Page 185 of Rebound
“Pretty sure he broke his father’s nose for talking shit about his wife,” Ford says. “Josh is going to get pummeled into that ice tonight.”
“Guys, let’s not encourage toxic aggressive behavior,” Kai says, ever the peacekeeper. “We each get a punch in, that’s it.”
Reese snickers at that and Kai shoves at his shoulder.
“We’re not going into this game thinking we’re MMA fighters,” Drew says.
“But we are hockey players and hockey can be aggressive, so if Josh gets elbowed in the face that’s really his fault for being too close to my elbow,” I point out. “You guys don’t have to do anything and risk getting a fine or suspension for me.”
“You’re a part of the HoBros,” Holden says. “This team is a family, and we do anything for family.”
I was surprised they all demanded to go with me after Sage told us about the podcast. Truthfully, it doesn’t concern them, and it doesn’t have to. But that’s the thing about Titans I’ve never understood. They’re a family even more than they are a team. As someone who’s never had a proper family, I’m not sure how to feel about that.
“If we’re a family, who’re the dads?” I ask, not wanting to focus on the emotions. I punched my real father, so family is a touchy subject right now.
“Drew and Ford,” Reese says, like it should be obvious.
“I refuse to be married to Drew,” Ford says. He’s got his headphones in his hands and he’s preparing for his pregame ritual of shutting everything out.
“I’m not dying to be married to you either,” Drew gripes.
“All jokes aside,” Kai says, “aggression is never the answer. You want to be better than your oppressor, not stoop down to their level. No matter what Josh or anyone says, it’s not going to change who Lavinia is. Fighting with him is only going to add more fuel to the fire.”
I look at the other guys and see the realization on their faces that Kai’s probably right. Fighting with Josh is only going to give the thing more airtime. Once it’s on the Internet, it’s going to stay there forever and the one thing I don’t want is anything I do to be held against Lavinia. Josh has already planted a kernel ofdoubt in everyone’s mind that because Lavinia is married to me, it somehow proves that she’s not good.
“I think I liked it better when I didn’t have friends talking me out of my bad decisions,” I mumble quietly.
“Yeah, how difficult it must be having people actually care about you,” Kai says.
“You joke, but it actually is difficult. This is all very new for me.” The fact that I admitted this makes me realize I’m too far gone. There’s no going back to a time when I was by myself. “This might sound weird, but I really appreciate you guys. As someone who’s never had any friends before.”
“What about Drew?” Ford asks.
I shake my head sadly at my brother-in-law. “Hated me since we were kids.”
Reese walks over, throwing his arms over mine and Drew’s shoulders. “And now look at you, brothers as the universe intended.”
“Please stop calling him my brother,” Drew says. “You’re going to make me throw up and I haven’t thrown up before a game since my rookie season.”
My phone dings and I pull it out. It shows a notification that Lavinia has posted. The guys also have their phones out and we all exchange looks. They huddle around me as I open the app and go to her account to see the video.
As soon as I do, I laugh, pride bursting through me.
“See, I told you, you didn’t need to kill Josh,” Drew says, pride coloring his voice. “We’re Callahan’s, and Callahan’s don’t lose to shitheads.”
“I had no idea Lavinia was this petty,” Reese says, enjoying it thoroughly.
“She’s competitive. You’ve never played a board game with her, have you? You’ve never argued with her and realized thatshe always needs to have the last word?” It’s one of the things I love about her. She’s so fierce and passionate. An absolute killer.
Josh had his moment of glory, and I hope he enjoyed those two days because he’s about to be eviscerated in the court of public opinion.
I turn to my locker where my jersey is hanging up and I pause when I see Maddox right across the back of it. The sad fact of the matter is we live in a patriarchal society and unfortunately, I did end up with my father’s name. I can be a one name wonder, but as I open my bag, something inside it catches my eye.
I can’t kill Josh. That doesn’t mean I can’t do everything in my power to support my wife.
FIFTY-FIVE
LAVINIA
