Chapter Twenty-Five #2
I grab my candy, takeout, and a bottle of nail polish just in case—I can’t rule out the possibility that Rhodes would let me paint his nails if I pushed hard enough. I mentally note what sexual favors I’d be willing to trade for him to match toenail colors with me.
I braid my hair quickly, adding a little blush to my cheeks, a swipe of lip gloss. My oversized T-shirt and leggings will have to do. Rhodes won’t care, which is extra nice.
I’m ready by the time his knock lands against my door.
When I open it, Rhodes is grinning. Too much. Like, weirdly grinning?
“Ready, Abrams?”
I narrow my eyes. “Your vibe is giving serial killer, McKnight.”
He huffs a laugh, but there’s something buzzy in the way he rocks back on his heels.
“Sorry, just excited.”
“About…” I glance down at my hands, holding candy, takeout, and a face mask that I now suspect will remain unused. “Movie night?”
His weight shifts. He’s practically vibrating. “Yeah. Movie night.”
I squint. “Yup. Weird vibes. How much pre-workout did you take? You did not burn it all off.”
“Just get in the car, Monroe.”
I cross my arms, tapping a finger against my elbow. “So you can take me to a second location? I know better than that.”
Rhodes snorts, exasperated, pushing me gently toward his car. “Killing you is not on my priority list tonight, Monroe. There are other things I’d like to do.”
I settle into my seat and lift a brow at him when he gets in on his side. “I don’t know,” I say lightly. “You might be playing the long game.”
Rhodes goes very still for a beat, his fingers flexing around the steering wheel. Then he turns his head and stares at me, something unreadable flashing in his navy-blue eyes.
When he finally speaks, his voice is lower, quieter—too deliberate to be playful.
“Yeah, that part is true, at least.”
I blink. We’ve just spoken a lot about serial killers. “Which part?”
He pulls out of the parking spot, gaze fixed on the road, mouth twitching like he’s fighting a smirk. “I’m definitely playing the long game.”
I sit back, no words coming to mind to fill the silence in the car. Would now be a good time to tell him I referred to him as my boyfriend in my head today?
We pull up to his house, and the only light glowing is the soft porch light above the door.
I love his place. It’s the kind of house that feels lived in, but cared for.
Rhodes mentioned he did a lot of the work himself, and you can tell—there’s love stitched into every part of it, like he built it with a future in mind.
I can see him here with a family someday—if that’s what he wants.
He’d be an amazing dad, if the way he interacts with the clinic kids is any indication at all.
The house has a big yard, enough space to grow, and is tastefully updated but not sterile.
It feels like home in a way I’ve never had.
An angry twinge pulls in my chest at the idea of someone else being here with him one day.
I shove that thought deep down, for another day. I barely got past boyfriend in my head, and I haven’t even said the word out loud yet.
Rhodes turns the key in the lock and pushes the door open, reaching back for my hand without looking, like it’s second nature now. His love language, remember? He guides me inside, flicking on the light in the hall, pulling me to the living room.
There is a sound coming from the living room and I look at Rhodes in alarm. And before I can register what’s happening, there is a flurry of rapid movement and an overhead light is flicked on revealing a room full of people yelling, “Surprise!” at me.
I startle, freezing in place. Rhodes is behind me, solid and anchoring me in place, his arms wrapping around my waist as he presses a kiss to my temple.
“Happy birthday, Monroe.”
His boys are all here. Finn, Beck, JD, Callum, Tyler—all wearing stupid grins, looking proud of themselves. A girl I don’t recognize stands in the center, arms crossed over her chest, dark brown hair and even darker eyes locked on me. She’s very small—maybe five foot even.
She beelines toward me.
“Happy birthday. I’m Sloane, Rhodes’ sister.” She holds her hand out to me and I shake it. “You’re the girl who has my brother acting like a complete fool.” She says this as a statement, voice dry as hell. Straight to the point. I like her already. “He’s been texting me constantly about you.”
I blink. “He has?” Rhodes talks to his sister about me? I side-eye him.
Sloane tilts her head. “Yes. Annoyingly. He’s in—” She pauses, catching the way Rhodes cuts her a warning look, his jaw ticing slightly. She smirks. “Well. Anyway.” She shrugs, assessing me once more. “You’re gorgeous. I approve.”
A laugh bursts out of me. “Uh, thank you. Good to know.”
Sloane flips her long hair over her shoulder and turns back toward the guys, leaving behind the undeniable truth that she just claimed me as someone worth caring about. She heads back toward her seat on the couch, in front of Beck. His eyes track her the entire way back into the room.
“How did you know?” I ask quietly, my voice nearly drowned out by the chatter around us. “I didn’t tell you it was my birthday.”
“An oversight on your part,” he chuckles, lips brushing against my skin. I feel his grin before I see it.
“Elsie pulled me aside a week ago,” he admits. “Asked if I knew it was coming up. I didn’t, obviously, thanks to you.” There’s gentle chastisement in his voice, but something softer underneath.
The weight in my chest eases a little. A quiet beat stretches between us. I shift my gaze back to the room.
Tyler is trying to toss popcorn into Callum’s mouth, missing spectacularly. Finn has a death grip on a bag of candy, swatting JD away from him. Beck is leaning in toward Sloane while she chatters on about something I can’t quite make out.
It feels so casual. Like we do this all the time, hang out with friends. Together. I exhale, letting myself settle into it.
Rhodes’ voice dips, softer now, close enough that it’s just for me. “Do you hate it?” he murmurs. “I figured there was a fifty-fifty shot you’d hate it.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “No,” I say. “I don’t hate it.
Maybe a little embarrassed that everyone here is your friend.
Or your sister.” I pause, trying to untangle the complicated feelings lodged in my chest. “I think…maybe I’m sad there wasn’t anyone you could invite that didn’t come from you.
It’s my birthday, but I don’t have anyone else. ”
Rhodes is quiet for exactly two seconds before he straightens up.
“Do you want me to kick them out?” he asks seriously. “They came, they surprised, they can leave.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “No, Rhodes. I really love it.” Another beat passes between us. “You want to know what I was doing a year ago today?”
He hums, waiting for my answer.
“A year ago today, I was drunk, surrounded by strangers. I still wasn’t with any friends.
I don’t think I’ve had real friends for a very long time.
” I pause, thinking again. “I think maybe you guys are the first friends I’ve had that don’t care if I’m an Olympic figure skater. Maybe. It feels nice.”
“Guys,” Rhodes shouts. The room looks back up at him, expectant. “Who here only likes Monroe because she’s a highly decorated and successful figure skater?”
My face reddens and I elbow him in the side. He catches my arm easily and tucks me into him.
“Rhodes—” I say in warning. Nobody says anything for a moment while my face burns. These people don’t know me well enough to answer that question.
Then Finn raises his beer.
“That’s cool, but personally I like that Monroe has the best taste in candy. She clearly does, by the way. All you losers go for chocolate.” He shoves a handful of my Sour Patch Kids in his mouth and gives me a thumbs-up.
Beck leans forward, smiling. “I like that Rhodes finally has someone to check in on him that isn’t me or Sloane. We need more shared custody.” I can feel tears forming at the edge of my lashes and attempt, poorly, to blink them away.
“Are we all picking our favorite things about Monroe?” Tyler asks. “Monroe, Rhodes is a lot less bitchy with you around and he’s punching less people in the face. The entire Wolverines team can thank you for that.” He lifts his beer up in a salute.
“Jury is still out on my favorite thing about you, Monroe, but I’ll get back to you in a few months,” Sloane says, sipping her drink.
I huff a watery laugh. I really like her. The rest of the guys shout out other things they’ve noticed about me and I finally fail to keep back all my tears and one sneaks out, sliding down my cheek. Rhodes wipes it away with his thumb.
“See? Olympics or not. These people care about you. If you never skated again, the people in this room wouldn’t think you mattered any less.”
Silence passes between us before I get up the courage to say what I’ve been thinking all day. “Hey, Rhodes?” I say quietly.
“Yes?”
“I think you might be my boyfriend.”
“Yeah, Monroe. Glad you finally caught up.” He grabs my chin to turn my face to his and his lips are on mine.
Someone in the living room whistles but Rhodes doesn’t let up.
We stand there like that for a long time before we make our way to the group.
They’ve started a rousing game of UNO, and we’re dealt in.
And after everyone has left, I’m in Rhodes’ bed when I think to myself that this is probably the best birthday I’ve ever had.