36. Roman
THIRTY-SIX
ROMAN
At exactly seven, I’m standing in front of Lavinia’s apartment. Jules opens the door, wearing a long, burgundy dress, her hair twisted up into a knot, and wearing the tallest high heels. She looks like a femme fatale. Lavinia mentioned that Kai’s taking Jules to the party on a friend date.
“Lavinia is still getting ready, and Kai isn’t here, so you’re stuck with me.”
Jules disappears into the apartment, which I guess is an invitation.
The apartment isn’t what I expected from Jules and Lavinia.
It’s stark white, with furniture that almost looks like it would be uncomfortable to sit on.
They both have such vibrant personalities; I assumed their home would reflect that.
“Do you want something to drink?” Jules asks from the kitchen. It’s an open plan living area, similar to my apartment.
“No, thanks.” I fidget with the cuffs of my shirt. I haven’t been to a Titans Christmas party since I was eight years old. Somehow, I ended up in the fountain, absolutely drenched, with Lavinia urging me to get out of it.
The flowers I sent Lavinia yesterday sit on the center of the kitchen island, and they are the warmest thing in the room. I wanted to get her more flowers and then wondered if it would be overkill.
“Was your apartment decorated by someone who lost their soul in a bet?”
“Yeah, my mother. Although I think she was born without a soul,” Jules says. Her answer surprises me because I don’t think she’s lying to get a reaction out of me.
“Why don’t you redecorate?"
Jules twists the cap off a water bottle and takes a delicate sip. “It’s my parents' apartment. We just live here.”
Her phone buzzes on the counter and she types out a quick text. “Kai’s on his way up.”
There’s a thud from somewhere in the apartment followed by Lavinia calling out for Jules. “I’m overheating.”
“Coming!”
I’m left alone while Jules goes to help Lavinia. When Kai knocks, I open the door. Like me, he’s wearing a black suit, and he rears back in surprise when he sees me answer the door.
“The girls are still getting ready,” I explain, stepping aside to let him into the apartment.
I haven’t spent any one-on-one time with the guys.
I know they hang out outside of practice, I often hear them making plans.
I still haven’t received an invitation and I’m starting to realize that maybe I need to bridge the gap.
It’s easy for Lavinia to make friends because she’s always open and the first one to make the approach.
She can also sense when someone is skittish and needs her to be gentle.
What the hell am I even supposed to say? How do you start a conversation? I feel like I’ve suddenly forgotten how to speak.
“Your jaw looks good,” Kai says.
I’m relieved that I don’t have to think of a topic. I run a hand over my jaw, where Holden accidentally elbowed me at practice today. It was our last practice before Christmas break, too.
“Tell me honestly, did he do it on purpose?”
Kai laughs, his brown eyes creasing at the corners. “Nah, that’s not Holden’s style. Ford, on the other hand? I heard he punched Drew the first year they were on the team.”
“And I’m the troublemaker?” I scoff.
“I guess we’re lucky enough to have more than one troublemaker on our team,” Kai counters.
“I feel sorry for Coach.”
Kai offers me a small smile that makes me think maybe this friendship thing isn’t crazy.
I do it with Kita, I did it with Connor, my old teammate from when I played in New York.
The only difference is, both Kita and Connor are also people who mostly keep to themselves.
I hear from Connor maybe every six months. Kita is Kita.
“Okay, we’re ready to go. Sorry for the delay, there was a hair emergency.”
I turn as Lavinia and Jules walk into the room and for a second, my heart stops inside my chest as Lavinia walks forward.
Her dress is the palest shade of pink, almost white, dark as it reaches the hem which is designed to look like petals.
The material has sparkles or something embedded in it and when she moves, it looks like she’s carrying the light with her.
“Roman?” Lavinia tilts her head in question.
I seem to have swallowed my tongue.
“You look…” I swallow roughly, letting my eyes rake over my body. “Fuck, Blossom, you look beautiful.”
A brilliant smile lights up her face. “Aw, did I leave you speechless?”
“You always do,” I admit.
Her cheeks flush pink, and she turns to look at Jules and Kai, who are pretending to be engrossed in their own conversation. “Should we be environmentally friendly and carpool?”
It’s agreed that’s the best idea since we’re all going to the same place.
I help Lavinia pull on her faux fur white coat and she rests her hand on the crook of my arm.
Leaning in, she whispers in my ear, “I’m glad there won’t be any Maniacs at this party because I can confidently say you’re going to be the hottest man there. ”
After seeing her in that dress, the last thing I want to do is go to this party.
As far as I’m concerned, I already socialized enough for the evening.
I’d much rather stay here, peel this dress off Lavinia and taste every inch of her body.
It’s been four days since I tasted her and made her come on my tongue.
But Lavinia is excited for this party, and I need to keep up my end of the bargain.
I never knew how exhausting it can be being an unsocial pariah married to a social butterfly.
There isn’t a single person at the Christmas party who doesn’t know Lavinia and whom Lavinia doesn’t want to talk to.
From the second we enter the party, heads turn to watch us and I know what a lot of them are thinking.
They’re wondering if Lavinia really married me after being engaged to a golden boy like Josh Whitmore. If a good girl like Lavinia Callahan is really married to the NHL’s notorious playboy.
She is.
In this marriage, the attention will always be on Lavinia, where it needs to be.
I will never chase it; I will never steal it for myself.
Lavinia can easily spend days locked away, but she also thrives with people.
Seeing their attention on her doesn’t make me jealous.
It worries me because I want to hide her away and keep her safe.
I stick by her side, my hand in hers as she talks to people, asks after their family members and pets and vacations.
“Baby,” she whispers, when we’re alone for a moment. She has no idea what it does to me when she calls me that. “Why are you glaring at everyone we talk to?”
“I’m not glaring,” I defend.
“Well, you have an RBF and it’s scaring people.”
I raise our joined hands to my lips and kiss the back of hers. “They’re not scared enough to not talk to you. But I’ll try to be better.”
“If you want to leave, we can leave,” she offers.
I look at her flatly. “Lavinia, I’m not going to make you leave an event you’re having fun at because I’m a man-child who can’t regulate his emotions. We’re not leaving, and I’ll do my best with the RBF.”
I’m even more determined to not leave this party. It’s something my father would have done, demanded they leave because my mother was the one getting all the attention when all eyes should always be on him. They might have fucked me up, but I’m not going to let that touch Lavinia.
“Thank you for coming with me tonight,” I tell her.
Lavinia gives me a sweet smile, her eyes sparkling under the bright lights. “It’s what friends do for each other.”
Ever since I told her I never wanted to be just her friend, she’s doubled down on calling me her friend. I can’t tell if she’s teasing me or trying to tell me something. Knowing her, it’s probably a mix of both.
I stare back at her, unimpressed. “We’re not friends, Lavinia.”
“We’re not?” She blinks up at me. “What are we, then? Acquaintances? After everything we’ve been through.”
“Calling our relationship friendship is you playing emotional dodgeball, baby. Do you flirt with your friends? Stare at their lips when they talk?”
My eyes drop down to the perfect pout of her lip.
“Maybe if you notice the guys lips they’ll be more open to being your friends,” Lavinia suggests.
I growl at her, and she laughs. “Oh look, Mom and Dad are here, should we go say hi to them?” Lavinia nods towards the entrance where her parents are walking in.
Saved by her parents. “This conversation isn’t over.”
We walk over to meet them.
“Vinny, sweetheart, you look beautiful,” Melanie gushes. “That dress is even more amazing in person than it looked on camera.”
“I know! Look at this!” Vin twirls and the skirt of the dress flows out, opening like a petal. The glee on her face makes me smile. Sometimes, I wonder how someone like her even exists. Will I wake up tomorrow and this would all have been a dream?
Vin leans in, giving her a dad a hug. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Hi, killer,” he replies gruffly.
When Vin pulls back, Mr. Callahan nods at me, raising his hand between us. “Roman.”
This is the most cordial greeting I’m ever going to get from this man. I shake his hand and return his nod. “Mr. Callahan.”
“Mom, Roman needs a break from socializing. Do you want to hang out with me?” Lavinia asks.
They hand over their clutches to us and Vin kisses my cheek before they walk to where Jules and Sage are talking.
Mr. Callahan sighs. “I need a drink.”
That’s a brilliant idea. I follow him to the bar, ordering an old fashioned. Mr. Callahan orders a whiskey and we both watch our wives across the room, charming everyone they meet.
“Your playing well with the team,” Mr. C says.
“It’s mostly them,” I say automatically.
Mr. C looks at me through narrowed eyes. “I’m sure it is. Doesn’t mean you’re not having fun with them.”