Bound and Blitzed (Knoxville Coyotes Football #4)

18. Valentina

Chapter 18

Valentina

“You look beautiful, Valentina!” Nova gushes, kissing my cheek hello.

“Most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on,” my husband echoes. I bite my lip and cast him a look over my shoulder. He winks, before his eyes trail down my frame, drinking in my black velvet dress with the open back like he hasn’t been staring at me since I exited our bedroom at home.

“Can’t argue with that,” Nova agrees, making me blush.

I turn back and gesture to her gold dress that shimmers in the light. It’s a low V-cut in the front and the back and it flares around her thighs when she walks. “You’re stunning, Nova.”

“Oh!” She waves a hand, turning to kiss Avery’s cheek in greeting. “Merry Christmas, Avery.”

“Merry Christmas, Nova. You did an incredible job,” Avery says, gesturing to the party.

It’s hosted at The Premier Hotel in downtown Knoxville. Christmas trees sit in the corners of the room, topped with glittery stars and decorated with warm lights and red poinsettias. High-top tables are set up next to the floor-to-ceiling windows with long tables in the next room, already prepped for dinner. The centerpieces are gorgeous, combining greenery with mistletoe, sprigs of red berries, and white candles. They flicker, casting the space in a warm, intimate glow.

“Thank you, Avery,” Nova says, gesturing toward a server holding a tray of champagne flutes. “Help yourselves and have fun!”

She moves on to greet Jag Baglione and his date.

“Hey! Glad to see you,” Leni says, pulling me into a warm hug.

“You too!” I hug her back, meaning it. I exchange greetings with Talon Miller before Leni pulls me toward Raia and some of the other women.

“You look gorgeous, sister.” Raia kisses my cheek warmly.

“I’m so happy to see you,” I gush.

“Me too.” She smiles, pulling me toward the bar. Raia orders us two signature cocktails—cranberry aperol spritzes—and gives me a knowing look. “You doing okay?”

I sigh. “Carla is speaking to me.”

“I know. But I also know it’s been tough on her. Which means it’s been tough on you, too.”

“You don’t have to do this, Rai. Carla is your friend?—”

“Carla will always be one of my best friends. But you’re my sister, Vale. I care about you, and I know your parents’ silence is hurtful,” Raia says softly.

I nod, looking away. “Of course, I wish they were more supportive. If they just got to know Avery…”

“Eh, they still might not approve.”

I snap my gaze back to Raia and she laughs.

“I’m kidding,” she says, thanking the bartender and passing me a glass. “They will come around. Carla’s talking to them. She wants you to be happy. That’s what your family wants, deep down. They just need to see you with my brother to know that.” Her gaze flickers to Avery before finding mine again. “When you two are in the same room…” She sighs. “Listen, when Avery first told me about the two of you, I didn’t believe it. You guys are opposites, and I wondered what you could have in common. But seeing you together, knowing you both as individuals and now as a couple, it’s obvious you’re in love with each other. Your parents just need to see it to believe it.”

Unsure what to say, I take a gulp of my drink.

Is that how we look? Like a couple in love?

The thought causes my cheeks to heat and my heart to race. I mean, of course people must think we’re in love—we got married! But Raia’s words don’t cause an onslaught of panic. Instead, they bring about an acknowledgement. The seed of truth springs upward, blossoming into realization.

I’m falling in love with Avery. I’m falling in love with my husband.

The man who swore he couldn’t give me rainbows and magic has already given me so much more. I glance around the space until I find him.

And, as if he senses my reaching out to him, Avery turns and his eyes find mine.

Hold.

He smiles, one side of his mouth hitching up. Are you okay? he silently asks.

I bite my bottom lip and dip my chin. Never better , I reply.

Beside me, Raia sighs. “Smitten as a fucking kitten.”

I snort and turn back to her.

“Merry Christmas, babe.” She holds out her glass.

I clink mine against it. “Merry Christmas, Rai.”

Then, we drink to the night. To the holidays. To the future, which already seems brighter.

“Are you girls warm enough?” Arlene asks Raia and me as we huddle under a blanket in the box seats.

“Yes, thank you,” I say, grinning at her.

She reaches over and passes me a hat. “Put this on your head.”

Raia snorts. “Mom, it’s not that cold.”

“It is by Tennessee standards,” Arlene replies.

“You were born in Vermont,” Joe points out.

“That was ages ago.” Arlene flicks her wrist and tugs on the end of her daughter’s scarf. “I have more gear if you need it.”

Raia chuckles and snuggles closer to me. “I love Christmas Eve. I’m happy the guys are playing tonight instead of tomorrow.”

“Me too,” I agree. “This is one of my favorite days of the year and I’m glad we can celebrate it together.”

Raia nods before shifting closer in her seat.

My eyes dart to the field and I suck in a lungful of air as Avery clasps the football and falls back, his eyes scanning the field. He cocks his elbow back and throws a perfect spiral down the left side of the field, right into West Crawford’s waiting hands.

West catches the ball easily and takes off at a sprint, holding out a hand to keep defenders at bay. He crosses into the end zone smoothly, gracefully, and tosses the ball into the air as he whoops with joy.

The crowd goes wild as we jump to our feet, cheering and hollering and waving the blanket over our heads.

“Let’s go, Coyotes!” I scream.

Raia pulls me into a hug, and I watch as Avery’s parents embrace.

It’s sweet, the way his family shows up for him. It’s a familiar scene for me, having witnessed this same type of exuberance at Ale’s and Carla’s games over the years. I just wish that my parents could find a reason to celebrate my successes the same way.

We huddle together for the remainder of the game, screaming when the Coyotes win.

“Now, we have an even bigger reason to celebrate tonight,” Arlene explains.

“Nothing worse than when the team loses on Christmas Eve,” Joe agrees.

Raia rolls her eyes and tugs my arm. As we wait for Avery and Cohen to leave the locker room, I glance around at the other families.

Nova stands to the side with sweet Stella. Three men and a woman are gathered around her, and I guess that it’s her father and brothers and sister-in-law.

Leni stands with her sister Lincoln and her mom. She waves at me. “Happy Holidays, Valentina!”

“Same to you!” I wave back.

“There you are!” Avery says, walking out of the locker room and right to me. He wraps me in his arms and picks me up, sweeping me off my feet.

“You were amazing!” I tell him, hugging him hard.

Avery kisses me. “I’m happy you were here tonight, Lena. It’s different, playing for your wife in the stands.” He places me on my feet and the look he gives me is all smolder.

I suck in a breath, relieved when he turns away to exchange hugs with his parents and sister.

But his words…they echo in my mind for hours.

Could he be falling in love with me too?

Could our desire to give our marriage a chance turn into something real and everlasting?

Christmas Eve at the Callaways is chaos. And laughter. And pure entertainment.

“You recommended ‘Dominick the Donkey’?” Arlene laughs boisterously, lifting her wine glass in the direction of her brother-in-law, Jim.

“You should have seen Brooks’s mother. I thought she was going to have a coronary,” he says gleefully.

“I almost did,” Aunt Karen adds, fanning herself. “Shh! Don’t say another word about it. Brooks and Anna are here.”

Uncle Jim rolls his eyes. “I can’t wait until she outgrows him.”

“Same here,” Joe shares.

I glance at Avery, wondering why everyone is speaking so terribly about Anna’s boyfriend, Brooks.

“Brooks and Raia dated for years. He broke up with her right before a big game and she was injured. This was a bit over a year ago. But then, we all learned that he was dating Anna,” Avery quickly fills me in.

“Oh!” I breathe out, covering my mouth with my hand. My eyes dart to Raia who is perched on the couch beside Cohen, looking at him with hearts in her eyes and a bright smile.

“It’s how Rai and Cohen got together. She begged him to pose as her fake boyfriend for a ski trip with all of her, Anna, and Brooks’s mutual friends,” Avery adds.

“So…” I look back at Avery. “Anna and Brooks dating actually pushed Cohen and Raia together?”

Avery shrugs.

“All’s well that ends well,” Aunt Karen shares.

“Not really,” Uncle Jim grumbles, taking a pull of his beer.

Joe smirks and winks at me.

I shake my head, loving the wild family dynamics of the Callaway bunch.

Brooks and Anna enter the house, closely followed by Grandma and Grandpa, and we all gather around the dining table for dinner.

“You’ve outdone yourself, Arlene,” Aunt Karen calls out.

“Every year,” Uncle Jim agrees.

“Oh! I just threw this together,” Arlene says, bringing in a massive charcuterie board.

Joe appears a moment later and places two more dishes down on the table—a kale salad and roasted potatoes. Then, Grandma enters the dining room, holding a service platter with roasted turkey. Grandpa has prime rib on the platter he’s holding.

Raia and Avery exchange a look as she and Cohen sit at the table. They burst out laughing.

Over my husband’s bent head and shaking shoulders, I meet Cohen’s eyes.

“Welcome to the family, Vale,” he says, lifting his glass in my direction.

“Merry Christmas, Cohen.” I hold my glass up.

Then, we both take a long gulp.

As the merriment of the holiday season washes over me, I’m caught up in Christmas with Avery’s family. They embrace me as one of their own. They include me in their traditions. Arlene gifts me a pair of earrings, similar to the set she gifts her own daughter. Joe puts me on the spot to sing along with the Christmas carols the same way he calls out Cohen and Avery for not singing loudly enough. Grandma sits beside me on the couch and taps my thigh each time her glass requires a refill.

It’s warm and loving and whole-hearted. It’s so beautiful and natural, it brings tears to my eyes.

That night, as Avery and I say our good-byes, Grandpa places a small, wrapped box in my hand.

“Oh, thank you,” I say, moving to open it.

He shakes his head and places his hand over mine. “Save it until you’re home.”

“Okay,” I agree, kissing his cheek good night. “Merry Christmas, Grandpa.”

“Merry Christmas, Vale,” he replies warmly.

Avery and I slip into his SUV, and he drives us home.

“What’s that?” he asks, pointing to the box his grandfather gave me.

“I’m not sure,” I say, recounting my exchange with Grandpa.

Once we’re home, I open the box carefully and sigh.

Nestled into the paper is a delicate, blown glass, hand-painted ornament. It’s decorated in vibrant reds, dark greens, and festive golds. Delicately etched into the glass, I read:

Our First Christmas

Valentina & Avery

“Wow, this is so thoughtful,” I breathe out, staring at the ornament. “It reminds me of my abuela. She would love this.” I smile at Avery. “Let’s call her tomorrow.”

“First thing,” he promises, wrapping an arm around my waist and turning me toward the tree. “Give it a home, sweetheart.”

I pick a branch closer to the top and hang the ornament. It shimmers in the warm lights of our Christmas tree. Avery wraps his arms around me, and I lean back against his chest.

Staring at the ornament, at the tree Avery and I decorated, a sense of peace, of belonging, washes over me.

I finally feel at home.