Page 154 of Rebound
“How the hell are we going to get through if he keeps asking questions?” Ford asks Kai, who shrugs helplessly.
“Are you always this suspicious?” Reese asks.
“He has a hard time trusting people,” Kai answers. “It’s fine. My grandmother always says patience is the best medicine and the key to accomplishing what you want.”
I want to tell them it’s a lie and that I don’t have a hard time trusting people. But I don’t need a therapist to tell me I’m only feeling that way because I don’t want them to see the parts of me which are vulnerable and never quite healed.
Drew looks at me and for the first time, I see something in his eyes which reminds me of Lavinia. It makes my body relax and my guard lower.
“There’s no formal record,” he says. “This is mostly for drama, and I can’t think of a worse way to spend my evening but as the captain of this team, I apparently have to be here, or so I’ve been told.”
The other guys nod and Ford rests a hand on Drew’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. The less questions I ask, the faster this will go. “Go ahead. I won’t ask questions.”
Holden clears his throat once again. “State your name for the record.”
“Roman Maddox.”
Drew looks at Ford. “This is so fucking stupid.”
Ford rolls his eyes before grabbing the hockey stick from Drew. He pushes Drew away and takes his place in front of me. “You two deserve each other.” At this, he points to Drew and me.
“I actually prefer his sister,” I set the record straight.
Ford lifts the hockey stick, tapping it on my right and then left shoulder, like I am being anointed.
“By the power vested in me because Drew refuses to do his part as team captain, I now pronounce you, Roman Maddox, a part of the Titans. You’ll be added to the group chat, and you’re not allowed to leave it. Dinners are mandatory. You have to pick a stripper name for the group chat. If you don’t pick, one will be given to you.”
It's so fast I’m not sure what’s happened. I think I’ve officially been accepted by the Titans which causes panic to set in because oh my god, if I fuck up with Lavinia, I lose her and the guys. I don’t know what a true family feels like and being on the outskirts of the Titans or the Callahan’s is the closest I’ve ever gotten.
“Can I stand up now?”
Drew offers me his hand and I grasp it, pushing to my feet. He offers me a nod, which coming from Drew, might as well be a hug.
“Thanks, this means a lot,” I tell the guys, looking at each of them. Looks like Lavinia and I got exactly what we wanted from this marriage. Now I can focus on my second, secret plan, which is to have Lavinia fall in love with me.
“We discussed it and decided you can’t be so bad if Lavinia’s married to you,” Reese says. He’s still shirtless.
“My sister’s taste in men can’t be trusted,” Drew adds.
“We’re not going to hold Lavinia’s past mistakes against her,” Kai says. “And it’s not fair to blame her when we all met her old boyfriends, and we were all fooled.”
I can see why Lavinia likes Kai. He’s quiet, observing, but when he talks, he does so with meaning and the guys all listen to him.
“I always knew Josh was an asshole,” I say. “Why do I need a stripper name?”
“For the group chat,” Holden replies.
“And trust me, you want to pick up one or you’ll have to live with what we pick for you,” Reese adds. “The only one who got away with it is Coach.”
“Coach is part of the group chat?”
“We added him, but he doesn’t say anything,” Kai says.
“Pretty sure he has us on mute,” Reese agrees.
Holden’s ushering us all out of the back room and throws a t-shirt that lands on Reese’s face. We exit into a quieter room that’s set up like a bar with a jukebox, a dart board and an air hockey table.
“This is the Titan’s private room,” Holden explains. “Dad had it built about fifteen years ago and many Titans have gone through it. I think I saw your dad a couple of times when I was a kid.”
