes while he tried to figure out something to say.

“Lac… I’m sorry…This letter …”

“What Max….this letter what…broke my heart into pieces. My brother walked back into that room to find me on the floor crying my eyes out.”

Max just looked down that would explain her brothers wanting to kill him after he got back.

“Don’t forget it was a letter…you couldn’t even do it in person.”

“I couldn’t…”

“YOU COULDN’T…YOU COULDN’T SEE ME CRY…YOU ALWAYS HATED THAT SO YOU DECIDED TO BE CHICKEN INSTEAD.” Lacy was hurt furious everything in the book…and she reached her brink.

“Lacy…there were things I wanted to do…”

“YOU COULDN’T DO THAT WITH ME…YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME AND YOU ALWAYS WOULD…” tears started pouring down Lacy’s face at this point. She was done talking.

“Please don’t cry…”

Lacy just shook her head …maybe she wasn’t done talking…

“No, you hurt me more than ever Max. I never got over it…EVER” and then she got up and went to the bathroom Max hot on her trail.

“Lacy”

“Don’t Max….” she opened the door “I know what you meant in that letter now…you didn’t want girlfriend to hold you back from being with any girl you wanted…your still like that…”

“Wait…”

“No I cant believe I thought I still loved you….YOU ARE DEFINITELY NOT THE MAX THAT I LOVED BACK THEN…YOU SHOULD JUST LEAVE.”

Max knew right then and there she had figured it out….he never meant to hurt her but he did...

He just nodded and turned around he was almost to the door when he turned around and walked back towards her…

“I’m sorry Lac” and kissed her on the cheek and turned for the door again Lacy didn’t follow him…as he got to the door he noticed a box in the corner…he walked over and saw all the pictures and little notes that they had written… “she saved everything ….even after everything…

He was almost in tears now and he didn’t cry…not even when he won the cup…but he did feel those feelings that he kept buried way deep down creeping up as he turned around and made his way out the door

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Max walked into the practice the next day…he still wasn’t allowed to be on the ice but he wanted to be around the guys. He got in there found the closest chair and plopped it down in front of Marc.

“I’m an asshole.”

Marc just looked up at him…. “So how did last night go”

“Just Great…she yelled she cried….and I deserved every bit of it.”

“You remember the letter now…”

“Remember she had the letter…I got to read it. GOD I’M AN ASSHOLE”

“Yea I guess you were pretty harsh…”

“PRETTY HARSH…FLOWER COME ON…Why didn’t you try and stop me.”

“I did…”

“You did.”

“Yea but you saw all the other guys with all the girls and you had girls left and right coming after you…you made your mind up.”

“Yea well I was stupid and I shouldn’t have done it…at least not that way”

Marc just looked at Max he really didn’t believe what he had just heard. Max always seemed so happy having a different girl every night…but if Marc didn’t know any better his friend still had feelings for the girl down the street..even if he tried to hide it from everyone he couldn’t from Marc because Marc was the same way about Vero…

“You think I can fix it…”

“I don’t know Talbo…but step one is getting rid of Katie” but Marc thought he was just feeling guilty until he looked up again and saw that Max was serious about something other than hockey or getting better…

“Holy Shit…”

“What”

“Your serious”

“What???” Max was confused…

“You still have feelings for her…you always have haven’t you.”

Max just nodded…

“I’m serious Max…get rid of Katie and I’ll see if I can help… but right now I have to get out there..”

“Yea” Max smiled since the first time he left her last night…he was going to try and get Lacy back…start over….