Chapter 33 Everett
EVERETT
“Holy shit.” I balk as I stare at the image that just opened on my screen.
Honestly, when I first saw Sienna’s name, I immediately assumed there was an issue and I unlocked my cell faster than I think I ever have in my life.
I was expecting a demand to come to the hospital or something. I was not in a million years thinking that I’d find a picture of my baby momma looking hot as hell on a night out.
Sienna: I told her that if she didn’t send a photo to you, I would. So…you’re welcome
“I am fucking welcome.” Jesus. That dress…her tits. “Fuck” I breathe, dragging my hand down my face as my temperature spikes.
I haven’t been with a woman in…too fucking long. I could. I could go out now and have my pick of women in about thirty minutes. But…I don’t want to.
For the first time in my life, there is only one woman I’m interested in spending time with. The idea of a random hookup suddenly doesn’t have the appeal it used to.
I open Bea’s image full screen again and just stare at her.
That night might have been a few months ago now, but I understand why she stole my attention from behind the boards. She’s not just beautiful; there’s this aura about her, one that lures me in. I’ve never experienced anything like it before, but for some reason, I crave being in her orbit.
My fist curls on my lap. I’d fucking love to know where she is right now so I could turn up and drag her away. I’d love to peel that dress from her body and get the chance to take my time with her. Fucking her in the club was mind-blowing. So what would it be like if we had the whole night?
A little fear trickles through my veins at the thought of the high of that night being a one-time thing.
But honestly, I don’t think it was. We might have only spent a short amount of time together recently, but I still feel it.
That pull. It’s a connection I’ve never felt for any other woman.
Sure, I connect with some on a sexual level.
I never give them a chance to learn if there is any other level, but with Bea…
“Fuck,” I groan as the buzzer for my apartment goes off.
We’ve got a charity event tonight. One that my sister and Linc got back into town for just in time. If it weren’t for them being back, I’d have bailed already despite Hailee’s warning that I had to be there.
Pushing to my feet, I grab my suit jacket that’s hanging over the back of my couch and march to the door.
With my keys and cell in my pocket, I ride the elevator down to the lobby, and the second the doors open, I find my smiling sister there waiting for me, looking like a total knockout.
Her tanned face lights up at the sight of me, and before I have a chance to steady myself, she runs forward and jumps into my arms.
“Whoa,” I grunt as I stumble back.
I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight as my eyes find my best friend loitering a few feet away.
I lift my chin in greeting, and he does the same back. We’ve been best friends since we were in diapers, and I can read him like a book. He doesn’t need to say a single word for me to understand what he’s thinking.
Parker has been worried about me.
I mean, I also got that from the almost daily phone calls and messages while they were away.
“I missed you,” Parker says, still clinging to me.
“Really?” I ask with a laugh. “I thought you’d be glad of the peace.”
“I mean, yeah. That too,” she concedes, finally releasing me and allowing me to put her back to her feet.
“You both look like you had a good time.” Their skin is golden, and their eyes are sparkling with happiness.
I’m happy for them, of course I am, but I can’t deny the sight of it is like a boot to the chest. It’s always the same when I see genuinely happy people.
It makes me wonder if I’ve ever truly felt it.
And if I have, if I’ll ever feel it again and recognize it.
“It was all the naked sunbathing,” Linc quips, earning himself a glare from my sister.
“We’ve got something to tell you,” Parker says in a rush as if she can’t physically contain herself any longer.
My stomach twists weirdly, and my eyes jump to Linc.
“You’d better not have gotten my sister pregnant,” I warn, earning myself a less-than-gentle punch to my shoulder.
Linc puts his hands up in surrender as Parker mutters, “Not yet,” much to his horror.
“But…we are getting married,” she squeals before thrusting her hand at me.
“You’re…fuck,” I grunt when my eyes land on the ginormous diamond sitting on my little sister’s finger. “That’s…massive.”
“That’s what she said,” Linc teases as he moves closer and wraps an arm around Parker’s waist and kisses her hair.
The sight of them, of the way they love each other so openly and honestly, chokes me up a little.
“Shit,” I breathe, unable to find any other words.
“We wanted to tell you first. Only our parents know.”
“Shit.” Apparently, there are no other words.
“Can you…can you say something other than that?” Parker asks while Linc stands patiently, giving me a moment to let all this settle in.
“Y-you asked my little sister to marry you?” I ask, my eyes locked on his.
He doesn’t cower in the slightest with my attention focused on him. I guess he knows me better than to be intimidated.
“I did,” he states proudly. “And she said yes.”
“I can still change my mind, you know,” Parker teases.
“Yeah, but you won’t. You’re mine now. I put a ring on it and everything.”
“Pig,” she hisses.
“You’re really getting married?” I mean, it’s not that much of a shock.
Not really. I can tell every time Linc looks at her that he’s seeing his entire future in her eyes.
A future beyond our dreams of playing in the NHL and lifting the cup.
He’s seeing a life that I’ve never allowed myself to think about.
Well, not until recently. The second I saw that little black and white image on the screen that I was meant to recognize as a baby, everything started to change.
“We are. And soon,” Parker says excitedly.
“What do you mean by soon?”
“Well, we haven’t confirmed anything yet, but we’d like to do it before training camp starts.”
My eyes widen. “That’s like…ten weeks away.”
“Yep. I want to start the new season as Mrs. Storm.”
“Fuck,” Linc and I grunt simultaneously, but for very different reasons.
“You’re okay with this, right?”
I shake my head before dragging my fingers through my hair, only realizing a few seconds too late that I’d styled it before leaving the apartment.
“Not gonna lie, it’s gonna take a bit of getting used to. But yeah, of course I’m happy for you guys.”
Parker squeals in delight, as if she were actually worried I was going to freak out.
Sure, I might have a reputation. But I dare any big brother not to lose his head when he finds his best friend going down on his little sister.
Ugh. I shudder just thinking about that forgettable moment in our history.
Opening my arms, I pull Parker in for another hug before turning to my best friend.
“You’re gonna be my best man, right?” he asks.
“Too fucking, right. I’m not allowing any other asshole up there with you while you make an honest woman of my sister.”
“Thank fuck,” he says, as we collide in a hug.
“You know this is for life, right? You can’t give her back.”
Linc barks a laugh while my sister hits me again.
“Mom must be losing her shit,” I say as we finally make our way out of the building and toward the car waiting for us.
“Oh yeah, she’s already in full planning mode.”
“When did you tell them?”
“Yesterday. But they’ve known a while, seeing as this guy made sure to ask Dad’s permission first.”
I stare at Linc. “You did not?”
“Of course I did. I wanted to do it right.”
“Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?” I ask as the loved-up couple climb into the back of the car, leaving me to join the driver so we don’t end up squashing Parker between us.
Linc chuckles. “You’ll get it one day, man. She’s going to knock you on your ass and you won’t even see it coming.”
My cell burns a hole in my pocket as I focus on the street ahead.
I didn’t get a chance to tell Bea how beautiful she looks tonight, and I’m regretting not doing it before I left the apartment.
I force myself to sit there and listen to Parker and Linc tell me about their magical vacation, and as soon as we arrive, I march ahead and inside the gallery for tonight’s fundraiser without stopping to talk to anyone in the small crowd that’s gathered.
“Ah, Donnelly, how lovely to see you,” Hailee teases. But despite wanting to give her some shit, I keep moving forward until I spot the sign for the restroom.
Once I’m inside, I pull my cell from my pocket.
There hasn’t been anything else from Sienna, but I can’t say I’m surprised. She said everything she needed to say.
I pull up my chat with Bea, but the second my thumb hovers over the keyboard, I freeze.
I’ve never done this before. If I message women, it’s to proposition them—which, honestly, doesn’t happen all that often.
Rett: You look beautiful tonight.
When I hear the restroom door open, I panic, lock my cell, and stuff it into my pocket before I can hit send.
Monroe’s brows pinch.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”
He shakes his head as he walks past me to take a piss.
“No reason,” he mutters as he goes about his business.
More than happy to leave him to it, I take off toward the door, but when he speaks again, I pause.
“I’m sorry about the other night,” he says, regret heavy in his tone. “Thank you for taking me home.”
“It was nothing.”
“I can’t remember what I said, but—”
“You didn’t really say anything. Just talked about your sister and Parker.”
When he turns around, a familiar sadness fills his eyes.
“Are you heading home to see your family this summer?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’ve just got a few commitments here before I can go.”
I nod and rub the back of my neck as he washes his hands.
“Good. Make the most of the time before life gets crazy again.”
“I will,” he agrees. “Rett?” he questions a few seconds later as he steps closer. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I was just…fuck,” I breathe before dragging my hand down my face. “I was trying to message someone,” I finally confess after deciding that I can trust him.
“Someone?” he questions.
“A woman.”
“A woman.” He balks.
“Christ. Forget I said anything.”
“No, no. I’m good with women. I can help.”
I raise a brow in question. I have never seen Hayden Monroe be good with a woman, let alone women, since I was traded in the spring.
“My sister is my best friend, okay? I know the right things to say. What are you trying to text her?”
“Umm…” Fuck. Why is this so hard?
And why am I asking a child to help me?