“Then in the end, I win,” I tell him, going to get my coat. “Now can we go eat please? I was so nervous I didn’t eat anything, and I had a shot of tequila.” He takes my hands in his, and we walk out of the lodge and toward our waiting family.
“Shh,” he whispers when he slides into me from behind. His hands grip my hips, pulling them up. “It’s almost seven,” he says, and my eyes stay closed.
“One more time,” he says, and I bury my face into the pillow while he fucks me. So fucking slow, I try to meet his thrusts, but he stops me. “Not yet, beautiful,” he says to me, and I slip a hand under me. My chest still lying on the bed, the only thing up are my hips, my finger finds my clit that is already wet. I know he played with me before sliding in, I felt it softly. “Are you playing with your clit, beautiful?” he asks me, whispering still.
“Hmm,” I mumble as my finger goes slowly in a circle. We’ve already done this three times since we got home. The both of us always needing the other one.
“Fuck,” he hisses. “Get there, beautiful.” I know that tone—he’s waiting for me to go before he does—so I work myself faster.
“You’re right there,” he says. “I feel your pussy getting tighter.” He isn’t wrong; I close my eyes, and I’m right there. I finally let go and so does he. He collapses beside me.
“I didn’t want to wake you,” he says, “but you did a sound.”
I laugh, asking him, “What sound?”
“That little sigh,” he tells me, and I watch him get up and walk to the bathroom.
“You mean breathing?” I say, laughing, and he comes back out. “You know I’m on the pill, right?” He grabs me, pulling me toward him. “We don’t really have to use condoms.”
“Beautiful,” he says, and we hear the dogs bark and then the back door open.
“I guess my mother is up,” he tells me. I think back to the dinner we had. No one touched the topic of Candace. But having a meal with everyone as we chatted and laughed, and Jackie told us that Evan actually had a trading card of my father was funny. He actually blushed.
I throw the covers off me and try to get up, but he pulls me back to him. “Where are you going?”
“Your mother is up,” I hiss at him while he kisses my neck. “I’m going to get up and see if she needs anything.”
“She doesn’t need anything,” he says into my neck. “I need something.” He pushes his cock into my backside.
“You got what you needed, and now your mother is up, so the chances of you actually getting that thing in me are slim to none.” I push him away and go into the closet to dress in yoga pants and a top. “Why don’t you rest, and I’ll come wake you in a bit?”
“I don’t like sleeping without you,” he huffs, but I bend and kiss his lips. “Don’t be a child.”
I walk out of the room, leaving him in the bed with his eyes shutting. “Good morning,” I whisper, looking in the kitchen at Jackie who stands there basically wearing the same thing I am.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. Did I wake you?” she says, smiling at me, and I shake my head and go to the door, opening it for the dogs.
“Hello, my girl.” I pet Lilo. “Did you eat?”
“I was just going to do that,” Jackie says.
“I’ll do it,” I tell her. “Come on, you two, let’s go get you something to eat.” I walk to the garage and put some food in their bowls and then walk back into the kitchen.
“I don’t know how you take your coffee,” Jackie says, handing me a cup of black coffee.
“Thank you,” I tell her and go to the fridge, grabbing the milk.
“Why are you up so early?” I ask her.
“I was going to run to the grocery store before everyone got up,” she tells me. “Grab the stuff we need for today.”
“I’ll come with you,” I tell her, and she smiles while we write a grocery list. We walk out of the house and make it back just as Zoe is coming down the stairs.
“How are you up already?” she says, rubbing her eyes. “It’s just after ten.”
“We went to grab the food for lunch,” I tell her, and she just shrugs. “There are sill some bags in the car.” I hand her the bags in my hand and go back out for another trip.
“Evan is going to be pissed you lifted a bag all by yourself,” Zoe says when I put the last bag on the counter in the middle of the island. “Speak of the devil,” she says, looking over at Evan who is walking into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. “Evan, your woman lifted her own bags.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?” He hugs me from behind, burying his face in my neck. “I would have gotten the things from the car.”
“Because you were sleeping,” I tell him. “Do you want coffee?”
“Yeah,” he whispers to me, and I get him coffee. I get him coffee, and his father comes into the kitchen just as we are preparing the ingredients. I sit at the stool, making a list of what she’s preparing. I’m so into it I don’t even notice that the front door opens and closes, and I look over to see Candace coming in the house.
“Hey,” she says to everyone. “Mom told me that we were cooking at noon.” She looks around, and I can tell she is uncomfortable. “I hope it’s okay that I came.”
Zoe pffts out behind her coffee cup, and I look at her, but Candace doesn’t stop speaking. “Can I speak with you?”
I look at Evan who is glaring at her. “Sure,” I tell her. “Why don’t we go outside?” I get off my stool, and Zoe gets up also. “I’ve got this,” I tell her, and she just sits back down.
I walk outside, and Candace follows me, and I look behind her to see Evan coming out. “You don’t need to come.”
“No way in fuck you are going to be outside by yourself,” he hisses, and the dogs follow him.
“So what’s the story, Cand?” Evan asks her.
“I wanted to apologize for yesterday,” she says softly, wringing her hands. “I was out of line, and I never should have brought her with me.”
“Damn fucking straight,” Evan says, and I shake my head at him.
“Evan,” I tell him, and he just looks at me. “Would you please just give her a chance to speak?”
“Give her a chance?” he huffs out. “Twice she did that to you. There is not going to be a third time.”
“He’s right,” Candace says. “There won’t be a third time.” She looks at her brother and then at me. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“I do,” I tell her. “You were the only woman in his life, and you thought I would come in and shake shit up.” I take a deep breath. “Head bitch in charge.” She laughs now. “I don’t want to take your place or step on toes.”
“Trust me, I know,” she finally says. “I got read the riot act yesterday from everyone. Even Chloe and she is the silent one.”
“I know I was a total bitch,” she says, “but I swear …”
“You were a bitch,” I tell her, “and what you did was hurtful.” I swallow. “And I won’t take it anymore. If you can’t be in the same room as me without containing yourself, then …”
“I can contain myself,” she tells me then looks at Evan. “I swear one more time.”
“You aren’t getting another after this,” I tell her, “and if you pull shit today with my family here, I won’t be held accountable for what happens.”
“Deal,” she says. “One more chance.”
“We should go in. Your mother is a nervous wreck. She’s been to the door seven times,” I tell them. “Did you have coffee?” I ask her.
“Not yet. I came right over after I got up,” she tells me.
“Let’s get you some coffee,” I tell her, and we walk back in the house. I was not wrong about Jackie being a nervous wreck. She is sitting at the island now with Patrick behind her. “Let’s get Candace some coffee.”
Chapter Thirty
Evan
“The car is going to be here in ten minutes,” I shout at the bathroom while I shrug on my tux jacket. We’ve been back in N
ew York for the past three weeks. The season ended when we went head to head against Washington and lost five games in.
“I’m almost done,” she shouts from the bathroom. When she comes out, I stop and look at her. Her hair is tied to one side, and she’s wearing her makeup heavier than usual. “I just have to get into the dress, and I’m ready.” She rushes to her walk-in closet and comes back out, and I look at the dress. “Can you zip me?” She smiles at me. I walk to her and zip her dress up in the back, kissing her neck.
She turns and smooths down the dress. “How does it look?” she asks me, and I look at her as she stands in front of me in a rose gold gown to the floor. The mesh around the legs gives you a look at her legs. A peekaboo effect.
“You look stunning,” I tell her, “as usual.”
“Are you packed?” she asks me, and I nod my head. We are on our way to Matthew and Max’s retirement party. Lunch at my house went off with so many hitches. The onions got burnt to a crisp because Mom was talking and Zara was taking notes, and by the time they noticed, it was too late. So they started again, and this time, it went smoothly until they added the cream, and by mistake, the heat was turned up, and it boiled over onto the stove. Then talking and talking, they forgot the pasta on the stove, or actually one thought the other was taking care of it, and it turned out no one was, and the water had boiled out. I’m surprised the fire department wasn’t called. But in the end, we sat at the dining room table eating pizza, and I took a look around and knew that this was my future. I just had to ask her the burning question. My parents are also coming tonight, along with Candace who has done a three sixty, and the two of them are thick as thieves when she’s in Dallas.
“I’m packed,” I tell her, my bag to Mexico at the door. “My parents said they would come and meet us.”
“Oh really, that will be so nice,” she says. “Will they stay with us?”
“Fuck no,” I tell her. “I don’t like fucking you when you’re quiet.”
She glares at me. “You better watch yourself,” she says, and I know she’s lying. Our sex life didn’t slow down. In fact, it is more active than ever. “How are Lilo and Stitch?” she asks me.
“They were fine when I dropped them off, and we can always log in and see how they are doing.” Another thing, Lilo and Stitch came with us when we came to New York.
“Lilo is not going to be happy when she comes back,” Zara says, putting on one shoe and then the other. “Last time, she ate my pink Louboutin.” I laugh and get a notification that the car is here.
We walk out of the house, and I open the car door for her, and we make our way to the gala. “How big is this thing going to be?” I ask her.
“Knowing Karrie and Allison”—she looks over—“massive.” I kiss her hand, and she is not wrong. When we show up at the hotel, we walk in, and it’s a who’s who in sports. I look over and see that even A-Rod and Jennifer Lopez are here. We walk in, and the room is massive, and pictures spanning Matthew’s and Max’s career are hanging everywhere.
“There she is,” Zoe says. I look over and see that she is wearing almost the same color except her dress has a high slit on the side, showing you her long leg. She comes over and kisses Zara and then greets me with a hug.
I look around and see that Matthew and Max are standing almost in the middle with Allison and Karrie beside them. “Hey, there.” I feel a slap on my shoulder and look up and see Cooper. “Isn’t this something?”
I grab a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “It’s something.”
“Matthew is fucking dying,” he says quietly. “He thought this was going to be a small get-together. You should have seen his face when he walked in.” Over the past month, I’ve gotten to know Matthew and Max really well. We even went golfing, and no one tried to kill me.
“If I can get everyone’s attention,” someone says, and then a spotlight comes on. “Wow, that is bright,” the man says, and I recognize him right away as Karrie’s father, Doug. He owns the team along with a shitload of other media companies. “If everyone can take their seats,” he says. The room slowly falls into place, and everyone finally takes their seat. He is standing on the stage in front of the fifty tables that are set up.
I follow Zara, and I see my parents already sitting at the big round table in front of the stage. I bend to kiss my mother and grab my dad’s shoulder, and he just nods at me. Zara sits next to my mother, and my mother gushes over her as usual.
“On behalf of Cooney Communication, I want to thank you guys for coming out tonight to pay tribute to our captain and assistant captain as they hang up their skates.” Everyone applauds them. “A very long time ago,” he starts talking and then laughs when Matthew’s face shows up on the screen beside the stage. “This little punk.” He laughs. “I took a chance on this man who everyone crossed off their list.”
I look at Matthew who looks at Karrie. She just smiles at him and kisses him. “I love you,” she tells him.
“Not only did he come in and turn the team around, but he also became my son-in-law,” Doug says, his voice full of pride. “On and off the ice, he puts one hundred percent dedication into everything. I’ve seen him scrap on the ice and end up with five stitches on his face, and the next day hold a tea party for his girls.” Everyone laughs except Matthew who shakes his head. “I knew the time would come when this moment would happen, but I knew that the Stingers wouldn’t be what they are without him.” He smiles while everyone claps. “It gives me great honor to announce today at his retirement party that the New York Stingers just signed him to be our new general manager.” There are gasps and then clapping. “I believe he has a couple of announcements himself.”
“Oh, dear lord,” Zoe says. “I swear if she is pregnant again, I’m going to die.” Karrie looks over at her and flips her the bird.
Matthew walks upon stage and shakes Doug’s hand and then gives him a hug as they exchange words.
He steps up to the microphone. “Thank you so much for that introduction.” He looks at Doug who just nods at him. “What he didn’t say was that he was also at that tea party.” Doug throws his head back and laughs along with everyone else.
“I don’t even know where to begin with this,” he says, and then he looks at Karrie. “Before accepting this position, I knew that I couldn’t do it without the support of my wife and kids.” Karrie nods at him. “I also knew that I couldn’t do it without my partner in crime.” Everyone looks at Max. “This”—and I swear he is going to say fucker, but he doesn’t—“this guy. We didn’t really start off on the right track.” Max now throws his head back and laughs. “We entered the biggest pissing contest of all pissing contests.” The crowd laughs, and Matthew leans closer to the microphone. “I won.”
“He wishes he won,” Max says.
“But I warmed up to him slowly and started trusting him on the ice and off the ice. Did you know he dated my sister right under my nose?” He points at Max who pulls Allison to him and kisses her. “She’s still my sister.” Oh, the crowd is roaring, and I swear these two can put on a comedy show. “Anyway, fast forward some years and throw in a couple of kids, and he’s family, plain and simple, and that is what the Stinger organization stands for. Family.” Everyone claps. I look over at Cooper who I swear beams with so much pride it’s bursting out of him.
“So as the new GM of the Stingers, I knew that if I had to do this job and do it well, I needed him at my back. So I am happy to introduce you to the newest scouting agent for the New York Stingers.” Everyone claps, and Max gets up and now walks on stage where they share a bro hug. “Do you want to say a few words?” Matthew asks him, and he just shakes his head no.
“Okay, so before we start this celebration, there is one last huge announcement,” Matthew says, and everyone looks around the table to see if they know what they are talking about.
“I love you.” I put my hand around Zara’s shoulder, my thumb rubbing her bare arm. “With everything I am, I love you.” She looks
at me and tilts her head to the side.
“With the both of us retiring,” Matthew says, “we knew that we needed two great players to fill those big skates we are leaving behind. And we knew that we had to go big or go home.” He leans in to the mic. “So after much going back and forth, we finally agreed on the person who would fill one of those skates. Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to say that earlier today, as my first order of GM the New York Stingers, we signed Evan Richards.” I watch Zara’s face as she turns to me, and I see the tears in her eyes, and she sobs.
“You did this for me?” she asks me, putting her hand to her mouth to try to stop the sobs.
“No, I did it for us.” It’s the last thing I can say to her because everyone at the table is standing up. I lean over and kiss her lips, and then I stand, going to my father and hugging him and then to my mother who is also sobbing. I walk to the stage, but Cooper stops me and smiles big.
“Welcome to the family, son,” he says, hugging me, and I nod at him. I walk to the stage where Matthew and Max stand holding my new jersey.
“Don’t think I didn’t see you kissing my sister,” Matthew says, and I shake my head. “It’s going to be a good year,” he says, shaking my hand. I stand there in the middle of them both holding up the jersey in my hand. Matthew finishes the speech, and I was giving him one more minute before walking off the stage. Zara was sitting with our mothers on her side as she silently cried, and it was killing me.
I shake Doug’s hand and then make my way to Zara who gets up and throws herself in my arms. One of her hands goes to my cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” I smile at her and wipe away a tear with one of my thumbs. “I wanted to surprise you.”
“You did all this for me?” she asks me, and I still shake my head.
“I did this for us,” I tell her. “For me and for you and for Lilo and Stitch and our kids.”
“Our kids?” she asks me, and I take the second biggest leap of faith today as I get down on one knee in the middle of everyone, my family and her family.
This Is Crazy Page 22
