Page 70 of Lost on Ice
I chuckle. “Yes. Yes they are. Don’t worry. As soon as dinner’s over, we’ll leave.”
God, this is fucking embarrassing. This is why I never brought any of my friends around when we were kids — I didn’t want them to see how pathetic I really am for putting up with this treatment. For holding onto the miniscule hope that maybe if I’m helpful enough, successful enough, my family will actually decide to give a shit about me.
Mom and Kevin come out of the kitchen a few minutes later with the food and we all sit down to eat. Before I’ve even taken my first bite, they immediately launch into talking about my siblings and everything they’re up to.
“Riley is one of the top football players at BU,” Kevin declares with obvious pride. “We were able to make just about every game he played this past season.”
And yet they haven’t made it to one of my games, even though I play in Boston as well. Whatever, though. Riley is Kevin’s favorite, even if he won’t admit it. He dotes on all his children, but Riley is the most athletic, and Kevin has latched onto his twenty-one-year-old’s talent, living vicariously through him since he’s past his own glory days.
“James came from New York to a few of the games too,” Mom adds with a smile. “Isn’t that so good of him? Taking time out of his busy schedule to support his brother?”
An intentional dig because I didn’t go to any of Riley’s games… mostly because I know Riley wouldn’t want me there. When I left for college, Kevin swooped in and convinced him and my other siblings that I’d abandoned them and didn’t give a shit about them anymore.
I do my best to let their words roll off me, but Abbie is not able to do the same.
In a cool voice, she asks, “Did you watch Jake’s last game? He was fantastic.”
Mom and Kevin give her blank looks, as if they can’t comprehend what she’s saying.
She raises her brows. “You know your son is a professional hockey player, right?”
Kevin scowls. “Our lives don’t revolve around sports.”
It takes every ounce of self-control I have to avoid snorting. They were just gushing over Riley’s college football career. I glance over at Abbie, who is arching an eyebrow, and I don’t know if she’s ever looked hotter.
Kevin’s not done yet, though. “You’ve always been so arrogant, Jake. So obsessed with yourself and your supposed talent. I thought maybe once you grew up you’d have a little more humility and realize the world doesn’t revolve around you, but that just hasn’t been the case, has it?”
Fuck, suddenly I’m a lonely kid again, desperate for just a nugget of affection from these people, and instead being told how unworthy I am of it. I feel small and worthless…and I hate that they still have this kind of hold over me.
“Holy shit, you people are awful,” Abbie snaps, surprising the shit out of me. “What about how loyal, protective, kind, and intelligent he is? You know you haven’t asked one question about Jake’s life since we got here? Not one! You’ve only criticized him or gone out of your way to make him feel like shit.”
Mom narrows her eyes. “Excuse me, miss, but you are a guest in our house…”
Abbie shoves to her feet. She does it so fast that it rattles the dishes on the table. “Yeah, well, let me rectify that for you. We’re done here. You don’t deserve Jake, and I’m not going to sit here and listen to you two disrespect him anymore than you already have.”
“How dare you?” Kevin growls. “Who do you think you are?”
“Someone who actually cares about your son.” She grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet. “Thanks for dinner, not that I actually got to try any of it. Goodbye.”
She turns to storm out of the dining room, pulling me along with her. I’m stunned — and I have to admit, a bit turned on — so I follow after her without protest or hesitation. Damn, it’s easy to forget how confident she can be when she’s sticking up for somebody besides herself.
We get out to the car before I can find my voice again.
“Holy shit,” I murmur as I climb in behind the wheel and drive away from the house. “That was…”
“I know, I’m sorry,” she sighs, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t have blown up on them like that. I just… I couldn’t stand the way they were talking about you. Your stepfather was just being so cruel! How dare he call you arrogant? I mean, you are, but in a sexy way, not the entitled, asshole way he was describing. Or like howheis.”
I glance over at her and I realize I’m getting hard. Her face is flushed and her breasts are pressing tight against the neckline of her dress as she takes deep, sharp breaths.
Fuck me. Thinking about the way she stood up for me… when no one has ever stood up for me…
I spot a dark, empty parking lot ahead and pull into it.
“What are you doing?” Abbie asks, frowning at me.
Parking, I turn the car off and reach over for her. Cupping the back of her head, I pull her into a hungry kiss. She gasps, opening her mouth, and I slip my tongue in to tangle with hers.
When I pull back, she looks at me with wide eyes.
