Chapter 12
Emalyn
“Book Club time!” Alli calls out to the group as she brings in the wine. Ronan sits across from me, his new dog cuddled across his massive thigh.
“I didn’t get to finish the book. I got to sixty-eight percent and now I need to know what happens with the pirate.” Presley says as she comes up behind Alli with a tray of snacks for everyone.
“Sixty-eight percent? You quit just before the best part.” Ronan says, tossing a carrot in his mouth.
“I’m surprised you like book club, Ronan.” Dakota says shyly, her voice only loud enough to be heard over the chatter of the room. “It seems like most of the hockey players on the team are too embarrassed to talk about anything like romance.”
“Aw, c’mon now. You know me better than that.” He says with a chuckle, “It’s impossible to embarrass me.”
“True.” She tips her head side to side. Poppy hops off Ronan's lap and trots over to me. I reach down and pet her head.
“I’m so glad you took this sweet girl.” Paige says to Ronan as she passes me a treat for Poppy. Her red hair is piled on top of her head now.
“Why didn’t anyone want her?” I ask as I scoop the sweet puppy up. She nuzzles her cold nose against my face, making me giggle.
“Severe separation anxiety.” Paige says after a sip of wine.
My eyes shoot to Ronan who looks sheepish. He avoids my eyes and pretends to read the book of the month. No matter that he’s dyslexic— and currently holding it upside down.
“Ro,” I draw out, not letting him get out of this one. He looks everywhere but at me. The curtains, the couch, the window.
“Ro.” I say again.
“Hm? Oh, I gotta take this.” He pulls his phone out, pretending like someone’s calling. The screen is black. He still presses it to his ear and beelines it to the kitchen.
Like I won’t still be here when he comes back.
Presley snickers.
“Here, could you just…” I pass Poppy to Dakota. I’m at the doorway of the kitchen when I hear a low whine, and little paws on the floor following me.
Guess she can come then.
Ronan sits on the kitchen counter, playing candy crush on his phone and swinging his feet back and forth. He’s mouthing the words to a song I don’t know like he’s in his own little world. Clearly, he didn’t expect me to follow.
I lean a shoulder against the wall.
“Ronan.” I say softly. It doesn’t stop him from jumping nearly a foot in the air.
“Christ,” He says, barely managing to catch his fumbling phone out of the air.
I bite my lip to keep from laughing.
No, Emalyn. Keep it together.
Poppy lays her head across my foot, reminding me why this is serious.
“She has severe separation anxiety.” I say gesturing down to her with one hand. “And you are…”
I gesture to him. Ronan’s t-shirt is straining around his biceps and broad chest as he leans forward, hands gripping the counter on each side of him. His forearms flex in a way that makes my mouth water. When one hand reaches up to turn his hat backwards, my eyes track the movement.
“I’m…” He quirks an expectant brow.
“A NHL goalie who travels constantly. Seriously, what’s your plan here?” My hip pops out as my arms cross. He grips the back of his neck.
“Bring her with me?” He gives a small shrug followed by a small smile.
“Do you really think Coach Randall will go for that?”
“Yes.” I can tell he doesn’t believe himself either.
“And what about while you’re playing? You know she can’t go to the net with you.”
Wrong thing to say. His eyes light up.
“Okay, but how cute would she look in a little Grady jersey?” He gushes. Looking down at the pup, I try to stop my heart from melting. It’s impossible when Ro comes over and gets on his knees to get her to crawl to him. She goes willingly into his arms, nuzzling in.
Meanwhile, my heart is on overdrive. The sight of my best friend on his knees in front of me is doing things to my heart rate. Because I know—God, do I know— the dirty, amazing things he can accomplish on his knees.
No, don’t go there, Emalyn.
It’s too late. When he glances up at me, his full lips are parted on a playful smile. Ronan pauses when he takes me in.
His tongue darts out to lick his lower lip, drawing my gaze there.
Stop staring at his mouth!
It takes two attempts to drag my gaze back up to his eyes. His pupils are blown wide as he sits there, watching me. Waiting to see what I do. I must’ve lost my mind, because I push off the wall. To do what, I'm not sure yet.
Something.
“Mm, isn’t this cozy?” Presley sing-songs. She doesn’t linger, just heads to the freezer to get the chocolate covered strawberries. Presley wiggles her eyebrows at me as she passes by again, “Good for you, girl.”
I squeak in surprise. Oh, how this must look. Ronan coughs out a laugh, getting to his feet with Poppy securely tucked into one arm. He slings the other around my shoulders. The way he always does.
“Come on, Sunshine. Let’s go talk pirate lovers. Could be our Halloween costume.” He jokes. The way he always does.
I go along with it, letting him steer our big feelings into playful ones. The way I always do. What a pair we make. One emotionally unavailable and one emotionally avoidant match made in hell.
“I will keep Poppy while you’re on the ice.” I sigh in defeat. Ronan’s grin stretches to a Cheshire cat level. I point a finger in his face, “Only during the playoffs. Only this season.”
“Okay, Sunshine." He doesn’t even try to hide his cheerfulness. “Poppy, meet your new mommy.”
I roll my eyes at him, pretending not to relish in the warmth of his side, or the way he holds me closer as he leads us to the couch.
“I am no better than a man.” Presley declares, holding her hands up. “I have been staring at your ass in those jeans for the last five minutes, Dakota. Where did you get them?”
Dakota blushes furiously, her hands smoothing over her jeans.
“Oh, I don’t know. I think they’re from that place in the mall. The one where everything is thirty dollars or less.”
“We need the workout routine.” Paige nods along as everyone turns to evaluate Dakota’s butt.
“I mean, I think it’s mostly genetics but I could show you what I normally do.” She shrugs, laughing nervously. Presley, realizing she accidentally put all the attention on her, changes the subject. Dakota instantly relaxes.
“I liked Eric better. I hate how the author just let Diana forgive Dimitri after drunk kissing another girl. And it was minimal groveling. I just couldn’t.” Alli throws her hands up in surrender. “A sea witch’s curse shouldn’t be enough to bend his loyalty.”
“Damn straight.” Tate agrees as he appears at the bottom of the stairs. Walking up behind the couch, he turns her head up to where he stands over her and kisses her lips.
“Okay, okay. Jeez big brother we know you’re trying to get her pregnant. We don’t need to see it in action.” Presley covers her eyes and feels around for her wine glass.
“Not trying anymore.” He gives Alli a dopey smile before shock at his own words crosses his face. Allison blinks, wide eyed.
“Are you serious?” Presley squeals, uncovering her face in favor of jumping up and down.
“I’m sorry, Darlin’.” Tate mumbles sheepishly as he runs a hand through his hair. “That’s not how we wanted to tell everyone.”
“We won’t say a word.” Paige offers as we all swarm her to hug and congratulate her.
“Thank you.” Allison says as she starts to tear up again, “But can we get back to the pirates because I have a lot of opinions on this one.”
Her eyes meet mine, and she gives me a considerate smile. She knows how hard it is for me, but I hope she can tell how excited I am for her. Sending one back, I try to convey every ounce of love for my friend.
I lean into Ronan’s side. His warmth is easy to find comfort in. Maybe it’s the smell of his cologne or simply just him but my heart doesn’t race and the room stays its normal size.
“What I don’t understand is the scene from chapter seven.” Paige says, opening the book. “See, I get that she’s on her back, and he’s above her… so what’s twisting?”
“Oh, no! Like her upper back right? So you lift way up like this!” Presley says, rolling on the couch so that she’s on her back, using her hands to help keep her butt in the air as she calls out, “Em, come pretend like you’re a guy.”
I straddle her sideways as I’m standing like we are scissoring. Huh. This could be fun with a guy.
“And I'm out.” Tate salutes us with two fingers as he trudges back upstairs with his stolen food. He glances back at us once before calling out, “Boys stay upstairs until Mama’s book club is over.”
Laughter fills the room and Alli snorts before taking a gulp of her water.
I smack Presley on the butt before getting off her.
“Ooh la la.” She says, wiggling her eyebrows at me,
“You wouldn’t even have to buy me dinner first, girl.”
“Stop.” I throw my head back and cackle.