Chapter 29 Emmett
EMMETT
The past two weeks since Vegas have been torture.
Not on the ice. On the ice, we've been killing it.
Six wins in a row since Vegas. I've been playing some of the best hockey of my career, channeling all my frustration into every shift.
Every hit. Every shot. The frustration has a name. Joelle St. Pierre.
Since Vegas, we’ve agreed to keep our distance, except that most nights have been spent sexting.
It started the morning after Vegas. A simple message from her.
Joelle: We can't keep doing this.
I should have left it there. But I couldn't.
Emmett: I know. But I'm not sorry.
Joelle: I wish I was but I'm not sure I am.
And now we're in this weird limbo. By day we are colleagues, strictly professional, but at night we flirt over text, which then leads to phone calls, which leads to us getting each other off.
Hearing her say my name when she comes has me blowing in seconds.
And the next morning, we act as if the dirty things we said to each other last night never happened.
Then there are the dark corners where we seem to find each other.
The supply closet at practice where I accidentally cornered her while looking for tape.
The elevator at the hotel in Florida, where we rode down twelve floors, standing so close I could feel her breath on my neck.
The hallway outside the locker room where she was waiting for Pierre, and I walked past, letting my hand brush against hers for just a second.
We don't kiss. We don't cross the line. Not there anyway.
But fuck, we dance right up to it every chance we get. It's driving me insane.
"You look like shit." Sully drops into the seat beside me on the team plane.
"Thanks. Always good to hear from you."
"Seriously. Have you not been sleeping well?"
I shrug. "I sleep fine. Am I not getting enough goals for you?"
His eyes narrow on me. "You're fucking killing it. But I've noticed the bags under your eyes. Is something keeping you up late at night? Or is it a someone?" His voice drops low.
"Drop it."
"I'll take that as a yes." He shakes his head.
I turn and glare at him.
"No need to say anymore. Please don't tell me it's with who I think it is?"
"Sully."
His eyes widen. "You're playing with fire, man."
"No shit."
He glances around to make sure no one's listening. "Look, I get it. She's hot. But Pierre and Felix would literally murder you. Like, actual murder. They'd bury your body somewhere no one would ever find it."
"I'm aware."
"Are you? Because you don't seem aware. You seem like a guy who's about to do something really fucking stupid. Or is doing something fucking stupid."
"No lines have been crossed."
"Yet," he bites back.
I don't answer.
We land in New York late, and tomorrow is Thanksgiving.
For the first time in years, I'm actually looking forward to it. Ember, my twin sister, is coming to New York this year. Usually, I head back home to Wisconsin with Sully. But Mom is on a cruise, so she’s not home.
He, too, has a twin sister. Our sisters are best friends, and their husbands, the four of them, were all high school sweethearts.
They also own a real estate business where they flip houses.
Kevin, my brother-in-law, is a real estate agent.
Trevor, Sully's brother-in-law, is the contractor.
And our sisters are the interior design girls. They do well for themselves.
I haven't seen her since the summer. We talk all the time, but we're both so busy that we can go for long stretches before speaking again. She knows me better than anyone, and yet I haven't told her about Jo. I'm probably scared of what she is going to say. Which is that it's a bad idea.
We told the girls to get a flight that would connect with ours arriving at the airport. Sully and I are waiting at baggage claim when we spot them, giggling together, dressed in oversized sweaters, each rolling a suitcase behind them that's seen better days.
"Ember!" I call out.
Her face lights up when she sees me as she launches herself at me. I catch her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground.
"Hey, Em. Missed you." She hugs me tightly. It's been too long. I didn't realize how much I needed this.
"Missed you more."
She pulls back, studying my face with those eyes that are exactly like mine. "You look exhausted. Are you sleeping?"
"Why does everyone keep asking me that?"
"Because you look like you haven't slept in a month." She pokes my chest. "What's going on with you?"
"Nothing. Just busy with the season."
She narrows her eyes but doesn't push. Yet. I know my sister. She'll circle back when I least expect it.
"Cassidy." I hug Sully's sister. "It's good to see you."
"You look like shit."
"That's because he's hiding a secret," Sully adds.
"Secret?" Ember turns and looks at me.
"Ignore him. Anyway, I thought Kevin and Trevor were coming."
The girls look at each other sadly. "There was an emergency with one of the homes, and ... they didn't want to ask the guys to work the holidays. So, they are dealing with it themselves," Ember explains.
"It's been forever since just the four of us have hung out," Cassidy adds.
"This is true. I mean, you're the ones who got married and turned boring," Sully adds.
"And you're the ones who got famous and left us," Ember throws back at him.
"Anyway, I'm exhausted. I need a shower." Cassidy moans.
"Come on. The car is waiting outside for us.
" Sully takes her luggage, and I do the same for my sister.
It's so good to see her. They are the reason Sully and I became best friends in youth hockey.
No one understood what it was like to have a twin sister and how annoying they were.
Once we found out we were twins with sisters, that was it.
Friends for life. Then, when we introduced our sisters, it was instant too.
It's just like old times.
The car drops us at my building, and I help the girls with their bags.
"God, it's good to be back here," Ember says as we walk through the lobby. "I've missed this city."
"Same," Cassidy agrees. "Wisconsin is great, but it's not exactly ... this."
Sully hits the elevator button. "Thanks again for letting Cass stay here, man. I owe you one."
"Of course. I've got four bedrooms. No point in her sleeping on your couch when I've got space."
"His couch is terrible," Cassidy adds. "Last time I stayed there, my back hurt for a week."
"It's not that bad," Sully mutters.
"It's pretty bad," Ember confirms.
The elevator opens, and we pile in. I hit the button for my floor, and lean against the wall, watching my sister and Cassidy whisper to each other like they're teenagers again. Some things never change.
"So, what's the plan for food? I'm starving," Sully asks.
"There's a great Thai place that delivers late. We can order in. Open some wine. Catch up."
"Now you're speaking my language." Ember grins.
We arrive at my level. My eyes land on Joelle's closed door, and I shake the thoughts in my mind away. When I open the door, the girls gasp.
"I'm embarrassed to be your sister," Ember says.
"What?"
"You still haven't styled your apartment. It is a sterile, lifeless white blob."
"I don't have time."
"You better not have told your friends your sister is an interior designer. I did not decorate this disgrace of an apartment."
"It screams bachelor pad," Cassidy calls out.
"That's because it is."
"Can I please decorate your place?" Ember pleads.
"No. It's fine."
She nearly throws up. "It is not fine. You're like a frat boy who never grew up."
"Anyway, I'm going to organize dinner." I huff.
It's the same argument we have every single time she comes here.
An hour later, we're sprawled across my living room, surrounded by empty takeout containers. Pad Thai. Green curry. Spring rolls. We went overboard, but nobody's complaining.
Sully is on his third glass of wine and getting loose. Ember and Cassidy are curled up on opposite ends of the couch, with their shoes kicked off, looking more relaxed than when they arrived. It feels like old times.
"I needed this," Cassidy sighs, tilting her head back. "You have no idea."
"Work stuff?" Sully asks.
"Life stuff." She waves a hand vaguely. "Just ... everything. It's nice to get away."
Ember nods. "Same."
"So." Ember turns to me with that look I know too well. "Tell me about this secret Sully mentioned at the airport."
Shit.
"There's no secret."
"Sully said there was."
"Sully talks too much." I take a sip of my wine and glare at my friend.
"Sully is sitting right here," Sully says, raising his glass. He's definitely tipsy now. "And Sully has had just enough wine to spill some tea."
"Don't you dare," I warn him.
"What? They're family. You can trust them." He grins, clearly enjoying this. "They're going to find out eventually. Might as well be from us."
"No!" I yell at him.
"Find out what?" Cassidy sits up straight, suddenly very interested. "Oh my god, is there a girl?"
"There's no girl."
"There's definitely a girl," Sully confirms. "And not just any girl. The most complicated, off-limits, terrible-idea girl he could possibly find."
"Shut the fuck up," I tell him.
"No. I think getting a woman's perspective is good," he argues.
I flip him off and sulk. "I hate you."
"Come on, Emmett." Ember shifts closer. "We're not going to judge. Just tell us."
"Everything stays in this room," I say, looking at each of them.
"Cross my heart," Ember says.
"Same," Cassidy adds.
I take a long drink of my wine. "It started in London during the summer when I was with Lincoln."
"Your boys’ trip." Ember rolls her eyes. "Continue."
"We met at a bar. This was before she even started working for the team. I didn't know who she was. She didn't know who I was."
"And?" Ember prompts.
"And we hooked up."
The girls shriek.
"And?" Sully pushes.
"It was one of the best nights of my life."
The girls ooh and aah.