Chapter 27
TRAVIS
“I’m unstoppable today, boys.” I raise my hands up as I circle around the back of the goal.
D-Low groans as he accepts defeat. Poor guy. He didn’t stand a chance. “I demand a rematch.”
“You had two,” Nick tells him. I also destroyed him. And Shep. And Penn, though he was in the net trying to stop all of us so technically we all destroyed him.
The five of us are messing around after practice, having some fun. Or I’m having fun. Them less so. I’m on fire today. Laser-focused.
“Aw, let him have his moment,” Shep says. “When’s the last time he beat all of us in a shoot-out?”
“Good point.” D-Low nods. “Congrats. Rematch tomorrow.”
I chuckle and accept his challenge. “You’re on.”
“Should we play some two on two?” I ask, but before the guys can reply, I spot Ruby.
I glance at Nick. His smile tells me he wasn’t expecting her but he’s damn glad she’s here.
“Ruby-Doo!” I call to her, then my gaze snags on Hannah and Wren walking behind her. Surprise renders me temporarily speechless as they make their way to the edge of the ice.
“Hey, Trav,” Ruby says to me with a knowing grin. She tips her head toward Hannah. “I brought you a present.”
Fucking Ruby. I knew she was my favorite person for a reason. “You’re the best.”
“Yeah, she is.” Nick wraps her up in a hug and pulls her over the side of the ice away from me.
I look back to Hannah and her sister with excitement and bewilderment. “I thought you two had plans today.”
“We spent the morning with Kinsley and Skylar but on our way home Ruby called and asked if I wanted to pull a surprise visit.” Hannah’s stare briefly leaves mine to look around the rink. It’s different when it isn’t filled with fans and noise. It feels smaller somehow.
“I’m so glad you did.”
“Well, I didn’t want to come but Wren forced me.” The taunt in her tone and the mischievous smile makes me want to kiss her until she concedes that she’s as happy to see me as I am her. Last night feels like a dream. The best fucking dream.
My chest is light as I huff a laugh and lift my hand toward Wren for a fist bump. “Little sister! Way to have my back.”
“I got you.” She knocks her knuckles against mine.
Hannah’s smile stretches wider as she playfully rolls her eyes at us. “You two meeting was such a mistake.”
“Too late to take it back now.” I skate backward. “What do you say, sis, want to shoot some pucks with me and my friends?”
“Definitely.” Wren nods eagerly.
I introduce Wren to everyone and while Nick disappears to get the girls some skates, I teach her how to hold the stick and shoot the puck.
Hannah sits on the sideline with Ruby, watching us.
I toss her a wink as her sister sends pucks toward the net in quick succession.
What she lacks in skill she makes up for in willpower.
Shep and D-Low rebound for her and Penn stays in the goal, no longer blocking shots but providing feedback on how she should position herself and where to aim.
After the girls get skates and gear, I help Wren get her bearings. She’s a quick learner, so is Hannah.
“We used to go once a year around the holidays,” Wren tells me as I skate slowly between the sisters.
“I can tell. You’re both pretty good.”
“It helps that we’re short,” Hannah adds.
“How exactly does that help?” My lips are in a permanent smile. Having them here in this place that means so much to me is wild. I’ve never really shared this with anyone except my teammates. This must be what it’s like to have real family show up for you.
“You know…lower center of gravity helps with balance and stability.”
I consider her theory. “I’m not sure it works that way.”
“No, it absolutely does. That’s why I’m so good at gymnastics too.”
“Except not all short people are athletic so I don’t think your logic works out,” Wren says, waving her arms in a circle to catch her balance.
I take her arm to steady her, and she murmurs her thanks.
“I’m not saying all short people are automatically good at skating, but we have an advantage.”
“I don’t know, baby doll. I think you might be making shit up,” I say, still grinning.
The outrage on her face is adorable. “I swear I heard it somewhere. It’s true.”
“D-Low?” I yell across the ice to him without breaking my gaze from Hannah. “I need you to fact-check something for me.”
He skates up from behind us. “What’s up?”
“Hannah here says that being short gives her an athletic advantage in skating. True or False?”
He stops and leans on his stick. “Depends on the context.”
“Yes or no,” I push him to take a side.
“Short people have a better power to weight ratio combined with lower center of gravity that would make sharp turns and quick transitions easier on the ice, but if we’re talking purely speed, then tall people have the advantage.”
The three of us stare at him. I should have been prepared for him to give a complicated response that didn’t really answer the question at all.
“That all you needed?” he asks.
“You’re no help.”
“Ask a nonspecific question, get a nonspecific answer.” He grins, then looks to Wren. “Want to play Sharks and Minnows?”
“Like the game of tag?”
“Yeah, except it’s more fun on skates and we make Penn be the shark in all his gear.”
“Awesome.” Wren skates off after him, leaving me alone with Hannah.
“My bed was lonely this morning,” I say as we circle around the others. Penn is standing at center ice while everyone else lines up behind the goal line.
“You were gone before I woke up.” Her cheeks and nose are red from the cool air in the arena, but I swear she’s blushing too.
“Still true.”
She drops her gaze to the ice. Sharks and Minnows has started, and everyone skates toward the other end—some mocking Penn by skating toward him just out of reach and others taking it more seriously.
Penn’s pretty fast though even geared up.
He sets his sights on Ruby, who screeches and moves as fast as she can with him gaining on her.
Wren falls and D-Low helps her to her feet and pulls her to the other side.
Such a dumb fucking game but damn is it fun. Hannah and I reach the bench.
“Want to sit and watch for a minute?” I ask.
She nods and I take her hand to help her off the ice. Her grin tells me she knows exactly what I’m doing, but she doesn’t pull away even as we take a seat side by side.
Penn must have caught Ruby because she’s in the center with him now as the game starts again. This time D-Low is carrying Wren piggyback.
“I’m so glad you two came by.” I squeeze her fingers in mine and bounce our joined hands down on my thigh a few times.
“Yeah, me too. How was practice?”
“Good. Everything has been great.” Am I smiling at her like an idiot? Check.
She shakes her head side to side, a smirk lifting the corners of her mouth. “You’re kind of adorable right now.”
“Is that so?” I lean in closer, stare dropping to her full lips. I linger there, uncertain if public kissing is allowed and finally deciding it’s worth the risk of being turned down. I brush my lips over hers. Electricity fills my veins. I’m buzzing with happiness.
I pull back far sooner than I’d like. Yep, she’s definitely blushing.
“What are your plans the rest of the day?” I ask instead of dragging her onto my lap like I want.
“I’m not sure. Maybe baking cookies or watching the rest of the Twilight movies.
We talked about going shopping but neither of us have any money so that’s probably out.
” Her body tenses like something just occurred to her.
“Speaking of money, I want to pay you back for the Jeep. That couldn’t have been cheap. ”
My expression shifts into one of clear refusal before I’ve realized I’m speaking with my face.
“You’ve already done too much,” she insists. “Letting me stay with you and the lawyer fees. You can’t also pay for my vehicle.”
“What happened to the Jeep?” I ask coolly, fake concern pulling my brows together in the center. “I don’t remember paying for anything. I think your memory is faulty.”
“Travis.” Her tone is stern, but it only makes me smile wider.
I reach over with the index finger on my free hand and bop her on the nose. “Honey.”
“You are infuriatingly sweet.”
That pulls a laugh from me. “It’s just money.”
The sigh that she lets out has my stomach twisting into knots. “Someday I hope to have enough of it to feel that way.”
“Things are still tough, huh?” I feel awful that I cost her the sponsorship because of the whole breaking-in misunderstanding. Though to be fair, what an asshole her sponsor was for dropping her over that. She deserves better. “Has Everly had any luck finding other sponsorships?”
“Not yet, but she’s hopeful that there will be more opportunities at the beginning of the year so I’m trying to stay optimistic.
But honestly, even if they’re covering a portion of my fees, it won’t be enough to keep working with Coach Rodier.
I could barely afford him to start with and after everything that’s happened, my savings is basically gone at this point. ”
“What about your grandma? Can you ask her for a little help until you get back on your feet?”
She shakes her head. “She isn’t in any position to give me money and asking her would only make her feel bad about it.”
I squeeze her hand. “I already know the answer, but I’ll feel like a jerk if I don’t at least offer to help. We are married and I have some extra dough lying around.”
“Thank you for offering. Truly, I can’t tell you how much it means to me. You’ve been so generous, but I’m going to figure this out on my own. It’s my dream and I want to achieve it knowing that I got myself there. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
With a pleased smile on her face, she leans over and bumps her shoulder against mine. “I’ll be okay. I’m applying at some local gyms. I coached beginner girls all through high school to pay for my fees and I enjoyed it.”
“I can picture that. Coach Hannah. I like it.”
“Maybe. I’m not sure yet if there’s anything open or that they’ll want someone with my limited availability.”
“They will. The kids would be so lucky to have you.”
“Thanks.”
Laughter on the ice draws our attention. Shep’s the last one not to be caught and all the others are chasing after him. He’s the fastest guy on the team, but D-Low and Nick corner him to end the game.
Wren skates over to us, slumping against the wall and breathing hard. “Can we bake cookies tonight?”
“Yeah, of course,” Hannah says.
“Sugar cookies with cream cheese icing and lots of sprinkles?” Her eyes widen with excitement that makes her seem younger than eighteen. “Ooh, and maybe ginger snaps?”
“Both, definitely. We can grab the supplies on our way to the house.”
“Yes!” Wren beams.
“We should probably get going.” Hannah drops my hand and stands.
“I’m glad you stopped by,” I tell them. “Have fun tonight.”
“You aren’t going to be there?” Wren cocks one hand on her hip. “Cancel your plans, big bro. It’s my last night in town and we have three more Twilight movies to watch.”
A rough chuckle escapes me.
“Wren,” Hannah admonishes her but can’t stop herself from laughing either.
“No. No. She’s right. I’ll be there.” I didn’t really have other plans, but I thought they might want a night to themselves.
“We’re going to stop by the store and then pick up dinner. What time are you done?”
“Soon. I won’t be far behind you, but, uh, I was planning to go to the grocery store on my way so I can pick up whatever you need. Text me a list. And dinner’s on me. It’s my little sister’s last night. What are you feeling, Wren?”
Hannah looks at me like a person who is well aware of my motives but can’t deny her sister.
“Pizza. And breadsticks. Ooh, and garlic sauce!”
“Done. I’ll meet you guys at home.”
My phone rings as I’m parking in front of the grocery store.
This time when the unknown number flashes on the screen I know exactly who it is, and I have zero interest in answering.
Especially today when everything is perfect.
If I don’t speak to my parents for the rest of my life, I’ll be okay with that.
It’s not what I would have chosen, but I know it’s what’s for the best.
You don’t get to choose your parents or the family you’re born into, but if yours sucks, then you can make a better one.
And that’s what I’ve done. My teammates, my friends, Hannah.
Wren now too. They’re worth so much more than anything my parents tried to give me.
Including the inheritance. I’d trade a lot of things for ten million dollars.
Like parents who gave a shit about me. Taking that money feels like giving them a pass somehow or erasing all the hurt they caused.
My thoughts swirl as the phone keeps ringing. It’s just money. That’s what I told Hannah. And it’s true. But that’s because I’ve never had to worry about it. I hit ignore on the phone and then dial another number. It goes to voice mail, and I wait for the beep.
“Hey, Wade. It’s Travis. I’m calling about the inheritance money. I know what I want to do with it.”