Page 14 of Rebel Secrets
“Trust me.”I held up a hand.“I’m sure.You said it yourself.All the guys from the team will be there.If I want to dance, I’m sure I can find a partner.”
Not that I would want to.When I danced anything that wasn’t a structured ballroom dance, I looked like a chicken with its head cut off.Which I’d accidentally witnessed one day when I went to a local farm to interview the owners for an article.It’d been horrifying, but I still eat chicken so…
Ugh.Stop.You can do this.
Of course, I could.
“I won’t have a problem with Rebel.”And if I did, I’d step on his toes with my pointy heels.
Tressy lit up like I’d given her free chocolate cake for life.“Thank you, thank you, thank you!This makes my life so much easier.I know you and Rebel don’t have the best of relationships but?—”
“Geez, you make it sound like we’re mortal enemies.We’re adults.We’ll deal.”
Tressy gave me a quick squeeze.“Thank you.I love my sister, but she can be a bit of a drama queen, and it’ll just be easier?—”
“Tressy.”I put my hand on her arm and squeezed.“Stop.You shouldn’t have to worry about any of this.Rebel and I will be fine.It’ll all be fine.”
Of course it would be.No problem at all.
Then why did I suddenly feel like I had a boulder sitting on my chest?
ChapterFive
Six weeks before the wedding
Rebel
“You want me to what?And with who?”
“I want you to dance with Erin during the wedding party dance, and Mom wants us all to take lessons.I already told her we would.”
I was sitting in my apartment shoving food down my throat before the Redtails’ next game.We were two games into the last round of playoffs and up two games on our opposition.
And I’d never felt this kind of pressure in my life.It was a great position to be in.The Redtails were winning.Yeah, the level of play was higher than the Devils’, and it was fucking hard every fucking day.But every day it got a little easier, too.I gelled more with my teammates.I’d picked up the hockey system pretty quickly.Coach had been surprised by that, I think.
Hell, I’d even made a few friends.
“I told Mom this wouldn’t be problem.”
I heard the question in Rowdy’s voice, directed straight at me.He’d clearly just asked me if I was going to be the problem.
“I know you and Erin don’t get along but?—”
Suck it up.“That’s not going to affect your wedding.Whatever else you’re thinking, don’t.I’m not gonna fuck this day up for you.”
“Reb, that’s not what I’m saying at all.I know you wouldn’t.Never even crossed my mind.I just need to know you’re gonna be comfortable enough to do it.If you’re not, we’ll figure something else out.”
And right there was why my brother was a “golden retriever,” according to my sister.The guy couldn’t help himself.He needed to make sure everyone around him was okay.Rowdy had a spine—and he was definitely no pushover—but sometimes that spine wiggled like he had a fucking tail.
Okay, that didn’t make complete sense, but you got the picture.Rowdy wanted people to be happy.And it worked on his last nerve that I was such a miserable SOB most of the time.I was working on that.
“It’ll be fine.”
“You sure?”
“Ask me again, and I’ll make sure Erin and I look better on the dance floor than you and Tressy.”
My brother’s laugh made me wince a little, it was so loud.
