Page 34 of Rebound
“You can say his name, I don’t care.”
Especially now, when I can’t stop thinking about Roman, who really is hotter than Josh. I can admit that now because I’m not getting married to Josh and he’s not around to be jealous when I say some other man is attractive.
“Well, get your entertainment now because he’s not going to be around next season,” Drew says.
The comment brings me out of my thoughts, and I look at Drew. On the other side of him, Jules looks at me, an eyebrow raised. While my brother does share Titans gossip with me, I didn’t know anything about Roman potentially being traded again.
“Fighting with the refs and other players is definitely not a good look,” Dad says.
They’re not wrong. If Roman continues like this, pretty soon he’s not even going to have a hockey career. No one wants a loose cannon on their team.
“Well, have you talked to him? You’re the team captain,” I say.
Drew spears a piece of broccoli and pops it into his mouth. That whole twin telepathy thing is a total lie because Drew and I can’t tell what the other one is thinking half the time. Exceptwhen we’re on the ice together. Our high school had a co-ed hockey team, and we were unstoppable on the ice.
“Maddox doesn’t want to listen to anyone. He wants to keep to himself and do his own thing. Even Coach has talked to him many times and it’s all led to nothing.”
“But it doesn’t help when you guys don’t even celebrate with him when he scores,” Jules defends.
Shecan read my mind, better than my brother or my parents. It’s why we always say we’re each other's soulmates. We know each other better than anyone else ever can. I can’t defend Roman openly without it raising questions that I don’t want to answer. Jules doesn’t have the same issue.
“He wants it that way, not us,” Drew grumps. “If he wants to be a part of the team, he should act like it.”
Jules’s laugh is sardonic. “How is it his fault when you probably welcomed him with the same warmth the iceberg had for the Titanic?”
“Says the woman who’s never been part of a team in her life,” Drew snaps back.
“Ha! Jokes on you because Vin and I are a team.”
“Yeah, we are.” We high five over the table, in front of Drew’s face. She winks at me, and I hide my smile behind my water glass. Aside from writing the best kind of fictional men, Jules’s other job is pissing off my grumpy brother.
“Do you see what happens when you let them talk about hockey?” Mom looks at Dad across the table.
“Aunt Constance said he’s pretty,” Dad flusters.
“Oh, Aiden, I think you’re above blaming things on your poor old aunt,” Aunt Constance says. “Besides, your daughter is the one who left her date to go with him.”
Drew and I choke simultaneously, him on water and me on a piece of potato. Mom hands me a glass of water and gets up to massage both our backs as we try to stop the coughing fit.
“How do you know that?” I croak out, when I can breathe again.
Aunt Constance grins slyly. “Benjamin told me a man showed up to your date and when I asked him what he looked like, he described Roman.”
Of course, I should have figured Benjamin would tattle. Not that I blame him.
“Roman Maddox?” Drew asks. “Are you serious?”
“How did this happen?” Mom asks.
“I didn’t know you two were still talking,” Dad adds.
I look at Jules for help and she shrugs. There’s nothing to do other than tell the truth and hope they don’t react badly.
“Nothing is going on between us.” Right now.
“Vinny, you’re blushing,” Gran says, her eyes dancing.
My cheeks are heated, and I sip more of my ice water to calm down. I risk a glance at my brother and find him glaring daggers at me. I wince as I look away.
