Page 107 of Forecheck
They were so sweet it made my stomach hurt, and I hoped that was me and Brent one day.
“But aren’t we so lucky hockey did work out?” Ron boomed, pulling away from his wife to sweep his arms toward the view of the ice. “I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to this.”
I took stock of the suite, though I’d been here before. On normal game days, it was relatively empty with a spartan food and drink spread. Today, the bar was fully loaded with beer and wine in the refrigerator and stocked with all kinds of liquor. The counters were laden with trays of mini sandwiches, meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, chips, and crackers.
My gaze landed on a bottle of liquor, and I said to Sandra, “Do you mind if I have a drink?”
“No, of course not, honey,” Sandra said, patting me on the arm. “You look like you could use one.”
As I made a beeline for the bar, I tapped Lexie on the shoulder, and she followed me over.
“So, that was…” Lexie glanced over her shoulder at the Jean family, searching for the words. “Surprisingly not awkward.”
“I know, right? I didn’t expect such open acceptance,” I said, pouring a healthy serving of Jack Daniels into a glass. I splashed in some Coke and drained it in two gulps, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand before refilling it with a more socially acceptable Jack-to-Coke ratio.
“His brother sure is pretty,” Lexie whispered, throwing an appreciative look Nate’s way. Nate stared at us over the rim of his glass, and gave us a finger little wave before turning to speak to his father.
“He’s in surgical residency,” I said, wiggling my brows. “But you better not let Mitch hear you say that. The man may be a giant teddy bear, but I guarantee he’s got a jealous streak.”
“Mitch Smitch,” Lexie said, though the smile that unfurled on her lips belied her blasé comment.
“He’s crazy about you, you know.”
Lexie swallowed hard and nodded. “The feeling is mutual.”
I knew from years of experience that those four words were all Lexie would offer on the subject. For now, it was enough.
The noise from the crowd rose as the Warriors skated onto the ice. The buzzer sounded, and the teams lined up, ready for pregame announcements and the National Anthem. But the commotion outside wasn’t what pulled my attention away from Lexie.
No, my sole focus was on the very familiar blonde woman pushing through the door of the suite, a tall, sandy-haired man behind her, followed by a girl in her late-teens and a man a few years older than me.
My family.
Every Version Of You
“Mom?”
“Hi, baby!” my mom said as she swiftly crossed the space between us and pulled me into a hug. “We’re not late, are we?”
“Uhh…no,” I said. “Puck hasn’t dropped yet. But what are you doing here? Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
In a daze, I hugged my father, sister, and brother in turn, waiting for my mom to answer me.
“Brent chartered a plane for us,” she said. “He wanted to surprise you, and since his whole family is in town, this seemed like the perfect time!”
“Actually, I drove,” Jessica quipped, and I glared at her.
My mom pursed her lips. “Yes, Jessica drove. But Dad, Logan, and I flew. I’ve never flown private before, and now I’m not sure I can ever go back.”
I simply stared at my family, unable to move or speak.
Logan, catching onto my distress, said, “Why aren’t you more excited to see us?”
“I am excited to see you,” I said, though the words fell flatter than I intended. “I’m just surprised.”
“Well that was the whole point!” My mom clapped happily, as though congratulating herself on a job well done.
Meanwhile, I was plotting ways to kill my boyfriend.
