Page 27 of From Ice to Grace
“That’s twice now…I’m starting to take some offense here,” Hannah says with a smile that’s still kind for some reason.
Lucas looks at me, his frown deepening on his face, before looking at the others. “Is he being serious right now? I can’t tell anymore.”
“He’s a dog in a corner and he wants to bite,” Nikolai says, his voice a sudden relief in the storm of insane perfection and domestication. I forgot for a second that he’s here and my prime example.
“You know what I’m talking about here, Petrov,” I say, gesturing to him. “Your marriage didn’t work out. You’re divorced and living your life.”
His jaw tightens and his eyes grow hard. “True.”
There’s a moment of silence where all you can hear is the cutlery being picked back up, awkwardness hanging over the table. Nikolai doesn’t talk about his failed marriage. In fact, he asked for a trade after he got divorced and now it’s an off-limits topic.
But that doesn’t change the fact that it happened. Which makes it more real than any of their words about perfectly long marriages and devoted spouses.
“But no one said you have to get married. You’d be the kind to screw it up,” Nikolai says with a shrug. “Maybe first try dating a nice girl.”
EJ chuckles. “Declan can’t do dating or nice.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, knowing he’s speaking the truth, but offended all the same. “I’m a nice guy.”
“No, you’re not,” he says, matter-of-factly.
“Jeez,” Lindgren says, leaning back. “Now who’s not being nice?”
“It’s true,” EJ says, looking around the table for back-up. “Look, I’m not insulting your character, Declan. You’re a great teammate, and I’d go to war with you. But being a boyfriend? Or a husband? To a woman?” He shakes his head like the thought is completely ridiculous. “Yeah…no.”
My gaze falls on Avah, meeting her blue eyes and expecting to find disdain or even a smug smile tugging on her lips. Instead I’m met with an expression of uncertainty and sadness. She quickly looks down at her plate, moving her food around with her fork.
For some reason, there’s an itch in my legs, urging me to get up and leave.
“I guess not everyone is marriage material,” I say, my voice sounding strangely resolute.
I’ve seen too many marriages blow up. My mom and dad were exhibit A. After which she married the next guy, where I inherited two step-siblings. Then she went on to husband number three. Now she’s with number four and I’ve long since stopped adding siblings to my birthday calendar. I’m sticking to the original two even when she didn’t.
So now, the only people I consider my actual family would be Brady and Maddie.
And my Aunt Kat.
None of which are happily married or even close to it.
I push out my chair, just done with everything.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way,” I say, looking at Hannah. “Thanks for dinner, Hannah.”
Her eyes widen before she looks at Lucas who just shakes his head.
“Don’t leave, Dec,” he says. “Sit down and let’s have a good time.”
With one last glance at Avah, who’s eyes are searching mine for a second I shake my head.
“Another time.”
“Hey, you’re my ride,” Lindgren says, scrambling to shovel another bite of food into his mouth.
“Not tonight, Barney,” I call over my shoulder as I leave the dining room. “Call an Uber.”
With that I leave their perfect stories behind. It might be Lucas and his perfect wife and sudden domesticated life, or it might be because Melissa’s phone call didn’t have the relaxing effect it should’ve had. The only excitement I got from it was the reaction from Avah.
Maybe I’m tired of women hanging around me for my jersey, or maybe I’m tired of finding missed calls from my dad, knowing he wants money from me again.
