She comes to me, grabbing a soda and nodding. “Yup, that’s her.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“She is,” she agrees, taking a long drink of her soda.
“Do you not have any other family?”
She shakes her head. “My mom’s parents were older when they had her, so they passed before I was even born. We grew up with my dad’s parents, but when Dad went rogue, they blamed us, saying we didn’t love him enough to help him. Total bullshit, so we haven’t seen or spoken to them in years.”
“That’s crap.”
“Yup, cancer tore this family to shit,” she says softly, leaning into me. I wrap my arm around her back as I take another bite of my sub. “Do you have grandparents?”
“I do. My mom’s parents. Don’t know my dad’s.”
She shakes her head. “I knew that.”
“Yeah,” I laugh, and she smiles up at me as she slides her hands under my shirt, holding me close.
“When do you have to leave again?”
I exhale loudly. “I have two home games, then leave for two, and then come back for two.”
“Hockey plays a lot of games.”
I nod. “We do.”
She pouts up at me. “I don’t want you to leave again. I’ve missed you.”
I gather her in my arms. “Same here, baby.”
She kisses my jaw and cuddles into my chest. “Did you have a nice flight?”
“I did,” I answer, Chandler’s confession heavy on my mind. “Actually, I’m gonna need your date services again.”
She perks her brow as she looks up at me. “What am I, an escort?”
I laugh loudly. “My bad. No. I mean I want you to go somewhere with me.”
She eyes me playfully, sending my heart into fits. “Oh, really? Where?”
“Chandler and Amelia are getting married. I’m doing the best man thing.”
Aviva’s face lights up. “Aw, how sweet. Where?”
“Oh, the beach by my house, actually. It’s not for a month, but I need to lock you in. Make sure you don’t get any other dates,” I tease, and she grins.
“I’m yours.”
“Damn right, you are,” I say, pressing my lips to hers. She leans into the kiss, her fingers stroking my collarbone.
When she pulls back, I kiss her bottom lip before going back to my sub. “I’m jealous of the attention you’re showing that sub.”
I smirk. “Don’t worry. I’m going between your legs next.” She beams up at me as I hold her close to my side. Around my bite, I say, “They’re going to Barcelona.”
“Who?” she asks, drawing her brows in.
“Amelia and Chandler.”
“Oh, don’t tell Callie,” she says dryly. “I’d never hear the end of it.”
“Well, I was going to see if you wanted to go.”
She shakes her head. “I can’t leave the shop.”
“Sure, for a weekend. Leave late Thursday, come home Sunday.”
“I can’t,” she says simply. “This summer, I will try. I gotta get ahead.”
I bite my lip. “Can I take Callie?”
She gives me a serious look. I suspected her to yell no or even snap at me, but her eyes just look so sad. “I really want to go with her.”
“Then we’ll wait,” I say automatically. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think that through.”
“I know. You just want to make Callie happy.”
“I do, but I want the same thing with you.”
She moves her hand up to my mouth, wiping away some mayo.
“Don’t be mad.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not. Promise. I just really wanna go, and maybe with whoever paid Callie’s gym bill, I can catch up. I actually had a great two weeks, and when I add in the IceCats money, I’ve been able to refill Callie’s savings—” She pauses, and then she presses her lips together.
“What?”
“I forgot to tell you.”
“What?” I ask, a little on edge. I don’t like the look on her face. “What’s wrong?”
“We went to the doctor for Callie. They said they’ll do the total mastectomy if she wants it now, which is crazy because they usually want the patient to be eighteen. But I think the doctor knows Callie is freaking out.”
“Wow. Is she going to do it?”
She nods. “Yeah, after competition season.”
My stomach aches for her. “All right. Are you okay?”
“I just wish I could have saved her from this.”
“You’re doing everything to make her the best version of herself, and I really think the conference in Baybridge is gonna be great for both of you.”
She slowly nods her head as she smiles up at me. “Jaylin is going to go with us.”
“That’s awesome. I feel dumb. I should have invited her.”
She waves me off. “Don’t you worry. She invited herself.”
I chuckle, and then I remember something. “Did you tell her about Kirby?”
She shakes her head. “Not at all. That’s not my business to tell.”
“Good. Don’t. He’s pretty worked up about it.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it. That’s a lot to deal with,” she says, unbuttoning my shirt.
I set my sub down, and without much thought, I ask, “Do you want kids?”