Rebound

46. Roman

FORTY-SIX

ROMAN

There’s this ridiculous phrase I’ve never been a fan of, “beggars can’t be choosers.” I’m forced to appreciate it as I watch Drew raise a hockey stick like it’s a scepter and come toward me. The next time I decide I want friends, I’m going to add that I want those friends to be normal.

Holden steps up next to Drew and clears his throat, before loudly stating, “Roman, state your name for the record.”

I look around the office, at the dust gathered in the corner of a wall, the worn leather sofa, the coat rack that’s seen better days. “What record? And who’s keeping track of it?”

“How the hell are we going to get through if he keeps asking questions?” Ford asks Kai, who shrugs helplessly.

“Are you always this suspicious?” Reese asks.

“He has a hard time trusting people,” Kai answers. “It’s fine. My grandmother always says patience is the best medicine and the key to accomplishing what you want.”

I want to tell them it’s a lie and that I don’t have a hard time trusting people. But I don’t need a therapist to tell me I’m only feeling that way because I don’t want them to see the parts of me which are vulnerable and never quite healed.

Drew looks at me and for the first time, I see something in his eyes which reminds me of Lavinia. It makes my body relax and my guard lower.

“There’s no formal record,” he says. “This is mostly for drama, and I can’t think of a worse way to spend my evening but as the captain of this team, I apparently have to be here, or so I’ve been told.”

The other guys nod and Ford rests a hand on Drew’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. The less questions I ask, the faster this will go. “Go ahead. I won’t ask questions.”

Holden clears his throat once again. “State your name for the record.”

“Roman Maddox.”

Drew looks at Ford. “This is so fucking stupid.”

Ford rolls his eyes before grabbing the hockey stick from Drew. He pushes Drew away and takes his place in front of me. “You two deserve each other.” At this, he points to Drew and me.

“I actually prefer his sister,” I set the record straight.

Ford lifts the hockey stick, tapping it on my right and then left shoulder, like I am being anointed.

“By the power vested in me because Drew refuses to do his part as team captain, I now pronounce you, Roman Maddox, a part of the Titans. You’ll be added to the group chat, and you’re not allowed to leave it.

Dinners are mandatory. You have to pick a stripper name for the group chat.

If you don’t pick, one will be given to you. ”

It's so fast I’m not sure what’s happened.

I think I’ve officially been accepted by the Titans which causes panic to set in because oh my god, if I fuck up with Lavinia, I lose her and the guys.

I don’t know what a true family feels like and being on the outskirts of the Titans or the Callahan’s is the closest I’ve ever gotten.

“Can I stand up now?”

Drew offers me his hand and I grasp it, pushing to my feet. He offers me a nod, which coming from Drew, might as well be a hug.

“Thanks, this means a lot,” I tell the guys, looking at each of them. Looks like Lavinia and I got exactly what we wanted from this marriage. Now I can focus on my second, secret plan, which is to have Lavinia fall in love with me.

“We discussed it and decided you can’t be so bad if Lavinia’s married to you,” Reese says. He’s still shirtless.

“My sister’s taste in men can’t be trusted,” Drew adds.

“We’re not going to hold Lavinia’s past mistakes against her,” Kai says. “And it’s not fair to blame her when we all met her old boyfriends, and we were all fooled.”

I can see why Lavinia likes Kai. He’s quiet, observing, but when he talks, he does so with meaning and the guys all listen to him.

“I always knew Josh was an asshole,” I say. “Why do I need a stripper name?”

“For the group chat,” Holden replies.

“And trust me, you want to pick up one or you’ll have to live with what we pick for you,” Reese adds. “The only one who got away with it is Coach.”

“Coach is part of the group chat?”

“We added him, but he doesn’t say anything,” Kai says.

“Pretty sure he has us on mute,” Reese agrees.

Holden’s ushering us all out of the back room and throws a t-shirt that lands on Reese’s face. We exit into a quieter room that’s set up like a bar with a jukebox, a dart board and an air hockey table.

“This is the Titan’s private room,” Holden explains. “Dad had it built about fifteen years ago and many Titans have gone through it. I think I saw your dad a couple of times when I was a kid.”

I don’t say anything to that because I’m not interested in anything to do with my father.

“What’s it going to be?” Reese steps up next to me, his phone in his hand.

“Angel,” I say, causing Drew to snort. I can’t tell if he’s amused or disgusted.

He looks over at me, his green eyes only a shade lighter than Lavinia’s. “Does she know you’re this pathetic?”

“I certainly hope so, I’ve never hidden it from her.”

Reese adds my chosen name and my phone number to the group text.

“How will I know who’s who?” I ask Reese.

“I’ll send you a list.” My phone buzzes and I pull it out, seeing a message from HoBros. It’s a photo of everyone’s names next to their chosen stripper name. Drew is Sassy, Kai is Kandi, Reese is Crystal, Holden is Destiny, and Ford is Trixie.

“Let me guess,” I look up, “Drew is the one who didn’t choose his stripper name and it was Reese who picked it, as well as the group name.”

Reese claps a hand on my back, his eyes delighted. “Oh my god, you are one of us!”

“What the hell is HoBros?”

“It’s Hockey Bros.”

I blink at him, at a loss for words. Only Reese can come up with something so ridiculous. “How did Drew become Sassy?”

Reese grins. “Because Grumpy is a dwarf, not a stripper.”

He looks so proud of himself for that, and I have to admit, he has every right to be. Reese gets distracted by Holden setting up the air hockey table and rushes over to him, their conversation devolving into an argument about who won last time.

The door leading to the bar outside opens and a girl enters. She’s in jeans and a Mercer University hockey sweatshirt that’s swallowing her, her brown hair tied in two braids. Her eyes zero in on Holden and she stalks over to him.

“Dad wants to know if your fancy little ritual is over and if he can have his office back.”

Holden rolls his eyes, turning her around and pushing her back towards the door. “Hallie, you know you’re not allowed back here.”

“Please, the last time I came in you guys were literally talking about romance books.” She cranes her neck, looking around, and her eyes land on me, widening slightly. She comes to a halt, twisting her body to escape her brother’s grasp. “Wait!”

But Holden is already opening the door and leading her out to the bar. Noise from outside filters in briefly before the door shuts again.

“Is it me or has Hallie gotten older since the last time we were here?” Reese asks, looking distressed. “Are we getting old?”

Kai throws an arm around Reese’s shoulder and gives him a squeeze. “Growing old is a privilege, Reese.”

Reese exhales, his shoulders dropping. “That’s true. At least Ford will get older long before I do.”

“What have I ever done to you?” Ford demands.

I feel something cold against my arm and turn around to see Drew placing a beer bottle next to where my arm is resting.

He gives me a small nod and I return it, picking up the beer bottle and taking a sip.

He stands next to me, nursing his own beer.

It’s not as awkward as I thought it might be and I’ve always been good with silence, no matter how much I hate it.

Drew clears his throat lightly, still not saying anything. Do I always have to take the first step with these siblings?

“Now is your chance to tell me all the reasons you hate me,” I say.

“I don’t hate you,” Drew replies.

I turn to look at him, not believing him for a second. “You punched me, not too long ago, remember? I know you were upset about me marrying Lavinia, but it couldn’t all have been because of that.”

Drew raises his beer to his mouth. Holden comes back inside, going straight to the air hockey table where Reese claims he’s ready to beat him.

“You tricked my sister,” Drew finally admits.

“I thought we’ve discussed what Lavinia does with her life is her choice.”

Setting his beer bottle down, Drew turns to face me. So, I do the same. If we’re finally going to have this conversation, I want to look right at him.

“Realistically, yes, Lavinia can make her own choices,” he says. “That doesn’t mean I automatically stop worrying about her. I didn’t want her to marry Josh, but I bit my tongue. You’ve wanted her for so long, I can’t figure out why you chose now to go after her.”

“I haven’t wanted her,” I lie. Because I’m surprised. Also, I don’t want him to know how long I’ve wanted his sister.

Drew shakes his head. “There’s no reason to lie. I saw the way you used to follow her even when we were kids. That hasn’t changed even a little.”

“I don’t see how that’s a problem.” My voice is little more than a mumble because I’m embarrassed at having my feelings laid out like this.

Drew runs a hand through his curly red hair, sighing deeply. “I want to make sure that if Lavinia wants to leave, you’ll let her. I never trusted Josh but from all accounts he seemed like a nice guy, so I chalked it up to paranoia. I realize I fucked up and I’m not doing that again.”

I don’t have siblings, so sibling dynamics are always strange to me.

From what I’ve seen, it’s like having a permanent best friend you hate for a time, love deeply, and will go to war for and against. All Drew wants is to make sure his sister is safe, and he doesn’t yet know that I want the same thing.

“If Lavinia wants to leave, she can,” I say. It kills me to say it, but it’s also the truth. “She can do anything she wants. I’ve been trying to tell her that since we were kids.”

Drew grinds his jaw and I realize it’s going to take him a while to accept that I’m not entirely bad. At least, I’m not bad for Lavinia. If I can also make her realize that, it will save me a lot of time.

“I guess you’re not…that bad,” Drew grinds out.

I take a sip of my beer so I don’t laugh. “That means a lot coming from you.”

Drew raises his beer bottle, and I clink mine against his in a show of solidarity.

“Now kiss,” Reese calls.

“Not now, Reese,” Ford chides, rolling his eyes.

“Not the twin I want to be kissing, anyway.”

Drew scoffs. “I wouldn’t kiss you even if you begged me to.”

“Then you admit you have thought about it.” My words are followed by a grin which makes Drew frown.

“Not in this lifetime or the next. I still don’t understand how my sister’s able to put up with you.”

“What did you say to Lavinia to convince her to marry you?” Ford asks.

I think back to the deal we struck in the lobby of our hotel in Las Vegas. I doubt that’s what Ford or the guys want to hear. That we made a temporary deal to fake a marriage until Lavinia and I got what we want, but oops, it doesn’t feel fake anymore. At least, it doesn’t for me.

“Lavinia said she wanted to do something fun and that’s the last thing either of us remembers,” I reply.

“I doubt she meant marriage,” Holden says.

“She was really keen on getting tattoos, but I didn’t think that was a good idea.”

“So, you got married instead?” Drew sounds almost disgusted.

“It’s less permanent, when you think about it,” Ford says.

Like Drew, I’m not sure he trusts me entirely. Sometimes, his grey eyes watch me like he’s waiting for me to break and reveal my darkest secrets.

I down the rest of my beer and challenge Drew to a game of darts. We both suck at it, but Drew sucks more than I do, and I take great pleasure in reminding him.

When I get home, I shower and get into bed. Sabrina, Salem, and Buffy are on Lavinia’s side of the bed, Buffy kneading Lavinia’s pillow. I turn on my side, rubbing a finger under Buffy’s chin.

“I miss her, too, sweet girl. But she’ll be back tomorrow.”

Turning over, I pick up my phone and message Lavinia.

Roman

You’ll be happy to know I’ve been invited to join the sacred group chat by the team.

There was a ceremony and everything.

Guess I’m officially a Titan.

I wait for her to reply and when she doesn’t, I figure she’s either asleep or still out with all her friends. I’ll never understand how she makes friends so easily.

Sometimes, I wonder if our differences are unsurmountable. I’m not sure my first instinct’s ever going to be making friends. Maybe I’ll always choose isolation over building a community.

I also know this—I’ll do anything for Lavinia. I’ll be anything and anyone she wants me to be if it means that I get to keep her.