Chapter 29 #2
“Girls! It’s so good to see you!” Vincent’s mom was the first to greet us when we walked in.
She hugged and cooed over Scarlett and Carina before stopping at me.
“Oh, look at you. You’re even prettier than I remembered!
” She swept me up in a hug too. She was five foot one, but her big personality eclipsed her petite build.
Her short blond curls smelled like fruit-scented hairspray, and her gold sequined jacket sparkled so brightly, I wished I’d brought my sunglasses.
I smiled and hugged her back. “Thank you, Ms. Hughes. You look great, too. Happy holidays.”
“Happy holidays, dear.” She pulled back, her eyes twinkling. “Can I just say, I’m absolutely delighted that Vincent came to his senses and snapped you up. I always thought you’d make the cutest couple.”
“Leave the poor girl alone, Emily.” A sonorous French accent interrupted before I could respond. “She just walked in, and you attack her.”
Emily’s smile faded as she glared at someone behind me. “I didn’t attack her. I greeted her. Honestly, have you been removed from civilization for so long that you can’t tell the difference?”
“I apologize for my ex-wife.” A handsome man with dark hair walked over, wearing a blue Christmas sweater and holding a glass of wine. “She’s very excitable, and I’m not. It’s one of the reasons we divorced. That, and I hate blood pudding while she loves it.”
Emily rolled her eyes and muttered something about horrid taste beneath her breath.
He ignored her and held out his hand. “I’m Jean-Paul, Scarlett and Vincent’s father. You must be Brooklyn.”
“Yep. I mean, yes.” I blushed and shook his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”
“Please, call me JP. My father is the only sir in our family,” he said good-naturedly. “So you’re the girl who captured my son’s heart. I’m impressed. I thought he was making you up to get us off his back about settling down.”
“Oh, it’s too early for that. He’s still in his trial period. If he forgets to pick up his socks or put down the toilet seat, I might return him,” I joked before I froze, suddenly worried I’d crossed the line with someone who wasn’t familiar with my sense of humor yet.
JP blinked. But then he burst into gales of laughter, and I smiled in relief. Even though he wasn’t Vincent’s biological father, they shared the same infectious laugh. It was incredibly charming.
After more small talk, Scarlett, Carina, and I broke away to change and get ready for the party. We’d just come downstairs and started helping Emily with the decorations when the slam of multiple car doors echoed outside.
“The cavalry has arrived!” Adil burst into the house with dramatic flair. “Let’s get this party started!”
“Perfect.” Scarlett walked up to him and dumped a bouquet of flowers into his arms. “You can help set the dining table. We need more centerpieces.”
His face fell. “But I was going to DJ.”
“You can DJ after you set the table.”
He perked up again. “Deal.”
The rest of the players streamed in after him, clearly in high spirits after their win. They’d all changed out of their kits and into casual festive clothing. Not everyone could make it, but a good percentage of the team showed up, including Samson, Seth, and Noah.
Vincent was the last to walk in, but he headed straight for me before anyone else.
“There’s the MVP.” I stood on tiptoe to kiss him. “I’m surprised the team let you touch the ground long enough to drive. I thought they were going to parade you all the way here.”
“What can I say? Your boyfriend is just that good,” he drawled.
“You mean just that cocky.”
“They’re not mutually exclusive.” He bent down to give me a longer, more searching kiss. “Hi, by the way.”
Butterflies spilled into my stomach. “Hi,” I breathed.
When we broke apart, I realized the entryway had fallen silent. The other guests were gathered around us in a circle, their faces plastered with shit-eating grins.
“Can I help you?” Vincent asked pointedly. He wrapped a protective arm around my shoulders.
“We’re enjoying the sight of our captain in loooove.” Samson grinned while the rest of the team catcalled us and made kissing noises.
My cheeks blazed. Our relationship was an open secret now, but this was our first time kissing in front of the team. I should’ve known they would tease the hell out of us for it.
“What are you all, twelve?” Vincent said dryly. “Haven’t you seen people kiss before?”
“So it’s official?” Stevens had brought his miniature pet pig, Truffle, who eyed us with bemusement from his arms. “You’re dating?”
Vincent’s arm tightened around me. “Not that it’s any of your damn business, but yes.”
“Vincent!” his mother scolded. “Language.”
“He said damn, not cunt or fuck.” JP sipped his wine. “I forgot how uptight you can be.”
“Well, excuse me for wanting our son to behave like a proper gentleman. Not everyone can curse and smoke like a chimney, Jean-Paul.”
While Vincent’s parents bickered, the rest of the team carried on with their ribbing.
“Good thing Coach isn’t here yet, or he’ll bury you alive for touching his daughter,” Gallagher cracked.
“I think it’s adorable. It’s about time. You’ve been circling each other for months.” Adil held up his camera. “Smile! I’m adding this to our club’s photo album.”
“Sorry about them,” Vincent whispered in my ear. “They’re immature, but it’s a rite of passage for new girlfriends.”
“It’s okay. It’s better than getting hazed.”
He laughed.
“Okay, that’s enough!” Emily clapped her hands, and the catcalls fell silent. “Everyone back to work! We have a Christmas dinner to finish.”
The players scattered at her direction. It was a friends and family-only event with no external vendors, so it was up to us to make it happen. However, decorations didn’t take that long, and there were so many cooks in the kitchen that Emily eventually banished us to the rest of the house.
With nothing else left to do, I offered to look after Truffle while Adil roped Stevens into helping him finalize the playlist.
The dulcet tones of Mariah Carey rang through the house, followed by some sort of French rap song and “Jingle Bell Rock.”
“Oh, sweetie, is it too loud for you? It’s okay. Come here.” I gently coaxed Truffle out from under the coffee table, where he was shivering in his mini Christmas sweater. Apparently, he was not a fan of holiday music.
He eyed me warily before inching toward my hands.
“Come here. That’s it,” I said as he took the final cautious step from out under the table. He grunted happily when I petted him on the head, but his ears really perked up after Vincent walked into the room.
Truffle immediately trotted over to him. The little pig bumped his nose against his shin and oinked.
“Hey, buddy.” Vincent picked him up, eliciting more oinks and something that sounded suspiciously like a purr. I had no idea pigs could even purr.
“You’re like the pig whisperer,” I said, amazed.
“What can I say? Truffle has good taste.” He petted the ecstatic pig on the head. “I missed ya, little guy. Hope Stevens has been treating you well. Pretty fucked up of him to put you in such an ugly sweater though.”
An oink of agreement.
My heart freaking melted. Some women loved seeing guys hold babies, but seeing Vincent cuddle a miniature pig made my ovaries explode. He was so dominant on the pitch, but his soft side off the pitch was even more attractive.
We sat next to each other on the couch while we waited for dinner to be announced.
“My dad just texted,” I said, checking my phone. “He can’t make it. He’s still at the office.”
“Can’t say I’m surprised,” Vincent said. “The gala was enough socializing for him for the year.”
“True.” I leaned my head against his shoulder while he wrapped his free arm around me. A fire crackled five feet away, casting a glow of warmth over my face and chest.
This was what contentment felt like.
“How did your date with Leopard Dress go?” I asked.
Vincent had finally gone on his auction date earlier this week. He’d wanted to get it over with, so he’d convinced the winner to squeeze something in before Christmas, but we hadn’t had a chance to debrief since he’d been so busy prepping for today’s match.
“Not as bad as I thought it would. She backed down when I told her I had a girlfriend, though that didn’t stop her from giving me her number at the end of the night. You know, she’s not even from London? She flies here from New York every year for the auction.”
“Oh!” I blinked. “That’s…dedication.”
“Yeah.” Vincent hesitated, then asked, “Speaking of flights, did you buy your tickets for California yet?”
I hoped he didn’t notice the way my shoulders stiffened. “Yeah. I leave the Friday before she’s due.”
I’d officially agreed to be there for my mom’s C-section, but I counted down the days like a death row inmate waiting for their demise.
“Look on the bright side.” Vincent rubbed my arm reassuringly. He’d definitely noticed. “At least the weather will be nicer there.”
I let out a reluctant laugh. “True.”
The familiar ring of his phone interrupted our conversation. Vincent picked it up, his face paling. “It’s Smith.”
I sat up straight and stared at him in shock. Vincent had forwarded Smith the strange text he’d received in Budapest, but other than a “message received” confirmation, the detective had been MIA.
If he was calling the day after Christmas, it had to be important, right?
I took Truffle from Vincent’s arms while he answered and greeted Smith. Other than the occasional “Yes” and “I see,” he didn’t say much during their conversation. His expression gave even less away.
I hugged Truffle to my chest, my heart hammering.
“I understand,” Vincent said. “I’ll be there soon.”
“What happened?” The question burst forth before he’d even hung up. I couldn’t help it. I was too on edge to wait.
Vincent looked at me. His impassiveness cracked, revealing a mixture of relief and amazement. “They found the intruder.”