With the bottle of the most expensive wine I can find, I enter their foyer and slip off my shoes in a sea of unceremoniously strewn mess.
Their living room is full of people they love: Sebastian, Lucas, Levi, Oliver, and the other guys from the team. I spy Stacy in one corner with her husband.
Even Roman Reed, Kaeli’s MLB playing superstar of a brother, is mingling with the little family his sister has built for herself. When I first found out that the guy Ezra has been repeatedly jealous of is none other than her brother, I was positively amused.
Roman is a golden retriever, sporting a perpetual smile. He definitely reminds me of Seb, but he’s just a little bit composed. They’d gel well together, that’s for sure.
Everyone here is gawking at him, still unable to believe thatRoman Reedis amidst them. Even when most people in attendanceare famous. He’sthatgood.
What comes as a surprise to everyone, though, including me, is that Ezra and Andie’s cousins, Rohan and Irsia Moore, are here. Rohan is the center for Monterey Ironhearts and also their alternate captain. I have always enjoyed the games we’ve played against his team.
Irsia Moore, Rohan’s younger sister, is a photographer. So, it makes sense for her to be here as well.
Aurelia flew back in from New York. She’s Andie’s best friend, so of course, I found out all I could about her. If she cares, I care. So, for Aurelia’s sake, I hope she knows what she’s doing dating Jackson of all people.
But it’s not my place to judge. Not when I’m sleeping with the woman whose brother will string me up with my balls to punish me. God, even the thought of it sends a shudder through my body. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
A soft melody plays in the background as everyone talks over the music, sharing anecdotes, game stats, and embarrassing stories that others are all too eager to hear. It’s lively, and it feels like a home whereabundant love is shared within its walls. An unknown sense of calm and belonging washes over me, and I revel in it.
When I walk over to Kaeli and Ezra in the kitchen, they’re busy arguing over which dish they should serve first. “Hey, guys. For you, Kaeli. Happy Birthday,” I give her a side hug, rounding the kitchen island, placing the bottle of wine on the counter filled with dishes I can’t even name.
“Thank you, Noah,” she wraps her arms around my back, smiling at me.
Ezra glares at my arms around his soon-to-be fiancée, and just to annoy the fucker, I drop a kiss on her head. As expected, he growls, making me chuckle as Kaeli rolls her eyes at him.
Remembering Ezra was the one she was arguing with, she directs her full ire and wrath back at him. I’m all too happy to slip undetected. My gaze searches for the one face I’m dying to see, but comes up short.
Removing my cap, I rake a hand through my hair, so that I appear inconspicuous while scanning the room for her. When I finally spot her coming out of a corridor with the giant cake in her hands, I breathe a little easier.
I didn’t realize when breathing became difficult in her absence, but I don’t care enough to find out. All that matters is that I do everything in my power to stay in her orbit.
Once the cake is placed on the table, Ezra cups his mouth and announces to the guests to gather around.
All while the people are busy celebrating the birthday girl, my eyes are stuck to the only person persistently occupying my waking thoughts. Andie could feel me staring at her because her gaze collides with mine, and she blushes the perfect red, biting into her lower lip.
We’re caught in a trance, which luckily no one notices, but it’s soon broken when Kaeli gives Andie a bite of the cake. That’s when I take in the purple summer dress she’s wearing, the fabric clinging to every curve of her body, emphasizing her beautiful shape.
But when I see my best friend sweating bullets in a corner, his hand stuck inside his pocket—probably fidgeting with the ring—I know it’s time I pay some attention to the different Moore sibling.
Silently, I walk over to him with a corona in my hand and knock my shoulder lightly into his. Hiseyes are stuck on Kaeli, who’s surrounded by friends and family, all presenting her with gifts and showering her with best wishes.
“Your parents didn’t come? I ask, hoping he’ll stop thinking so loud.
“I invited both our parents, but mine had prior commitments that took them out of state, and as for Kaeli’s, well, that one is still a slippery slope. So, we’ll celebrate with our parents later. If she said yes, that is,” Ezra explains, gnawing his lower lip.
As far as I know, Kaeli’s relationship with her parents is complicated, something to do with her brother.
“She looks happy,” I jerk my chin at his girlfriend.
His lips lift in a warm smile. “She is.” But it falls just as quickly. “Do you think she’ll say yes? What if she said no? What if she doesn’t want to marry me?” His eyes flare wide in panic, breath coming shorter as he needlessly spirals.
Seeing him working himself into anxiety over Kaeli saying yes to marrying him is amusing to say the least. I didn’t think I’d see the day when our captain would be this nervous. Man’s never this nervous while playing on the ice.
It’s…cute for lack of a better word. Glad that I could see him rambling. Guess it runs in the genes. Instantly, my eyes fall on Andie, throwing her head back in laughter at something Aurelia and Kaeli whisper, their heads huddled like they’re trading locker room gossip.
God, she’s so beautiful, always stealing my breath away.
“She’ll say no, right? This is a bad idea. What the fuck was I thinking?” Ezra reminds me I’m staring at his off-limits sister right in front of him.