K I M B E R L Y

"he wants us to be friends, I want that too but there's a lot of things he hasn't told me,"

"there's also something you haven't told him," she arcs a brow at me.

"so we're keeping huge secrets from eachother then," my sigh comes out more desperate than I intended. "can I talk about something else?" I ask in a rush and she nods. Therapists are great listeners, I mean she's paid to do it, but yeah, she's listened to me ramble and ramble about nothing, and Lee, lots of Lee talk.

"whatever you want to talk about, Kim, years ago when we first started these sessions, I told you this was a safe space and you are free to talk about anything here,"

"including my almost–inactive slash unenjoyable sex life since college?" I grin almost shamefully, "or my control freak of a mom?" Dr. Harley raises a brow, silently urging me to continue talking about whatever

"she froze two of my accounts, I was able to deal with the other three before she could get to them," I sigh. "And I was able to move out of my sister's home yesterday, even though she wanted me to stay, we had the best bonding time, especially with her baby, he's a beautiful boy," I smile whenever I think of him.

"so you were happy at Elizabeth's?"

"yeah, yeah, I was, despite the fact that I was literally chased to go there, I loved being about family, Aaron, Junior and their crazy hockey family, I just loved it, it felt really good to just be, you know, normal again,"

"of course it should, they're family, you said so yourself,"

"yeah, yeah," I sigh. "can I cut this session short? I've got a meeting with the director of my first romance movie and I've got a flight to Zurich tomorrow at the earliest,"

"you're literally paying me to sit and listen to you, you're too kind to even be asking me that, Kim, go on, do what you have to do,"

"can we have our sessions online? I literally don't know when I'll be back," I chuckle.

"whatever you need, Boss," Dr. Harley nods as I exit her office with a crazy bright smile on my face. It's the happiest I've ever been in a long while.

It's been two weeks since Mom chased Jason and I away from the place we called home; and it's been all over magazines and talkshows— literally almost everywhere. I'm trying my hardest not to read the tabloids but it's so crazy for me right now, I can't even walk a couple of blocks without being followed around by the paparazzi. My security has it worse, they've had to chase people away from me. What are they asking?

how do your feel about being chased away from home by your mother?

how is Liz feeling about it?

are you finally out of bondage as some people would call it?

And then here's the blockbuster question,

are you dating Hudson Ace?

Recently, the NHL cleared Lee to play two games. Lee called to tell me before Aaron came home to Liz, and he said he wanted me to be at his games. I came to both of them, where I watched him get two assists and a crazy goal, one where I screamed involuntarily and jumped as the spectators yelled "ACE!"

I realized then how much I missed hockey and the energy that came in the arena when a goal was scored, the shouts of triumph and the jumping and yelling. The crazy feeling and rush or adrenaline. Lee felt it too, I could tell by the way he smiled and laughed as his teammates surrounded him, a crazy goal indeed.

Right after the second game, I was being chased to my car by a swarm of reporters who claimed to notice the undying chemistry between Lee and I and how he often looked at the stands, particularly where I sat. I don't believe them, they're journalists, they'd say anything to make a story because that's how they earn a living.  So I got into my car and my driver drove away, before more evasive questions came in.

Neil Hanson, the director of Never, Ever, Never has been known in the industry for a long time, to direct romance and steamy new adult movies. Lee and I are scheduled to meet him today; and as dumb as it sounds, I'm more anxious to see Lee than I am to see Neil. See? dumb.

Neil owns a dance studio, and so that's where we'd meet. My eyes scan the parking lot, only to find Lee's Maserati already parked– shame, I was actually hoping to be here before him.

☽︎ ☽︎ ☽︎

I make my way into the dance studio. Neon lights and dancers swarm the place as I walk in, and upbeat pop songs play loudly from the speakers. I see Lee first and he waves me, walking towards me instantly. I swear my body tingles at the sight. He's wearing a perfectly tailored suit that outlines his muscles and specs, his beard has grown more since the last time I saw him without a hockey helmet on, and he looks so good I think I'm going to drool.

Lusting after one's ex is an incredibly bad idea.

"Hey," his eyes capture me.

"Hi," I smile, "You clean up nicely," I almost choke on the words as they leave my lips.

"Admiring me, huh?" a playful smirk animates his perfect face.

"don't think too highly of yourself," I roll my eyes and he chuckles.

"too late, I already do," He smiles back at me and grin. "Neil's right over there," He points to Neil who waves us over.

Weird right? I thought they'd started already.

"Neil and I agreed not to start without you," I hear Lee say and I mentally slap myself for saying that out loud.

"Kimberly Summers," Neil shakes hands with me. "It's an honor, I've heard wonderful things from your former directors,"

"it's an honor to meet you too, Neil,"

"Hudson and I already met,"

"I can see that," I chuckle.

"Come on, it's noisy here, I have an office upstairs," he beckons us to follow him and we do.

A couple of walks and an elevator brings us to an almost–quiet place, the music downstairs in the background. Neil leads us to an office, where Lee and I take our seat on the couch and Neil seats opposite us.

"How you feeling about the flight to Zurich tomorrow?"

"okay, I guess," Lee and I answer at the same time, and Neil smiles. I know he's probably thinking, how did they do that?

"Ace, do you have like any little knowledge of acting?" Neil asks.

"um....." Lee starts and I suddenly hope he doesn't bring up what I'm thinking. "I took. couple of classes with my girlfriend in college, um....my ex now, back then she'd drag me to her drama classes when I wasn't doing anything, and the teacher had this stupid crush on me so she let me stay, yeah it was years ago, but I still remember the basics and all,"

He remembers when I dragged him to my drama classes. He remembers. Why?

"ah that's good, I made your script a bit easier actually," Neil chuckles. "since you play hockey, I figured you had no idea what you were getting into,"

"and about the scripts," he smiles. "You'd be getting them on the flight tomorrow, I hope you're okay with that,"

"of course, yeah," Lee and I reply at the same time, again. This time we both share a brief glance before looking back at Neil.

Neil uses the rest of his time to give us a little briefing on the storyline of our movie. He proceeds to talk about the intimacy area of the contract we signed. "I finally finished the book and I discovered more, it's just about sex it's about love, and passion and a crazy amount of respect that both lovers have for eachother, so I made changes to the script last minute, less sex, more emotion and a dash of sexual tension, that way you don't have to be terrified of your siblings seeing the movie," he looks to me and I chuckle.

"yeah that would be super awkward," even the imagination of that makes me cringe.

"Well then I guess we're done here, see you guys tomorrow," Neil stands to his feet and we follow suit, shaking hands and saying our goodbyes.

Lee and I walk out of the dance studio, my stupid hands aching to feel the scruff on his chin.

"see you tomorrow then," Lee speaks up and we exchange smiles.

"you were never a morning person," I find myself saying and he laughs.

"hockey has made me a morning person, trust me," He shrugs, a light chuckle escaping his lips.

"yeah, yeah," I grin at him.

"I missed this," he says casually.

"you miss what?" I blink up at him.

"laughing with you," he says, his eyes holding a huge glint of happiness in them.

"well we're going to spend the next three to five months kissing and dry humping eachother, so yeah, we have to laugh," God, Kim what's with the rambling today?

"dry humping, huh?" he winks, a mischievous look appearing on his face.

"can we pretend I didn't say that?" I giggle uncontrollably.

"yeah, we can give it a shot, it's already literally glued to my brain, right now," he laughs. "this isn't going to be awkward or uncomfortable, right?" he asks, and I know he's referring to all the intimacy scenes detailed in the contract. I mean, Neil might have loosened up, but we have no idea what the producer has in mind, we've already signed the contract.

"we'll pull through, after all, Entertainment Weekly seems to think we have the most amazing chemistry," I smile and he nods.

"yeah, see you tomorrow at the earliest," he smiles as he gets into his car. I stand for a moment, where I wave him before my security escorts me into my car. I find myself staring behind, watching as his car goes in the opposite direction, my heart's neverending beating in anticipation of tomorrow.

I head home, where I pack my stuff. I also make sure to toss in my collection of lady toys, and fancy underwear and lingerie— for no reason entirely. I call Sam to help me pack up, which she does and in a couple of hours, we're done. Yeah, hours— a girl has a lot of stuff. A text comes up from Liz, telling me to head to her home for a girl emergency, which I do. Only that when I get there it's not an emergency at all, it's a party?

"Surprise!" screams come from Liz, Brittany, Diane and a couple of other girls I can't entirely remember their names— Yvonne, I think? and Josie— no! Jodie! Oh god I'm so terrible with names.

"we thought we'd throw you guys a little farewell party,"

"Guys?"

"Yeah, you and Hudson? don't tell me you are unaware that you've got mutual friends and family," Diane chuckles.

"No, no, of course not," my heart raises as I turn to see Lee behind me, dressed in white Khaki shorts and a black Seattle Kraken hoodie. God. He looks so simple, relaxed, warm? Kimberly?!! QUIT IT.

"I hope this movie isn't going to be too mushy for my manhood," T jokes and everyone laughs, as Aaron passes drink–filled cups around us. Lee stands right next to me, and we share a heated look— which is then interrupted by Sam and Jason's arrival and they get their own share of drinks.

"To Never, Ever, Never," Nick raises his glass and I gasp in mock horror.

"You're spoiling the movie for your friends already?" I gasp and they all laugh.

"Nick is an action movie freak, he won't even remember the name by tomorrow," Aaron assures me with a smile.

"you guys are ruining the toast with all this chit chat," Diane pipes up and we all raise our glasses.

"To Never, Ever, Never, Kim, and Hudson, who's ass we would miss in the rink," Aaron smiles and we all cheer and drink.

"I know y'all have to sleep early and shit but we really had to do this,"

"I love you guys," the words roll on my tongue and everyone laughs. "I know I'm barely social and all but I really love you guys,"

"We love you too!" Liz pulls me into a hug, which turns into a stuffy group hug, Alex included; and Lee somewhere beside me.

The party proceeds with Harry Styles' As It Was blasting from the speakers and Lizzie and I bop to the music together. Sam joins us, and Slowly Jodie, Brittany, Diane and Yvonne join the crazy dance gang. I also feel his eyes on me, watching my every move, no matter how uncoordinated I look because I am a "terrible" dancer. 

Claire Summers thought she was doing me wrong by setting me free; She has no idea how wrong she was.

I love this feeling. A place where I belong, a place where no one cares what brand of dress or shoe I'm wearing, a place where I can feel the sincerely in the hugs and chin kisses. I know I'll be gone tomorrow, and I know that they'd still be here for me— us, whenever we get back.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter?
Ready for the filming and everything?!