Chapter 16
sixteen
Kyler
With everyone gone, I invite my mom, Ally, and Lacey over to the house for Thanksgiving dinner.
It won’t be much because none of us are the cooking type, but we’ll be together, and Lacey needs to have family around, especially during the holidays.
Nolan joked I should pay Thea to make the meal, but I can’t imagine asking her to do such a thing, even if money is involved.
I did, however, go through her cookbooks until I found what I needed and copied down the recipes accordingly.
We’re having turkey, mashed (and undoubtedly, lumpy) potatoes, corn, green beans, rolls, and gravy.
Granted, the gravy comes from a jar you heat up in the microwave but whatever.
It’s food, and I’m sort of proud of what I created.
Lacey is having a field day, running up and down the stairs. She squeals in delight, and the sound echoes through the house. The last time I checked on my mother, she was sitting on the couch, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and was doing her darndest to get Lacey to watch it with her.
Ally sits at the small table in the corner of the kitchen. She’s brought a tablecloth, napkins, paper plates, and cups, all decorated with a turkey. Even the plastic utensils she brought are orange and brown.
“Lacey really likes it here.”
I glance over my shoulder toward the doorway. “Yeah, she does. Too bad there aren’t apartments with staircases.”
“We can’t afford anything here, Kyler. We are going to have to move inland, more toward the capital where rent is cheaper.”
“I figured.” As much as it pains me to say and accept, I know this is the reality they face.
It’s expensive to live near the ocean, and often locals can’t afford it.
Never mind the fact my mom can’t hold down a good, steady paying job.
And my sister is trying to raise her daughter on tips she’s earned at the diner.
Since the tourist season is over, she’s barely scraping by.
If they move . . . no, not if, but when, it means I’ll hardly see Lacey during the season because of the distance, and I don’t like that.
“It would be nice to have a big house like this,” my sister says.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what, Kyler? Dream?”
“No, dream all you want, but don’t even think about asking me if you can move in here.
It’s not even feasible. This has been a hockey house for as long as I can remember, and when I graduate, new guys will move.
I’m not even going to broach the subject with Jude, Nolan, and Devon. Besides, there isn’t any space.”
Ally comes over and stands next to me. She takes the potato masher from me and starts pushing on the potatoes. “You have the whole attic room. I’ve seen it.”
I shake my head. “Thea lives up there.” Saying her name aloud makes me realize how much I miss her.
I didn’t think I would, but something has shifted between us after spending the night with her.
I was stupid to kiss her, but she could’ve stopped me and didn’t.
If I hadn’t met her dumbass boyfriend, I probably would’ve screwed Thea in the office, and if not there, definitely in my bed because with her wearing a replica of my jersey—the sight did things to me.
It made me feel like she and I were in a whole different world, shut off from the one we currently live in.
Up until the other night, I’ve never slept with someone in my arms. I held her until the sun came up and missed her when she snuck off to her room.
When she got upstairs, I heard the familiar creak of her bed and smiled, knowing she was still in my shirt and smelling like me.
“Thea?” she questions. “Who’s Thea, and why do you say her name like you’ve got a crush on her?”
“I didn’t say her name in any way other than saying her name.” Surely, I said her name as normal as possible.
“That makes no sense. Spill.”
“There’s nothing to say,” I tell her. I take the smasher from her and finish the job.
The directions I copied say to add a slab of butter.
What the hell constitutes a slab? After adding what I think is the right amount, I put the lid back on the pan and set it aside.
“Can you finish up the veggies and the table while I carve the turkey?”
“No,” she says and stands in front of where I have the turkey resting. “Something’s up. You’re cooking, which you’ve never done before. You’re not all moody like usual. And you absolutely said her name with some sort of glee. You like her, don’t you?”
“What I’d like is for you to do what I asked.”
“Why won’t you talk to me?”
“Because you’re an annoying sister, and I want to eat,” I tell her.
The reason I don’t talk to her is because she is, in fact, an annoying sister, even though she means well.
The problem is Ally doesn’t care what people think about where we live, and I do.
There isn’t anything wrong with people living in mobile home parks, but when yours is dilapidated, it’s embarrassing.
Plus, I never know who my mother has living there at any given time.
It’s either one of her loser boyfriends or some guy she’s just met who needs a place to stay.
I never want to subject any girls to my life there.
“So, where is your newest conquest?”
“Fuck off, Ally,” I say as quietly as possible. The last thing I want is for Lacey to hear me. “She’s not a conquest. She’s Jude’s sister.”
“Ah, so going for your best friend’s sister, huh? I think I saw a movie on Lifetime about that. Be careful. She might be an ax murderer.”
“I highly doubt it.” I take the carved turkey to the table and then go back and start putting the other items into bowls.
The hockey house is nothing but a glorified frat house, and our serving wear leaves a lot to be desired.
I leave the potatoes in the pot and find bowls for the other side dishes.
Lastly, I take the rolls out of the oven and set them on a plate.
“Just answer me this, are you screwing her behind Jude’s back?”
I sigh. “We’re not doing anything. At all. Period.”
“But you want to, I can tell.”
“She has a boyfriend, Ally. He’s a douchebag, but nonetheless, her boyfriend. And I’m . . . well, you know.”
“Kyler, you don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re a catch. You’re going places in life. You won’t ever have to depend on welfare to pay your bills or to put food on the table for your family. But you do need to be careful. The puck bunnies only want one thing.”
“I’m aware.” I don’t need to tell her Thea isn’t like the girls who hang out at the rink or come to the parties, and not all the females I talk to are either.
But there are a few out there. Ally could’ve easily been one of them.
She used to hang out at the rink all the time, waiting for me to finish practice.
I know she dated a few of the older guys before she got involved with Lacey’s father.
“I worry about you,” she tells me. “I don’t want to see someone taking advantage of you.” What she really means is she doesn’t want someone taking time away from Lacey. I love my sister, but like my mother, she depends way too much on me.
“Can you let Mom and Lacey know it’s time to eat?”
Ally nods and kisses me on my cheek before leaving.
I look at the spread and snap a picture of everything.
I’m pretty damn proud of myself and know Thea would appreciate the effort I put in.
She’ll also be happy to know I’m not alone today.
She asked me a half dozen times what I was going to do today, and each time the answer was nothing.
We’re not a big holiday family. When you grow up as poor as we did, these days don’t mean anything but heartache.
I wasn’t a kid who got excited for Christmas or my birthday.
Those are just days of the week to us. Ally and I do everything we can to make sure Lacey is taken care of, though.
She knows what it’s like to have a birthday party and have presents under the tree.
Christmas with my niece is magical and something I look forward to.
Plus, the handmade gifts she gives me are the best, and I have them hanging on my wall.
Lacey and my mom come into the kitchen. My mom’s eyes widen at the spread in front of her.
She’s sober today, which is great. But, most days, she’s tipping the glass a bit too much.
It bothers me because that’s money she could be using elsewhere.
But she’s never saved a damn penny in her life.
The check comes in, and it’s gone—nothing for the next week except struggle.
“Uncle Ky, did you make all of this?” Lacey asks as I hold the chair out for her.
“I did.”
“Hey, I helped,” Ally blurts out.
“Smashing some potatoes isn’t helping.” I point out. “Besides, you were only in here to gossip.”
“I love gossip,” Lacey says excitedly. “Can I have some?”
The three of us laugh. Lacey brings so much laughter to our lives. It’s hard to imagine where I’d be without her. She’s definitely given me a purpose to work harder and be a better man, and she’s shown me a bit of what it will be like when I’m a father. If I ever get the chance.
My mom insists on saying grace, which makes Lacey laugh. But, unfortunately, her giggles are infectious, and my mom ends up snorting halfway through her words. As soon as my mom says “amen,” Ally and I do as well, but Lacey mumbles something like almond.
“Well, let’s eat,” I say, much to the satisfaction of the women around me.
* * *
After the kitchen is cleaned and Ally has taken my mom and niece back to their place, I finally decide it’s time to relax.
I figure I can catch the tail end of the football game or something or at least work on some homework.
I have a paper due next week, and I could get a head start on it instead of leaving it until the night before.
My professor might appreciate the extra effort.
As soon as I sit down on the couch, I open my social media app and start to scroll.
I have purposefully stayed off my phone all day to avoid the temptation of texting Thea.
We’ve started a friendly little chat on text, and while I’d love to continue it, I don’t want to interrupt her time with her family.
I’m sure she misses her parents. Only, she’s not just with her family, but Adam and his family as well, and they’re looking awfully cozy.
The picture before me shows the gorgeous woman who I want to get to know better.
The one I kissed with such abandon and slept next to, in what had to be one of my best night’s nights of sleep in a long time, sitting next to her douchebag boyfriend.
They look cozy. Too cozy if I’m honest. They look like they’re in love.
In one image, they’re together, with DBA’s arm around Thea, and in the next, he’s looking at her like she’s the last woman on earth and she’s meant for him.
I close the app and try to get the image out of my head.
I can’t. What Thea and I shared the other night was nothing more than a college hook-up after a night of drinking.
Thank-fucking-God I didn’t fuck her and had enough sense to put a stop to her roving hands.
It’s clear to me now she’s trying to make him jealous.
Sadly, she’s not going to succeed. I was fine before she arrived, and I’ll be fine long after she’s gone.
Instead of wallowing in self-pity, I head upstairs and change into a clean pair of jeans and a crisp button-down.
I use some of Jude’s hair gel and run it through my hair.
It’s what he calls his “make-the-girls-go-crazy” stuff.
Personally, I’ve never cared what my hair looks like because it has a mind of its own most days or is covered by either a hat or helmet. Women either like me or they don’t.
Tonight, I want them to.
Tonight, I want to be noticed.
The only problem is most of the bars are closed today, except for The Crease. The owner doesn’t have any family and makes sure his staff gets the night off. He’s about to earn back the paycheck he gave me last week because I’m going to need a shit-ton of booze to forget those images.
God, how could I be so stupid? There is no way in hell someone like Thea would want to be with someone like me when she has Mr. Moneybags. Apparently, she doesn’t care he’s cheating on her and he probably convinced her I made the whole story up.
When I get to the bar, I’m happy to find I’m not the only loser out by himself on a holiday. I take a seat and tell my boss what I want. He frowns but pours me a Jack and Coke regardless. He knows my life story and gets why I’m so sullen all the time.
I’m halfway through my sixth or seventh drink—honestly could be more because I’ve lost count—when a pretty babe sits next to me. She orders a white wine spritzer. She takes one sip and then starts crying.
“It can’t be that bad,” I say to her as I hold my glass up toward hers.
“Believe me. It is.”
“Nah. Do you know what’s bad?” I don’t wait for her to answer. “It’s being in love with your roommate’s little sister. Only for her to be in love with someone else. Now that’s bad.”
“My husband is having an affair with my sister. I caught them fucking in the bathroom after dinner.”
Her words stun me. “Yep, that’s way worse than me wanting to fuck my roommate.”
“You mean his sister.”
I shake my head. “Nope, she lives with us too. Her brother is also my closest friend. He doesn’t want her anywhere near me because I’m a fuck up.” I lift my drink and miss my mouth. “Fuck.”
“Kyler, I think you’ve had enough.” My boss takes my drink from me. “I’ll call you a cab.”
“I’ll walk,” I tell him.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he says.
“I’ll take him home,” the babe next to me says, and I think, fuck yes, I’m going to get laid tonight. She touches my arm and everything turns into a blur.