Chapter 24
TWENTY-FOUR
“Where are we going?” We’ve been in Maverick’s SUV for thirty minutes and I have no idea where we are.
“You’ll see,” Rhett insists.
Everyone else is grinning. They’re all in the know and I’m not.
“Have I mentioned that I don’t like surprises?”
“You’ll like this one.” He leans over and presses a kiss to my lips. “Promise.”
“We’re here,” Maverick calls from the front seat.
Eagerly, I peer out the front window. Color lights up the night sky as we’re waved into a dirt lot to park.
“A carnival?” I can practically smell the popcorn and funnel cake from here.
Rhett holds my hand, swinging it lightly, as we walk toward the sound of rides and games intermixed with happy squeals of delight.
His friends push ahead of us to get tickets.
“Be right back.” Rhett joins them and Ginny looks back and notices I’m alone.
“Are you excited?” She beams at me, and I want to be as excited as she wants me to be.
“Yeah. This is amazing.”
“He really likes you,” she says, looking over my shoulder. I follow her line of vision to Rhett. “And so do I.”
She hugs me and then bounces off to Heath. Rhett’s headed back with a Cheshire cat grin.
“Rhett, this is the nicest thing. I love it really. Thank you.”
“It’s not over until we ride all the rides, angel.” He holds up a long string of tickets.
I scan the carnival. Tall rides that spin and rock. We’re standing next to the octopus and a girl is screaming loudly while she holds her hands over her eyes. My stomach dips with unease.
“Let’s do this,” Maverick calls, heading off toward the rides.
“I think the Ferris wheel is about all I’m good for. Go with your friends. I’ll watch.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m not leaving you to ride shit with my friends.”
“I can’t—”
He stops me with a kiss. “Trust me.”
“We’ll meet up with you guys later,” he tells Adam, and we head in the opposite direction. I’m not paying any attention to where we go. My stomach aches and I’m upset that I can’t do the things he wants. That’ll always be the case and there’s nothing I can do about it.
“All right.” He drops my hand and rubs his palms together. “What’ll it be first, the roller coaster or the slide?”
I glance up to see we’re standing in the kid’s section. A roller coaster made out to look like a caterpillar and one of those slides you go down on a burlap sack.
I can’t help but laugh and the knot in my stomach loosens. Rhett has a charming, knowing grin on his face.
“Rhett.” My voice cracks.
He steps forward and cups my cheek. “I know it isn’t the same, but I figured we could try it out anyway. It’ll be good for a laugh.”
“It isn’t the same,” I agree. “This is better because of you. And also because fifteen-year-old me wouldn’t have had the balls to tell you that I’m so going to beat you down that slide.”
“You wish.” He scoffs as we rush to the line.
We climb up a tall staircase, smiling and laughing.
“On three,” he says when we’re in position.
I nod and he starts to count. “One, two—”
I push off, giving myself a head start. He roars behind me and then chases me down.
Giggling as I finish, I look over at Rhett expecting him to threaten a do-over, but he’s smiling just as big.
We go on every single kiddie ride, which is particularly hilarious when Rhett tries to squeeze his long legs into the mini rollercoaster.
He’s so large we can’t even sit together.
He wins me an orange unicorn at the horse races, and I win a goldfish which I give to a little girl at the ping-pong toss.
I’m eating my second cotton candy of the night when we wander back over to meet up with his friends. I can’t stop smiling.
“Thank you.” I kiss him.
He wipes a hand over his mouth. “Sticky.”
I kiss him again, but this time he captures me and holds me tight as he devours my mouth.
“Now we’re both sticky.”
He smooths a hand down my hair and pulls me farther onto him so my head rests in the center of his chest.
My heart flutters. I think I love you too.
The drive to Kansas City for the Frozen Four takes two days. Ginny’s dad has to hate us by now. We’ve taken over his radio and the excitement for the upcoming games has us all loud and giggly.
When we pull into the hotel parking lot, he checks us in while we load up the luggage onto a trolley. We brought enough bags to stay a week instead of the three days the tournament runs. Mr. Scott lets out a long breath and stretches. “I’m assuming you girls have plans for dinner?”
“We’re going to crash the team dinner,” she says, holding her hand out for the room key.
“I’ll be at the hotel bar if you need me. Tell Adam to stop by and see his old man later.”
Ginny kisses his cheek. “Can you take up the bags? We’re already late.”
He shakes his head. “Have fun, girls.”
The team is at a local restaurant next door to the hotel. Allison calls as we’re about to walk in. There’s a small waiting area between the doors and hostess stand.
I hang back. “It’s my sister. I should answer. I’ll meet you guys in there.”
“I’ll save you a seat,” Dakota says.
“Hey,” I answer, holding the phone in front of my face.
“Save me. Dad’s decided to get in shape and wants me to run around the neighborhood with him while he listens to nineties music from a speaker which he carries while we run. Why can’t he just use headphones like a normal person?”
“Because then you couldn’t share the experience together.” I laugh, but there’s a little twinge of sadness. I haven’t seen my family in a few months and that never seems to get easier.
“Where are you? Out to eat with your friends? You can call me later.”
“Yes, but not in Valley.”
“Where are you?”
“Okay, don’t freak out, but I’m in Kansas City.”
Her brow furrows. “What’s in…” Her mouth falls open. “No!”
I nod. “Yes.”
“Oh my gosh. I hate you. You’re at the Frozen Four, really?” There’s a whine to her tone. “What are you doing there?”
“I came with some friends.”
“What aren’t you telling me?” Her gaze narrows. “You don’t like hockey that much.”
“I’m dating a hockey player,” I mumble.
“I’m sorry. What was that?” Allison has some serious sass when she wants to, and right now—she wants to.
“I’m dating a hockey player.”
She’s grinning. “Don’t tell me. Let me guess which one.” She puts a finger to her chin. “Adam Scott.”
“No way.”
“Okay, okay. Don’t sound so offended. He’s cute.”
“He’s dating one of my friends.”
“Okay, then, Johnny Maverick?”
“Rhett Rauthruss,” I say before she continues guessing.
“Oh, hey, he’s from Minnesota.”
“I know.”
“Right,” she says. “How long have you been dating him? And can he get me a last-minute ticket to the final game? If you’re there, I bet Mom and Dad would let me come.”
“Did you need something or were you just calling to catch up?”
“Both, but I’ll cut to the chase since you have more exciting things to do.” She stops. “The first game is starting soon.”
“Valley doesn’t play until later.”
“You’re not even watching the other teams?” She sighs. “You so do not deserve to be there.”
“Noted. So what did you want to tell me? I’m standing outside of the restaurant where the team is having dinner.”
“Jealous times one thousand,” she mutters. “I was calling because I wanted to see if you were ready for your competition next weekend?”
“Oh.” I expected her news to be something bigger. “Yeah. I’m so ready. I’m disappointed it’s the last one, but I’m adding a double—”
“We’re coming!” She grins and looks around, then leans closer to her screen. “Mom and Dad want to fly down and surprise you. Don’t tell them I told you.”
“Seriously?”
She nods. “Don’t act like you know!”
“I won’t. Thanks for the heads-up.” Our parents are always trying to surprise us. They think it’s the coolest thing, even though both their daughters are very anti-surprise. Especially on the day of a competition. It would be nice to see them, though. “Are you coming with them?”
“Unless they decide to start trusting me to stay home alone.”
“Well, I hate to bet against your budding independence, but it would be good to see you.” I hold up my hands where she can see I’m crossing my fingers. “So, here’s hoping you’re still untrustworthy.”
She laughs. “I should get in the shower before dad puts in a workout DVD and makes me join him. Wish you were here. I miss you.” She sticks out her bottom lip.
“Me too. Love you, Al.”
“Don’t forget—you don’t know anything! They’re going to wait until Friday when we’re getting on the plane to tell you.” She smiles big into the screen.
“I won’t say a word,” I promise.
“Why couldn’t your competition have been a month ago. I won’t even be able to see a hockey game while we’re there.” Her smile gives away her tease.
“Love you too.”
“Call me during the game later. I just want to hear the noise of the game.”
“Yeah, we’ll see.”
“Bye, S.”
Inside the restaurant, the team is easy to find as they take up one entire side. A few other girlfriends and family members have crashed.
There’s an empty chair pulled up next to Rhett’s, but I skip it and sit on his lap so I can hug him. “Hey.”
He chuckles softly. “Hey. Miss me?”
“Maybe.” I squeeze him harder and then drop a kiss on his mouth. I’m well aware his teammates and coach are probably watching, but I don’t care. He’s at the Frozen Four! It’s surreal and I want him to know how excited I am to be here with him.
“Wanna meet my parents?”
“What?” I jump up and look around. “I thought they weren’t getting in until late tonight.”
He stands and nods his head to a booth nearby. A man and a woman with a little boy sitting next to them stare back at us. “They got in earlier than planned. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
“Oh, god. And they just saw…”
“You tackle hug me and shove your tongue down my throat.” He nods. “Yep.”
He chuckles when I cover my face with a hand.
“I’m so embarrassed and I just got really nervous.”
“You’ll be fine. They’re cool.” He pauses. “I told them you were my girlfriend.”
I smirk. “Am I your girlfriend?”
“I could refer to you as my sidepiece or my old lady, but those didn’t have the same ring to it.”
I smack his arm playfully. “And you’re not the president of a motorcycle club,” I joke back as butterflies swarm in my stomach.
Rhett’s mom has a friendly smile. Her eyes take in every detail of her son’s body language, from his hand around my waist to how close we’re standing.
“This is Sienna,” he says. “Sienna, these are my parents and that is Ryder.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” I lift a hand to wave.
“My brother is number twenty-three,” Ryder says, staring at my shirt.
I glance down and my cheeks flame. Ginny made us matching shirts with our boyfriends’ jersey numbers on them for this weekend and I’d completely forgotten I was wearing mine to surprise Rhett. It reads, Property of #23.
“Are you excited to watch him play?” I ask the adorable mini-Rhett.
He shrugs. “Mom says I can have popcorn and a lemonade.”
Rhett chuckles. “Who needs hockey when you have the snack bar?”
“Are you staying for the weekend, Sienna?” his mom asks.
“Yes, I came with the Scott family.”
She smiles warmly. I can tell they’re beyond nice, but there’s still a beat of uncomfortable silence where none of us know what to say.
Rhett slides into the booth next to his mom and holds his arm out for me to sit next to him. There’s only a sliver of space so I’m basically sitting on his lap again.
“Mom, I forgot to tell you that Sienna skates. She took second in her competition last weekend. She’s really good.”
I feel myself blushing at the attention.
“You do?” His mom moves forward to see around Rhett. “Oh, well, we’ll have lots to talk about then.”
“Mom skated in college too.” Rhett nudges me.
“You never told me that.”
“It was a long time ago,” she says.
Coach Meyers announces that the boys have five minutes before they need to load up for the arena.
Mr. Rauthruss leans toward his youngest son. “Your brother is leaving. Do you want to give him your present?”
The little boy nods and holds his hand out, offering Rhett a shiny black rock.
“This is for me?” Rhett asks, taking and inspecting it.
“I found it at school. Sarah and Rachel wanted it, but I told them I was giving it to you for luck.”
Rhett’s chest shakes with a silent laugh. “Thank you.”
Ryder smiles proudly.
I stand and Rhett slides back out of the booth. His parents and brother get up too to hug him and wish him luck.
“We hope to see more of you this weekend, Sienna,” his mom says as Rhett and I start toward his teammates.
“Me too. Nice to meet you all.”
We walk out with the team as they start to load up on the bus.
“You survived,” Rhett says when we’re outside.
“Shut up. I was so nervous. I’ve never met a guy’s parents before.”
“I’ve never introduced one before,” he says. “They already knew Carrie.”
“Right.”
He wraps me up in his arms and hugs me. “Thanks for coming.”
“Are you kidding? They have popcorn and lemonade.”
He chuckles. “Are you going over to the arena for the first game?”
We break apart and he takes a step toward the bus stairs. “I don’t know. I’m just along for the ride, but I imagine we’re going wherever you guys are.”
He nods and I realize he’s starting to get nervous.
“You’re going to be great. You have to be otherwise I’m going to get my ass kicked in this shirt.”
He glances down at it and then fists it and hauls me to him for another kiss before getting on the bus.