Epilogue
Victor leaned back in the booth at Pat’s Pub and watched the celebration unwind around him. The atmosphere in the pub was chaotic and loud and downright joyous, as his teammates, their significant others, and a shit ton of fans partied their asses off.
The Stingrays had made it through the first round of playoffs—by the skin of their teeth, beating Washington tonight in game seven. So, their season was going into overtime.
He stroked his chin, growling to himself. He sported a beard year-round, but he typically kept it well-groomed. Thanks to that no-shaving superstition, the goddamn thing was growing wildly out of control right now, and he looked like a fucking caveman.
“You suck at celebrating,” his sister, Vivian, said, as she claimed the other side of the booth.
“I’m celebrating,” he said, lifting his Guinness.
She tilted her head toward the crowd. “The party’s over there.”
Victor shrugged. “It’s too fucking loud over there. I prefer to watch it unfold from the comfort of my own booth. Which was blissfully quiet until twenty seconds ago.”
“Last of the original party guys,” she teased.
He and his sister were polar opposites, so different it was hard for Victor to believe they were even related. Despite that, she was his best friend in the whole world.
The two of them had been through some shit in their lives, but they’d both come out on the other end, stronger. Because they were survivors.
“Listen, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something, but I didn’t want to bring it up until this round against Washington was over.”
Victor frowned because his sister, who was usually smiling and easygoing, suddenly looked…nervous.
Vivian was never nervous.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice gruff with concern.
“Nothing’s wrong. In fact, something’s right. At least for me. Maybe. If, um…”
“What the hell is going on with you?” Vivian was the most straightforward, forthright person he knew, and she never minced words. “Stop hedging and spit it out.”
“I need a favor.”
Victor frowned harder. Vivian didn’t have to ask for favors from him, and she knew that. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for his kid sister.
“And it’s kind of a big one,” she added.
“Ask,” he barked.
She toyed with the label on her bottle of beer. “What are you doing this summer?”
“Same thing I always do. Decompressing and relaxing at my house.”
“Think you could do that with Pip?”
Victor laughed, because his adorable five-year-old niece was more chaotic than the whole group of people currently partying their asses off in this pub put together. “Fuck no.”
Vivian stared him down. “Will you?”
Victor paused when he realized his sister was serious. There was only one thing that would pull her away from her daughter. One big thing. “You’re finishing the book.”
She nodded. “Pip starts school in the fall. I think it will be harder to leave then. You wouldn’t be the sole caregiver,” she hastily added. “Belle will come too.”
Victor closed his eyes, not even bothering to hide his disdain. His sister was well aware of Victor’s feelings toward Pip’s nanny.
The woman was an annoying, cheerful fucking Mary Poppins ray of goddamn sunshine. She drove him fucking crazy.
“Vic,” Vivian said, reaching across the table. “I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”
He nodded because he knew that. Just like he knew he was going to say yes, because it was Vivian asking and she deserved this chance.
“Please,” she said, squeezing his hand.
He grimaced, then shrugged.
“Yeah, okay. Pip and…Belle can come stay with me for the summer.” And then because it was him, he added an angry “fuck” for good measure.