Chapter 25 #2
“We’re so messed up, Anna,” Dax whispered, rubbing his face. “We just wanted...to make things easier for you. To stop carrying all that responsibility that we unintentionally saddled you with for all these years.”
Anna stared at them, a tight yet sweet feeling filling her chest. She couldn’t believe it could be that easy.
“All I've ever wanted is to be part of your lives, you idiots. You used to be a front that shielded me from our parents’ arguments. Why do you think I started here? To finally be accepted into your stupid club and finally make the decisions. I want the responsibility! I don’t want peace and quiet.
I want the stress you have. I want you to come to me with your problems! So I... so I belong.”
“Oh, man, Anna. You’re the captain of our club,” Jack said, embarrassed, and quickly put his arm around her, pulling her close.
“Yeah,” Dax agreed, perplexed, and wrapped his arm around her from the other side. “I came to you exclusively with my problems for ten years. Nobody else knew anything.”
“And we can try harder. To not...shield you simply because you’re the most precious thing in our lives. We should have asked you what you wanted sooner.”
She snorted, but the corners of her mouth twitched. “I like the drama here with the Hawks. I know you wanted to keep me out of it, but...I feel alive butting my head against some hockey idiot every day and reminding Leon to be human. It’s fun. It reminds me...of the good times with you.”
“Oh man,” Jack groaned. “You’re as messed up as we are, aren’t you?”
She laughed. “Yeah. But in the best way.”
“God, okay.” Dax sighed. “Then stay on. Honestly... I like having you around all the time. But not because I can keep an eye on you!” he said quickly when she looked at him, her brows furrowed.
“But because you’re funny. And...I’m... sorry.
About Saturday. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.
Moreau said I was being an asshole and I guess he’s right. ”
Her heart clenched. Lucas had said that?
“I was just angry that you didn’t tell me about Dad and that you... had to go see him alone because you knew how I would react and, understandably, didn’t tell me.”
“I wasn’t alone. Lucas was there,” she said quietly.
“He was, was he?” Dax replied sharply.
“Dax...” Jack said warningly.
“What? He obviously doesn’t want to be with her — and that makes him an idiot!”
“It’s more complicated than that,” she murmured with a sigh. “I’m not angry at him. He hasn’t done anything wrong. So...you shouldn’t be angry with him either.” She glanced back and forth between them earnestly.
“You’re asking a lot,” Dax said. “But fine! He can keep his teeth. Either way...” He narrowed his eyes. “I’m coming with you.”
“What?”
“Next time you see Dad, I’m coming with you.”
Perplexed, she blinked at him. “But you hate him.”
“Yes. But I love you. And some of the things you just said...” He groaned softly and rubbed his forehead.
“You were right. I never asked what you wanted. And when I knew, I ignored it. Like when you wanted to make up with Jack. That wasn’t fair of me.
So, if you want to forgive Dad, that’s okay.
But I know how fucking hard it must be for you to see him and talk to him.
I don’t want you to have to do that alone or.
.. Lucas fucking Moreau to play the hero. ”
She fought a smile. That really wasn’t what had happened. But the thought seemed to bother Dax a lot...and he deserved it a little. So she remained silent.
“So, everything’s...okay again? Between all of us?” Jack asked cautiously. Anna practically felt his uncertainty radiating against her skin.
Her oldest brother was constantly afraid that the people he loved would leave him again. But that was nonsense.
“Don’t worry, you’ll never get rid of us, Jack,” she said apologetically. “Dax will annoy you forever and I’ll forever share embarrassing stories from your youth with your teammates.”
Jack grinned. “I can handle that.”
She laughed while Dax asked, “I’m annoying? When?”
Jack’s laugh was even louder than Anna’s when the door opened again.
“What’s so funny?” Matthew Payne asked, poking his head in.
“Dax wanted to know when he was annoying,” Anna remarked with a grin.
Matt snorted. “That’s a trick question, right? Because there’s never a specific time.”
Dax rolled his eyes. “What do you want, Matt?”
“Coach wants everyone in Meeting Room B in two hours.”
“Why?” Jack frowned.
“I have no idea.”
Anna sighed wearily. “Well, have fun then...”
“Nope.” Matt’s gaze shifted to her. “Everyone who has direct contact with the team. Management, medical staff, physical therapists, even the mascot. Everyone.”
“What?”
Two hours later, that question seemed to be on everyone’s mind as they squeezed into Conference Room B, which, while large, seemed confined for almost fifty people. Especially when they were supposed to sit in a circle of chairs.
“Holy crap, what nonsense.” This came from Blake Ford, the team’s second, still very young goalie, whom Lucas always claimed could become brilliant if he stopped being an arrogant wimp (Melody had been there, otherwise the words would have been choice).
At the same time, Lucas was glad the young hotshot wasn’t ready yet because, otherwise, he’d take his job.
Unfortunately, Ford didn’t speak quietly enough.
“Ford, no bullshit,” Coach Gray barked, sitting in front of the circle of chairs. “We’re a damn team and you haven’t been acting like it for the last two days! Instead, there’s been a lot of yelling in the locker room.”
“And now in Meeting Room B,” Anna mumbled, though her head sank between her shoulders. She had been the cause of all the yelling, after all.
Jack chuckled softly, but thankfully, the coach didn’t hear it.
Gray looked around, frowning, and then asked loudly, “Where are Alvarez, Moreau, and Fox?”
“Still at the kindergarten,” Dax said. “They...”
“We’re here,” came a dark voice from the doorway — and goosebumps scurried down Anna’s spine. She didn’t look up. She didn’t want to face Lucas. Just hearing his voice did terrible things to her stomach, and she imagined she could feel his gaze on her and breathe in his scent.
She glanced at her hands and noticed out of the corner of her eye how he, Leon, Fox, and Lucy sat in four empty seats directly across from her.
Great.
She swallowed hard and was grateful to concentrate on the coach.
“So, kids,” he said gruffly, “I’ve heard that 50 percent of my players have been acting like Neanderthals. And all because of a few secrets.”
Anna stiffened, and now she couldn’t stop herself from looking at Lucas... and she flinched when his gaze met hers. He was staring at her. Not even paying attention to the coach, just looking at her.
The lump in her throat doubled in size and she quickly looked away.
“This isn’t good, guys! We’re in the middle of the playoffs. Our dynamic and our connection with each other are what separates us from other teams and what will damn well win us the Stanley Cup. We can’t get past the second round if you don’t get along and trust each other!”
“Sorry.” A man in a suit, sitting unnaturally straight in his chair, who was almost certainly Gareth Clark, the Hawks’ second owner with Penny Clark, tilted his head thoughtfully. “I don’t understand why we have to be here.” He gestured to his sister and Thomas Lyle, the Hawks’ general manager.
“I’m glad you volunteered, Clark! You can start,” the coach determined firmly.
“Start with what?” Clark asked, irritated.
“By telling us a secret! It isn’t right that we spend every day together, entrusting our lives to each other, but not our secrets! I’ve had enough. We’re going to get everything out in the open that we’ve been hiding once and for all. So, Clark, come on! Earn our trust.”
He raised a single eyebrow coldly. “I have no secrets.”
Penny laughed loudly and patted her brother on the shoulder.
“Such a ridiculous liar. But it’s okay, Gare.
I’ll save you and start because I think it’s a great idea.
Guys, I told the team chef I’m allergic to Brussels sprouts so that they’d be completely removed from the menu.
But that’s a lie. I just hate them so much. I’m sorry if I ruined anyone's dinner!’
She raised her hand apologetically.
A few laughed, but Charkov looked at her darkly. He was obviously a Brussels sprout fan.
“Wonderful,” the coach said. “Next, please. Matt?”
Matt grimaced and glanced at Dax. “I was the one who scratched your car. I was on the phone with Maddie and wasn’t paying attention.”
“I knew it!” Dax replied, narrowing his eyes.
“But you’ll forgive him and we can move on?” the coach prompted.
“Yeah, yeah.” Dax rolled his eyes. “But only because I want to know what Leon’s keeping secret. That’ll be fun.”
Leon snorted. “Please! You guys always complain that I share too much about my life. Like I have some other secret, I...” He frowned. “Oh, Fox, I used your towel on Saturday. The one hanging in your locker.”
“The one I use for my face?” the captain exclaimed, horrified.
“I have no idea what you use it for. I definitely…”
“Good, that’s enough!” the coach exclaimed, alarmed. “Lucy?”
“I’m having a really shitty day because Moreau has more secrets than the Illuminati and I’ll have to work overtime today because of it!” she stated loudly, glaring at Lucas.
“That wasn’t a secret, Lucy,” Leon informed her seriously. “You said that at least three times on the drive here.”
Irritated, Anna glanced back and forth between Lucy and Lucas, whose face was completely expressionless. What other secrets was Lucas keeping? Lucy already knew about her.
“Well then.” Gray gritted his teeth. “Come on, Moreau. Spill it.”
Lucas sighed softly and leaned back further in his chair… His gaze was still on her.
She expected him to remain silent because he was so damn good at it. Because he was so private. Because he would protect all his secrets in order to continue...
“I have a daughter,” he murmured, his gaze wandering to Jack and Dax, who were sitting next to her. “And I love your sister because she’s not just your sister.”
Abrupt silence was the answer. Anna’s heart stopped beating. Two dozen mouths were gaping open, including Jack and Dax’s. It was more because of the news of Melody than for her, she was certain. She lapsed into repeating that last sentence in her head.
I love your sister.
That was her. She was their sister!
“Anna,” Lucas murmured darkly, his gaze on her again as he slowly rose.
“I’m angry with you because it was shitty of you to put words in my mouth.
I’ll get over the fact that you don’t love me.
What the hell?! You never asked me if I loved you.
You never gave me a chance to tell you, and you took off before I could.
And you know words mean nothing to me? Bullshit.
Your words are worth something to me! For someone who doesn't want people to make decisions for them, you decided pretty quickly for me that I don’t love you! ”
She swallowed as the first tears trickled down her cheeks. “I wanted to make things easier for us!”
“Well, it didn't,” he said, irritated.
“I gave you the choice, Lucas!”
“And I had to think about it.”
“You didn’t tell me then!” she complained, coming to stand.
“I didn’t say anything then! Before I could, you fled.”
“Well, I agree, you can’t be relied upon to say anything,” Fox muttered.
“Should I show you what you can rely on me for?” Lucas promptly snapped at his friend.
Anna had to laugh. Maybe because her heart suddenly felt so light. Maybe because this man, who smiled and spoke too little, nevertheless indicated with every tense muscle in his body that he was about to sprint across the room.
“Good God, can you guys finally kiss?” Leon asked, annoyed, waving his hand in her direction. “So we can get this over with, and he no longer looks like a...crushed box of tissues?”
“Yes, I would appreciate that,” the coach stated matter-of-factly. “Then we can finally move on.”
She grinned and strode across the room. “All right then.”
Lucas’ gaze flicked to her. “Don’t you dare. There’s way too many people,” he replied harshly, but the corner of his mouth was raised — and his eyes were so damn warm that they were surely partly to blame for the climate crisis.
“We can go outside for a bit,” she offered, laughing softly, and took his hand. She had long since forgotten that they weren’t alone.
“Dude, Moreau, kiss her or I will,” Leon interrupted. “I swear, I’ll do it if you...”
Lucas had never lowered his lips to hers so quickly.
He tangled his hands in her hair, pulled her up onto her tiptoes, and kissed her as if he hadn’t thought about anything else for the last thirty-six hours.
He pulled her against him as tightly as if he were afraid she might slip through his fingers again.
“You don’t have to worry,” she whispered, grinning against his mouth.
“I think I’ll try long-term happiness for a change. ”
“That’s good to hear,” he replied calmly, stroking her damp cheek with his thumb and gazing into her eyes. “Because I’m only in it for the long haul.”
Warmth spread through her, so she kissed him again.
“I don’t know if I can get used to it,” she heard Dax mutter.
“Don’t look. Just don’t look and be happy that she’s happy,” Jack replied.
Anna grinned broadly and wrapped her arms around Lucas’ neck. “You know, he’s right. I’m ecstatic right now. Not being with you has been awful.”
“I hope so.”
She laughed. “Can you tell me you love me again?”
“I love you.”
“One more time.”
“Anna...”
“So I can record it! I think I’ll have to listen to it every night now,” she said with a grin.
He rolled his eyes but was still smiling.
“I can manage that for you,” he murmured, sealing her lips again, even though Coach Gray was shouting, “Okay, guys, that’s enough!”
Just because it was enough for the room didn’t mean Anna would ever have enough of him.