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I blow up a picture of all my friends and family together, celebrating at West End, the bar in Kroydon Hills that Maddox owns. Cross is kissing the top of Everly’s head. Lindy’s hanging on Easton. My cousin Callen has a girl on each side. And, oh gross... Nixon has a girl in his lap who looks like she’s trying to swallow his tonsils. When I swipe to see the next one, my heart drops. There, in the back corner of the shot, Ares stands behind Nixon, and there’s a beautiful girl in his arms.
Ooohh...Yikes. That hurts a little more than it should.
I mean, it’s not like we made any promises, and it has been six months.
Six months of texts, and calls, and FaceTimes.
Half a year of trusting this man with my secrets.
But still... I kinda want to rip her nasty hair out of her head and use it to yank her away from him, but I’ll just keep that to myself.
As Brynlee would say,obviously I woke up and chose violence today.
But it’s more than that. I guess I’m a little hurt too, which I have no business feeling.
My MacBook chimes with an incoming FaceTime, and I wipe a stupid, errant tear from my cheek and sit up straighter before I answer.
Ares’s handsome face fills my screen and takes my breath away. He’s fresh from a shower with wet hair that’s a little longer than he usually keeps it, dripping down and catching on long black lashes framing those dark blue eyes that hold me hostage. They’re a little red and tired today, but no less hypnotic.
“Hey.” I swallow down any lingering sting and pull my big-girl panties up.Don’t be a baby, Gracie.“It’s the man of the hour. How does it feel to score the game-winning goal, Wilder?”
“Pretty fucking good,” he chuckles before Nixon pops into the screen behind him, looking a little more hungover than Ares.
“Hey, good twin. You should have been here. It was sick.”
I inch up further on the couch without moving my foot or the ice pack. “Nix? What are you doing there?” And for a hot minute, I’m jealous of my brother for being in Kroydon Hills while I’m across the world.
Ares walks through a door, then shuts it behind him. “Nixon needed a place to crash last night, and Callen and Maddox were both otherwise occupied. He took one of my spare rooms. I thinkhe’s gonna stay here until he finds out where he’s going in the draft next month.”
Nix graduated from Boston University a few weeks ago. He’s been staying with Mom and Dad, but we all know that’s going to change after the pro hockey draft next month.
“Andyouweren’t otherwise occupied?” I ask pointedly, even though I’m not sure I want to know. Definitely a glutton for punishment.
“Nah.” He drops down onto a massive, messy bed, and I get a glance at his bare chest, and my heart aches. Well, maybe not just my heart. “Not my style. I just wanted to celebrate the win with my people.” Those damn stormy eyes are stealing my soul through the screen, and I wonder silently if our timing will ever be right because six months later, I still want him. More now than ever before. “Besides, we’re still celebrating the win. The owners are throwing a party tonight at Kingdom. You know, that hot bar in the city?” When I nod, he adds, “And the parade will be later this week. The celebration should go on for days.”
“You sound like a busy man.” I try unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.
“Am I keeping you awake, Gracie?” His husky voice wraps around me like a blanket, comforting and warm, and my eyes grow heavier.
“Sorry. I took a pain pill earlier, and I think it’s kicking in.”
“A pain pill?” Concern laces his tone, and I want to kick myself for even mentioning it. “Are you okay?”
“It’s nothing. I’m fine.” My words are forced and hollow, and I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince him or myself. The look he gives me lets me know I’m not doing a good job of either.
“Maybe you should take a night off.”
I laugh quietly. “When was the last timeyoutook a night off because you were sore?” He has the good graces to look mildlyguilty. “That’s what I thought. I know my body, and I know when to push it. I promise you, I’m okay.”
“Maybe I should fly over there and make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”
Heat floods my cheeks at the thought of finally seeing Ares face-to-face again before it’s replaced with annoyance. “Really? Don’t you trust me to take care of myself? You’re starting to sound just like everyone else.”
“But I’m not anyone else, Grace.” His voice is deep and growly... It’s possessive and affects me in a way I’m too tired to think about but will definitely haunt my dreams.
I hear someone pound on Ares’s door. “Dude. Let’s go.”
“Sounds like you better go,” I whisper as I hold back another yawn.
