Chapter Ten
CHAPTER TEN
MAC
“ I t’s official.” I hold up my phone, grinning. “She said yes.”
Our table erupts in cheers. I don’t think any of us are surprised, but it’s still good to know our plan went off without a hitch. Dallin raises his drink high, his expression beaming.
“To Kyle and Addi, and a lifetime of love and joy,” he toasts.
“I’ll drink to that,” I say, lifting my own glass and tapping it against his.
Across the table, Vivian exhales dramatically, her shoulders visibly relaxing. “Whew. I’m so relieved.”
Katie gives her a curious glance. “Why? Did you think it might not happen?”
Vivian hesitates for a second before cringing. “Honestly…it crossed my mind. I didn’t want to say anything and stress you out.”
“Ugh. Kyle would’ve been devastated,” Katie groans, pressing a hand to her chest. “I don’t even want to think about it. My poor brother has been a wreck for days. ”
I shake my head, setting my glass down. “Come on, there was no way she was saying no. Can you imagine any woman not wanting to spend the rest of her life with my best friend?”
Dallin smirks, swirling his drink. “No way. The guy’s a stud. And his sister is the hottest woman I’ve ever met.”
I chuckle, raising an eyebrow. “Good answer.”
“Aww…” Katie murmurs, leaning into him, “You are the sweetest man I’ve ever met.” She presses her lips to his cheek then nuzzles his jaw with her nose.
I cup my hands around my mouth. “Get a room.”
“Seriously,” Vivian chimes in, shielding her eyes with her hands. “We’re eating here.”
I grin. “Anyway, tonight is about Kyle. He is a stud, and let’s be honest, I taught him everything he knows about impressing women.”
“Oh, gross,” Katie groans, wrinkling her nose. Vivian snorts loudly, covering her mouth. “Please. Make it stop.”
Dallin holds up his fist, and I bump it without hesitation. “The ladies do love hockey players.”
Vivian arches her eyebrow. “Why does everyone think that? You guys are constantly slamming into each other, you’re covered head to toe in padding, and no one can even see your faces when you’re playing.”
I fold my arms. “Huh. I thought you didn’t know anything about hockey?”
She rolls her eyes. “Just because I don’t watch the sport doesn’t mean I’m oblivious to the layers of padding and helmets you guys wear.”
I smirk, leaning back in my chair. “Sounds like someone’s been studying up. I’m impressed.”
She groans, tossing a napkin at me. “Can you have a conversation that doesn’t revolve around hockey? ”
I pretend to think it over. “Not often.”
Katie laughs then tilts her head. “Do you ever get tired of it?”
“Tired of hockey? Never.”
“No,” she clarifies, her tone more thoughtful. “Tired of going from city to city, living out of a suitcase. Tired of being away from your family and friends for most of the year.”
I pause as I contemplate her questions.
“That part is tough. Being home has reminded me of everything I’ve missed—Kyle falling in love, meeting the woman he wants to spend his life with. It makes you realize how much life keeps moving, even when you’re not around.”
Katie reaches across the table, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Luckily, time doesn’t matter when it comes to real friends. Kyle’s loyal to a fault. Years could pass and he’d still be here for you and everyone in his life.”
I nod knowingly. “I’m just glad I was here for him today. It was cool being part of his proposal plan.”
“I know it meant a lot to him,” Katie says, her voice softening.
“Oh no. Please don’t cry,” Vivian wails.
“I know, I know,” Katie mutters, dabbing the corners of her eyes as Dallin pulls her into him, kissing her on the temple.
“If you think this is bad,” she adds with a sniffle, “just wait until my mom finds out. She’s going to be an emotional wreck from now until the wedding reception. All the baby pictures will come out, then the first-day-of-kindergarten stories. It’s going to be nothing but months of tears and emotional trips down memory lane.”
I cringe at the thought. Seeing Laura emotional would be like watching my mom cry—awkward and uncomfortable. I don’t think I could handle it.
I raise my glass again, clearing my throat. “To Kyle and Addi—and to surviving the months of Laura’s emotional outbursts.”
“Cheers to that,” Dallin exclaims, clinking his glass against mine.
Kyle may not be here right now, but he knows we’re all in his corner. I’ve been away more than I’d like to admit, missing moments I wish I could have been present for. But I made it back for this—one of the most important milestones of his life. Hopefully that counts for something.
“Anyway, I’m happy we’re all together again,” Katie chimes in, her voice warm and full of nostalgia. “These are the moments when we need each other the most.”
I glance at Vivian, and she looks back at me. Our eyes meet and hold. Maybe it’s time we finally try to get along. Though, if I’m being honest, I do enjoy our little spats more than I probably should.
“I am too,” I say, keeping my gaze locked on hers.
She really is stunning. Her sparkling blue eyes seem even more vibrant under the restaurant lights, and the dusting of freckles across her nose make her look effortlessly beautiful. Her full lips are tempting in a way I’ve never noticed before. Or maybe I have, and I just refused to acknowledge it.
Where have I been all these years? How did I miss seeing her in this light?
The table falls silent for a moment, as if we’re all lost in our own thoughts.
I clear my throat. “Anyway, when do you think they’ll tie the knot? Will it be a long or short engagement?”
“Oh, good question,” Katie exclaims. “I hope it’s short—I love weddings. ”
“Maybe they should just elope,” Dallin suggests, smirking. “Vegas is always an option. No stress and no frills.”
Katie gasps in horror. “What? Absolutely not. Why would you even say that? I would never?—”
“I’d take that back if I were you, man,” I mumble, covering my mouth with my hand. “Although, I like the idea of a destination wedding. Something small and simple.”
“That’s what Vivi wants too, right?” Katie turns to Vivian.
Vivian nods. “Yes. If I ever get married, it would be a small ceremony on a beach somewhere, just closest family and friends. No chaos, no stress.”
“Now that’s a good idea,” I say, doing my best to sound casual while fighting the urge to continue staring at her.
“Well, you guys should just marry each other then,” Dallin blurts out. “At least you agree on the wedding.”
Vivian immediately chokes on her wine, coughing as Katie bursts out laughing.
“Oh, could you imagine?” Katie says, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
I smirk. “We’d have some pretty solid arguments, that’s for sure.”
“Yes, we would,” Vivian agrees, regaining her composure. “And I’d have to start watching hockey.”
“You might actually enjoy it,” I tease. “You don’t know until you try.”
Vivian rolls her eyes. “Highly unlikely.”
Katie suddenly sits up straighter, a gleam in her eyes. “I’ve already picked out Vivi’s soul mate, anyway. She and Cash are perfect for each other. I swear, they are meant to be.”
Something sharp twists in my chest. I can’t explain it, but the idea of Vivian with a random guy named Cash bothers me more than it should.
“Katie is the best friend a girl could have,” Vivian announces. “I should just let her make all my life decisions since she knows best.”
“Now that’s a great idea. I could totally do that,” Katie exclaims.
“Ohhh, are you sure about that?” I say, shaking my head.
“I’m kidding,” Vivian assures me.
“Boo,” Katie pouts. “But you know I’m right about Cash. He’s one of the good ones.”
“I can vouch for that,” Dallin adds.
Vivian grins. “Cash is dreamy.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. Dreamy is overrated.
“And you have so much in common,” Katie reminds her. “You have the same interests. It’s a match made in heaven.”
Vivian nods, a polite smile spreading across her face. But something about her expression feels off, like she’s trying to convince herself. Maybe it’s just me being overly observant, but she doesn’t seem as excited about this guy as she should be if they were really destined to be together. I don’t say this out loud because I’m the last person who should be giving romantic advice.
The conversation flows smoothly through dinner, without any snarky remarks from either Vivian or me. Maybe we’re finally turning a corner? Or maybe I’m just hyper aware of every word and glance we share. It’s possible that this little crush I’m developing is keeping me on my best behavior. Either way, I find myself paying attention to Vivian in a way I never have before. For the first time, I wonder about the person behind the quick wit—the woman who has always been right in front of me for as long as I can remember .
After dinner, Katie and Vivian offer to drive me back to the park to pick up my car.
“Thanks for letting me crash your evening. It was fun,” I say as I slide into the back seat.
“Of course, you know you’re always welcome,” Katie replies warmly.
“Good to know,” I tease. “In that case, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me. You might even get sick of me.”
“Most likely,” Vivian replies.
I smirk, but she has no idea I wasn’t talking about Katie. I was talking about her. The realization hits me harder than expected—I want to spend more time with her. I just have no idea how to make it happen.
“We did make a promise to our friends to get along, Vivi,” I remind her.
“Exactly,” Katie chimes in, giving her a playful nudge.
“We are getting along,” Vivian insists. “We had sushi together and everything.”
“True,” Katie agrees with a nod.
“See? We’re growing as people. Good job,” I joke, holding my hand up between the seats for a high five.
Vivian hesitates for a few seconds before touching her palm to mine. The instant our hands connect, a jolt of something unexplainable shoots through me.
“This is the best day,” Katie squeals. “My brother is engaged, and you two are acting like friends.”
“It is a good day,” I admit, right as we pull into the park.
I step out of the car, turning back one last time. “Thanks again for tonight. I’ll see you both soon. We should take Kyle and Addi out to celebrate.”
“I love that idea. Let’s plan it,” Katie agrees.
As I close the door, I catch Vivian watching me. Our eyes meet for a moment, and she lifts her hand in a small wave. I return the gesture, a feeling of excitement surging through me.
It’s progress—but now what?
Should I reach out to her? Or wait? I’m not exactly a “wait and see” kind of guy, but something about this feels different. Like I shouldn’t rush it.
As soon as I’m home, I flop onto my couch and pull out my phone, scrolling through our team chat. The conversation has been quiet, but I’m about to change that. I type out a short message, knowing it will stir up all kinds of responses.
I might have a problem.
Will is the first to reply with an expected message.
We knew that.
I chuckle to myself. Thanks for your support.
His response is immediate. What’s the problem? Or should I say who?
I stare at my screen, trying to find the right words before finally typing this issue.
I might be interested in a woman who can’t stand me.
That pretty much sums it up.
Cooper is the next to jump in. I’m sure she’s not the first.
I scowl at my phone but ignore his comment. And she doesn’t like hockey.
This should get a reaction.
Will responds first. What? Who doesn’t like hockey?
Then Cooper, as blunt as ever. Move on.
I sigh. Classic Cooper. He’s a man of few words, and the ones he does say are always straight to the point.
What I don’t mention is the nagging thought at the back of my mind—the possibility that I’m the reason she doesn’t like hockey. Maybe it’s not the sport she has an issue with…it’s me.
Memories shuffle through my mind. Have I ever actually gone out of my way to make her feel noticed? To include her? No specific events come to my mind, and this alone makes me uncomfortable.
Crap.
No wonder she doesn’t want anything to do with me.
Ignoring someone can be just as hurtful as mistreating them. And maybe that’s exactly what I did.
The question now is—how do I fix it? And is it even possible.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop thinking about her. It’s messing with my head in a way I didn’t expect. I need advice, and I’m turning to my teammates because they’re my brothers. They don’t know Vivian, which means there’s no preconceived opinions—just straight honesty. Kyle, on the other hand, is too close to this. We’ve been friends for years, and I don’t want to put him in a tough spot. Not to mention, he’s got enough on his plate right now. The last thing he needs is my dilemma casting a shadow over this happy time in his life.
My phone buzzes. A text from Weston. You just need to figure out a way to win her over. Turn on the Mac Evans charm—it’s worked before.
I let out a groan. Yeah, that’s probably the worst possible idea. If there’s one woman on this planet immune to my charm, it’s Vivian Lewis. And honestly? Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe it’s about time I stop counting on what I do for a living and put in some effort.
Vivian isn’t just another woman I met in passing or a casual date from a city I barely remember. She’s someone I’ve known for years, someone who was always there—but never really in my line of sight. And now that she is, I can’t look away. The more I think about it, the more I realize I might’ve dismissed her, overlooked her, maybe even made her feel like she wasn’t worth noticing. That bothers me more than anything.
Thanks. I’ll let you know how it goes. I fire off the reply, but I’m not even sure what "it" is yet.
Do I pursue this? Do I let it go? What am I even hoping for? A fresh start? At the very least, I’d like to get to a place where we can be friends—where she doesn’t see me as the guy who never saw her. But that feels almost impossible. I guess I’ll find out soon enough if this is something worth fighting for or if I need to accept that some things just aren’t meant to be.