Chapter 3
Three
Theo
“She’ll be here, right?”
In the passenger seat, Elle was checking her phone—it looked like a calendar app—and glanced up quickly as we drove past the entrance to Chase Manor. The driveway’s trees were draped with twinkling lights and the house shone like a beacon for Santa and his reindeer.
“She texted that she was going to come to the party with Rosie and Esme.” Elle bit her lip. “She’s been out of sorts since she came home from Vermont, so it’s good she has her girls to talk to.”
I pulled the SUV in behind Erik Jorgenson’s Prius and turned to my wife. Even with the obvious worry clouding her expression, she was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. All dark waves, ocean-blue eyes, lush mouth—I still couldn’t believe one night of passion with my prickly neighbor had given me this amazing woman and blessed life.
“But you wish she’d talk to us.”
She threw up her hands, a lot more dramatic than usual. I was typically the queen of the boards here.
“Of course! If she’s going through something rough, I want to be there for her.”
“And she knows that. Like you said, she probably needs to run it by her besties first. It’s not that unusual.”
“I suppose.” She took another glance at her phone.
“Is something else going on?”
“Like what?” Too quick. Something was off, and it wasn’t just Adeline’s freshman woes.
“You’ve seemed stressed the last few weeks, even before our girl came home.”
“Just the holidays. It’s always a lot this time of year.”
I reached over and cupped her face. “And I’m not much help.”
“You’re amazing, Kershaw.”
“And you’re a terrible liar, Elle-oh-Elle.” I kissed her softly, hoping to ease away her worries. “You’re thinking this should be the year I call it.”
“No, not at all. As long as you love playing and your body holds up, then why not keep at it? And the team needs you.”
“Don’t know about that. I kind of hoped Hatch would be starting with me in, oh—” I checked my watch, a gift from the twins for my last birthday. “—two and a half years.” My eldest had already been drafted by LA. Of course, he could hold out for free agency and maybe get a contract with the Rebels. And I could hold on a couple more years and fulfill the dream of playing with my kid in the league, or even on the same team. Now, that would have the pundits talking.
But it was a long shot.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked.
“Just looking forward to a few days with the people I love most in the world.”
“Your teammates?”
“Har-dee-har-har.” Another kiss, this time not so soft. Damn, she felt good and smelled amazing and as my hand coasted over those curves and cupped her ass, I dreamily entertained the idea of no more six a.m. practices and eating whatever I wanted and sleeping in with my lady all the time.
“Are you seriously feeling me up in a parked car, Kershaw?”
“You got a problem with that?”
“Not at all. Just checking.”
Someone knocked on the window, making us jump. Levi Hunt stood hunched outside like a Christmas gnome (asshole was too cranky to be an elf), a crooked grin on his face.
Reluctantly, I lowered the window.
“Would’ve thought you were too old for that, Superglutes.”
“You might be, GG. Not me.” I grinned at my former teammate’s wife over Hunt’s shoulder. “Merry Christmas, Jordan. Or is it happy holidays?”
“It’s whatever you want it to be, Theo.” Her smile faltered a little as she locked gazes with Elle. “You okay?”
“Fine!” What was that? Before I could question it, she was out of the car, signifying the necking sesh was at an end.
First task of the evening: seek out the mistletoe.