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"Wow, this is incredible."Holland breathes as she takes in Boston. It is gorgeous at night, especially downtown, but the beauty that I'm looking at has nothing to do with the city. "I've never been out of Chicago."
Her admission surprises me. The city lights seem to shine in her eyes, and the entire ride she barely glances away from the view.
"Really?" I ask. We're sitting in the back seat of an Uber, just having gotten off the plane and heading to our hotel that's close to the arena. It's our first night on the road together, and Evan hasn't been able to sit still the entire night.
"Car, fast! Fast," he cries. The loudest I've ever heard him speak since he's come to live with me. It's the first time I've seen him come out of his shell and call me a pussy, but it causes my heart to squeeze.
“Car is fast, buddy,” I tell Evan.
Holland ruffles his hair before she speaks, "We never really had the money to travel. Plus, I've been working and studying from sun up to sun down since I was like sixteen." She laughs, trying to brush off what she's said, but I feel like a total asshole. I never realized that Holland and her dad had it so rough. Sure, she was at my house, more than she wasn't, growing up, but I figured it was because she and Em were attached at the hip, but the past few days have revealed a lot about Holland that I didn't know... or didn't pay attention to, at least.
I feel like a total dick for not noticing these things about her.
"We don't fly home till tomorrow night, maybe we can go sightseeing tomorrow?"
She nods. "I'd love that."
"We don't always have downtime before or after a game. It just so happened to work like that this time. We could see Fenway Park? Or maybe the Boston Public Library? I know how you are about books."
Her face lights up. "I would love to, but I don't think Evan would find that very much fun."
True. He probably wouldn't be able to sit still but... there are plenty of things to see in Boston.
"We’ll figure out something to do."
A few minutes later, the Uber is pulling up to the curb outside the hotel, and we all get out.
"I'll grab the luggage. I only packed a bag for me and Evan."
Holland looks a bit guilty before she says, "I may have overpacked... a small amount."
I raise my eyebrows and when the driver pops the trunk and I see her massive suitcase, that's at least three of Evan, I groan in mock annoyance. "You sure you packed enough stuff for two days?"
She shrugs. "I didn't know what I would need, so I packed it all. I'm an overpacker."
"Ya think?" I lift the ridiculously heavy suitcase from the trunk and grab my duffle bag, then we head inside the hotel to check in. The concierge is polite and quick about situating the rooms and soon, we've got our keys in hand, and are headed toward the elevator.
"Sir, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience, but we're currently servicing the elevator. If you come right this way, the staircase is available."
You've got to be shitting me. I've got to lug this two-hundred-pound suitcase up three flights of stairs?
I smile at Evan, who's holding onto Holland's hand tightly, and Holland looks at me with a grimace. "Sorry," she mouths.
"Ladies first." I gesture toward the stairs.
The first two flights are fine. I'm a fucking hockey player, I fight guys that weigh three hundred pounds. It would have remained fine if the wheel of the damn suitcase didn't get stuck on the landing of our floor, making me tug a little harder than necessary, and causing the entire goddamn thing to fly open, spilling clothes, shoes and toiletries all over the floor.
"Shit. I'm sorry, Holland."
Holland laughs, brushing it off, and bends down to help me put everything back inside. Evan giggles as he watches us pick everything up.
Got it easy, little man. You get to stand there and look adorable while I lug this thing up the stairs.
I'm scooping things up until I pick up a red, sheer scrap of lace. I freeze, my brain going completely blank the second I realize what it is.
Did Holland pack...lingerie? Or is this what she always wears underneath her modest sweaters and ripped jeans?
