Page 8

Chapter 8

Home Sweet Home

CHANCE

L ev catches the puck and throws it back at me.

My phone buzzes with a text message and I look at the screen, distracted. The puck hits me in the face. Thank fuck this is a plush toy in the shape of a puck to play indoors, or it would hurt like a motherfucker.

“Looks like they’re about to arrive.” I bite out.

My best friend barks out a laugh. “Are you excited? You get a brand new sister.”

I throw the puck back at him as hard as I can, annoyed by the dig. “Stepsister.”

He shrugs. “You know what I mean. But you never know, maybe she’s hot.”

This time I’m prepared and I catch the puck easily. “Maybe.”

Lev must have put some thought into it. “I bet she is. Not to be weird, but your stepmom to be is a total MILF.”

It’s my turn to laugh. “You’re right about that. Kelly is hot. I should have known my old man would tap that when he hired her as campaign director.”

He catches the puck and spins it around on the palm of his hand, rather than throwing it again. “I don’t blame him.”

“Me neither,” I sigh. “I just wish he had waited a little before making it so official.”

Lev considers my words. “Yeah, they went for a short engagement. But older people tend to get married fast.”

I nod. “You’re right. Dad admitted that they had been seeing each other in secret since before he got elected.”

He lets out a loud whistle. “Scott, you dirty fucker. Your dad has always been so serious. I would have never guessed he would be the type to bang his assistant.”

I spin around in my chair a couple of times, the wheels sliding around easily on the hardwood floor of my room. “I’d be lying if I said that I wasn’t surprised when he told me the big news. But I don’t blame him. Since my mom died, Dad’s focus was completely on us. He ended his hockey career early to take care of me and my brothers. For as long as I can remember, I didn’t even see him with a woman. If Kelly makes him happy, I’m going to find a way to get along with her and her daughter.”

Lev sits on the edge of my bed. “If living with your new stepmom and stepsister proves to be too much, there’s always the Gamma house.”

Maybe. “If they accept our pledge.”

My best friend laughs. “As if. You’re a legacy and we’re both in the hockey team. It’s a sure thing.”

He’s right. “True. I don’t think they ever reject a member of the hockey team. It’s unheard of.”

Gamma Delta Tau is the most popular fraternity on campus because most of its members are in the hockey or the football team.

“I thought they only allowed juniors and seniors to live in the house, though.” I muse.

Lev explains. “It used to be the case. But last year they lost a ton of members to graduation, and to the NHL and NFL. So they have room this year. I’m going to apply for a room, and you should too, just in case.”

That’s a good idea. Having a backup would be wise, in case things get uncomfortable at home. “Yeah, I think I will. I really hope Kelly and Dad work out, though. He deserves to be happy.”

Lev nods. “I don’t think Scott would get married, unless he was sure. What do we know about the daughter? How old is she?”

I don’t know a ton, but I share all the information I have with him. “All I know is that she’s going to be a college freshman too…”

“Then maybe she’ll move far enough that we’ll barely see her,” he interrupts me.

“Kelly said that she’s going to Star Cove College.”

He chuckles. “Damn. Then hopefully she’s nice.”

I’m not that worried. “If she isn’t, the house is big enough that we can give each other a wide berth. We’ll be busy with classes and hockey, anyway.”

Lev grins. “And with all the sorority girls. Gamma Delta Tau is affiliated with Zeta Theta Beta. They always have the hottest girls on campus.”

“I’ve heard. We’ll see if that’s true.”

I rise from my chair, walking to the bay window that looks right at the circular driveway in front of our house. “That’s Kelly’s car. They’re here.”

Curiosity has the best of Lev too, and he comes to take a look. “What’s her name, by the way? The daughter’s?”

I rub the back of my neck, searching my memory and coming up empty. “I’m not sure. You know I didn’t pay a lot of attention to Kelly until Dad announced their engagement. All I can remember is that she’s gone to some fancy prep school in Connecticut. I don’t think Kelly told me her name. She keeps calling her ‘my baby girl.’ And Dad refers to her as ‘Kelly’s daughter,’ or ‘your new stepsister.’ If they did tell me, I must have been distracted.”

Lev leans forward to take a better look, as the door of Kelly’s car open and two women step out. “Hmm, boarding school girls are supposed to be a little wild.”

I snort. “You’re thinking about Catholic school girls.”

He gives me a playful shove. “Shut up. If it’s an all girls school, she’s bound to be wild.”

From our position, we can’t see much more than two small figures walking to the front door.

It’s easy to spot the daughter, because Kelly is blonde and the other woman has long, dark brown hair.

“She has a nice ass,” Lev comments as my new stepsister drags a suitcase behind her and disappears from view as she gets closer to the door.

My phone buzzes with another message from Dad. “We’re being summoned. Let’s go welcome the new fam.” I sigh.

Lev slaps my back. “Usually, I’d let myself out from the back door and avoid this whole thing, but I’m curious.”

It’s impossible not to laugh and roll my eyes. “You only want to see them because you think she has a nice ass.”

He winks at me. “You know me way too well. Come on, as long as she doesn’t have buck teeth and a giant nose, you’ll have something nice to look at. If not, she’ll have girlfriends, so it’s going to be in our best interest to get friendly with her.”

“As if we need help to get girls.” I laugh as we get to the stairs.

Lev’s smile widens. “We don’t. But pretty girls tend to hang out together. So hanging by the pool or at the beach is going to be a lot more interesting.”

I can’t disagree with that. “Yeah. You’re right.”

Kelly’s voice reaches us before we come into view of the foyer. “Scott, this is my baby girl, Zara.”

I don’t even have time to think about the only girl I’ve ever met with that name.

My eyes are immediately locked with hers, as green and bright as I remember them.

“Hi, I’m Chance. And this is my friend, Lev.” She offers me her hand to shake and… fuck. Her skin is as warm and soft as it was when we first met. My gaze descends to her pink lips, still as soft and inviting as they were two years ago.

She hasn’t changed much since that night, when she rode on the back of that dirt bike tied to me by a belt.

The memory of her soft lips, of her sweet taste, floods me like a tidal wave.

I know she recognizes me because she’s checking me out the same way I’m doing with her. That night, at the party, was one of the best nights of my life. I’ve thought about Zara countless times in the past two years. I had planned on knocking on her hotel room door, but Ares had stopped me. He was adamant that we had offered Zara a place to stay, and we needed to behave like gentlemen. Going to her room, according to my brother, would have been like asking for a quid pro quo. I let him convince me to wait. I would get her number and maybe take her out, just the two of us.

But then Atlas was hit by that rogue bike and our lives changed forever.

In the chaos that followed the crash, I had lost track of Zara. None of us remembered our promise to give her a ride home until much later that night; and by then Zara was gone.

I had thought about looking for her a few months later, but I never did.

Atlas’s death changed our family and our town in too many ways to count. The memory of Zara was part of a time when my heart and my family were whole. That time was gone forever. A part of me preferred to keep that memory intact, rather than making Zara a part of this new reality.

“Chance,” Dad’s eyes go from mine to my hand. “Are you going to give Zara’s hand back any time today?”

Shit.

I’ve been staring at her, holding her hand into mine for far longer than it’s appropriate. “Sorry. I just… you look familiar.” I say, searching her gaze for a sign that she hasn’t forgotten that weekend of two years ago.

“You too,” she smiles. “And Lev.”

There’s a beat of silence. Dad looks at the three of us, as if trying to figure something out.

Thinking about it, Zara and Heather had been hanging out with us in the paddock until the very last minute. We walked back to the VIP seating area and then the girls had gone to the bathroom. Shortly after, our lives were turned upside down. I doubt I even introduced them back then, as we were all focused on the race.

ZARA

“Hi, I’m Chance. And this is my friend, Lev.”

His hand is so big that it swallows mine. The skin of his palm is warm and slightly rough.

My eyes rove over his tall, athletic body. Both Chance and Lev haven’t changed much since two years ago; they just look more grown up.

Their bodies have filled out, the lines of their faces have lost the softness of childhood.

I feel heat rising to my face, as I can’t take my eyes off of them. I kissed both of these guys.

In the two years since that night in Bridgeport, there haven’t been that many kisses.

I guess it shouldn’t be that surprising, since Mom sent me to an all-female school after she found out how I had lied to follow Cal. My ex was everything my mom disapproved of. He wasn’t in college, he rode motorcycles, and he was five years older than me.

The only guys I’ve been hanging out with since being sent to boarding school are my roommate, Sydney’s brother and his friends. I’ve been spending every holiday in Florida with her family after that first disastrous Christmas reunion with Mom.

There have been a couple of dates, a few good-night kisses, but nothing serious or noteworthy.

I should probably stop staring at them, but I can’t. I’m not the only one who’s staring anyway. Chance and Levin’s eyes are fixed on me too. I know they remember me, because they’re looking at me as if they’ve seen a ghost.

Taken individually, each of them is hot. But side by side? They’re like a dream come true.

Chance is almost too good looking with his golden blond hair and his intense, ocean blue eyes. Levin is just as tall and muscular, but he’s the epitome of dark and handsome. His dark brown hair is cut short on the sides and the back of his head, but it’s a little longer on the top. A lock of hair falls down onto his forehead in a sexy, almost defiant way. His eyes are an intense shade of emerald green.

My heart picks up its pace under their gazes. The memory of dancing between them on the beach, of kissing them both, has resurfaced in my mind countless times in the past two years.

Every time I was out on a date with one of Sydney’s friends, I couldn’t help but compare their kisses to Chance and Lev’s. That’s why none of those dates has ever turned into anything more. Because nothing has ever compared to how Chance and Lev made me feel.

I’m so caught up in the surprise of seeing them again that I don’t realize that we’ve been standing here for much longer than appropriate. My hand is still in Chance’s grip.

The spell we seem to be under is broken when someone clears their throat. “Chance,” Scott Hunter is looking at us with a mixture of surprise and irritation in his blue eyes. “Are you going to give Zara’s hand back any time today?”

Chance’s eyes widen, and he lets go of my hand as if it was on fire. He murmurs something about me looking familiar; that’s the confirmation I needed that he remembers me too.

“You too,” I smile. “And Lev.”

Scott claps his son’s shoulder, but his smile is directed at me. “Star Cove and Shell Cove are neighboring towns. It’s possible you saw each other around. But you’ll have all the time in the world to discuss that later. Why don’t we help Zara with her bags and give her some time to get settled and changed for dinner? I would have loved to grill some steak outside on the deck tonight,” his smile is apologetic. “But the town’s small business owners are hosting a special dinner at the Country Club. As mayor, it’s my duty to attend, and I thought why not make it a family outing at the same time? I’ll have to give a speech and shake a few hands, but after that, we’ll have time to talk and get to know each other.”

Mom chimes in, clapping her hands. “That sounds great. Why don’t we show Zara her room and then we can meet downstairs in about one hour? We’ll do a proper tour of the house tomorrow morning, before work.” Her tone is upbeat, and she’s smiling from ear to ear.

I haven’t seen Mom this happy since forever. Since Dad.

“Hmm, thank you, Mr. Hunter. But I?—”

“Zara,” Mom’s fiancé smiles. “Please call me Scott. I know you have a father, but we’re family now and I really hope you and I will become friends. With time, I would love to become another paternal figure to you. I know we’ve just met, but it’s my intention to build us the kind of relationship I have with my sons. I’ve always wanted a daughter, and I feel like this is my chance.”

Mom takes his hand, her eyes shiny with barely contained tears. “Aww, sweetheart. That’s so sweet. I’m sure you and Zara will be great friends. She’s always been close to my ex-husband and she’ll be lucky to have another amazing man calling her his daughter.”

I don’t know how to feel about what she just said. Dad is far from perfect, but I love him.

I swallow those words, however. This is my second chance to build a better relationship with Mom. If Scott is part of the deal, I can give him a chance, too.

“Thank you, Scott.” I smile. “Dinner at the Country Club sounds great. I hope I have something suitable to wear. At school we had uniforms and I?—”

“I got you a couple of things, sweetie,” Mom intervenes. “We can go shopping this week to make sure you have more options for school, too. But I took the liberty of getting you a couple of dressy items to get you by until then. After all, you’re the mayor’s daughter now. Everything is already in your closet.”

My smile falters, but I do my best to hide it. I don’t know how to act around this new version of Mom. When I was a child, she was sweet but firm with me. After the divorce, her affectionate side had almost disappeared. She was so strict that I spent most of my time trying to elude her million rules.

It looks like Scott brought back her sweet side, but I can feel the underlying tension in her demeanor. She’s desperate for this blended family to work out, but she’s worried that I’ll fuck this up.

I guess she has a point being worried. We haven’t been on the best of terms since she shipped me off to boarding school. To be honest, we haven’t been on any terms.

The reality is that she could have written me off. I’m eighteen and she doesn’t really owe me anything. This might be her overcompensating for the last two years; and while her intensity is a little disconcerting, I appreciate her attempt to salvage a relationship between us.

“Thank you, Mom.” I smile. “Hopefully, what you got me will fit me.”

Her smile widens. “Of course, baby girl. Don’t forget that I had to sign all your school paperwork, including your uniform orders.”

Right.

Then all I can hope is that she didn’t get the same style of clothes she always tried to put me in when I was in my tweens and early teens. Mom has always been a girly girl, while I would live in jean cut-offs and tank tops.

“Chance, sweetheart,” Mom smiles. “Do you mind helping Zara with her suitcase? You know where her room is. I need to get ready too and I don’t want to make the mayor late. Unfortunately, the times when a little lip gloss and a swipe of mascara were enough to look pretty are long gone.”

Her tone is clearly self-deprecating, but Scott reacts to it in a way I can’t help but approve of.

“You’re beautiful no matter what you wear, my love. Whether it’s a power suit, a ballgown, or some cute overalls and no makeup. By the way, I’m totally digging your packing the house attire.” His lips curl up in a way that reminds me of the way Chance smiled at me when he saw me a few minutes ago.

“Are you trying to flatter me, Mr. Mayor?” Mom flirts.

“Is it working?” he smirks.

“Totally.” She bats her eyelashes. “Let’s go get ready. I know you need me to help you choose the right tie.”

Scott’s smile widens. “Where would I be without you? Guys,” he says to us. “See you all down here in one hour. Lev, I hope you’ll join us?” Lev nods. “I’ll go get changed and be right back. Thanks, Scott.”

Mom’s fiancé smiles. “You know you’re one of us. Ares might show up later, depending on his shift. Now, let me go get presentable for my constituents and my future bride.”

We watch them walk up the stairs.

“I think ‘let me go get presentable,’ is code for ‘they’re boning in the shower.’” Lev snickers.

Chance shudders. “Dude, gross. I think you’re right, though. Are we riding together to the Club?”

Lev’s green eyes skim the length of my body as he answers his best friend. “Sure. We have a lot of catching up to do with your new stepsister. See you later, Zara.”

Once Lev leaves, Chance and I look at each other for a long moment.

He grabs my suitcase. “Let me show you to your room.”

I follow him up the stairs, admiring his broad back and the ease with which he hauls my heavy suitcase up the stairs.

“Here we are. Welcome home.” He opens the door and ushers me in.

My arm brushes against his chest as he holds the door open for me.

The heady combination of his body heat and his clean, delicious scent almost stops me in my tracks. I have to use every ounce of my self-control to suppress the shiver that works its way down my spine and turns into liquid heat once it reaches my lower belly.

I distract myself by taking a look at my bedroom. This is going to be home for the foreseeable future. Mom was definitely downplaying things when she called this “nice.”

The room is large and airy, with two big bay windows shaded by gauzy curtains that billow in the sea breeze. I look outside at the large backyard that gradually gives way to the beach right outside.

The furniture is solid and made of light wood, the upholstery is in various shades of lavender and mint green. A king size bed with four long posts gives the room a modern but feminine feel.

“The first door over there is the closet,” Chance points out. “And that one’s your bathroom. I’m right across the hallway if you need anything, but I think Kelly stocked up your bathroom yesterday.”

I nod, unable to take my eyes off of him. This room is huge, and yet he fills it with his presence. “Thank you. I guess I should find out what my mom expects me to wear tonight. Hopefully, it isn’t something she would have put me in when I was twelve.”

I move to check out the closet, but Chance’s fingers close around my wrist. His grip is gentle, but has the desired effect of stopping me and making me turn to look at him.

“Zara, see you downstairs.” He murmurs, his eyes two deep blue pools.

The corner of his lips quirk up in just the hint of a smile, but it’s so short-lived that I almost think I’ve imagined it.

When he releases my wrist and walks out of my room, I shudder, missing the warmth of his fingers on my skin.