29. Jason
Jason
“These heels are killing me.”
Kourtney flings off her shoes, kicking each leg like a ninja and launching her heels across the room when we arrive back from our friends’ rehearsal dinner.
I chuckle as I hold open the door for Celeste. “This is all your fault.”
Celeste’s eyes widen as she presses her hand against her chest. “Me? It’s not my fault your wife can’t hold her liquor like she used to.”
I arch a brow as I lock the door behind her. “Right. Because you yelling, Take the shot and quit being a little bitch, had nothing to do with it.”
Celeste smirks. “Touché, Jay.”
Kourtney howls with laughter as she sways. “Touché, Jay. That rhymes.”
“All right, agápi mou.” I grip her shoulders and lead her to the sectional. Let’s get you to the couch so you don’t tip over.”
“I love when you talk to her in Greek. It’s so adorable, it makes me want to puke.” Celeste flops onto the recliner and pushes the button to lie back. “How do you say more alcohol in Greek?”
I grin as I wedge a pillow under Kourtney’s head. “Perissótero alkoól. What would you like? We have beer, wine, and tequila.”
“I’ll stick with wine. Please and thank you.”
I pour two glasses and grab a water bottle from the fridge before returning to the living room.
Celeste clinks her glass against mine and takes a sip. “I can’t believe Trenton and Cassidy are getting married this weekend. It feels like yesterday when I drafted their fake dating contract.”
“I still can’t believe they were fake dating all that time.” I shake my head as I lower myself onto the couch beside Kourtney. “I had no idea.”
“Love always finds a way,” Kourtney slurs as I pop the cap on the water bottle and hand it to her.
Celeste chuckles. “Yeah, just look at the two of you. Who meets the love of their life on a porn site?”
I run a hand through Kourtney’s silky hair as she snuggles against my lap. “For the record, we dated in high school and then got back together years later.”
She purses her lips. “On a porn site.”
“On a porn site that you convinced me to go on in the first place.” Kourtney closes one eye and points her index finger at Celeste. “If you and I never went on that website to make some extra cash, who knows where we’d all be right now.”
Celeste takes a dramatic bow from the recliner. “You’re welcome.”
Kourtney’s eyes droop closed. “Seriously, think about it: What are the odds that we’re sitting in this apartment together after everything we’ve been through?
The three of us have known each other since high school, and now we’re adults, spending this incredible life together.
I never thought I’d see Jason again after we broke up when we graduated high school.
And after college, Celeste moved across the country.
Yet, here we are. Like, what are the odds? ”
Warmth pools in my chest like it does whenever I think about this. “The three of us are meant to be together. Simple as that.”
Celeste flicks her eyes to the ceiling. “Well, it’d be nice if the universe sent me someone so I didn’t have to be the perpetual third wheel.”
Kourtney’s eyebrows pull together. “You’re not a third wheel. You’re our best friend.”
“You know what I mean.” Celeste takes a sip of wine and averts her eyes, and guilt gnaws at my stomach.
Celeste will never admit to it, but I know how much it hurt her to lose Kourtney.
I know because I felt the same pain when Kourtney let me go.
Celeste will say it was years ago, and that she’s moved on…
but every once in a while, I catch the lingering glances she gives us when she thinks we’re not paying attention.
It doesn’t bother me. I love having Celeste around, and I always have. I only wish she didn’t see herself as the mere outsider who tags along with us. I want her to feel like she’s a part of our family, the way we feel she is.
Celeste downs the rest of her wine. “You know, I bet more people would find love like you two if there were a dating website made for that.”
“No, no, no.” Kourtney covers her face with her hands. “We are not discussing this.”
I set my glass down on the coffee table. “Discussing what?”
“Nothing,” Kourtney says.
But Celeste elaborates for me. “When we were in college, we talked about starting our own dating website but incorporating the webcam into it. Think about how many people sign up for a dating app and get immediately turned off by all the unwanted sexual advances and unsolicited dick pics; or how many people are unhappy with their partners sexually because they feel ashamed to tell them what they’re really into?
If there was a website where you could be as sexual as you wanted and still look for a partner with similar preferences at the same time, maybe people would find long-lasting love. ”
“A dating app with porn.” I nod. “I fucking love that idea.”
“We were so young and na?ve back then. I couldn’t do something like that now.” Kourtney slumps back down against me. “What would I tell my parents? How could I explain that I’m quitting the family business to create my own porn site?”
I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead. “I think your parents would love you no matter what you choose to do with your life.”
Celeste lets out a sardonic laugh. “Dude, I already tried that line on her years ago. It won’t work.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” Kourtney fires back at her. “Your parents are off traveling the world on their yacht. They don’t have religious or conservative beliefs. You don’t understand what it’s like to want their approval.”
“So, you’d rather be unhappy than risk someone not approving of you.”
“It’s not that I’m unhappy…” Kourtney’s voice trails off, and it’s because she can’t think of anything to back up her lie.
She is unhappy in her career.
I clasp her hand. “I know it would be uncomfortable at first, but I think your parents would be okay with it. Your happiness means everything to them, and they wouldn’t want to know that you’re unfulfilled working at their catering business.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t. I just can’t.”
Celeste taps her nails against her glass. “What if you didn’t tell them?”
“You want me to lie?”
She shrugs. “It’d be a white lie. Plenty of people work two or three jobs. You could do the catering business by day, and run the website behind the scenes and no one would have to know.”
I remain quiet, letting the idea settle in Kourtney’s mind.
I’d never push her to do something she doesn’t want to do, but it kills me to know that she’s unfulfilled in her career.
I get to wake up every day and play the game I love.
I’m filled with passion and drive, and I know Kourtney is too, but she has nowhere to put it.
It’s stifling her, and I want more for her.
Celeste waggles her eyebrows. “Imagine all the traffic you’d drive to your website if the two of you were boning on it.”
Kourtney snorts. “We can’t do that. We’re married.”
“So? You’re not fucking other people. You’d be doing it together. Plus, you’re both hot as fuck.”
Kourtney looks up at me with glassy eyes. “She’s crazy. This is crazy, right?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Honestly, it’s not that crazy, Kourt.”
Her lips part. “You’d want us to put our sex life out there for anyone to see?”
“We were putting our sex lives out there when we met on that website. Why not do it together, and help other people possibly find what we have? My face would have to be cut out for hockey purposes, but I’d be down if this is something you want to consider.
” I squeeze her hand. “Think about all the people out there whose parents threw them out of the house because they couldn’t look past their sexual orientation or preference.
You could create a safe space for sex workers and the LGBTQ+ community to make money and support themselves. ”
Kourtney rubs her temples in small circles. “I think I’m too drunk for this conversation.”
“Sleep on it.” Celeste reaches over and pulls her phone out of her purse. “I’m going to get an Uber.”
“Why don’t you stay over?” I jerk my thumb over my shoulder. “We have a guest room, and you know I don’t like the idea of you in the car with a stranger this late at night.”
She scoffs. “I’m a big girl, Jay. I can handle myself.”
“Doesn’t make me feel any better.”
She rolls her eyes. “Save your worrying for your wife.”
“I have enough worry to go around.” I push off the couch to stand, and hold out my hand. “Stay the night, and I’ll make us pancakes in the morning.”
Kourtney drags herself off the couch and wraps her arms around my waist. “And you know he makes the best blueberry pancakes in the world.”
Celeste slips her hand in mine and lets me pull her out of the chair. “Fine, I’ll stay. But only because you have a game tomorrow, and I don’t want you up all night worrying when you should be resting.”
I grin. “Sounds a lot like you worrying about me.”
“Don’t let it get to your head.”
I lift Kourtney into my arms so she doesn’t have to stumble all the way down the hall. “There are clean sheets on the bed, but you can grab a towel out of the closet if you want to shower.”
Celeste salutes me. “Got it, boss.”
Kourtney nuzzles against my neck. “Mmm. You like being the boss, don’t you, baby?”
My dick twitches. “Too bad you’re drunk, otherwise I’d show you how much I like being the boss.”
“People would love that role play stuff on the website,” Celeste calls from behind us. “Just saying.”
At six o’clock the next morning, Celeste creeps into the hallway.
“You’re up early.”
Celeste flinches and clutches her chest. “Jesus, I didn’t see you there.”
I arch a brow, standing in the middle of my kitchen in plain sight. “Sneaking out on us?”
“I have a work emergency.” She slings her purse over her shoulder. “The paparazzi never sleep.”
“Everything okay?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
She eyes the Keurig machine on the counter, and I slide a to-go cup across the counter.
“Black coffee, just the way you like it.”
She grins. “Black like my heart.”
One corner of my mouth curves up. “Your heart isn’t black.”
She purses her lips. “What do you think you know me or something?”
“I knew you’d try to sneak out of here before Kourtney woke up.”
She always does after sleeping over at our place, so I woke up early to make sure she had caffeine before she left.
“I’m not sneaking out.” She waves her coffee cup in front of her. “I told you, I have a work emergency.”
I let out a low chuckle. “Okay, kókkino.”
She rakes her fingers through her hair and averts her eyes like she always does whenever I call her red.
“Kourtney needs you right now, you know.”
Celeste’s eyebrows jump. “What do you mean?”
“She’s not fully happy, and I know me being gone a lot during the season puts a strain on things, but I also know the other piece to that puzzle is her career.
” I lift my mug to my lips and blow on it before taking a sip.
“I’ve tried talking to her about it countless times, but she’s so closed off about it. She’ll listen to you.”
Celeste looks down at her cup, neither confirming nor denying what I’m saying.
“She values your opinion. You’re one of the people she loves most in this world.”
Celeste lifts her gaze to mine. “I can’t make her do something she doesn’t want to do.”
“No, neither of us can. But we can be the support team she needs, in whatever capacity that looks like.”
She nods like she’s agreeing to a silent pact between us. “I’m really glad you guys found your way back to each other. I love seeing how much you love her.”
My chest swells. “And I’m really glad you came back to us. It’s like old times.”
She smirks. “Yeah, except we’re not playing spin the bottle in Jonas Hutchinson’s basement anymore.”
“You want to play spin the bottle? I’m sure Kourtney would be down.”
She laughs and turns around to make her way toward the door. “See you later, Jay.”
“I love you too, you know,” I call after her.
She pauses with her hand on the doorknob but doesn’t turn around.
“You’re more than a third wheel. You’re family.”
She shoots me a wink over her shoulder. “Sure. Think of me as your really hot sister-in-law.”
And then she’s out the door.
I get started on the pancakes, and within the hour, Kourtney slinks out of the bedroom with the comforter wrapped around her.
“Good morning, my little burrito.”
She smiles, though it doesn’t meet her tired eyes. “This table looks so yummy. Is Celeste still sleeping?”
“No, she left about an hour ago.”
“She left?”
“She said she had a work emergency.” I pull out a bottle of Ibuprofen from the cabinet and shake a couple of pills into my hand. “Sit and eat. The pancakes are ready.”
“Thank you, baby.” Kourtney tugs at my hand before I can walk away. “I love you.”
“I love you.” I lean down and press my lips against hers. “How are you feeling?”
“Just have a nasty headache.”
“I’ll rub your head after breakfast.”
She nods as she sips from the mug I poured for her—hazelnut creamer with a splash of coffee, just the way she likes it. “Last night was fun, even if you two ganged up on me.”
I stuff a forkful of pancakes into my mouth and hike a shoulder. “Sometimes you need a good gang bang.”
She laughs and then clutches her head. “Ow, don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”
My smile fades, and I reach across the table to clasp her hand. “Seriously, though. I didn’t mean to make you feel ganged up on. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I was just kidding.” She glances down at her mug. “I know you’re both looking out for me.”
“You were there for me when I needed you. After my mom passed, I was a mess, but you helped me through it.”
She brushes her thumb back and forth over the top of my hand. “Of course.”
“And when I thought that I wanted to give up hockey, you pushed me to go to therapy and put my mental health first so I could figure it out.”
“I will always be here for you, Jason.”
“So let me be here for you.” I shift in my seat to face her.
“Let me build you up and push you to become an even better version of yourself. Whether it’s to create your own website, or even if it’s something completely different.
Whatever it is that’s in your heart, just know that I am here by your side, believing in you every step of the way. ”
A tear falls down her cheek. “I know you are.”
I lean over and kiss away the salty drop. “Forever, agápi mou.”
“Forever.”
She drops the comforter onto the floor and moves to stand in front of me, sliding her hands around the back of my neck. “I want you.”
I groan as I glance at the green numbers on the microwave. “We can’t be late to the venue.”
Kourtney tears the oversized T-shirt over her head. “Then you’d better hurry up and fuck me.”