Chapter 62 Everett
EVERETT
The second I step into the room, all thoughts of Linc’s chirping about my sister vanish.
Only a few feet away, Bea stands with the girls, her head thrown back, and laughter pealing out of her.
Not only does she look mind-blowingly beautiful, but she also sounds so fucking happy, and she looks like she belongs.
I mean, I didn’t expect anything other than for Parker to bring her into the fold and ensure she was okay, but she may as well be standing there with Sienna and her girls from the salon with the smile that currently lights up her eyes.
I startle when a large hand lands on my shoulder. “You did good, man,” Handsy rasps before he follows after Kodie and Linc as they head for their women.
As desperate as I am to do the same, I hang back and watch as Parker turns and scowls at Linc, chastising him for being late.
But there’s an excited twinkle in her eye, though, which says she’s not pissed at all and totally expected it.
Before she allows him a kiss—gross—she insists on straightening his tie and smoothing down his shirt, as if he doesn’t dress himself every other day of the week.
Movement beside them steals my attention, and when I look over, I find Bea aiming that megawatt smile directly at me.
My breath catches, and my temperature soars.
“What the fuck are you waiting for, man? Go get your girl,” Monroe says, helpfully giving me a shove from behind, forcing my legs to start moving.
“Hey,” I say once I’m close enough for her to hear me.
“Hi,” she breathes, her smile never faltering.
“You look…” I let my eyes roll down the length of her. “Unbelievable. This dress…your hair,” I say, reaching up and twisting the loose curled lock around my finger. Her cheeks go bright red at my compliment.
“You look good, too,” she says, taking me in. It occurs to me that she hasn’t seen me in a suit before. All of this has happened since our season ended, although it feels like she’s been a part of my life forever.
“Thanks, sweetheart,” I breathe before ducking down, unable to resist the urge to connect with her. But I second-guess myself when there’s a hair’s breadth between us.
We’re surrounded by my friends and teammates. What if she doesn’t want to—
Then her hand wraps around the back of my neck, and she stretches up, closing that final bit of space between us.
Her lips brush mine in the softest, sweetest kiss. It is nowhere near sating my need for this woman; if anything, it only fuels it.
Beside us, there’s an eruption of cheers. Startled, we break apart and turn toward the noise.
“Wha—” It takes a second to realize that the cheer is for us.
Laughter spills from my lips as a lightness I haven’t felt in…maybe forever settles over me.
“Get in there, Donnelly,” Killer bellows like an asshole. Beside him, Monroe smirks, but someone else walking into the room distracts him a second before I can ignore them all and turn back to Bea.
I just about hold in my groan of irritation when Hailee struts into the room.
I haven’t seen her in anything but her work clothes—a tailored dress and blazer that fits her in a way that brings most men to their knees.
But tonight, she’s wearing a flowing, floral pastel dress that softens her in a way I’ve never experienced before.
If I didn’t know what a hard-ass she was, I might think she was friendly and approachable.
She smiles in my direction, and for a second, I think it’s aimed at me, and I frown.
But then, I remember who’s standing beside me, and a smile of my own curls at my lips.
Turning my back on Hailee, I focus on my girl.
My girl.
“What?” she asks, watching me as I shake my head in disbelief.
“You’re my girl.”
She blinks up at me.
“Yeah,” she breathes. “I guess I am. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. It’s more than okay,” I say, wrapping my arm around her back and hauling her into my body before kissing her again.
“Pretty decent party, huh?” Killer asks as he steps up beside me at the bar, where I’m watching Bea dance with the girls.
She’s wiggling her hips, showing off the way that dress wraps around her insane ass, her arms in the air, as one of her favorite songs must come on.
“Yeah, I guess,” I mutter, sipping on my soda.
Killer eyes my drink with suspicion.
“Bea can’t drink,” I explain. “I’m being supportive.”
“Fuck me, you really are gone for her, aren’t you?”
I shrug because, honestly, what does that even mean?
That I care more about how she’s feeling than I do myself?
That I’ll make sure she has the food she wants over what I’m craving?
That whenever I go out, or she’s at work, I can’t wait to see her again?
If all those things mean that I’m gone for her, then, yeah, I guess I fucking well am.
“Never thought I’d see the day, man.”
“You’re telling me,” I mutter, taking another sip of my soda.
Am I disappointed not to be drinking? No, not really.
Hailee had a point all those weeks ago; it’s time to turn over a new chapter, and drinking too much and partying all night long really needs to stop.
And do you know what? While spending my evenings at home with Bea watching TV and talking about our lives, not once have I missed it.
“I thought your parents were coming?” he says, making my heart race.
It’s stupid. I don’t know why I’m nervous about them meeting Bea. They’ve technically already met her on video call, but still. I just…I really want them to like her.
“Yeah, their flight was delayed. They should be here soon.”
“Is your mom bringing the good candy?”
I can’t help but laugh. Wherever they go, Mom always comes back with at least six bags of candy. Parker gets one, and I get the other five. Well, four since moving here, because since he discovered this, Killer has always stolen a bag. “You’re an addict.”
“It could be worse,” he mutters as Monroe stalks past. “It could be smut.”
“Fuck off,” Monroe mutters. “You should really read one sometime; might teach you something about women.”
“Like how it’s helping you?” Killer deadpans.
It’s no secret that Monroe has an extensive library of romance novels that he reads alongside his sister.
Usually, he takes the teasing as just that.
We don’t give a fuck what his hobbies are, or what he does in his spare time.
I’ve overheard some of the advice he’s given others, and even from a relationship novice like me, he knows his stuff.
“It will,” Monroe states, his eyes casting around the room. “When the time is right.”
“You need another beer, man?” Killer asks, glancing down at his almost empty glass.
Monroe looks at me, almost as if he’s asking permission.
I get it. He’s remembering what happened after our BBQ at Kodie’s and I had to take him home.
“Nah, I should probably call it a night. I’ve got a flight tomorrow.”
“Fair enough. Maybe you’ll get lucky back home. You must have some girls from high school looking forward to seeing the NHL star back in town,” Killer mocks.
“Yeah, maybe,” Monroe mutters absently as he pulls his cell from his pocket, opens a message, and wanders off.
“Oh, that woman over there is hot,” Killer says, jerking his chin across the room. “Any idea who she is?”
I glance over, spotting a blonde who doesn’t hold a candle to the brunette I can’t keep my eyes off.
“Nope. Have fun finding out, though.”
He marches off like a lion stalking his prey. I’m pretty sure Parker doesn’t want Killer hitting on any of her friends, but honestly, if she didn’t want that to happen, she shouldn’t have put them in the same room.
I search for Bea once more, but she’s vanished. My heart lurches. It’s stupid; she’s probably just disappeared to the bathroom.
“I’ll happily hear the words whenever you’re ready,” a familiar voice says from behind me.
I groan loudly—mainly because she’d be disappointed if I didn’t.
“Ah, Hailee, my favorite Viper front office employee. How I’ve missed you meddling in my life.”
She rolls her eyes so hard they have to hurt.
“Those weren’t the words I was angling for, but I’ll take them.”
“And what was it you wanted to hear?” I quip.
She sucks in a breath through her teeth. “Oh, I don’t know. How about a ‘thank you,’ or a ‘you were right, Bea is awesome and the best thing that’s ever happened to me.’”
I raise my brows at her, and her smirk grows. She knows damn well that this is one argument she can’t bait me into, because she’s right. Goddamn it, she’s right. Again.
She’s always bloody right.
“I know it pains you to even think it, but humor me. Come on.”
“You’re a pain in my ass, Caldwell.”
“I have a feeling I won’t be so bad now you’ve got another woman in your life, Donnelly.”
I shake my head, unable to keep the smile off my face.
“She’s pretty incredible.”
“And am I right in thinking that that look in your eye just then when you spotted her coming out of the bathroom was anything but fake?”
“Why can you read me so well?” I scoff.
“I’m good at my job, Donnelly,” Hailee points out unnecessarily.
“Yeah,” I mutter, because I can’t deny that she is. Too fucking good at her job.
“Hey,” Bea says, finally making her way over.
Her cheeks are flushed from dancing, and her eyes twinkle with happiness. It’s a look I wish I could keep on her face forever.
“Hey,” Hailee replies as I wrap my arm around Bea’s waist and pull her into me.
“You look like you’re having fun.”
“I really am. All your friends are great.”
“Ah, they’re Rett’s friends. I’m just the pain in the ass who bosses them all around.”
“No, don’t be silly. The girls all love you. Oh, you should totally come out for girls’ night with us sometime.”
“Oh, um…I don’t really—”
“Hailee, hi,” Monroe squeaks, returning from wherever he disappeared off to. “Could I…uh…could I have a word?”
Hailee looks among the three of us. “Yeah, of course. What’s up, Hayden?”
He spins away and begins walking to a quiet corner of the room, but not before I catch sight of his rosy cheeks.
“Uh…what was that?” Bea asks.
I can’t help but chuckle. “That’s our rookie with a crush on a woman that is so out of his league it’s funny as hell.”
“Aw, that’s cute.”
“Cute? Have you met Hailee? She’d literally eat him alive. He’s too…sweet for a woman like her.”
“There are probably people out there who think maybe I’m too nice for a man like you,” Bea says, sliding her hands up my chest and gazing up into my eyes like they’re the most mesmerizing things in the world.
“I’m pretty sure there are many, many people who would say exactly that. But their opinion means nothing to me. What about you, sweetheart?”
She shakes her head, her gaze never wavering.
“Nope. Nothing.”
I lose myself in her soft smile and the happiness lighting up her eyes.
“Can I take you home yet?” I ask.
Bea’s lips part to respond, but before she gets a chance, someone gently slaps my shoulder. “Absolutely not,” a very familiar voice snaps, while a much deeper one chuckles.
“Mom, Dad,” I say a little too loudly, probably giving away every single nerve I’m feeling. “This is Bea. Meet Bea.”
Ignoring me and my rambling, Mom steps around me and immediately pulls my girl in for a hug.
“It’s so nice to meet you in person, sweetie. And I must say, you’re even prettier without a screen. I can see why my boy is so enthralled. And this bump. Oh my goodness, if this isn’t the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen.”
Tears fill Bea’s eyes as Mom treats her as if she’s already one of the most important members of the family.
Of course she’s told me about walking away from hers, but I don’t think it really hit me until seeing them together just how much she misses having that kind of connection.
“Hey, son. How’s it going?” Dad asks, pulling me in for a hug of my own.
“Yeah, good. You know.”
“Proud of you, my boy,” he says, sounding a little choked up. “Real fucking proud of you.”