Page 80 of Rebound
TWENTY-SIX
LAVINIA
I use my key to unlock the door and I’m greeted by the sound of paws running over the floor. I turn in time to be attacked by a big floof of golden fur. Bending down, I wrap my arms around Bailey, my brother’s dog.
“Hi, baby! Look what I got you!”
I remove the toy from my bag with one hand as I rub her back with the other. She’s panting in my ear excitedly. I wave the chew toy in front of her and then throw it into the living room. She goes running after it.
“First you break into my house, then you try to spoil my dog.” Drew comes from the kitchen as I stand up, brushing off Bailey’s hair. I remove my jacket and hang it in the coat closet.
“It’s not breaking in if I have a key and you’re expecting me.”
I tug at the sleeves of my sweatshirt. Mom sent me a message last night that she told Drew about the wedding, but she couldn’t tell from his tone how he took the news. I can see he didn’t take it well. My brother looks a little rough around the edges and his normally styled copper hair is a mess.
We stare at each from across the entryway, waiting for the other one to break first. One time we went two days withoutspeaking to each other because we were waiting for the other one to break the standoff.
It’s the longest we have gone without talking to each other and the standoff was only broken because we forgot why we were mad at each other in the first place. I’ve a feeling I’ll have to be the bigger person now, though. There’s no way Drew’s going to forget why he’s mad at me.
“Help me understand this,” he says. “Why him?”
I walk farther into the house. “Roman is nice, and fun, and I like him.”
Drew makes a face, like he doesn’t believe a word that I’m saying. “Roman’s never been nice. He wasn’t nice as a kid, or a teenager, I doubt he’s nice now.”
“He’s nice to me,” I say.
I’ve made it to the living room and I sit down on the couch, crossing my legs and hugging a pillow. Drew sits down on the other end, putting his arm along the back of the couch.
“You married him because he’s nice?”
“He’s also hot, but I don’t think you want to hear that.”
Drew gives me a disgusted look which makes me laugh. Just to be clear, I still feel guilty for lying to my family, but if I told them my reasons for staying married to Roman, they’ll have me committed and I don’t even know what they’ll do to Roman.
It’s better to stick to surface level things and the end of the season will be here in no time. By that time, Roman and I will be on our separate ways.
For the first time, I notice a bruise on the back of Drew’s hand and my stomach plummets.
“Drew, please tell me that’s a hockey injury.”
“It’s a hockey injury,” he says, dead-pan.
“Drew! Did you hit Roman?” I get up and stalk to the kitchen, opening the freezer and grabbing an ice pack. I bring it back to him and he obediently places it on his knuckles.
“He married my sister. That’s a betrayal he can’t recover from.”
I realize now Roman is asking for a miracle if he wants these guys to like him. Even if the other guys on the team warm up to him, they’re not going to risk losing Drew’s trust and friendship. My brother is the best captain, and he has all the skills of a leader. Somehow, I have to convince them to like and trust Roman.
“Why do you hate Roman? Be explicit.”
Drew runs his good hand through his hair and sighs deeply. He takes a moment to think of an answer and I appreciate his thoughtfulness. Bailey leaves her toy and comes to me, propping her head on top of my thigh. I run two fingers up her nose and over her head.
“I think someone like Josh suits your personality better,” Drew begins. “This isn’t in support of Josh because the only reason he’s still alive is because I can’t imagine myself killing someone and putting the family through a murder trial.” He inhales sharply and tugs on the ice pack.
“What I mean is, someone who’s quiet, steady, with a good head on his shoulders is who you should be with. Roman isn’t that. He’s been brash since we were kids and I don’t think he’s grown up much. I don’t want my sister to be with someone everyone calls The Brutalizer. That doesn’t fill me with confidence.”
My parents had the same concern at dinner and they’re not wrong. My ex-boyfriends were the strong and steady type, the reliable kind. The kind you can bring home to your parents and know with one hundred percent certainty that they’ll be loved and accepted. All of them were.
