Page 31 of That Thing You Brew
“Definitely after,” Xavier and I replied in unison.
And stutter-free. Whoa.
I wondered if his reason for delaying was the same as mine. Seattle was his home. I assumed I’d be meeting his family if he took me with him. Probably best to meet them before the wedding, right?
Was he thinking the same? Or was it something different?
Brenna looked from him to me and back to him.
He cleared his throat. “No more big life changes until after All-Star Weekend. It might, uh, be bad luck.”
Brenna huffed. “You were just saying ‘what’s another major life change?’ Nothing about Penny has ever brought you bad luck. I’ll bet you have your best weekend ever. Toffee coffees before each event!”
Xavier gave her an easy smile. “Iamlooking forward to that, if she’s willing.” He turned his head back to me, and his smile fell away. “But I’m most worried about the PR. If she’s there with any kind of ring on…”
I’d thought about that. I expected wedding rings. But he’d said “any kind of ring.” I didn’t have an engagement ring. Was he planning to get me one?
We still had so much to talk about.
CHAPTER9
Xavier
Saying goodbye—again—to Opa had been the hardest thing I’d ever done. It gave me the closure I was looking for, but it was at the expense of the finality the rituals signaled.
Before I left Alpintraum late Christmas night, our last conversation had been jovial and good-natured.Zavey-boy, go find yourself a vife vhile you are young hockey star. Before you get old and fat like me and none of zee ol’ ladies look at you tvice. And take your Oma’s emerald ring. It’s from Idar-Oberstein and has been in the family for generations. It’s good luck. I have faith you’ll give it to the right voman.
I’d laughed along with him, until his chuckles morphed into a coughing fit. Then I’d sat with him, holding his hand until he slipped into a peaceful, medicated sleep, snoring softly. The image of him sleeping in his ornate bed with the curtains tied to the posts would be forever burned into my memory.
Oma’s ring was in my drawer. I wanted to give it to Penny. It was the same color as her eyes, a deep green the color of the chateau’s lawn on a warm summer day. I had to be sure she was one hundred percent committed to the long game as I was before I gave her a piece of my family’s history.
Returning for the funeral had reminded me just how deep my Alpintraum roots went. With the chateau and grounds, Opa’s title of baron would also be passed down to me. And with it, the traditions and trappings of an old noble family. Could I really expect to manage all of that and play hockey, too?
As for the funeral, only a big to-do would suffice for my Opa. His visiting hours and service had been grander and larger and longer than Oma’s, him having known and affected hundreds of people over the years and her wanting a small, private event for family and friends only. Many locals had stories to share, and the tributes went on for hours. I learned so many things about him I hadn’t known.
How he once sheltered and fed everyone in a five-mile radius during and after a blizzard. How he opened up the pond every January to the public and hired college kids to run it. How he sent a generous handwritten card every Christmas to every staff member, including the students earning service hours.
I had big shoes to fill … someday.
Thinking about all of this on the way home from the wedding consultation, I was glad Penny and I had driven separately. I wouldn’t have been good company.
Claudia had ordered takeout for Penny and I from Brewski’s Sports Bar & Grille, which Brenna’s parents owned. Her brother, Drew, ran it over from the restaurant, which was located across the field from the barn. It was all Brewer property this side of town. We also took the cake samples with us.
Penny followed me home, and I set our food out on the coffee table. Sitting on the sofa to eat instead of at the table felt less formal. More comfortable. Maybe even more domestic?
J.R. had sent me a deck of getting-to-know-you question cards, and I suggested to Penny that we use them while we ate. I hoped she’d get more comfortable with me in the process. Then we could work on her speaking.
I pulled the first card off the deck. “The ideal number of children I’d like is…” I swallowed. Nothing like jumping right to the big stuff. “Uh, you don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to.”
Penny held up four fingers.
“Really? Me too. Someday, anyway. I like having three little sisters.”
She smiled. “I alw-ways w-anted brothers.”
I laughed. “Sorry I can’t help you with that. But I think you’ll love my sisters.”
“No d-doubt.” She reached for the next card on the deck and scanned the words. “Early b-bird or n-night ow-owl?”
