PIPER TAKES me to a small pub located between the clinic and my place. Sidney and Misty are meeting us here for an impromptu celebration.
Never in a million years did I think I would land a job when Piper asked me to visit her. I glance her way. She’s talking to Lucas, giving him an update on what’s up. Her hair’s whipping wildly around her when we turn the corner, and a chill settles in my bones.
Piper covers her phone, trying to protect it from the wind. “Okay, love you.” Pause. “Yes, I’ll text you when I’m ready.” Pause. Her cheeks flush bright pink, and her eyes flutter. “Lucas Knight, you’ll pay for that later.”
I can hear his laugh through the phone before she hangs up.
We’re here. She stops in front of an old brick building with a large red sign with Lucky’s written in red letters outlined in white. It has black-framed windows that are divided by square panes. Looking through, I can see the place has red leather booths, wood tables, and an old-world vibe to it.
The bitter smell of Guinness fills the air, burning the back of my nose, and mixes with the salty smell of greasy fries.
There are a few guys tucked into one of the corner booths, all wearing perfectly tailored suits, with their hair styled a little too perfectly. They’re like a knockoff imitation of River, who looks like he was made for his crisp oxfords and wool pants, whereas these guys look like they’re playing dress-up.
River’s hair falling into his dark eyes flashes through my thoughts, and I shake it off. I can’t let myself go down that road, or I’ll be thinking of them all night.
“Mia, Piper!” Sidney stands from a table at the other end of the bar and waves us over. Misty sits beside her, munching on what looks like mozzarella sticks. She gives me a wide smile and looks freaking adorable with her shoulder-length hair pulled up in bright purple space buns.
“You didn’t have to come,” I say and wrap Sidney in my arms. She’d caught the first flight out to Boston the second she knew I was here.
She raises a brow. “You should’ve told me.”
I settle in beside her. “I didn’t want to ruin your vacation.”
“Are you kidding me? The icebergs aren’t going anywhere.”
“Actually, I hear we’re losing one hundred billion metric tons of ice every year,” Misty chimes in.
I huff out a laugh and raise a brow at Sidney.
“See? Perfectly reasonable not to ruin your last chance to see the icebergs.”
She narrows her eyes at me before rolling them. “Whatever. You should’ve told me you lost your job.”
I scrunch up my nose. “I know. I just didn’t know what to say. Like, how do you tell someone your ex got you fired?”
“Sidney, Piper, my asshole of an ex went crying to his dad, and the dickwad got me fired. Easy peasy,” Piper adds.
I laugh. “I’ll remember that for next time.”
“Oh no. There’s never going to be a next time. I’m honestly astonished that Alex and River let him walk away.” Sidney’s smile is devious.
My shoulders droop. “They didn’t want to.”
“Hell, Mia. I don’t want them to. Should’ve broken an arm or a finger at least,” Misty adds helpfully.
My whole body vibrates with my laugh. “Noted.”
“Any news from your doctor friend?” Sidney asks.
“I got a text from her saying nothing yet, but she thinks she may have a lead.”
Sidney grins. “Can’t wait to bring that fucker down.”
Misty takes a long drink of her tall beer and asks, “Okay, now that we have that out of the way. Spill.”
“Spill what?” I know what, but I’m not going to divulge what went down in Napa.
“Come on, you’ve all got these hockey stars. How am I supposed to live vicariously through you if you don’t give me any details?”
“Don’t you work with them now? Why don’t you pick one up?” Just not Alex or River.
She drops her head forward dramatically. “I can’t date them now that I work there. There are rules and all that.”
“That sucks.”
“It sure does. Which is why you’re going to spill.”
“There’s nothing to tell. We hooked up for the weekend, and then I went back to Ottawa.”
“Okay, so what happens now that you’re living with them?” Sidney asks entirely too innocently, and Misty squeals.
“Relax. We aren’t living together.”
Piper snorts. “No, she’s just living in Alex’s place across from River. Totally not living together. That five-foot hall makes all the difference.”
“So you’re living with Alex?” Misty raises a brow.
“No. Alex moved in with River.”
“To be a fly on their wall,” she hums.
“What do you mean?”
“Honey, if they weren’t stealing looks at you, they were stealing looks at each other.”
I check myself, and there’s no jealousy there. Instead, something warm and happy buzzes in my chest. I’m still lost in my thoughts when Piper cuts in.
“What are your plans with them?”
How can I explain that I want everything, but I’m terrified of what that’ll mean? My world just imploded, and I don’t think I can handle anything else. On top of that, I’m already dangerously close to falling hard, if it’s not already too late.
“It’s complicated. We’re friends.”
“Just friends? No benefits?” Sidney asks.
I gnaw on the side of my mouth. “Just friends.”
“Well, that should be a crime. What I’d give to have a guy look at me like that, let alone two.” Misty pouts.
“Oh yeah, and how is that?” I ask.
“Like they want to eat you,” Misty adds while wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
My cheeks flame hot because I definitely remember all the ways they did just that. I clear my throat and take a sip from my glass as they all giggle.
The waiter drops off our drinks, and Piper lifts hers in the air. “Alright, Misty. Leave her alone. We’re here to celebrate!”
She explains how her boss loved me and how she knew she would and how there’s a really good chance her boss will be able to get me an internship.
“Don’t go that far.”
“It’s okay to get your hopes up. I know things have been hard, but good things are coming your way.”
“How’s Prosthetics For Kids? Did you figure anything out?” Sidney asks.
I groan and drop my head on the table. “No. Gerard called this morning. He’s in town and wants to meet to go over my plans. Everything I think of relies on pure luck to take off. Why did I think I could create viral content?”
Misty sits forward, a gleam in her eyes. “Tell me your ideas.”
She sounds so genuinely excited that I spill everything I’ve been thinking about.
“So I’m like ninety-nine percent certain the only way this is going to work is if I start a trend. Which is like catching lightning in a bottle, so I’ve spent the last few months looking up every successful trend that raised money and how they did it,” I say, and all three girls nod encouragingly. I swallow. “It looks like there’s a few very key elements. It has to be cheap, easy to duplicate, give them a sense of pride, and freaking funny. Oh! And there’s got to be a way that they’ll keep going, or it’ll be done in a day, even if it does catch on.”
“Holy shit. I’m assuming you have something in mind,” Sidney says, taking a bite of her nachos, and just manages to catch the gooey cheese melting off the side.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you always have something. Let’s hear them. Maybe you can even let me help for once.”
I laugh. “I let you help.”
“When?” she deadpans.
I scrunch up my nose. “Fine. Okay, I was thinking of a challenge. Something uncomfortable that you can dare your buddies to do. Something that’s funny enough that you’ll want to be dared to do it too.” I bite my lip, then let it out and wince. “I was thinking people could challenge each other to dump a bucket of ice water on their head. So they say I will donate this amount of money and dump the water. Then they challenge their friends.” I close my eyes. “Stupid, right?”
Misty smirks. “No, Mia, that is anything but stupid. That’s freaking gold, and I know exactly how we’re going to make that happen.”
I stumble over my feet as I step onto the polished marble floors and sway to the side, only to be caught by strong hands. A scream builds in my throat, but it’s cut off.
“Easy there, Kitten. Didn’t mean to scare you,” Alex says, wrapping his arms around me from behind and dropping his forehead on my shoulder.
“Were you waiting for me?”
“Lucas called before you guys left, thought it was best to walk you up from now on.”
“From now on?” I ask incredulously.
He chuckles, and his warm breath tickles my neck, sending shivers running down my back. “Just let us be overprotective for a little while, before you ruin all our fun.”
I roll my eyes, and the motion makes the world tilt a little. Maybe I’m a little more tipsy than I thought. “Fine, but only until it’s not cute anymore.”
Alex runs his nose up my neck, and his lips brush the back of my ears. “Oh, it’s cute now, is it? You like having two hockey players thinking about you day and night? ’Cause, Kitten, we fucking are.”
I melt back into him, loving the sound of that and trying my best to ignore the way my thoughts swirl in my head, making the room fuzzy. I spin in his arms and grin at him. “I got a job today.”
He smiles right back. “I heard. Proud of you. Although, it looks like you celebrated without me.”
“Too slow.” It’s meant to be playful, but he’s so close it comes out breathy. “Take me upstairs.”
Alex’s eyes darken on mine. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He entwines our fingers, says good night to the bellman, and leads me onto the elevator. As soon as the doors close, he spins me so my back presses against the mirrored wall and buries his face in my hair. Everywhere I look, there’s a reflection of us, and nothing has ever looked so perfect. Before I can kiss him, the doors open. He groans and huffs out a breath. “Can’t catch a break.”
“Come on.” I lead him to my apartment and bite my lip as he looms over me.
He leans his head forward, and his lips brush my temple, my cheeks, and drift over my jaw. A low rumble rolls from his chest. “Fuck, I missed you.”
Heat floods my stomach and travels lower. “I missed you too.”
He growls into my neck and digs his fingers into the back of my hair, tugging my head back before shifting to look down at me with ravenous eyes. “You are so fucking perfect, Kitten.”
I grin, then smile, and then my smile turns into a giggle, and then I’m laughing until my cheeks hurt.
“Fuck. Are you drunk? Please, for the love of God, tell me you aren’t.”
I grin up at him and tilt my head to the side, holding my thumb and pointer finger close together. “A little drunk. Not too drunk though. Not too drunk to kiss you.”
He groans and drops his forehead against mine. “Who did I hurt in a past life to deserve this? I’m not touching you until you’re sober and begging me for it.”
I scoff. “Beg.”
His voice drops to a low croon, and I can feel my thighs grow wet. “Don’t you remember? You begged for us so well.”
“Holy shit.”
His lips skim mine, and I stay perfectly still, unwilling to risk stopping him, but he blows out a breath and rests his chin on top of my head.
“You’re going to be the death of me, you know that, right?”
