Page 55 of War

Xander: Ava, pick up your phone.

Xander. Call me.

Xander: The marriage is REAL?

Xander: You cunt. My mother says you really married the asshole. This is fucking insane.

Xander: Okay, you’ve made your point. Now pick up the goddamn phone so we can work this out.

Xander: Did you move in with him? I just stopped by your place, and the doorman says you don’t live there anymore.

Xander: WHAT THE FUCK, AVA?

Xander: CALL ME.

Xander: Slut.

Tyler: I landed, wifey. Heard we may havebroken the internet.

Ava: …I don’t even know what to say to you.

Tyler: LOL. Told you I’d make sure everyone knew you were mine. I’ll call you and the kids later.

Tyler: P.S. Thanks for marrying me today. You really were the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.

TWENTY

TYLER

“A whole weekaway from the family, huh?” Fitz appears beside me on his surfboard. “You enjoying the break from the chaos?”

Game three of this away stretch is here in California, and like we do any time we find an ocean, we’re surfing. Before this week, Fitz was the only one who knew about my adoption plans and the three kids that are living with me. I’m not any closer with Fitz than I am with the other guys, but until recently, the two of us and Hall were the only single guys left in our group. When I stopped going out as much, it was hard not to tell him the truth. Besides, I needed someone to talk to about how I went from being the single guy who cares about nothing but hockey and sex to a guy who would do anything to be a father.

Even marry a woman who hates him.

After that announcement though, everyone knows that Ava and I are married and trying to adopt Josie—they just don’t know we’re marriedbecausewe’re trying to adopt Josie.

I sit up on my board, catching my breath from the ride out. There are only a few other surfers out this early, just as the sun is coming up over the horizon, turning the water a shade of pink that reminds me of a certain nine-year-old back in Boston.

“I miss them like fucking crazy.” I laugh.

Fitz’s smile is thoughtful. “I get that. Ican’t wait to get home.”

Dropping my head forward, I give it a shake.Finally. Fitz has finally admitted to being in love with Declan, his best friend since they were kids. On top of that big change, the two of them are also dating Melina Rodriguez. She’s a mega popstar, and Declan is a firefighter in a small New England town. Their differences seem vast, but already, it’s clear they’re solid.

“How are things with Ava?”

“You mean my wife?” I try to wipe the smile from my face, but it’s no use. I’m dying to get home and figure out where we go from here. Anxious to see whether that kiss was a prelude to more or nothing more than a tease.

Knowing Ava, she’ll play coy and make me work for it. I don’t mind a bit. I love the games we play. Keeps me on my toes. So long as I’m the only one in the game with her, I’m happy.

The woman has me all twisted up inside. When she egged me on by saying we’d never even kissed? God, I couldn’t help but tell her the truth.Only in my dreams.Pretty sure she doesn’t speak French, so the meaning went right over her head. Even so, I took what I wanted, and now I’m fucked. Because that kiss,that fucking kiss,will be replaying in my mind for eternity.

I need to kiss her again.

Fitz chuckles. “She does have a name. You don’t have to remind us that she’syour wifeevery time we mention her.”

All I can do is lift my hands and drop them with a splash. I can’t help it. I’m fucking happy. But it’s all still surreal. We’ve talked via FaceTime every night, but always with the kids.

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