Page 60 of Beauty
Over my shoulder, I assure him, “I’ll come to as many games as possible. Promise.”
He lets out a dramatic sigh but gives me a serious nod. He knows the drill. Unfortunately.
I pay for his icee with cash, and when the woman hands me my change, Oliver perks up.
I drop the three-quarters into the cupholder, and before I pull away, I flip each dollar bill over. With each one I examine, my disappointment grows, but I keep my expression neutral.
“No name?” Ollie asks.
I shake my head and stuff the money into my pocket. It’s stupid that I still check. But for almost five years, I did it religiously.
It’s possible Sienna never even wrote her name and number on one like she said, and after Brooks’s wedding, I know how to find her. Hell, she’s the baby sister of two of my closest friends. Two guys I’m meeting up with tonight. She lives in this city now, if what I overheard them talking about is true.
But the night I saw her kissing that man, I vowed to myself to let her go.
I should have done it long ago, really. The morning after I discovered who she was, it hit me just how difficult it would havebeen to date Sienna Langfield when one of her brothers is my coach, two more are my teammates, and the oldest is the head of the Bolts’ parent organization. All of that equates to way too much risk to my career, and since my spot on this team keeps me in Boston near my son, I won’t jeopardize it.
And she’s with someone else anyway. I like to think that she’s happy, though I’ve never asked.
Since Ollie was old enough to notice the way I study every bill, he’s been invested in the search too. For the last couple of years, we’ve had a routine. If I find a dollar with a name and number written on it belonging to someone who isn’t Sienna, then I give it to him. If it’s blank, I keep it.
So he pays extra attention. Now, though it hurts to look, I do it for him. It’s bittersweet and probably a habit I should break soon. It can’t be healthy to still be so consumed by emotions for a woman I can never have.
By the time I pull into the lot of the tattoo shop, I have more than one hundred text notifications waiting. Almost every one of them is from the group chat. When I throw my door open and step out, the whole crowd cheers from where they wait outside the front doors.
As I approach, Hannah is eyeing Daniel with a wicked grin.
“What about a clit piercing?”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. Naturally that’s the part of the conversation I’d have to walk up on.
Grimacing, I let out an exaggerated sigh. “Again, why am I here?”
Brooks shakes his head. “I have no idea why any of us are here. Me especially. I’d like to get home to my wife and baby, if you all don’t mind, so let’s get this party started.”
Hannah rolls her eyes. “Your baby is fine. She’s with my baby and Liv. And your wife was very clear. Tattoo her name on yourballs like War did for Ava. She birthed your progeny, so you owe her that.”
War chuckles and pulls Ava, whose cheeks are crimson, against his chest.
Meanwhile my own balls have shriveled up into my body. There are things friends don’t need to know about one another, this being one of them. But since my friends are far too open, I’m privy to far too many of their secrets.
Ava, sweet, angelic Ava, pinches Hannah. “Shh. I told you that in confidence when I hated him.”
War buries his face in his wife’s neck. “You never hated me, Vicious. But keep telling yourself those lies. You know I love it.”
Hannah gives a dismissive wave. “He couldn’t keep it a secret from the guys anyway. They literally see each other’s balls daily.”
“Not quite, dream girl.” Her husband squeezes her hip, trying to tame her. It’s a fruitless endeavor.
Hannah grins up at him. “As I was saying, what about a clit piercing?”
“And as I was saying,” I grumble, hanging my head, “why am I here?”
“Team-building opportunity,” Hannah chirps. “You’re all on fire this season, and now that you have a new boss, it’s time to celebrate.”
New boss?With a frown, I snap up straight again. “What?”
Brooks grins. “It hasn’t been announced yet, but Beckett and Gavin appointed Sienna to the head of the hockey division yesterday.”
