Page 27

Chapter twenty-five

Kai

The only reason I’m not disappointed I didn’t make the All-Star team this year is because not playing means I can be here, at Sin and Willow’s new cabin on the edge of a lake at the interior of BC.

While the all-stars get no time off and have to keep playing through the late July heat, those of us that didn’t make the team can get in some R&R.

When I step out of my car and stretch my arms overhead, taking a deep breath of the fresh air, I automatically feel my shoulders drop from my ears.

It’s stunning here. Trees on one side, lake on the other. There’s a hint of smoke from some faraway wildfires, but thankfully, the sky above me is clear.

I’m still taking it all in when the front door to the cabin opens and Darling steps out, crossing the ground quickly to come by my side. “Yami, I gotta talk to you before you go inside,” he says and it sounds urgent, for some reason.

“What’s up, man?” I move to the back of my car to open the trunk and unload my bags.

“I didn’t know ’til we got here, brother.” He rakes his hand through his hair. “But apparently, Willow invited her last night. She’s here. Inside.” He’s not making much sense, rambling and stumbling over his words. Still, it doesn't take a fool to figure out exactly who he’s talking about.

“Isabelle’s here?” I hiss under my breath, my gaze darting around as if she’s magically going to appear.

Suddenly, my couple days of R&R just got a whole lot more complicated.

“Yeah. She came up with Sin and Willow.” Darling folds his arms across his chest. “How’re you gonna play this?”

I look at him and consider the question. The obvious answer is to play it the same way we do at home. Casual, old friends from college, nothing more. But the opportunity to be more than that — here, away from the city and everyone who could see us — that’s more than a little tempting.

“I dunno, I guess the same as always. Friends from college, that’s all we’ve ever been.”

Darling cocks his head to the side and looks at me, eyebrows raised.

“You and I both know that’s not true. She was more than a friend back then, and I’m wonderin’ if she’s more now, too.

” He’s a little too close to the truth with his prying, and fuck if I don't want to give in and admit it all to him right then and there.

“Yeah, well, we’re sticking to the friends story.” I busy myself lifting my bags out of my trunk.

“Hmm.”

But as we walk to the front door of the cabin, I can just barely hear him mutter under his breath, “I smell some bullshit.”

Pushing open the door to the cabin, I step inside and can already hear music playing, the voices of my teammates, and the women laughing and having a good time. Plastering a grin on my face, I follow the sounds to the kitchen, spreading my arms wide as I enter.

“Party’s here, guys and gals, let the fun begin!”

“Oh my God,” my sister mutters, while someone else snorts with amusement. I can see Sin roll his eyes, while Willow looks on, a smirk on her face.

“Well, that’s not exactly the welcome I was expecting, but I’ll forgive you all.” I carefully avoid looking in Isabelle’s direction, but I’m aware of her. Fuck, am I ever aware of her. Just being in the same room with her makes me wanna go straight over and wrap myself around her, but I resist.

Why do I resist? Not exactly sure. For fuck’s sake, Coach is nowhere near us, and I can trust my boys, can’t I?

Sin hands me a beer, the top already popped off, and then lifts his own so we can clink them together.

“Cheers to not being good enough for all-stars,” he says in a slightly sarcastic voice.

I take a swig of my beer before answering. “Hey, if we were at all-stars, we’d be sweating under the Texas sun. Instead, we get to be here.” I shrug. “I dunno, I think I’m okay missing it.”

“But isn’t all-stars like some big privilege?” Isabelle asks, and I’m forced to look her way.

I take my time, pretending to drink my beer, when in reality, I’m taking the opportunity to drink in the sight of her. Wearing short denim cutoffs that hug her thick thighs and a flowy tank top that shows a tantalizing peek at her cleavage.

“Well, yeah, it is. Everyone wants to play in the All-Star game at least once in their career, but with the roster being primarily made from fan votes, positions tend to go to whoever’s most popular. This year, the only guy who got called up from the Tridents was Maverick.”

“Everyone loves a bad boy,” Darling comments wryly.

“A couple guys from my old team out East made it,” Sin adds, taking a sip from his beer. “But in all honesty, I’m good not making the list this year. I need a break.”

“Same. I’d rather be here enjoyin’ some time off,” Darling says, pulling my sister into his side.

“Especially since last year was not exactly an easy break,” Evie adds, and she and I share a look.

“What happened last year?” Isabelle asks, looking from me to my sister.

“Let’s see,” Darling starts with a smirk. “It started off fine, but then these two had to go back to Ontario because their grandmother was in hospital.” He jerks his head at me and then down at Evie.

“And Rhett decided to tag along,” Evie chimes in.

“And that's when I found out they were fucking each other,” I finish cheerfully.

“We weren’t just fucking each other,” Darling grumbles. “I loved your sister. I just didn’t realize it then.”

“Yeah, because you were a dumbass,” I fire back, but it’s all in fun, and he knows it.

“Okay, so let’s stop talking about my boyfriend that way, shall we, big brother?” Evie shoots me a glare, clapping her hands together. “We waited for you to get here before we choose bedrooms. And I, for one, want to unpack and hit the lake.”

Willow flashes a smile in my direction that I think is meant to look apologetic yet is anything but. “So, about that.”

Sin muffles a laugh, causing me to narrow my gaze at him, before turning my attention back to his wife. “About what?”

“There’s only three bedrooms. The master, a guest room, and the kids’ room.”

I blink at her. What the hell is she up to…

My sister is the one to figure it out. “So you’re in the master, me and Rhett are in the guest room, but that means…” Evie’s voice trails off as she looks at me and Isabelle, fighting back a smile. “You two have to share.”

I don’t dare look at Isabelle. “No problem. I can take the couch.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I was the last-minute add-on, I’ll take the couch,” Iz protests.

“Actually, there’s enough beds for you each to have one,” Willow pipes up. “Follow me.”

We all traipse after her, down a hallway to the left of the open living space. Sin points out the master bedroom and the guest room before stopping at the third door.

He pauses and gives me another apologetic look before pushing it open.

Darling is the first to look inside, and bursts out laughing. Evie slaps his arm, but then looks in herself, and when she steps back, I can tell she’s also fighting back laughter.

I look over at Isabelle and gesture for her to step inside. As soon as I follow her in, I see why the others found it funny.

“Bunk beds?” I say, turning to face Willow. “You expect us to sleep in bunk beds?”

“At least the bottom is a double,” she says, trying to hide her own smirk of amusement.

“I’m a six-foot-tall professional athlete and have to sleep on a double bunk bed?”

“Who says you get the double?” Isabelle nudges me with her hip, giving me a playful glare. “Maybe I’ll make you sleep on the top bunk.”

I snort. “I’d break the damn bed.”

“You break it, you buy it,” Sin interjects.

Willow puts her hands on her hips, looking at me and Isabelle. “You two can be grown-ups, can’t you?”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Iz nod. I just swallow.

“Great. Everything’s fine, then. C’mon, let’s hit the beach!

” Everyone leaves the bunk room, following Willow down the hall where we apparently all dropped our bags.

It doesn’t take long to unpack, and despite me desperately wanting to get a second alone with Isabelle, there’s no chance.

Not with everyone laughing and joking through open doors.

Even when we go to get changed into bathing suits, Iz shrugs apologetically and mouths bathroom . Right, no one can know just how fine I’d be with her stripping down and putting on her bikini in front of me.

Fucking hell.

Once everyone’s ready, and we’ve got a cooler of snacks and drinks, towels, and everything else we need for an afternoon at the lake, we head out.

The cabin is up on a low rise above the water, so it’s a short walk down to the private beach.

The girls go first, then Sin, leaving Darling and I to take up the rear.

I know what he’s gonna say before he even opens his mouth.

“You cool sharin’ a room with her?”

“Don’t have a choice, now, do I?” I answer flippantly. Hell yeah, I’m okay with it. Even if I am confused as fuck as to why Willow invited Isabelle, knowing the bed situation. Unless she’s trying to make trouble, which I wouldn’t put past her.

“That double bed is gonna make things cozy, though,” he says casually, and a snort escapes me before I can stop it.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” I’m taking a risk with my answer. But he’s my best fucking friend. I can trust him.

“Nah, I say that as a warning. I can’t shake the feeling that no matter what you say, or whatever the fuck you two are doing, somebody’s gonna get hurt. I don’t want that for either of you.”

I don’t look at him, my gaze fixed on Isabelle, who’s peeling off her cover-up, revealing a teal-coloured bathing suit that crisscrosses over her body, lifting her tits up in a way that makes my mouth water. Lifting my hand to his shoulder, I squeeze it firmly. “It’s all good, brother. Promise.”

Once again, as I walk away, I hear my best friend mutter under his breath, “I still call bullshit.”

And all I can do is hope like hell he’s wrong.