Page 89 of The Captain

“Oh, you sweet girl!” Mom envelopes Cassie in a hug, and I smile at the sight of them. I don’t hate that. “You don’t need to call me that! Either Sienna or Mom will do!”

“Mom,” I scold, watching Cassie fluster at the thought.

“Okay, Sienna, thank you.” Cassie recovers quickly and seems overwhelmingly relieved when my sister pops around the corner.

Mick takes Cassie with her, and I turn to my mom. “A little much, Mom.”

My mom looks over at me, feigning innocence. “What? I’m just trying to welcome her home.”

I roll my eyes skyward and shake my head. It’s hopeless.

We enter the kitchen, and Tanner is standing at the stove, stirring something. He showed up while I was upstairs getting dressed, so I walk up to him.

“Coach.”

He turns, shaking my hand with his free one. “Ellis.”

I peek over at Cassie with my mom and sister. They’re all chatting about something that makes my mom laugh. Cassie’s eyes hit mine from across the room, and I grin at her.

This was a good idea. This makes her feel like she’s part of the family, maybe if she sees how accepting my family is of our relationship, if there’s endorsement from my family, she’ll see how serious I am about her.

“How’s the work going?” Tanner asks, and I know he’s not talking about the skating classes I’ve been coaching.

“It’s coming along,” I say with confidence I don’t feel. I think my paper is good, it’s the subject matter that’s tricky.

Tanner was able to get me a redo, and the basis was I got to choose my own subject. I’m not sure they’ll like it, but it doesn’t really matter.

I passed the public speaking portion of the class, so I literally just have to email my professor my updated—or brand new, in this case—paper, and it should be all good.

Fuck. I hope it’s all good.

If I don’t get to play hockey, I don’t know what I’ll do.

Probably drop out and try to get picked up as a free agent.

Soon enough, we’re sitting down at the table. Mom and Dad sit at each end while Mick and Tanner sit across from Cassie and me.

I keep my arm slung over the back of Cassie’s chair and smile when she leans into my arm. I fucking love that she does so.

We chat about this and that, leaning away from topics that may trigger questions about our relationship, and I’m shocked that my mom hasn’t asked anything embarrassing yet.

“So, Cassie, Lincoln says you finished a book?” Cassie looks up from her plate at Mom’s question, and her gaze goes to me.

“I did.” She smiles shyly.

“I can’t believe you never told me you wrote a whole book,” Mick scolds her teasingly.

“Well, she was working on it at Thanksgiving,” Mom retorts, “The one about the professor and his student! I can’t wait to read that.”

Cassie flushes, and it hits me out of nowhere.

I look over to Tanner and Mick, who seem to be holding in their laughter. “That…” I trail off, frowning down at Cassie, whose blush has skated down her neck. She takes a long pull of water. “You were covering up for them.”

“Yup,” Mick answers calmly, sitting back in her chair and looking to our mom. “She didn’t write a book about a professor and his student.”

“Actually,” I interrupt before Cassie has to answer anything else, she already looks like she’s about to die of embarrassment. “She wrote this epic fantasy book. It’s amazing.”

“You’ve read it?” Mick gapes, looking back over at Cassie. “You let him read it and didn’t even tell me?”

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