by L A Cotton
“Go get ‘em, tiger.” Laurie pulled Kyle’s googles into position and pressed a lingering kiss to his lips.
“K,” Jack piped up. “Lay some of that sugar on—”
Kiera rolled her eyes and flipped him off, earning him a round of snickers. With a cuss, Kyle grabbed Jack and tugged him in the direction of the snowpark. As soon as they were out of earshot, Macey moved to Kiera’s side and the two of them shared a silent look.
“What’s all that about?” I asked Lo, flicking my head over to the girls.
“Don’t ask me. You know the two of them have some kind of special language.”
“Maverick, I am so sorry about Jack.” Nick joined us. “If I’d have known he would act like such an ass, I would have talked him out of coming.”
“It’s not your fault. He’s with Kiera. Which makes him with us.” I rubbed my jaw, watching as Kyle and Jack lined up to take the first rail. It looked dangerous.
“Are they really ready for—”
Laughter spilled out of me as Jack managed to flip his board onto the edge of the rail only to miscalculate his balance. His body wobbled, his arms flailing at his sides before he went down like a sack of shit, powder spraying up around him as he face-planted the snow. “Now that was worth the trip.”
“Rick,” Summer chided.
“What? The guy’s a—”
“Maverick.” Lo dug her fingers into my sides, tipping her head over to where Kiera and Macey were still huddled watching as Jack managed to haul himself to his feet.
“How much longer do we have to stay out here?” I was fucking cold and wet and Lo was wearing too many damn layers.
“They’re our friends.” She gave me a soft smile. “Besides, you got what you wanted earlier.”
Hooking my arm around her, I pulled her in front of me and lowered my face. “I thought that was what you wanted.”
“Maverick.” It came out breathy. “Stop, we’re in—”
“Public.” Laurie’s head poked over Lo’s shoulder. “And you said it yourself, Maverick, someone needs to rescue Kyle when this all goes wrong.”
We all glanced over at the snowpark. Kyle had managed to edge one of the rails, but he looked out of his comfort zone on the ramps.
“Fine.” I conceded. “I’ll give him an hour tops and then I’m going to the bar.” Or if I had my way, back to the cabin with Lo and no interruptions for the rest of the day.
Laurie shrieked, “Thank you. Now put my best friend down and let her come watch my crazy boyfriend try not to break some bones.”
“NOW THIS IS MY KIND of vacation.” I drained my beer and slammed it down on the table. “Who wants another one? Stone? Jack?” I fought a smirk as I ran my eyes over the pair of them. Kyle had managed to come off the snowpark with only a bruised cheek after taking a hard hit to the face. Jack on the other hand, had his right arm bandaged after wiping out after trying to pull off an air trick. He’d cried like a little bitch while everyone watched on, and I fought the urge to say, ‘told you so’.
“Nah, I’m good. The doctor said I need to lay off alcohol on these pain meds.” He dropped his head onto his arm with a groan.
“Do you want anything?” I asked Lo as she ran her thumb around her half-empty mug of cocoa.
“I’m good.”
“Anyone else?”
The girls gave me their orders, and I made my way to the bar. The place was crammed, but I managed to elbow my way to the front.
“Easy there,” a voice said.
“Sorry.” I offered the girl a casual smile before turning my attention back to the bar.
“It’s busy, isn’t it?”
Seriously?
I wasn’t in the mood to get hit on while Lo was across the room, waiting for me. She’d gotten used to it over the last couple of months; hanging around with me and the team. The groupies and girls all wanting a piece of us. But I didn’t like the attention.
I never had.
“What’s your name?” A hand landed on my arm and I glanced down at her, lifting a brow. “Hmm, sorry. I just—”
“Look, I’m just here to get a drink for me and my girlfriend.”
Her seductive smile turned into a sneer. “I see.” She flicked her hair off her shoulder, her eyes lingering on me. Walk away, I silently pleaded, not wanting her to make a scene.
“Where’s those drinks, Prince?” An arm slipped around my shoulder and I frowned at Kyle who had a shit-eating grin plastered across his face. “Who’s this?” He thumbed toward the girl who still hadn’t moved on.
“I’m Shannon,” she purred, giving him the once over.
“And I’m not interested.” He grinned. “Run along now, Shannon. My brother here is spoken for.”
“And you?” She stepped forward pushing her chest out. “Are you spoken for?”
“Oh, I’m so spoken for I can’t feel my balls.”
She frowned, her lip curved in disgust. “Fucking weirdo.” Shannon disappeared into the crowd and I shirked out of Kyle’s arm.
“She wasn’t wrong, you know?”
“Yeah,” Kyle said. “About what?”
“You are fucking weird.”
“Saved your ass though, didn’t I?”
“I’ve handled plenty of her type before.” Unlucky for me, it came with the territory of being SU’s captain and star player.
“It’s a tough gig being us, bro.” Kyle slapped me on the back, bellowing with laughter.
“Why are you here again?”
“Because you needed me.”
My brows quirked up as I stared at my step-brother, silently thanking the universe we weren’t related by blood.
“The cabin is the shit. I can’t wait to test out the hot tub. Just me, my girl, and—”
“Stone,” I growled. “Either shut up or fuck off.”
“You’re extra testy today. Did something happen? Is Lo blue-balling you?”
“I’m not having this conversation,” I grunted, relieved when the bartender asked me what I wanted. Ignoring Kyle, I gave him my order.
“Come on, bro. This is me. If you and Lo are having problems—”
“Problems? What the fuck are you talking about. Nothing’s wrong with me and Lo.” We were good. Better than good, we were great. She was with me at SU. We had the apartment. Everything was perfect. But something about Kyle’s words bothered me and I found myself asking, “Why, did she say something?”
“You should see your face.” Kyle exploded with laughter once more. “My cousin loves you more than she loves anything. You have nothing to worry about.”
“But you just said—”
“I’m yanking your chain, Prince. Gotta keep you on your toes now you’re whipped.”
“Takes one to know one,” I shot back.
“Hey, I own that shit. Laurie can whip me any—”
“That all?” The bartender interrupted us at the perfect moment.
“Yeah, thanks.” I handed him a fifty and grabbed the tray of drinks, letting Kyle carve a path through the crowd. When we arrived back at our table, Kiera and Summer, Jack and Nick were missing.
“Where’d they go?” Kyle instantly went on alert.
“Easy, Dad,” Laurie mocked. “They took Jack back to the cabin. He’s in bad shape.”
“Because the crazy fucker doesn’t know when to quit it.”
“Kyle, he’s Kiera’s boyfriend.”
“Come on, babe.” He slid in next to Laurie. “The guy’s an absolute asshat. What does she even see in him?”
Macey and Lo shared a strange look.
“He’s... a phase.”
“A phase?” Kyle wailed. “He’s on our family vacation. Family, Macey. This shit should be inner circle only. No offence, Devon.”
“None taken.”
“Did you really expect her to come and play spare wheel?” Lo asked, tearing a beer mat with her fingers. My girl was hiding something.
And if I didn’t know better, I’d say it was someth
ing about Kiera.
“She could have brought someone... anyone except Jack.”
“You need to let her find her own way, Kyle.” Macey narrowed her eyes right at him. She was super protective of Kiera, and although Kyle didn’t admit it, I think he felt pushed out sometimes.
“Can’t we just enjoy being here?” I said, hooking my arm around Lo’s shoulder. “We don’t get to do this often anymore. And I don’t know about all of you, but I can think of better ways to spend our time than arguing about Jack.”
“Amen to that, brother.” Devon tipped his beer at me in some weird ass display of support. Lo stifled a laugh beside me while Kyle looked ready to piss himself.
“Can we pretend that never happened?” Devon groaned, burying his face in Macey’s hair.
“No way, brother,” Kyle said. “That shit is getting stored for life.”
“Kyle!” Laurie and Lo chided, but it was too late. The damage was done. Devon Lions might have wormed his way into our inner circle, but it didn’t mean we couldn’t give him shit.
In fact, we had an unspoken pact to make him squirm whenever he was around. Because while I might have forgiven him for what he did to Lo, a part of me would never forget. And unlucky for Devon, payback was a bitch.
Chapter 3
Lo
“Good morning, sweetheart.” Dad greeted me as I made my way into the big open-plan kitchen. “Coffee’s in the pot.”
“Thanks, Dad.” I smiled around a yawn. I’d left Maverick sleeping, needing my coffee fix.
“Are Stella and Beth still sleeping?”
“Stella is taking a call, but I checked in on Beth and she was spark out still. Mom and Dad are out walking, and I haven’t seen anyone else yet.”
I helped myself to coffee, gazing out at the views. “It’s so beautiful here.” It was like our very own winter wonderland. Snow-capped mountains, powder-dusted trees. The twinkle of fairy lights strung up around the other log cabins in the distance.
“Different to the winters we used to get back ho—in England, huh?”
Glancing over my shoulder, I said, “It’s okay, Dad. I miss them, and I’ll never forget, but Wicked Bay is my home now.” Although that wasn’t entirely true. My home was wherever Maverick was. It was that simple.
“You know, I’m so proud of you, Lo. And your mom and Elliot would be too.” Unshed tears glossed his eyes.
“Dad, I...” The words lodged over the lump in my throat.
There was a reason I avoided conversations like this. Because while I was in a better place now, the pain would never truly go away.
“It’s okay, sweetheart.” He left his stool and came over, dropping a kiss on my head. “I know I haven’t always gotten things right, but I finally feel like we’re in a good place.”
“We are, Dad.” I smiled up at him.
It had taken a while, but things between me and Stella were finally amicable, friendly even. Dad loved her, and she loved him, and although I hadn’t understood it at first—hadn’t wanted to understand it—I could appreciate they made one another happy. And since Dad had given Maverick and me his blessing, the least I could do was return it.
“That makes me very happy to hear.” His expression clouded, and I felt his hesitation.
“Dad, what is it?”
“I want to ask you something and I know it may come as a shock but...” He inhaled deeply. But he didn’t need to say the words because I knew. It was written all over his face every time he looked at Stella.
“It’s okay, Dad,” I said. “I’m happy for you, truly.”
Tears pooled in his eyes and he swiped them away. “I don’t deserve your blessing, Lo. Not after the way I’ve handled things in the past. But it would mean the world to me to know you’re okay with this. Stella helped me get through some of the hardest months of my life.”
Pain cinched my chest. But it wasn’t overwhelming in the way it used to be.
“I will always love your mom, sweetheart, but—”
“I understand.” I dried my own eyes. “Just promise me one thing?”
“Anything,” he replied.
“Don’t ask me to call her stepmum.”
He laughed at that and I fought back my own smile. Stella would never replace my mum, never fill the hole left by her and Elliot’s death. But this wasn’t about me. It was about Dad and his happiness. And I wouldn’t stand in the way of that.
“Morning,” Maverick’s voice instantly calmed my racing pulse. He glanced between me and Dad, silently asking me if I was okay.
I stepped out of Dad’s arms and straight into Maverick’s. “Good morning.”
“Everything okay?”
“Just having a much-needed father/daughter talk.” Dad gave me a warm smile. “But I should probably go check on my other girls.”
There was a time his words would have been like a knife to the heart, but it was a surface cut now, not a deep wound.
“What was all that about?” Maverick asked once Dad was gone.
“He’s going to ask Stella to marry him.”
“Shit.” Maverick scratched his jaw, probably expecting me to freak out. But my shoulders lifted with indifference.
“It is what it is,” I said. “They love each other, and he’s happy. How can I stand in the way of that?”
“You’re amazing, you know that, right?” Maverick lowered his face to mine. “After everything you’ve been through, everything he put you through... he’s lucky to have you, Lo. We both are.” The intensity in Maverick’s gaze startled me.
“Maverick?” My skin grew hot under the weight of his stare.
“Coffee, I need coffee,” Kyle grumbled from behind us. Maverick turned us slightly, so we could see him, moving sluggishly toward us.
“Rough night?”
“Don’t, just don’t. Everything hurts. Muscles I didn’t even know I had hurt. Next time I want to play with the pros on the snowpark, remind me I’ll feel like I got hit by a freight train the next morning.”
“Here,” I said, slipping out of Maverick’s arms and going to the coffee maker. “You need a warm shower or bath.”
“I need a full-body massage, a good one with oil and sea music.”
“Sea music?” Maverick stifled a laugh.
“Yeah, you know that relaxation crap they play.”
“I don’t know what kind of massages you’re getting—”
“Don’t.” Kyle’s hand shot up. “It hurts to laugh. It all hurts.”
“So I guess we won’t be getting gnarly today?” I mocked, sliding him a mug of coffee.
“Ssh,” he groaned.
“What did you do to my son?” Uncle Gentry breezed into the room. “Actually, wait, do I even want to know?”
“Kyle fancied himself a bit of an expert at the snowpark yesterday.”
“I see. Well, I guess I should be relieved he’s still in one piece. Just take it easy out there today, okay? If USC find out—”
“Dad, I got it. No more tricks.” Kyle dropped his forehead to the breakfast bar, groaning.
“Keep an eye on him, please,” Uncle Gentry said to me and Maverick.
“Sure thing. Actually,” Maverick replied. “I thought we could take a sleigh ride today. I had hoped to make it a couples thing, but I guess Kyle and Laurie can tag along.”
“What about the others?” I smiled up at him.
“You want everyone to come?”
“We should ask them.”
He frowned. “Can they take a different sleigh? In fact, can they all take a different sleigh? I changed my mind; I want you all to myself.” Maverick nuzzled my neck and Gentry tutted somewhere behind us.
“That’s my cue to leave. Behave and don’t let my son screw up his football career before it’s even started.”
“Will do, Uncle Gentry,” I murmured between kisses.
“I’d avoid the kitchen.” I heard him say to someone. “Lo and Maverick are... well, I’ll spare you the details.”
&
nbsp; “We heard that,” Maverick called.
“You were supposed to, Son.”
“I think it’s sweet.” It was Rebecca’s voice this time.
“Yes, well, I’d like to eat my breakfast without the young folk fondling one another.”
I giggled into Maverick’s shoulder as the adults continued debating the etiquette of the young folk. Thankfully, they decided to take their morning coffees elsewhere, leaving us alone with a half-asleep Kyle.
“Maybe you should go back to bed?” I suggested.
He slowly lifted his face and grimaced. “What and let Laurie attempt to ‘make me feel better’? I’m safer out—”
“Safer out where?”
“N-nothing,” he grumbled. “Morning, babe.”
“What’s wrong? You look sick. Are you—”
“Babe, I’m fine, just keep it down. Everything hurts.”
“Hurts, but what—”
“And that would be our cue,” Maverick whispered. “We’ll catch you guys in a bit?”
Laurie glanced over at us as she checked Kyle over. “Sure.” Her eyes lingered on mine. “I think Macey wanted to ask you something.”
“She did?”
“She’s in Kiera’s room.”
“She—”
Laurie’s eyes widened, silencing me as realization dawned on me. “Got it.”
“What was all that about?” Maverick asked, once we were back in our wing.
“What?”
“Lo,” his voice was low. “I know something’s going on with Kiera.”
“It is?” I played dumb because this vacation was supposed to be drama-free.
“Hey.” He yanked me into him. “No secrets, remember?”
“This isn’t my secret to tell, okay?”
“London.”
“Maverick.”
“Is she in trouble?”
“No, I promise. It’s just girls’ stuff.”
“You mean guy stuff.” His eyes narrowed. “Jack?”
“I love you.” I pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Let me go see what Macey wants and I’ll be back soon, okay?” I didn’t give him the chance to protest as I slipped out of his arms and disappeared down the hall in search of Macey and Kiera.
