Cayden
NINETEEN
I’m already regretting volunteering to drive us to Blue Haven for the night as Hayes pipes up from the back seat.
“So now that I have you locked and confined in here with me and no place to go to dodge my questions…what’s the deal with you and Luna?”
It’s one of those rare Saturdays we have off, and with our next game not until Tuesday, the boys are ready to let loose for the night at Miles’s wedding.
Knox reserved a block of rooms for us at the hotel where the reception is being held and insisted we use them for the night.
Mostly directed my way since the last two weeks have been rough for me on and off the ice.
He thought a change of scenery would be good for me.
After Mae wholeheartedly agreed and practically shoved me out the door, I took that as a sign that maybe I do need to get away and loosen the reins a little bit.
This, though, was not what I had in mind when I offered to drive.
My fingers flex on the steering wheel as I focus on the road in front of me.
“There is no deal. She’s Scarlett’s dance teacher, and that’s that.” My jaw ticks, but I refuse to let them get to me.
“Not what I saw in the club that night,” Foxx snickers from the back. “I didn’t know grinding against your kid’s dance teacher was allowed.”
McCormick chuckles next to me, and I shoot a glare his way.
“He has a point,” he says, raising his arms in defense.
“I like her,” Hayes declares. “Not only is she beautiful, but she’s got moves on the dance floor for days. If you don’t go for it, I will.”
“Just try it and see what happens,” I growl, throwing daggers at him through the rearview mirror.
Hayes grins at my response, and I realize I just gave him what he wanted—proof that she matters.
“You walked right into that one,” Kane chuckles from the very back row.
Sighing, I adjust my ballcap on my head and stare at the road in front of me.
“Whatever the hell is going on between Luna and me, none of it matters. My main focus, besides my daughter, is getting my fucking game back,” I say, my molars grinding against each other.
After my loss two weeks ago, we won the next game that I sat out before losing the following game when I fucked up a save in sudden death. At least we won the next two, but the night I played, the guys carried me through with a strong defense, thanks to Foxx and Kane.
“Maybe the reason your game is off is that you need to get laid,” Hayes says, offering up his solution to everything. “It helps me,” he shrugs.
“I second that,” Foxx grins. “Sex clears my head and gives me a little pep in my step on the ice.”
“For once, I agree with the two idiots in front of me,” Kane chuckles, shaking his head. “Nothing worse than being distracted on the ice by an unsatisfied dick in your cup.”
“It’s the worst,” Hayes laughs. “Do yourself a favor and use that room tonight for something other than jacking off to my contact picture in your phone.”
“Your contact photo is a donkey’s ass,” I mutter.
I ignore the cackles coming from the back and tune them out once Hayes and Foxx start swapping stories about the girls they brought home last night.
I hate to say it, but maybe they’re right.
The muscles in my jaw tighten as I clamp down on my molars harder.
Maybe my answer to getting my head back in the game isn’t running from Luna…it’s doing something about it.
After arriving at the hotel and checking into my room, I shower and change into my black suit.
The suite is a spacious one-bedroom with an entertainment area consisting of a large leather sofa, a big screen TV, and a fully stocked bar.
It opens up into a kitchen already filled with various cheese trays and fruit in the fridge.
The wedding invitation says the ceremony takes place on the roof, which is just an elevator ride up, so I decide to enjoy a drink until it’s time to leave. Pouring a bourbon at the bar, I walk over to the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the back wall and step through the balcony doors.
The sounds of waves immediately pull me in as I walk past the hot tub sitting in the corner and head to the railing. Resting my forearms on the top of the rails, I gaze at the dark waters below.
Weddings never used to bother me, but now they hit a little different. Knox’s was the first wedding I attended since Jules died, and it damn near knocked the wind out of me.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for Knox and Savi…Miles and Olivia, too.
I am.
Doesn’t stop the rest of it, though.
Because I stood at the altar once, thinking I had forever in my hands, and now it’s just a reminder of everything I lost.
Downing the rest of my bourbon, I walk back inside and set the empty glass by the bar before taking the elevator up to the rooftop.
The bourbon sits heavy in my stomach when I step outside and see the wedding setup.
It’s beautiful. I’ll give them that.
The sweet-scented air has just enough of a cool breeze to feel comfortable, but not too cold for the women in dresses. I scan the area and take in the string lights above, creating the illusion of a cover over the whole rooftop.
The place is decked out in various potted plants and honeysuckle flowers overflowing in vases and wrapped around the dark wooden altar. That would explain the sweet honey smell in the air as I breathe deep and enjoy the vanilla-like fragrance.
I spot the guys in the back row, thankful I don’t have to sit closer to the ceremony, and take the empty seat next to McCormick. Hayes, Foxx, and Kane flank his other side, their hair still damp from their showers and their suits nicely pressed.
“Thanks for saving me a seat,” I tell McCormick, grabbing the wedding program from my chair and sitting down.
“No problem,” he grunts. His body is tense beside me, and his grey eyes are focused straight ahead. Looks like I’m not the only one who feels uncomfortable at weddings.
Soft guitar music filters through the air, and I follow the notes until I see one of Miles’s old band members strumming the soft sound. Knox mentioned to us that Miles used to be the drummer for Southern Tides before opening his own music bar in Blue Haven.
I’ve heard of the band before and even have a few of their songs on my playlist. They are still rising on the charts, and Miles has been writing a lot of their songs lately that have become hits.
They’re the band tonight at the reception, so I’m looking forward to hearing them in person.
When the guitar switches melodies, Miles files out with the groomsmen. His grey eyes are bright, and from the way he’s smiling, you can tell he’s more than ready to make Olivia his wife.
Knox stands beside him as his best man, followed by his brothers, Travis, Jake, and Ryder.
Travis’s oldest son, Max, stands as the last groomsman before a collection of suited ring bearers come to stand in front of their dads next to the groom.
Miles winks at his nephews before turning his attention to the back.
Turning our heads, I watch Olivia’s sister walk down the aisle, followed by Eve, Lyla, Sophia, and finally Savi, matching them directly across from their husbands.
Savi grins at us as she walks by, and I give her a wink.
She looks beautiful in her long, honey-colored dress that stretches across her very pregnant belly.
I glance at their husbands standing next to Miles, and every single one of them can’t take their eyes off their wives. Love, adoration, and hunger are focused on the beauties across from them.
“Knox looks like he’s going to throw Savi over his shoulder and devour her whole,” Hayes smirks, causing us to chuckle.
“I wouldn’t put it past him,” I murmur.
Turning, we watch a group of the most adorable flower girls I’ve ever seen walk down the aisle with Olivia’s daughter, Bee, leading the way as they throw white rose petals as they go. I spot all of Miles’s nieces in the mix, along with what I’m assuming are Olivia’s two nieces as they pass by.
The music suddenly changes, and chairs are scraped back as Olivia walks down the aisle looking stunning in her white dress. Her long blonde hair is woven with honeysuckle flowers, and her light hazel eyes are locked on Miles.
I glance to the front and see his whole world reflecting in his grey eyes.
Glimpses of standing at the altar invade my space as I suck in air that my lungs can’t find.
The white dress.
The pounding of my heart through my tuxedo.
The love I felt in that moment as she walked down the aisle toward me…
Goosebumps appear under my shirt just then, forcing me back to the present as my gaze comes back into focus.
That’s when I see her.
Her green eyes lock on mine.
Something unspoken shifts in the air around us, wrapping my chest in a tight vise.
The bodies shifting in the room force my gaze away as I swallow hard and sit back down with the rest of the guests.
I stare at the back of her head, sitting in the aisle seat a few rows ahead of me on the bride’s side. She’s wearing this dark green dress that shows off her back. I follow the line of bare skin ending just above that curvy ass pressed against her chair.
She crosses her legs, and the soft fabric slips, revealing a toned, tanned thigh beneath the slit of her dress. My fingers curl at my side as the urge to be next to her and possessively rest my hand on her bare skin is almost more than I can take.
Her hair is down and swept to the side tonight, giving me the perfect view of her slender neck.
What would it feel like to wrap my hand around it and feel her pulse beat rapidly against my palm?
“Did you know Luna would be here?” McCormick says quietly at my side, breaking me out of my dangerous thoughts. I turn toward his voice and realize he’s following my gaze as he nods his head in her direction.
“No,” I say briskly.
“Well, this night just got a whole hell of a lot more interesting for you,” he chuckles softly.
That’s an understatement of the year.
What the hell is she doing here? How does she know Miles and Olivia?
My next thought kicks me right in the gut.
Maybe she’s here with someone.
I look to her left and see her sitting next to another beautiful brunette, and I breathe a little easier when I recognize Emma, Noah’s wife. I see that Noah’s sitting on the other side of Emma, his arm resting on the back of her chair.
If Luna does have a date, he’s nowhere to be found.
The rest of the ceremony is a distant hum over the blood rushing in my ears. It’s one thing to have her in my head where I can almost pretend she’s not real, but it’s a completely different feeling to breathe the same air as her.
It’s bad enough I’ve been watching her on the live feed each night like some creeper in the dark, invading her privacy, even though I’m pretty sure she knows I’m there.
The subtle glances at the camera and the lingering pauses at the lens when she finishes dancing are all the confirmation I need.
Not that I could stop watching her if I wanted to.
My eyes are drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
I’m addicted to how I feel when I’m around her.
It’s my one hour reprieve where my mind doesn’t spiral out of control.
When I watch her, my chest is a little less heavy… my thoughts a little less loud.
And since she shows up day after day at the exact same time…tells me she needs this hour just as much.
I try to focus on the vows, but all I see is her.
Her hand comes up and gently swipes away a tear as the bride and groom speak words of love to one another. My heart beats strongly against my rib cage as I study her profile from a distance—emotions clearly etched across her beautiful face.
McCormick shifts uncomfortably in his seat next to me, and I’m right there with him as I white-knuckle the program in my hand.
The crowd cheers as Miles kisses his wife, and I’m slammed back into the wedding around me. The bride and groom walk hand in hand back down the aisle, followed by the wedding party. I get a slap on the shoulder from Knox as he passes by before guests start filing out.
“I need a drink,” McCormick mutters, passing by me and heading downstairs with the rest of the team.
“You and me both,” I say under my breath, prepared to follow him, but stop when I get a glimpse of a green dress and tan high heels through the crowd. I lose sight of her, though, when Noah walks up, blocking my view.
“Cayden, you made it,” he smiles. “You remember my wife, Emma?”
“Of course,” I smile at the beautiful brunette by his side, who was sitting by Luna. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Good to see you,” she grins, hugging Noah’s arm.
“Hi, Maverick,” I smile at Noah’s brother-in-law, who walks up just then with his wife, Bella.
“Hey, Cayden,” he grins. “Noah tells me he ran into you at Rusty’s a few weeks ago in Crystal Isle.”
“Rusty’s? How did you like it? Us girls go there every Thursday night for wine after yoga,” Bella says, her blue eyes smiling at me.
“The food is just as amazing as they say. I’m thinking of taking my daughter after dance one night. Let her see the beach,” I smile.
“Dance? Your daughter takes dance lessons in Crystal Isle? My sister teaches there,” Bella says, but I don’t have time to process what she’s saying because Noah’s voice stops me in my tracks.
“There you are, Luna,” I hear him say.
Her scent of lavender hits me, and it immediately brings me back to the last time I felt her body against mine on the dance floor.
“Luna, there is someone I want you to meet,” Noah says, putting his hand on the small of her back as she steps closer to him. “This is Cayden, one of Knox’s teammates. Cayden, this is my youngest sister, Luna,” Noah smiles, and I whip my eyes to his as my heart accelerates to a dangerous speed.
What did he just say?
I blink in shock and peer down at Luna. Her green eyes are trained on me, but she quickly averts my stare as red deepens her cheeks.
Luna is Noah’s sister?
The same sister I jacked off to in the shower this morning?
The same sister I whispered filthy words in her ear as she came for me over the phone?
I run a hand down my face and blow out a long breath.
McCormick was wrong. My night didn’t just get a whole hell of a lot more interesting.
It completely blew the fuck up.