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“Yeah? Did you play with him in high school or college?” Inside, I’m praying Leo says high school. He’s only two years younger than Everly. It could have been high school.
“College. Keith was on KU’s team before Pittsburgh drafted him.” Leo cheers as the Kings score, and my head feels like it’s being split in two. But this isn’t from the fucking concussion.
“Keith...” Keith who got drafted by Pittsburgh two years ago. “Keith fucking Dolan?”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
“Yeah, man. But seriously. Don’t sweat it. He’s good, but he’s no you. And like I said, she never even introduced him to Mom and Dad. That’s got to be one of those girl tests, right?” Leo keeps talking, but the goddamn wind tunnel in my head drowns him out.
Now I know why hockey is a problem for her.
Keith fucking Dolan was a first-round draft pick the year they graduated.
And I’m going to fucking kill him.
Everly
When Cross told me he was invited to dinner, I should have known my mother would invite the entire family. And by entire, I mean everyone. Aunts, uncles, cousins. They’re all here, and they’re all loud, and Kerrigan hasn’t moved from my hip since we walked in the door and she looked at me with her big overwhelmed eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper in Cross’s ear. He’s been strangely quiet, even for him, since we got here. “We can leave as soon as you’re ready.”
“It’s fine” is all the answer I get before he walks away, leaving me to wonder what the hell happened between this morning and now.
“Hey.” Grace hip-checks me. “What’s going on with you and ...” She looks at Kerrigan, then over to Cross, who’s talking with Callen and Maddox.
I shrug. “No clue. Was everything okay at the game?”
“As far as I saw.” Gracie grabs Leo and Hendrix as they walk by. “Did anything happen with...” Gracie nods toward Cross, not wanting to say his name in front of Kerrigan.
“Is she having a seizure?” Hendrix asks Leo.
“Is that a new dance move or something, Gracie?” Leo asks, and I’m pretty sure the dumbass is serious.
I shake my head. “You two are awful.”
“Whatever.” Hendrix holds his hands up for Kerrigan. “Hey, Kerri girl. Want to go play on the swings with me?”
Kerrigan looks at me, like she wants my approval, and I smile back at her when I see a few of my little cousins outside.
“Do not let a single hair on her head get hurt or I will castrate you,” I whisper to my brother and move Kerrigan from my hip to his.
“Always so violent, evil twin.”
I scratch my nose with my middle finger as he walks away and wonder why anyone trusts any of us with their kids when we act like overgrown babies ourselves sometimes.
As soon as he’s gone, Grace shoves Leo up against the bookcase. “Spill it, superstar.”
“Aww... I am a superstar, aren’t I?” He smiles big, and I think I’m gonna kill him.
“Shut up, Leo. It just sounded good. Now tell us if something happened during the game today. You were with Cross the most.” Grace tries her hand at interrogation, but it doesn’t really work. It’s more like a ladybug yelling at a cockroach. Not exactly effective. But kinda funny to watch.
“Nothing that I saw. We talked about football and hockey. And how Everly never brought Keith around the family.” Leosmiles, and my stomach bottoms out. “Oh, and he wanted to know what the hell Uncle Sam actually does. You know, I still don’t know how to answer that. I mean, it’s not like we can say he’s the godfather.”
“Leo. Shut up,” I whisper with a hand on his chest. “You said Keith. Back up to there.”
“Yeah, Keith. Why?”
Every hair on my body stands on edge. “Why were you talking about Keith?”
