waiting // r. bortuzzo

Chapter 6

Between being sick and being sad, I somehow managed to write a decent chapter.

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"Mom, Dad. This is Robert. My boyfriend. Robert, this is Evie and John."

"It's nice to meet you, Robert. I'm sorry I had to be the one to get you here and not my daughter." He just laughed and put his arm around my waist. "I really appreciate everything the team has donated for the auction."

"No problem. The team loves giving back to the city. The fans are the reason we have a job and get to do what we love."

I rolled my eyes, "How humble of you Robert. Come on, let's go sit down while dinner is served." Eventually I was able to pull him away from my parents and sit at the table with my brother and one of the other Washington professors. She was in the STEM department with my brother, as was her husband.

"Is it true that you had your students bring in autographs for extra credit?" Her husband, Elliott, asked. My brother looked at me, unimpressed, as I nodded my head. "Well, I mean that's new."

"Homework pass if they got Robert's. Signature of the other team's was worth two passes. Malkin or Crosby got extra points on the next exam. I also have them watch netflix for homework."

"Must be nice teaching history." I didn't get along Elliott very well. He thought he was more important because he was an engineering prof.

"Teaching little known facts about a dark part of history and reading their papers and opinions on what happened, yeah. It's amazing." I took a sip of my wine, trying not to say anything more. I was wondering why he had to sit by us but then I remembered my sister in law loved Melissa.

"So, Robert, does hockey take up a lot of your time?" Thankfully someone changed the subject.

I kept my mouth shut as I kept ordering wine and ate not only my steak, but half of my daughter's food too. Had to keep something in my stomach so I was able to actually walk when I had to stand back up.

Robert's hand was on my knee when he wasn't eating. It made me nervous for some reason. Maybe it was the butterflies. Maybe it was the wine. All I knew is that he scared me. I didn't want him to leave and then have Adelaide asking, only to break my heart even more.

"I hope you know that you look amazing tonight," he whispered in my ear, "and I totally forgive you for not telling me about this." He smiled at me as my face turned red. Okay maybe he wasn't leaving anytime soon.

As soon as dessert was served and finished, my mom sent me and my brother in two different ways to mingle with everyone. She wanted to split me and Robert up, but I told her that wasn't happening. We could be the power couple if my parents weren't here also.

"Excuse me, Robert, but can I steal your date for a moment?" Jake and Addie walked up to us as we set down our drink glasses.

"Only if I can steal yours."

Robert picked up my little girl and started dancing around the floor with her. Jake and I took a minute to watch as she giggled with the tall hockey player.

"Is he good to her?"

"He wouldn't be around her if he wasn't. Besides, she kind of picked him." I felt a pang of nostalgia, but as soon as I looked at Robert and Addie it went away.

I would always love Jake, that was pretty obvious. He's always going to be a part of my life whether I liked it or not. Robert knew that and was fine with it.

Once the song was over, Jake brought Addie over to his parents and Robert kept me on the dance floor. "You didn't think I was going to let you leave me just yet, did you?"

"Why would I ever want to leave you?" I rested my head on his shoulder as he sang along. I didn't want that moment to end, as cliché as that sounds. I just wanted to keep dancing.

It was scary and breathtaking at the same time. I wanted to say something, but I was never one for words. And if I opened my mouth I was afraid those three words would come out. After Jake, I said I was going to put my daughter first and love second.

"Want another glass of wine?" I hadn't realized the song ended and was caught off guard. "I'll take that as a yes." Robert leaned down to kiss my forehead and led me over to the bar.

The rest of the night was a blur. Not because I was drunk, but it seemed like I was talking to far too many people about way too many subjects. I barely remember saying goodbye to my own daughter.

"If you two want to leave, you can." My mother told us towards the end of the night. "I think we have everything handled now."

"Okay, dinner on Sunday?"

"Is Robert invited?" I rolled my eyes at my mom. I don't invite him to one thing and I'll probably never live it down.

"He leaves for a road trip that morning or I would have him come, mother."

"Well have a good night, you two."

We were invited over to his teammates to drink more and hang out, but we declined. I just wanted to get home and out of my shoes. Luckily, Robert was more than happy to give me a piggy back up to my apartment.

My boyfriend set me down and I just cuddled into his chest. I didn't want to move, my feet hurt too bad. After a moment, he distanced himself from me and tilted up my chin. It didn't take much time at all for our lips to meet.

He picked me up, bringing me to my bedroom. I fumbled with his shirt buttons as he bit my bottom lip. He laughed and grabbed my shaky hands. Bringing them up to his lips, he tried to calm me down.

"Go slow. There's no rush. We have all the time in the world." I took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. He wasn't trying to get this over with, like I was just another girl he was sleeping with. He actually cared.

My hands steadied and I was able to finish getting off his shirt. It's not like I hadn't seen him shirtless before. This was a completely different context, especially with one of his hands lifting up my hips and the other taking off my bottoms.

It was weird, I'm not going to lie. After a few years of meaningless sex, being with someone that means so much to me feels foreign.

"We don't have to." He noticed my hesitation. "That can be enough for tonight."

"No. No, I want to." Robert leaned down to kiss me, sliding himself between my legs. He went slow at first until he found his rhythm.

I was left breathless and inevitably sore, but I wouldn't change it for anything. I laid my head on his chest, his sweaty chest, and caught my breath.

"Do you want some water?"

"Yeah, sure." He got up, but I followed him. I wrapped my sheet around my body and waited by the island for him to finish. My boyfriend stood across the counter from me, smiling. "What?"

He just shook his head, "I'm in way too deep and I don't care."