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“Asshole.” I laugh and fling a handful of suds at him. “I do yoga in the morning. It’s how I stay so limber.”
“Must be nice. I have to sit down to tie my shoes.” Aiden dries the sauce pan he used for the gravy and sets it to the side. “How are you feeling about the game today?”
“Good. The weather is nice. The guys had a productive session with Dr. Slater, our team psychologist, yesterday. They talked about burnout and maintaining intensity when it feels like no one can touch us. Lunch was fucking superb, and I’m in a decent mood. Things are going well.”
“That speech you gave at the table tugged at my heartstrings.” He clasps my shoulder. “I know you miss being home this time of year, but I’m glad we get to spend the day together.”
“Me, too. Thanks for having us.”
His eyes flick over to the living room where Maggie, Maven and Lacey sit with mugs of hot chocolate and a third slice of pie. Both sets of their parents left for their hotels, wanting to grab a nap after the meal. Katie and her partner dipped out, too, on a shopping mission to hopefully beat the crowds at midnight.
“How are you doing after the kiss cam shit show? You and Lacey seem to be okay.”
“We’re fine, but we wanted to talk to you all about something,” I say. I turn off the faucet and dry my hands with the dishrag hanging under the sink.
“Is this a good something or a bad something?” Aiden asks.
“It’s… something. And probably not what you’re thinking.”
“You don’t know what I’m thinking.”
“I don’t, but I see that smirk on your face, and you need to cut it out,” I say.
“Am I wrong for wanting my friends to get together? You make each other laugh. You have fun with her. It looks like there is chemistry,” Aiden says. “Is there not?”
“No. Not… not like that. Nothing like that. It’s platonic. I enjoy being around her,” I explain. “How can you not? She’sLacey.”
He hums and drapes a towel over his shoulder. “Okay,” he says.
“Okay?” I narrow my eyes. “What do you mean, okay?”
“I mean, okay. If you say you don’t have any feelings for her, then I believe you.”
“It’s weird you’re not putting up a fight.”
“It’s weird you think I would try. Come on. Grab your dessert plate and tell us what you want to tell us,” Aiden says.
I cut a heaping slice of pie and cover it with whipped cream and an extra dash of cinnamon I find in the spice cabinet. Lacey’s baking is top-notch, and the stomachache I’m going to have on the field later will be worth it.
We walk to the living room and Aiden takes the spot on the couch next to Maggie. He presses a kiss to her forehead and she looks up at him, color splashed on her cheeks and love in her eyes.
Lacey’s gaze meets mine, and she sticks out her tongue. I huff out a laugh and sit in the chair by the electric fireplace I love so much, the leather warm under my legs and a blanket behind my back.
“We have something to share with you all,” Lacey says. She sets her empty plate aside and scoots to the edge of the couch. She crosses her legs and folds her hands on top of her knees. “Shawn and I are going to be seeing each other as romantic partners through the holidays. We wanted to give you all a heads up because there might be photos of us looking cozy and intimate, and we don’t want to give anyone close to us the wrong idea about something that isn’t true.”
“You two aredating?” Maven asks. She claps her hands together and squeals. “Oh, my god. This makes me so happy.”
“Sorry to burst your bubble, kid,” I say. “It’s fake. We don’t like each other like that.”
“Why not?” Maven’s smile falls into a frown. “You two are always laughing with each other. I see you look at her when you think no one is watching. Plus, Lacey is so fun and so pretty. You can’t do much better than her.”
“Wow.” Lacey grins and gives Maven a fist bump. “I didn’t even pay her to say so many nice things about me.”
“Best aunt ever.” Maven’s attention flicks to me. “What do you have to say for yourself, Uncle Shawn?”
The tips of my ears burn pink under her scrutinizing gaze. Teenagers are fuckingruthless, and it feels like I’m walking into an interrogation.
“While I agree with your sentiments, Mae, Lacey and I enjoy spending time together as friends. We’re both very busy people, and relationships are a lot of work. Work I’m not sure we have the energy for right now.”
