72. Sienna
SIENNA
“Oh wow,” I breathe as we walk into the venue for tonight’s party. Everything is decorated in Vipers green and black, and there are people everywhere. A few I recognize, but many I don’t.
“Oh, yeah. The owner takes New Year’s very seriously,” Calvin says with a laugh as he guides me toward the bar, Garrett trailing behind us like a third wheel. Not that he complains.
I glance back to take him in. A wide smile spreads across his face as he looks around, but there’s still something in his eyes that doesn’t sit right with me.
As much as I’m concerned, I’m also not going to let it bring me down tonight.
There’s plenty of time for dealing with our issues next year.
Tonight is about enjoying ourselves. It’s about hope and dreams of the future.
“Two beers and a glass of champagne,” Calvin says when the barman appears.
“Champagne?” I question.
“Only the best for my girl.” Calvin winks and I melt.
“Oh my god, you look amazing,” a familiar voice cries. I smile before turning around to see my best friend waddling my way.
She also looks stunning in a black wrap dress but…She wasn’t lying. She’s…huge.
I’m not going to tell her that, though.
“You too,” I say, forcing my eyes away from her belly. I’ve only been gone a few days. How did that happen?
“Ugh.” She waves me off. “I’m a whale, and I know it.”
Behind me, someone attempts to cover a snort with a cough.
I’m not sure if it’s Calvin or Garrett, but one of them is very much at risk of losing their balls from the look Bea shoots over my shoulder.
And I very much hope it isn’t Calvin, because I’d prefer to have his body just as God intended, thank you very much.
“You’re glowing, Bea,” Garrett says, trying to make the situation better.
“It’s sweat,” Bea states, her top lip peeling back in disgust with herself. “Do you have any idea how much hard work it is carrying this around all day?”
“Um…no, I don’t.”
“I keep telling Rett that I’m going to strap one of those fake bumps to him for a day so he can relate.”
“Oh, please, please do that,” Calvin begs as the man in question appears, wrapping his arm around my bestie.
“What are we doing?” Rett asks, looking between us.
“Strapping a belly to you, apparently,” I state.
“I keep saying it’s fine. I’m more than willing to go through everything Bea is right now.”
“It would be impossible,” she mutters.
I want to agree with her, but considering I’ve never been pregnant and the closest thing I’ve probably experienced is period pains, I keep my mouth closed.
“So, what happened to New York, then?” Bea asks, focusing on Garrett.
He grimaces for a second but forces a smile onto his face. “I decided a night with hot hockey players would do New Year’s Eve better than a boring bunch of statisticians.”
“Amen,” Rett mutters, lifting his glass of soda into the middle of our little huddle.
“Dude, you can’t raise a glass of soda to that.” Calvin laughs.
“Sure, I can. I’m still fun sober.”
Our banter continues, and gradually, the others start to make their way over—including Sutton, who looks like she might have grazed the dessert table one too many times.
Not only is there a smear of what I really hope is chocolate on her cheeks, but she’s wired.
She runs around us, someone else’s kid hot on her tail before they go screaming off.
“Wow, that’s—”
“Don’t,” Kodie warns, making me chuckle.
“She’s just excited. She wants to see Parker dump a drink over Linc’s head again,” Casey says, making everyone laugh.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Last year, Linc decided it would be a good idea to kiss Parker at midnight. She retaliated with her drink.”
“Fair play,” I muse.
“He didn’t even ask.” Parker balks as if she’s stiffly offended by the move, despite the fact they’re now married. Beside her, her husband smirks. “He just assumed it would be okay.”
“Dude, that’s not cool,” Garrett says. “Consent, always.”
Linc rolls his eyes. “She married me; it can’t have been that bad.”
“No, it was fucking brilliant,” Handsy states with a laugh. “You should have seen his face. Classic.”
Parker grins proudly.
“Any chance of a repeat?” I ask.
“We’ve got a while until midnight. I’m sure he’ll piss me off a few times before then.”
Parker shrieks as Linc pulls her into his arms. The second they start kissing, Rett rolls his eyes and turns his back on them.
“I need someone to kiss at midnight,” Garrett sulks.
“Maybe a hockey party doesn’t have it all, huh?” Bea asks.
Garrett glances around the room as if he’s looking for someone. Darcy, I assume. But he comes up empty.
“Tonight might be the night you finally prove your theory,” Calvin says, making Garrett light up a little.
“This is true. Excuse me, everyone. I’m going to hunt for a midnight kiss.”
I watch him go with a smile. Something might be going on in New York, but I’m glad to have my brother here tonight. A few days at my parents’ wasn’t enough.
A pair of hands slip around my waist before a hot and hard body presses against my back. I shudder when his breath tickles over my ear and down my throat. “Dance with me,” he rasps.
He takes my hand, and, leaving our friends behind, he leads me to the dance floor.
I sigh the second he pins our hips together, his arm banded around my back as we begin to move to the music. The song that’s on is way faster than the imaginary beat we’re dancing to, but neither of us seems to care.
I’m achingly aware that there are kids everywhere, stopping me from dancing with Calvin in the way I really want to. But having his hands on me reminds me of just how close I got to coming all over him not so long ago.
“I can’t stop thinking about how hot your pussy was, rubbing against me earlier,” he rasps in my ear, letting me know that his head is in exactly the same place as mine.
I whimper in his arms.
“I’m still hard for you,” he says, discreetly rolling his hips against me so I have no choice but to feel him. “As much as I love this dress, I can’t wait to get you home later and watch it float down your body.”
“Calvin.” I groan, my arms tightening around his neck, my body stretching up with my need to kiss him.
“You drive me crazy, darlin’.”
I smile up at him. “Same. How soon can we leave?”
He chuckles, the sound vibrating through me, definitely not helping the situation.
“There was a point not so long ago when I thought this season was going to be my worst ever. You didn’t remember me, and I was injured and unable to play. But everything has turned around. Now, I can’t help but think being injured is a blessing.”
I frown, not understanding.
“I don’t have to travel for games, which means we get all this time together to make up for lost time. I wouldn’t change that for the world.”
My smile grows. “I hate that you’re injured, and I miss watching you play. But I agree. Next season is gonna hit hard, though.”
“I know. But it’ll also make coming home that much sweeter, knowing that you’ll be there waiting for me.”
“I’ll be waiting. Always.”
His lips meet mine in the sweetest of kisses, and much to my disappointment, he never pushes it past PG-rated.
The next few hours fly by. We drink and eat, and laugh with friends. It’s the best kind of New Year’s celebration. But no matter how much I laugh at stories the guys tell or how much their girls rib them, I can’t shake my concerns for Garrett.
He’s been working the room like a pro. Every time I look up, he’s talking with someone. And about an hour ago, the man he’d been waiting for finally made an appearance.
The two of them have been at the bar catching up ever since.
They look cute together, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed. Bea has made a comment about Garrett snagging a Viper. Darcy might not be a player, but he’s about as close as you can get. A few of the other guys have been over and teased Darcy as well, all of which he’s taken good-naturedly.
I love watching them all interact. They’re all so different in their own ways, but when they’re together, they are just one big family. I’m so grateful to be a part of it.
As we close in on midnight, servers appear with trays of champagne for everyone to toast with.
I’ve already had more than I intended. I’ve got a nice buzz on, and when I look up into Calvin’s eyes, I can see that he’s well on his way to being drunk as well.
He’s getting handsier, riskier with his caresses. Thankfully, none of the kids are paying us any attention. They’re all either asleep already, or in their own worlds with their games.
Both of us take a glass from a tray as it passes.
“I can’t believe I get to welcome in a new year with you,” Calvin says, his words a little slurred.
“Me either.”
“Thirty seconds,” someone calls, as the music softens around us.
“Parker,” someone bellows. “Get ready with your drink.”
A round of laughter ripples around the room, but I don’t look back to see anyone else. I’ve only got eyes for the man standing before me, staring down at me like his world both starts and ends with me.
“Twenty seconds.”
“These past few months have been the best of my life,” Calvin says, ducking low so only I can hear him.
“Thank you,” I breathe.
“Ten.”
“For what?”
“Nine.”
“Everything. For waiting for me.”
“Eight.”
“For giving me the space and time I needed.”
“Seven.”
“For loving me.”
“Six.”
“I always have, darlin’. Always will.”
“Five.”
“Same. I love you so much.”
“Four.”
“I love you, too. I can’t wait to do the rest of life with you.”
“Three.”
“Me either. I want it all with you.”
“Two.”
“Me, too, darlin’. Every single thing.”
“One.”
My lips part to say something else, but the room around me explodes with excitement, and the next thing I know, Calvin’s lips are on mine, and we’re welcoming in the first of many new years together.
The excitement lasts for long minutes as we wish everyone a Happy New Year and hug everyone close to us, but I quickly realize there’s one person missing.
I spin around, searching the sea of faces for one I know almost as well as my own. But he’s not here.
“Calvin?”
“Yeah, darlin’.”
“Where’s Garrett?”
Garrett