Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
We're pretty great when we’re together and not arguing about how to handle the ongoing lie between us and all our friends. But the rest of the time, Jake is away playing for the Vandals and I’m here like I always am, except now I have to pretend to be as excited as everyone else for a wedding I’m dreading.
Yay me. I hear Walker stirring from his crib, and a familiar smell reaches my nose.
“You have got to be kidding me,” I groan.
19
JAKE
Gatherings at Jesse’s Frosty Harbor cabin have become something of a team tradition over the years. The entire team is off for our bye week, and the usual suspects have gathered in Frosty Harbor to celebrate. Me and Jesse showed up first, welcomed by Andi, Amelia, and Jude. Once Jesse was done making out with my sister in front of me and greeting his kids, Amelia took my hand and dragged me to her room. I spent half an hour sitting cross-legged while she brought me every flavor and shape of wooden food. If I didn’t make my “nom nom” sound enthusiastically, she whacked me with a wooden chef’s knife.
Scary kid, but adorable.
The guys showed up throughout the day, little by little. I knew Caroline wouldn’t come until the evening when her duties at the B&B could be put on pause for the day.
Even when she leaves, she has her phone on standby so her guests can call if they need anything. It isn't entirely uncommon to see her rush off for half an hour because somebody can’t find the muffins she left out or got locked out of their room.
I’m playing battleship with Carter on the patio while Liam and Maddox sit idly at the table, phones in their hands.
It’s chilly but comfortable and the atmosphere is always pleasant here. Mountains stretch as far as I can see over the balcony railings and birds chip as a soft breeze rustles the leaves.
Carter cackles as I plug a little red peg into one of my ships.
“That’s a hit,” I say, voice dry. I’m not a fan of this game, but Carter always wants to play. Probably because he’s too impatient for poker and too stubborn to admit he doesn’t understand the rules.
Carter claps and rocks in his chair like an excited kid. “You’re so fucked.”
I grin. “B-4?” Whether I like the game or not, I enjoy days like this. Just hanging out with the guys. I try to remind myself in my darker moments that this isn’t going away. Even if everybody retires, we’ll still have this.
“Miss!” Carter shouts.
Liam looks up from his phone with a dark expression.
“You good?” I ask. “It sounded like you were trying to break your locker in half after yesterday's game.” My normal instinct would be to leave it alone. I know he’s pissed about something. But my team captain's instinct is to pry because unresolved issues show up on the ice, and part of my job is making sure everybody is on the same page when we go out there to play. It’s part of why keeping such a big secret from everybody but Jesse is eating at me so much.
“It’s nothing,” he says. “Just this girl…”
“Ahhh,” Carter says, narrowing his eyes wisely. “Girl trouble in paradise, Liam? Speak your problems to me, and I’ll make them a memory.”
“You’ll what?” Maddox asks, setting his phone down and looking up. “His problems are already a memory. That’s how memories work. If you have the problem, then you remember having it… Or were you trying to say you’ll do nothing? Because then… I guess that’d be true.”
“No, dude,” Carter lifts his hands like two blades, leaning toward Maddox. “I will fix his problem. And then he won’t have a problem anymore. He’ll just have a memory. Get it?”
Maddox shakes his head. “No? Couldn’t you just say you’ll take away his problems?”
“That wouldn’t be as cool, though,” Carter complains. “I’ll make them a memory is the kind of thing you say before popping on some shades and firing off finger guns.”
“It really wasn’t cool, either way,” I note.
Carter looks at me with evil in his eyes. “D-2.”
Glaring, I pick up a peg and stuff it into one of my ships. “Hit,” I say.
“That’s right, bitch,” he smirks. “Now, as I was saying, Liam–” He frowns, noticing Liam has got up and walked inside during the argument. Carter shrugs, pursing his lips. “See? I told him exactly what he needed to hear.”
“Or he was escaping while you were distracted,” I suggest.
Carter purses his lips in disagreement. “Speaking of ladies, what are you doing here with us? Shouldn’t you be at the B&B with your lovely little family?”
“Yeah, man,” Maddox says. “Honestly, it’s kinda shitty of you. Coming straight here like this instead of seeing your woman and your kid.”