30. Sienna
SIENNA
Bea: You will NOT believe what your man is doing right now.
My stomach flutters at her calling Calvin my man.
We’ve been messaging on and off since I got my cell back after dinner. It was such a relief to know he wasn’t mad at me, and from what I can tell, he’s having a good day.
After spending the day at Linc and Parker’s, everyone has now congregated at Cole and Freya’s.
Sienna: I’m not sure he owns that title yet…
Bea: He totally does. He’s so gone for you.
Oh, there are those wild butterflies again.
Reading those words shouldn’t make me so happy. Just a few weeks ago, I swore to myself that I wouldn’t go anywhere near a hockey player.
Well, look at me now—desperate to get back to LA so I can see him in person and not through a screen.
It hasn’t even been forty-eight hours since I saw him.
I think I have a problem.
Sienna: So are you going to tell me what you’re all doing or what?
My message shows as read, but it takes a few seconds for a response to come through. And when it does, I discover it’s a video.
“What the fuck?” I mutter when it opens.
“Yes, come on, baby,” Killer shouts. “You’ve got this, Marilyn.”
A laugh erupts from my throat as I watch Hayden and Linc battle it out on a dance mat while Calvin watches from the couch. From his excitement, you’d think he was watching the Vipers play in the Stanley Cup Final.
A fucking dance mat.
“What the fuck?” I repeat, unable to believe what I’m seeing.
“What’s going on?” Garrett asks, jumping over the back of the couch, much to Mom’s irritation, and bouncing beside me. “Holy shit, is that—”
“Yep,” I agree as the video comes to an end.
“Play it again,” he demands.
I hesitate, because while Hayden and Linc might be front and center of this video, Bea made sure to get Calvin fully in shot for me. Will Garrett notice?
When I don’t immediately press play, he helpfully does it for me.
“Hey,” I complain.
“Oh, shush. I need to see this.”
He shakes his head in disbelief as we watch it all for a second time.
“I’ve always wondered what hockey players do in their spare time. I never in a million years would have thought it was this.”
My stomach knots as Bea follows up with another message that appears at the top of my screen.
I wince, but quickly realize it’s safe.
Bea: Hayden is the current reigning champion. Calvin has come close to knocking him off the top spot, but obviously, he’s out of action now, so Hayden is wiping the floor with everyone else.
“Wow…I can’t even…” Garrett mutters. “We need more of this. Video call her.”
“I’m not demanding to video call her just so you can ogle some dancing hockey players.”
“Ow, why not? I’d be really thankful for it.” He pouts and gives me his best puppy-dog eyes.
“Ugh, you’re a pain in the ass.”
“As if you don’t want to watch them just as much as I do.”
I do. But the one I’d really love to see hopping around on a dance mat isn’t able to do so.
“I need to pee,” I say, getting to my feet, ensuring I take my cell with me.
I wait until I’m locked in the bathroom before messaging Calvin.
Sienna: Having fun?
Calvin King of the ice Keller: You would not believe what I’m doing.
Sienna: Hmm…let me think…
Sienna: You’re screaming at Monroe so he can keep his LA Vipers dance mat crown?
Calvin King of the ice Keller: Can a man have no secrets?
Sienna: You look very passionate about the championship.
Calvin King of the ice Keller: You have no idea.
Sienna: I’m gonna video call Bea, but I wanted to warn you that my brother is all over this and will be sitting beside me. I haven’t told him anything about us yet.
Calvin King of the ice Keller: Got it. It’ll be awesome to have you here with us.
Calvin King of the ice Keller: Do you own a dance mat?
Sienna: Thankfully, I think mine broke when I was about nine.
Calvin King of the ice Keller: Damn. I might have to buy you a new one. I’m going to need a training partner when I’m back in action again. Someone has to knock Monroe off his perch.
Sienna: You’re serious, aren’t you?
Calvin King of the ice Keller: Deadly.
Sienna: I don’t like exercise, remember?
Calvin King of the ice Keller: It would be fun, the two of us getting all sweaty…
Sienna: You’re a nightmare.
Calvin King of the ice Keller: I think you like my brand of nightmare.
Sienna: Can neither confirm nor deny
Calvin King of the ice Keller: Are you making this video call or what? I want to see your face.
Sienna: Promise to be good?
Calvin King of the ice Keller: Have you even met me?
Sienna: Why do you think I’m worried?
Sienna: Give me two minutes.
Calvin King of the ice Keller: I’ll give you one.
I put my cell next to the sink and do my business before pulling up my message thread with Bea.
Sienna: I’m gonna video call you, hanging with Garrett and parents, please don’t say anything about Calvin.
Bea: You got it. My lips are sealed.
“Take your time, why don’t you?” Garret sulks when I return. “The dancing might be over already.”
I roll my eyes as I drop my ass to the couch and wait for Bea to answer.
After a few seconds, the screen comes to life, and I find my best friend staring back at me.
“Happy Thanksgiving,” she shouts over the chaos happening around her.
“Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Hey, Garrett,” she says when my brother pokes his head into the camera.
“Hey, can you turn the screen around already? I want to see the dancing.”
Bea laughs. “Of course you do. They’re just setting up the next round.”
“Tell me more,” Garrett says, leaning in like this is the most enthralling thing he’s ever experienced.
Bea laughs. “It’s Cole and Everett next round.”
“Daa-yam. This is the best Thanksgiving ever.” Garrett sighs. “Next year we should swerve the parentals and do Thanksgiving hockey style instead.”
“We heard that,” Mom calls from her spot on the other couch, snuggled with Dad.
“You were meant to. Play your cards right, and you might get an invite as well.”
“Hot hockey players on a dance mat…I could be convinced.”
“Hey,” Dad grunts before doing something that makes her squeal in delight. Bea’s eyes widen before she states, “I love your parents,” loudly enough for them to hear.
“At least someone does,” Dad deadpans.
“You’re more than welcome next year,” Bea says.
“Thank you, Bea,” Mom says.
“Anyway, back to the danc—Oh my god,” Garrett mutters, cutting himself off when Calvin drops beside Bea.
“Hey, how’s it going?” he asks, ensuring his eyes jump between the two of us. “Are you having a good day?”
Garrett leans closer to me and whispers, “Calvin Keller just asked if I’m having a good day,” loudly enough that everyone hears.
The most incredible smile curls at Calvin’s lips, causing a pang of longing to shoot through me.
Damn, I miss him more than I probably should.
“My day is really starting to look up,” Garrett answers, eliciting a groan from the other three of us at this end of the call.
Calvin chuckles, and I can’t deny that it hits me right between the legs.
Goddamn, even his laugh is sexy.
I grit my teeth in the hope that no one can read my reaction to him on my face.
“So, Killer, man. I love you, you know I do. But apparently there’s dancing going on.”
“You want us to set you up so you can see it all?”
“Do bears shit in the woods?” Garrett asks.
“Hey, do you want us to set the call up on a bigger screen so you can see everything?” a familiar soft voice asks from somewhere off-screen.
“Um…yes, please, whoever just asked that.”
“It was Freya,” I say. “Please ignore my brother, he’s horny for hockey players.”
“Well, he’s in good company,” Freya laughs. “I’m very much enjoying this.”
“What was that, Whirlwind?” Cole growls.
“I said that I love watching you dance. You have the rhythm of an angel.” The faux innocence in her tone makes everyone laugh.
For a minute or two, we keep Bea and Calvin on the screen, not that I’m complaining one little bit. I’d happily look at him for the rest of the night, and something tells me that my brother would too, given the chance.
But then, all of a sudden, they’re done, and we get to see the entire room and everyone in it.
There’s a chorus of hellos as we must appear somewhere. A computer, maybe, considering they must be using the TV for the game.
“Hey, you guys wanna stop that movie and watch the Vipers play on a dance mat?” Garrett asks our parents hopefully. “I feel we need a better view.”
And that is how we end up watching Cole and Everett jump around on the screen. Cole is amazingly agile, but Everett could use some practice. He actually falls over at one point, causing an eruption of laughter from both ends of the screen.
I clutch my stomach, laughing so hard tears spring from my eyes as we watch Cole and Hayden take to the mat for the men’s final.
“You know the only reason you’re up there right now is because I’m injured, right?” Calvin taunts Cole. “We all know I’m the king of the mat.”
“Uh…I don’t remember your name being at the top of the leaderboard like…ever,” Hayden taunts.
“Pfft, we all know I was letting you win for fear you’d have a temper tantrum.”
“Fuck you, Killer.” Hayden flips him off.
“You’ve got this, baby,” Hailee calls. “You’ll always be a winner to me.”
The chirping continues until they’re ready to compete, and then a hush falls over the room.
“Three, two, one,” they all chant together. “Goooo.”
Hayden and Cole launch into action.
They are shockingly good, both of them hitting almost every move.
As the game continues, the cheering and laughter get louder, and we’re no different. All four of us have wide smiles on our faces as we wait to see who’s going to be crowned as the Thanksgiving dance mat champion.
The song comes to an end, and cheers erupt when Hayden retains his place at the top.
Hailee jumps into his arms, kissing him as if he’s not fighting to catch his breath, while Freya runs into Cole’s arms to commiserate with him.
We stayed on the call with them for a couple of hours in the end, and while it might have delayed the four of us pulling out the board games, I can’t remember the last time we all laughed that hard.
The living room feels incredibly empty and quiet when we finally end the call.
“Game time?” Mom asks, hopping to her feet as my cell buzzes in my hand.
Suspecting I know who it is, I twist away from Garrett slightly to read it.
Calvin King of the ice Keller: Do I get to get you alone on a call now?
Sienna: Are you home already?
Calvin King of the ice Keller: No, but I can go and hide somewhere if it means I get you all to myself.
My heart skips a beat as I read his words.
“Ugh, the sappy smile is back,” Garrett complains.
“Oh, shut it. You’re just jealous.”
“As if. You’re more than welcome to your relationship.”
I roll my eyes at him and focus back on my cell while I can.
Sienna: Game time is about to commence here. I’ll message when I’m heading to bed and we can talk then?
Calvin King of the ice Keller: I’ll be waiting.
With the smile that Garrett keeps teasing me about firmly on my lips, I make my way to the dining table to start our own, thankfully less energetic, championship.