Bound and Blitzed (Knoxville Coyotes Football #4)

17. Avery

Chapter 17

Avery

My heart is galloping when Valentina’s father comes into view on the screen. The timing couldn’t be worse—I’m still trying to control my anger from the story Valentina shared about Dane fucking Thomson.

I hate that he took advantage of her. And he obviously did. Lena was a kid. A sweet, fifteen-year-old girl and Dane was a grown fucking man, playing soccer at the national level. By that time, he had unchecked female attention, had spent nights partying in clubs across Europe, and would have known better than to seduce his teammate’s little sister.

The reason he didn’t want Alejandro to find out is because he knew Valentina’s brother would have knocked him the fuck out.

And yet, my sweet wife has carried guilt and shame about that encounter for more than a decade. The thought alone makes my blood boil.

“ Vale, que tal ?” Rueben Garcia, an internationally recognized soccer star, asks his daughter.

“ Hola , Papá,” Valentina replies. “Where’s Mamá?” she asks in Spanish.

For the first time, I’m grateful for the three years of Spanish I took in high school.

“Hi, Mami.” Lena smiles as her mother appears on the screen. She switches to English effortlessly, causing her parents to exchange a look. “How are you?”

“We’re fine, Valentina. Good,” her mother replies. “You’ve been very busy with your research.”

“We haven’t heard from you,” her father adds. “How are you?”

“I’m great,” Valentina says, smiling broadly. “In fact, I’m happy you called. I have something to tell you.”

“You’re coming to the charity gala in Chicago?” her mother guesses. She clasps her hands together. “Oh, it will be so nice for all of us to be together, especially if you can stay through New Year’s?”

I frown, relieved I’m not yet on the screen. Is Valentina planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Chicago? We haven’t talked about it, but I can’t imagine not being with her for the countdown. At the same time, I’d never keep her from spending a holiday with her family. I wish I could join her in Chicago, but we have an away game in Boston the day of the gala.

Valentina’s knee begins to bounce, and I note how she bites her bottom lip. I hate how unsure she feels, and I place my palm on her thigh to steady her, to let her know that I’m here. Whatever comes next, we’re in this together.

She shoots me a grateful smile. “It’s not about New Year’s plans,” she says in English, glancing back at her parents. “It’s, well, I’ve met someone.”

“A man?” Her mother’s eyebrows pull together. She begins to rattle off a sentence in rapid Spanish.

Her father’s brows knit together before he too makes demands in Spanish. It’s too quick for me to understand but the way his expression twists informs me that he is concerned by his daughter’s announcement.

Shit. Valentina winces and I squeeze her thigh in solidarity.

“He’s here, with me,” Valentina says slowly.

Her mother stops speaking, her eyes widening. “He can hear us?” She switches to English.

“ Si , yes,” Valentina says, glancing at me.

I arch an eyebrow, and she angles the camera so I’m in the frame. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Garcia. It’s nice to meet you.”

Mrs. Garcia frowns. “Who are you? You look familiar.”

Mr. Garcia squints, as if he’s trying to make out my identity.

“You know his sister,” Valentina explains. “Raia Callaway, she’s Carla’s teammate.”

“Ah! Raia. I love Raia.” Mrs. Garcia smiles, warmer now.

I’ll have to thank my sister for making such a favorable impression on Valentina’s mother.

“Good,” Valentina says, nodding. “Because she’s part of the family now. Avery and I got married.” She holds up her hand and shows them her ring finger.

Mr. and Mrs. Garcia freeze on screen. For a second, I thought we dropped the connection.

“Way to ease them into the idea of it,” I mutter.

“You blurted it out to your parents,” Valentina whispers back.

Her parents are still quiet for a handful of seconds before all hell breaks loose. They speak over each other, their Spanish too fast for me to understand, their faces mottled with anger.

“Shit,” Lena whispers.

I grip her thigh tighter. “What do you want me to do?”

She holds out her palm and I take it, lacing our fingers together.

“Just be here with me,” she says.

“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

We sit like this for nearly ten minutes as her parents holler and question, demand and beg. At one point, her mother begins to cry and I feel my throat swell, nearly suffocating me.

It’s hard to behold, the way Lena curls into herself at her parents’ unchecked anger, confusion, betrayal.

I sit beside her through the entire conversation. When Mr. Garcia eventually ends the call, Valentina’s shoulders slump. She hangs her head, closes her eyes, and sobs softly.

“They’re furious,” she surmises.

“Come here.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders, and she turns into me, crying softly against my chest. I kiss her temple. “I’m sorry, Lena.”

She shakes her head. “It’s not your fault. I… They never respect my decisions.” She pulls back to meet my eyes. “I’m the odd one out in my family. No one ever understands me or my choices or why I like the things I do. I’m sorry you had to witness that. Honestly, their reaction isn’t a surprise; it’s one of the reasons why I held off on telling them for as long as I have.”

“I understand now. At first, I thought you were ashamed of me.”

“Of you?” Valentina hiccups. “Never, Avery. I could never be ashamed of you, or of our marriage.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” I admit, brushing her hair out of her face. “They’ll come around, Lena.”

She offers a watery smile. “I hope so, Avery. But…they might not.”

“Well, I know it’s not the same thing, but you have me. You have my family. We’re here for you.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “And if you want to go to Chicago for New Year’s, you should go. Whatever you want to do, Lena, I’ve got your back.”

Valentina looks at me for a beat, holding my gaze. Then she nods. “Thank you, Avery. But I want to ring in the New Year with my husband.”

I can’t stop the smile that cuts my face at that. “Good.” I lean forward again and press kisses to each of her cheeks. “Because I want to celebrate the holiday with my wife.”

I wait for her to lift her face and when she does, I kiss her softly. Slowly.

Valentina sighs and parts her lips, inviting my tongue to slip into her mouth. She holds me close as I kiss her deeply, reminding her that whatever comes next, we’re in this together.

The lead-up to Christmas is always hectic, but this year feels extra busy.

The team is performing phenomenally on the field. We’re all tuned in, in sync, and stacking up our wins. It looks like the playoffs are inevitable, which has me floating on cloud nine.

But it’s immeasurably better because Valentina and I are clicking. It’s small things at first. Her waking up an hour early to join me on a morning run. Me skipping a beer with the guys to watch a television show on the couch with her. The video calls we place to her abuela on Wednesday nights. While Valentina’s abuela expressed happiness at meeting me, she was reserved for our first conversation. However, with each subsequent call, she warms to me more—something that eases Valentina’s mind and guilt about her parents’ reactions.

Together, we carve out slices of time and spend it in the most ordinary ways possible.

I used to think it would be mundane. Too routine and boring. Instead, it’s everything I never knew I wanted.

The week before Christmas, I set up a tree in our living room and wait for Lena to walk through the front door.

“Oh my gosh! What’s this?” she exclaims when she sees the tree. She beams at me and it’s better than any Christmas present I’ve ever received.

“We need to buy ornaments,” I tell her.

“Now?” she asks.

I nod.

“Okay! Let’s go.” She turns back toward the door she walked through moments earlier.

I chuckle. I love how enthusiastic she is.

We head to the store and load up our cart with green, red, and gold ornaments. Most of them are hand-painted glass balls. But some are fun—a butterfly, a dove, a football. Lena picks out a wreath for our front door while I have two stockings stitched with our names. When we arrive home, we unpack our shopping bags and set to work.

“I haven’t done this in years,” I admit, hanging an ornament on the tree.

“Really? I imagine your family going all out for Christmas,” Valentina replies.

“Oh, my mom does. But Raia was at boarding school before college. Each year, she came home closer and closer to Christmas. I always had football.” I shrug. “At some point, Mom and Dad started doing the tree and decorations earlier. And, I think, it was mostly Mom doing the tree while Dad hung the lights outside.” I pass her a red cardinal ornament and smile. “It’s more fun doing this together.”

“It is,” she agrees, taking the ornament from me. “But I know what you mean. For the past few years, it was just my parents and me decorating the tree. Ale was always busy with his team and Carla was here, in the States. Then, I would go over to my abuela’s, and we would decorate her tree. Hers is my favorite. It’s all these ornaments from her life that she collected. Every ornament has a story, or a memory, attached to it. My mamá prefers her tree to have a theme. Like all gold or silver. It changes every few years.”

“Ah, my mom still puts up every handmade ornament Raia and I have ever made,” I admit.

Valentina chuckles. “I can see that. In Spain, we also have the belén , the nativity scene. These can become super elaborate. And, the three kings, who arrive to bring presents on January 6th.” Her eyes take on a faraway look and she pauses, staring at the Christmas tree and seeing the holiday festivities of her childhood.

“You miss your family,” I remark softly.

Valentina looks at me and nods. “I hate that they’re angry with me.”

“I’m sorry, Valentina. I never meant?—”

She touches my hand and shakes her head. “It’s not your fault, Avery. I love the life I’m building with you. I just wish my parents and family could embrace us the same way yours have.”

“Carla and Alejandro still aren’t speaking to you?” I inquire.

“Carla is, of course; she’s my sister.” Valentina smiles. “Alejandro is trying to understand but he’s…worried.”

“Your family cares about you.”

“So do you,” she replies.

I nod. “I do. I care about you so much, Lena. All I want is for you to be happy.” Valentina smiles. “Thank you for this, Avery.” She runs a hand over the branches of the tree. “It feels more like Christmas already.”

I wrap my arms around Valentina and hold her. She kisses the side of my neck.

“I’m excited for the Christmas party tomorrow night,” she admits. I feel her smile against my skin, and it makes me grin.

“Me too. The team does one every year, but this year feels different.” I pull back to look at her. “Better.”

Valentina pushes up on her tippy-toes to kiss me. I kiss her back, reveling in all she’s given me. In a few months, my wife has flipped my world upside down and made everything bigger, better, and brighter.

I never promised rainbows and magic. But most days, it feels that way.