19. Piper
NINETEEN
PIPER
Steven
I’ve sent you five emails, Piper. Are you going to respond to any of them?
I really don’t want to have to get my lawyer involved, but I will.
Can you take five minutes out of your very not busy day to look at them?
Me
Are you going to Maverick and Emmy’s tomorrow for Thanksgiving?
Liam
Yeah. Beats cooking dinner for one.
Me
Do you like to cook?
Liam
I do. Just not a whole turkey. Pico and I can’t eat that much.
Me
I heard some of the guys say they have personal chefs. Hudson was complaining that his quit the other day. Do you have one?
Liam
Nah. Being in the kitchen is a nice way too shut off my brain after a long day on the ice.
Me
You like to stab things with knives, don’t you?
Liam
It’s a good anger management lesson. Better onions than someone who pisses me off.
Me
Uh oh. Who pisses you off?
Liam
Everyone.
Tonight? Ethan fucking Richardson. Kid has too much energy for his own good. We had to skate twenty extra laps after practice because he and Grant wouldn’t stop goofing off.
Me
You’re twenty-nine and calling your teammates kid? Okay, boomer.
Liam
I feel one hundred.
Me
When is your birthday?
Liam
June 27th. You?
Me
August 19th.
Liam
Alana is going to try and chart our astrological compatibility. Tell her it’s a load of shit and she’ll stop.
Me
I’d never insult an astrology girl. We’re going to be best friends!
“Sorry I’m late!” I announce in the foyer of Maverick and Emmy’s place. I slip off my shoes and shake out of my coat without dropping the dessert I brought. “And I have pie!”
“Little P!” Ethan scoops me up in a hug and spins me around. “There you are.”
“I know you’re only greeting me because you want food.”
“Guilty.” He sets me down. “We’re growing boys. You know we can’t go ten minutes without eating.”
“You’re aren’t kidding, are you?”
“Dead serious. I’m glad you’re here. It’s not the same without the whole gang around, and I was starting to worry something happened to you.”
“I’m alive and well.” I pat his shoulder and follow him down the hall. “I was feeling under the weather this morning. The road trip kicked my ass.”
“You mean North Dakota kicked your ass. Place was fucking freezing.” He tosses a grin over his shoulder. “Better than Florida. That place is a nightmare.”
“At least it’ll be warm when we’re down there next week.”
We round the corner into the kitchen, and I wave hello to everyone. The team is already here, drinks in hand as they enjoy the spread of appetizers on the island. A TV blares from the living room, coverage for the Titans game underway, and I’m instantly warmer being surrounded by my favorite people in the world.
“Hi, babe.” Lexi kisses my cheek and passes me a water. “Happy Thanksgiving, my little Piper Pumpkin.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, Lex.” I set the pie on the counter and hug her tight. “God, you look good. How many days a week are you doing Pilates?”
“Six. It’s put me in a really good headspace these last couple of months. I’m tired as hell going from the arena to teaching in the evenings, but I’m feeling very positive and centered lately. It must be working.”
“I’m so happy for you. We need to get the team to another class. Watching them suffer on the Reformer was worth the week of sore muscles.”
“That was hysterical. There’s nothing like watching grown men almost cry. Especially when you have a hand in their demise.” She grins at me. “You look particularly glowy today.”
I touch my cheeks, my skin windburned from the walk over in the cold. “Thanks. It’s borderline hypothermia.”
“I mean you look happy. What’s your secret?”
“Being divorced and free from a shitty relationship?” I joke with a laugh. “I don’t have a secret. Not really. Work is going well. The team is playing phenomenal. I got hit on at the grocery store last night, so I’d say things are looking up.”
“ Oh ? Was he cute?”
“Yeah. He’s not my usual type, but seeing how poorly things with the last guy I thought was my type turned out, that’s not a turn off. I’ve seen him in the spice aisle before.”
“And you haven’t said hi to him?”
“Given I feel unloveable half the time, I’m not sure I have the courage to interact with him. But maybe I should try. That’s what my therapist says.”
“That’s my girl.” She slings her arm around me and kisses my cheek. “Any word from douche bag extraordinaire lately?”
“Yeah, unfortunately.” I sigh and rest my head on her shoulder. “A text yesterday morning. I ignored it. No use dredging up old stuff, you know?”
“If you want him gone, just say the word. I have people who can take care of it.”
“ Take care of it ? What, is this a hitman thing?”
“I mean, kind of? A friend of a friend is friends with the President’s daughter, and her bodyguard is a trained sniper. He could make it look like an accident and no one would ask questions.”
“Thank you for looking out for me, but I think I’m going to keep my homicide count at zero for now.” I scour the kitchen, smiling at Connor tossing grapes in Riley’s mouth. “I know Maven is at the Titans game out west, but where the heck is Emmy?”
“Trying to stop Maverick from wearing an inflatable turkey costume. She’s losing that battle.”
“That’s got to be a sight.” I laugh and squeeze her waist. “I’m going to do a lap. I’ll be back.”
The boys all greet me with bright smiles and kisses on the top of my head. Grant pulls me into a video he’s making for social media. Hudson distracts me with a conversation about romance novels that lasts for fifteen minutes. I listen to Ethan complain about a hot dog stand in the arena, trying to look interested but ending up really confused.
When I finally break free from all the mayhem, I wind up in the empty dining room and take a breath. I massage my temples, the phantom ache of pain throbbing across my forehead. When I look up, I gasp at the sight.
“Wow,” I whisper.
A long table arranged with lit candles extends from each end of the room. The white tablecloth is neatly pressed, and a bouquet of beautiful marigolds sits in the middle of the setup.
I’m used to this space being empty, used for mini hockey games at team dinner. There are marks on the walls from the soft pucks the guys fire at each other. A whiteboard next to the door has a score table going, and I see poor Hudson is at the bottom of the leaderboard.
“I was on napkin folding duty,” Liam says from behind me.
I laugh and spin around. He’s leaning against the wall and looking good . “You were not.”
“I was. Do you think any of those other knuckleheads could sit still long enough to do this?”
“No. Just you, Liam.”
“Happy Thanksgiving, Piper.”
“Happy Thanksgiving to you too.” I give him a once-over and quirk a brow. “What the hell is on your socks? Is that an alien?”
“Wow. That’s fucking rude. It’s Pico.”
“ Aw .” I move closer and see the socks have the cat’s face printed on them. “Did he get those for you himself?”
“Why do you think I’m so rich? It’s not because I’m a good goalie. It’s because my cat has opposable thumbs.”
“Damn. I’m in the wrong industry.”
“It’s a lucrative market.” Liam stands up straight and towers over me. “You good? You were holding your head a second ago.”
“I’m fine.” I smile brightly at him. “I’ve been under the weather all morning. Worn out, you know? I have a little bit of a headache, but I’m persevering.”
“Do you need?—”
“ There you are.” Emmy walks into the dining room, interrupting him. She hugs me tight. “I was worried you got roped into playing video games, and I know how terrible you are at Call of Duty .”
“Not my strong suit.”
She moves her attention to Liam. “We’re going to start doling out the food in a few minutes. I know you don’t like the pushing and shoving, so feel free to get a move on.”
“I appreciate the head start.”
Emmy’s eyes flick between us. “Are you two behaving yourselves?”
“If by behaving ourselves you mean admiring the napkins Liam folded, then, yes, we are,” I say. “Though you know how scandalous setting a table can get.”
“Mhm.” A loud crash comes from the kitchen and she groans. “Fucking hell. I knew we shouldn’t have used the nice plates. Maverick and I made a bet on how many would get broken tonight.”
“Let me know the spread and I’ll knock a few off it works in your favor.” Liam puts his hands in the pockets of his jeans and looks past her shoulder. “You want some help with that?”
“I’ve got it. Thank you, though. Glad you both are here.”
When Emmy disappears, I give Liam a sheepish smile. “I might have told the girls about our arrangement. I blame the wine I’d been drinking.” I hide my Please don’t hate me expression behind my hands. “Hence her not-so-subtle innuendo.”
“Lovely. Now Maverick is going to give me shit I’ll never hear the end of.”
I wince. “Sorry. I’m not giving them any details, only that I propositioned you.”
“It’s fine. I figured you’d tell them eventually. They’re your best friends, and keeping a secret from them would be shitty. If Maverick says anything, I’ll kick his ass.”
“I’d like to see that. They know I wanted to explore myself in the bedroom, and it would’ve been impossible to hide why I’m walking funny when you eventually fuck me. What would I say? My ass is sore from riding a bike?”
He snorts. “I’m not going to rearrange your insides, Piper.”
“Are you sure about that? As for my friends, I swore them to secrecy. None of us would ever violate girl code.”
“Girl code?” Liam wrinkles his nose. “The fuck is that?”
“Unspoken rules of womanhood like not dating a friend’s ex. Holding her hair back if she’s sick. Talking her out of bangs when she’s intoxicated and thinks she can pull off a new hairstyle. Keeping your girlfriend’s secret from your partner because she asked you too.” I bite back a laugh at his confused expression. “Those kinds of things.”
“Women,” he mumbles. “So fucking complicated.”
“No more complicated than you , Scowly McScowlerson.”
“Look who’s coming up with the witty nicknames now.”
“Is that why you don’t date during the season? Because we’re complicated?”
“I don’t date during the season because it’s distracting and bleeds too much into hockey. It’s why I haven’t invited you to my hotel room at an away game. This part of my life is first during the season. I don’t need an orgasm to survive.”
“Huh.” I tap my cheek. He hasn’t asked me to come to his room when we’ve been on the road. I figured it was because he was tired from practice or jet lag, and his reasoning makes sense. “Interesting.”
“Any other questions about my personal life before we start on the sweet potatoes, Pipsqueak?”
“About a million. I won’t be able to get to them all, and that’s disappointing.”
“I’ll give you a freebie during the green bean casserole course,” he says, turning for the kitchen. “Only because I really fucking hate green beans.”
I sit back in my chair, stuffed from a delicious meal. Half the food was catered by the most popular restaurants in town, and I don’t think I can eat another bite.
“This was so good.” Lexi sets her napkin on her plate and groans. “Someone is going to have to roll me out of here.”
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready for round two,” Ethan says.
“We have a game tomorrow,” Hudson draws out. “If you puke, I’m not going to be happy.”
“Okay, Dad.” Ethan rolls his eyes. “Some of us are young and have a faster metabolism than you.”
“I’m going to shove you into the boards if we have to skate more laps because of you.” Riley glares at Ethan across the table. “Do you ever shut up?”
“Settle down, children.” Maverick taps his wineglass with a knife and stands. He ditched the inflatable turkey costume halfway through the meal, and he looks downright pissed to be in normal clothes. “I’d like to say a few words.”
“Uh oh. It’s never good when Cap wants to say a few words,” Grant whispers, and everyone bursts out laughing. “We’re going to be here for an hour.”
“You get to do ten extra laps before the game tomorrow for that comment, Everett. You all know I’m not one to be serious, but I want to be for a few minutes. First, thank you for being here. When I think about the word thankful, a couple things come to mind. At the top of that list is my Emmy girl. The life we share and the careers we get to do side by side. There’s no one else I’d rather have kick my ass in a game, baby.” He glances down at her, a wide beam on his face. “Then I think about you all. I couldn’t pick a better group of players to go through the grind of practice and games with. Day in and day out, you all are there cheering me on. Calling me out on my bullshit. Making me a better leader and a better player. I know we haven’t won the Cup yet, but we’re close. I can feel it, and I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.”
“Shit, man.” Grant grabs his napkin and blows his nose. “You didn’t tell us we were getting into the deep stuff tonight.”
“We were supposed to eat turkey and play video games, not cut our hearts open. Fucker.” Ethan wipes his eyes. “Not cool, Miller.”
“You’ll get over it.” Maverick looks down at Emmy again. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone so happy. “I know we fuck around and have a good time, but for a second, I want us to be serious. I want us to share something we’re thankful for. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but I swear to god, Ethan, if you say someone’s boobs, I’m going to strangle you.”
“You’re putting us on the spot here, Cap. That means you have to go first,” Riley says, and everyone murmurs in agreement.
“That’s easy. I’m thankful for the love of my life. The family we’re going to start trying to have soon and the chance to be a dad. I never had that growing up, and getting to be a parent with my favorite person in the world makes me a real lucky bastard.”
Everyone tells us what they’re thankful for.
Hudson goes the deep route with self-reflection.
Ethan doesn’t mention anyone’s chest, but he does mention his three motorcycles.
Grant surprises me when he talks about the nonprofit he’s working with to give young women a foot in the door to the world of sports.
When it gets to be my turn, I hesitate.
“I have a lot to be thankful for over the last few years, but if I had to narrow it down to a few things, it would be new opportunities, growth and confidence. I have a long way to go, but as someone who wasn’t sure what was waiting for her on the other side of a broken relationship and my whole life getting uprooted, I’m proud of how far I’m come.” I laugh and wipe my hands on my skirt. “Okay, wow. That got very personal, very fast, and I’m sorry for over sharing. Ethan, please talk about someone’s chest and save me.”
“Oh, Little P. Now you’re speaking my?—”
“Knock it off.” Maverick rolls his eyes. “I’m going to tell you the same thing we told Emmy. You’re part of us, Piper. If someone hurts you, they have to deal with us. And I like our odds.”
“You’re the last one, Goalie Daddy,” Riley says. “Are you gonna tell us what you’re thankful for?”
“Patience,” Liam says.
“Wow. That was so insightful.” Ethan smirks. “Probably the wisest thing I’ve ever heard. Care to elaborate there, Sullivan?”
“Nope.”
“C’mon. You know GK is a man of almost zero words.”
Conversation picks up around me about the game tomorrow, but I’m not listening.
I’m too busy watching Liam and trying to understand what, exactly, he’s being patient for.