Page 33

CHAPTER 33

(Almost) Midnight Kisses

LUCY

Tuesday, December 31

“ L ucy, hurry your ass up and get out here!” January screeches at me from Atticus’s family room. “We have pre-gaming to do.”

“Coming, you psycho!” I glare down at my phone, anger boiling in my belly at the text from my father.

Dad/Richard/Asshole

Happy New Year’s, darling. I’ve been thinking about you a lot since Thanksgiving. I know things got awkward. I would love to talk about a new role I’m creating for you at DC FC. When are you free?

The man does not take no for an answer.

And he owes me an apology for inviting Ron to our dinner. But he would never apologize. Because he never thinks he’s wrong.

Even after I brought Kellen to dinner, even after I assured him I am happy in Colorado and pursuing the England job, even after Kellen told off Ron in front of him, my father pretends none of that is true or important. He pretends I didn’t leave because of Ron. Because my own father didn’t take my side.

But I’m really getting sick of thinking about all that.

I ignore the text and smooth my hair down in the mirror. January and Raleigh convinced me to get it straightened for tonight, and after hours at the salon, I look like an entirely different person. My hair is straight and much longer without the endless curls.

“I adore that dress, girly,” Raleigh says when I stride out into the living room, MBM trailing behind me.

I’m wearing a short, black, sparkly evening dress with long sleeves off my shoulders and a plunging V neckline, showing a bit of cleavage.

“Thanks, you look great too.”

“Not too much?” Raleigh looks down at herself and blushes. She’s wearing a belted maroon, sequin wrap dress, sleeveless with a scooped neckline. Add in dramatic eye makeup and bright red lipstick, and she doesn’t look like a boring pharmacist at all.

“If anything, too little, babes,” January pipes in. She’s in the kitchen preparing vodka tonics with an eye-watering ratio of vodka to tonic. “You’re still giving pharmacist vibes.”

Raleigh gasps. “Am I?”

“Definitely not, sis.” I throw a dirty look at January, who shrugs and leans down to scratch my dog’s head. He’s behaving and not jumping up on us for the time being, which is good because I’ll have to lock him in my room if he starts messing with our outfits.

“Hey, Janny? Can we not get trashed tonight?” I watch January add an extra splash of alcohol to the almost-full glasses.

January sashays over and passes me and Raleigh drinks.

“Why not?” She stares at me. “We’re finally all together! It’s been ages. We should celebrate.”

January is wearing a lace jumpsuit probably designed for twenty-year-olds with zero body fat and perfect curves, but she pulls it off with ease. The wide-legged black pants lead seamlessly to a sleeveless black and silver lace corset. Paired with high strappy heels, she looks like a runway model.

I wish I could be that confident in myself. In my life. She travels the world, hopping from one city to another doing freelance consulting. January’s managed to create a dream life for herself.

“Why not? Because this is my job. My boss will be there,” I attempt.

“Your job for, like, a few more months, max. And you can’t tell me this Lina person is going to be mad if you get a bit tipsy on New Year’s Eve.” January rolls her eyes. “Relax. You’re gonna get the England job.”

The morning after Kellen and I broke up, I got an email from Winchester FC inviting me to England for an in-person interview. Apparently, Lina had provided a glowing reference. And after hesitating for weeks, I asked the DC FC vice president of marketing and public relations for a reference. He had been my boss, technically, not my father. It still felt dirty to ask. I did it via email so I wouldn’t have to have a long conversation with him. He agreed to be a reference and suggested we schedule a call to catch up, which I never did.

Everything is coming together just as I planned.

January turns her dark blue eyes to me and tosses her long, almost-black hair over her shoulder. She’s basically a goddess.

“Where is Atticus, anyway?” Raleigh sets her glass down on the counter and spins it slowly.

I shrug. “With some of the guys. I’m sure the usual suspects: Kellen and Lachlan and Harley.”

“You’ve been super interested in Atticus’s whereabouts since we got here.” January makes a face at Raleigh. “What’s up with that?”

“Nothing’s up with that. Just curious.”

“Talked to your ex over the holidays? ”

Raleigh scoffs. “No. I’m glad he didn’t call. I’m especially glad I didn’t have to spend Christmas with his family. What a relief.”

“Why don’t we try not getting married to the next man you date?” January downs her drink.

“I won’t. I’m never getting married again.”

“Weren’t you on that new dating app earlier today?” January tilts her head.

“I’m just curious!” Raleigh throws her head back and sighs. “I’m not actually going to date anyone. Not anytime soon, anyway.”

“I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“Hey!”

They banter back and forth, and I smile and quietly sip my drink, scratching MBM’s head with one hand.

These are my people. January and Raleigh. My brother. My mom. I’m just here in Colorado for one season. If everything works out with Winchester FC, then I’ll move to England. And if it doesn’t, I need another plan.

Colorado will not be part of that plan.

The ballroom of the hotel in central Fort Collins is magically decorated for the holidays. Miles of white fairy lights line every door frame, table, and holiday decoration. Men in suits and tuxedos talk in groups, some older and some younger.

It’s a holiday wonderland in here, but I’m having a hard time keeping my eyes off Kellen. Even the side view of him across the room is mouthwatering. He’s wearing a black suit snugly fitted to his body, the jacket hugging his broad shoulders and perfectly tapering to his waist. No tie, but the top button of his white shirt is undone, adding a casual feel. He looks like he walked out of an advertisement.

Joy explodes inside me at the sight of him. This is the man I’m in love with. But then the joy fades as I remember we broke up, and I can’t have him.

Uniformed servers walk around with hors d’oeuvres and glasses of champagne. One passes in front of us and January waves at him to stop, gesturing for each of us to grab a glass of bubbly. Then she leads us to the center of the room like she owns the place.

“Let’s have a toast.” She lifts her champagne flute. “To Raleigh, for officially getting rid of that dead weight of an ex-husband. Congrats on your second divorce, babes.”

Raleigh moans but there’s a smile behind the grimace.

“And to Lucy.” January turns to me. “For getting railed by a hot hockey player.”

“January! Hush!” I glance around the room. “You’re practically shouting.”

“Lulu, you were publicly dating him.”

“Publicly fake dating.”

“I’m betting more than one person in this room knows it went a bit beyond that. Certainly the entire Kellcy Fake Dating Planning Committee, which included like half the team by the end.” January shakes her head. “Anyway! Not the point here.”

“Hey.” Raleigh grabs my hand. “You were so brave quitting DC FC, leaving everything behind to come here, and going for that job in England. You’re an inspiration.”

“Thanks, Raleigh.” I squeeze her hand and swallow down the sudden lump in my throat.

We all clink and drink. Even though earlier I suggested we don’t get trashed, what else do we have to do tomorrow besides sleep? I sneak a glance at the boys, who are now waiting in line for drinks, and Kellen’s eyes lock with mine.

Even from twenty feet away, I feel his gaze rake over me. He nods and raises his empty glass before turning back to the line at the bar. Harley and a few others stay with him, but Atticus spots us and practically skips over, Lachlan trailing behind. Atticus has been desperate to hang out with us since my friends arrived and it invokes such delightful college memories.

“Hey, Luce. January. Raleigh.” He nods to each of my friends. “You all look beautiful.”

Lachlan clears his throat. “It’s terrific to meet you stunning ladies in person, although I feel like I already know you from the Committee meetings.”

“Man, shut up.” Atticus glares at Lachlan, then turns back to us. “Just so you know, he’s a total player, so don’t be impressed by his stupid accent.”

“Like you’re not?” I make a face at my brother, who ignores me.

“You’re not wearing a frat t-shirt tonight.” Raleigh deadpans.

Atticus groans. “Because I’m twenty-nine years old and no longer identify as a fraternity brother. Will I ever live down those years of my life?” He keeps his eyes on Raleigh.

“No,” we all say at once.

“What part of Australia are you from?” January asks Lachlan.

“Far North Queensland. The jungle, basically,” he says and slides closer to her.

“I spent six months in Sydney a few years ago with a client,” January says.

The two of them chat and Raleigh and Atticus tease each other, but their conversations fade into background noise as I watch Kellen, Harley, and a Blizzard player I haven’t met walk across the ballroom.

Kellen’s stopped halfway by Savannah, who is with another gorgeous woman. Both of them are in expensive-looking dresses, surprisingly conservative. Savannah doesn’t put her hands on Kellen but instead touches her friend’s arm and appears to introduce her.

The whole fake dating thing really did work. For Kellen, at least. For me? I’m not sure, but I don’t really care about what my father thinks anymore .

The night goes on and we drink champagne, then red wine, then champagne again. My feet start to hurt in the heels, and I’m envious of Raleigh’s more conservative shoe choice of flats. January seems not at all bothered by her towering heels.

Kellen and I don’t talk. We orbit around each other like moons and never end up standing side-by-side when we’re in the same group. At one point, January walks over to Lina with me, and we chat with her and Savannah. Before I know it, it’s twenty minutes before the new year.

“Where’s Raleigh?” I ask.

January hooks her arm in mine, and we scan the group for our friend.

“Where’s your brother?” she asks.

“I don’t see him.”

“Interesting combination to disappear.”

We look at each other and at the same time say, “Nah.” Then burst out laughing.

“You’re not going to find a hockey player to kiss? After all your speeches about what you and Raleigh would do when you got here?”

“Meh.”

I crack up at her nonchalance, which I’m not sure I totally believe. She’s way too chill about relationships and love. It’s not natural.

“Harley’s staring at you,” I lean in to whisper in her ear.

“Harley has a girlfriend back in Maine.” She shakes her head.

“You talked about it, huh.”

January gives me a dirty look. “We were just making conversation.”

For once in the evening, I’m not paying attention to where Kellen is. Not until he walks up to us with Harley and says my name.