Page 56

Gwen

I finished up my filing, at the accounting office, at the rink, waved to the accountant, clocked out, and headed upstairs. Yeah, I needed to thank Valya’s friend for choosing such nice outfits for me at the boutique, and for creating those lists of what went together.

Back then, I hadn’t realized I wouldn’t be wearing my rink uniform when I worked in the back office.

Clark and some others were in the small rink doing drills, but I needed to get my cardio in. With my schedule, and because I lived off-campus, getting to my university team cardio and strength training workouts got hard. Coach Hirata was fine with me doing them here as long as they got done.

The main weight room had a group of rookies doing an organized workout, and another group was doing drills with cones in the other workout room. Rookie camp was in progress, with a scrimmage against the Jersey rookies tomorrow, and a rookie tournament on Saturday. That would help determine who got to come to training camp on Tuesday.

Us EBUGs had gotten to help a little with rookie camp, which was always fun. In fact, Coach expected me down on the ice soon.

Rusty and a couple of Maimers were in the dance room with the choreographer, working stuff out for this season’s dances before their season began.

I let myself into the small workout room, which was empty and quiet. This was the no alphas workout room–and mostly for Dean’s comfort. No de-scenter or cleaner in the world could make the big workout room smell like anything but sweaty alpha.

Putting on some music, I got to work, setting an alarm, so I knew when to go down to the ice. While it was fun working out with people, sometimes it was nice to have quiet. I sort of missed those late-night solo workouts on the ice, back when I was staying in the closet.

I didn’t miss the closet.

“Oh, it’s just you. Hey, Ladybug.” One of the trainers stood in the doorway, peeking to see who was inside.

“Yep, it’s me. Not a rookie being hazed.” I was almost done and down to my stretches. Currently, I was on the mats, legs in the splits, chest to the floor. Sometimes alpha rookies were told this was the rookie workout room as a joke.

I popped up and grabbed my phone, then opened the app Coach Hirata had me tracking my cardio, strength training, and conditioning on. “Can you sign off for me?”

“Sure.” He took my phone and signed off.

Coach Hirata didn’t care who signed. Various Maimers had done so for me many times, as had Dean, Carlos, and Dimitri.

“Thanks.” I took my phone back, finished, then checked my email and texts.

Tenzin had sent me a picture of him and Cooter at Cooter’s ranch. He came back tomorrow. I sent him a picture of me sitting on a stability ball. Clark texted that he was meeting with the conditioning coach.

The apartment building had messaged that I’d gotten a package from Matty. Nice. That must be my hockey cards. Mercy also wanted to know if I wanted to come over tonight. Hmm. Clark had a sponsor thing, and Mercy and I hadn’t hung out in a while.

Another notification made me pause.

And… oh? So soon? I did a little happy wiggle, still sitting on the ball. I hadn’t expected my scholarship disbursement to hit my bank account today. It was way more than I thought it was going to be, too.

Amazing. The first thing I wanted to do was buy a meal or coffee for the meal walls at the places that still did it. Just like when I got a big tip.

The alarm on my phone went off. First, time to help out with the rookies.

“A pastrami sandwich with fries and extra pickles and a cookie, to go please,” I told Zia, as I ordered at the Italian deli. I hadn’t been here in a while. “Oh, I’d like a meatball sandwich with extra cheese, fries, and a cookie too. I… I can pay. I got my scholarship money today,” I told her as she rang me up.

Earlier today I’d gone to some of the places where I used their meal boards and bought things for it to pay forward the kindness people had shown me. It felt good to do that.

Since the deli simply fed me for free, I wanted to buy things.

She looked me over. “Good for you. You sure? Who’s that for?”

“I am. School year’s going well. It’s for, well, I guess he’s my boyfriend and don’t worry, he’s much better than the last one.” I eyed the total, which was only for Clark’s meal. But I paid. They didn’t have a tip jar, or I’d stuff it.

“Good. He should be good to you. If not, let me know. Study hard,” she told me as she handed me my food, but not before she tucked extra cookies in there.

Order in hand, I took the subway back to the apartment. I got my package at the desk, then went upstairs, hoping Clark hadn’t left yet for the sponsor thing with the hair gel people.

“Hey, Gweny.” Clark wore a navy suit, with a light-blue shirt, and a striped blue tie, feet bare. His hair was neat and slicked back.

“Hi, Clark, I got you a meatball sandwich. I know you have a thing tonight, but I can put it in the fridge.” I put the food and package on the counter, and my backpack and duffle on the bench, then kicked off my shoes.

Clark swooped in and kissed me on the cheek. He found it and took a huge bite. Bliss coated his face. “So good. Where’s it from?”

“A deli not that far from the zoo. I got my disbursement today.” I’d scarfed my fries and the cookies down on the subway, even though they’d fed us after practice. “If there’s any bills you need me to pay, let me know.”

Clark grinned, sauce on his face. “That’s how I felt after I got my first PHL paycheck. I think we’re good. You probably have things to buy before the fancy dinner, like getting your dress altered or new eyeshadow. Though Snowball says she deserves a treat.”

Snowball was on the counter, trying to eat Clark’s fries.

“Do you need a widdle treat?” I picked her up and gave her a kiss.

She yowled as if to say, yes please, then jumped down to sniff my shoes.

“How was class?” He took another bite.

“Fraud class was great. After class, I studied and had coffee in the campus center with some classmates.” All the campus center places took either meal swipes or dining dollars. “Then we had practice, which ended early.”

Using a knife, I opened the big box from my brother. At the top was a small box, with all of my hockey cards I’d fenced.

“Oooh, is that your Maria Barilla card?” Clark leaned into me, making me very aware of his hay and sunshine scent.

Since the night I’d ended up in his bed after the nightmare, we’d been going to bed together a lot. He always let me take the lead. If I needed to snuggle, we snuggled. If I needed knots, I got knots.

If I needed to be eaten out on the seat of his motorcycle, we did that.

Mmmm, I could get used to this.

“Yeah.” I ran my finger down the case the card was in. I was so happy to have it back. I’d like to think she wouldn’t be too mad that I sold it, considering it was for my education.

I showed him the others, including the signed Mario D’Angelo card my brother Luca had given me. Mario had played for Venice and the Italian national team and had been Luca’s favorite player. It was the nicest thing he’d ever done for me.

Clark took some photos out of an envelope. “Is that your mom?”

There was a picture of my mom holding me as a baby, the dads with her. “Yep.”

Clark smiled. “She’s beautiful and looks a lot like you.”

Tears pricked my eyes. “I miss her.”

“I’m sure you do.” He hugged me to him.

There were a couple of other pictures, including a family photo from Isa’s wedding of all of us, one of me and mom at a skating competition, and one of Matty and me at his mating party, at the wildlife park in Quebec.

“I love seeing these pictures.” Clark shoved the last of the fries in his mouth and looked at his phone. “Ugh. I have to go. What are you doing tonight? Study? Party? Work?”

“There’s a party. I should study. I think I’ll go to Mercy’s and make cookies and play video games. We haven’t done that in ages.” I carefully put the photos back in the envelope.

Clark put his shoes on, then grabbed his keys and helmet. He kissed me long and deep. “Have fun. See you later.”

I waved as he disappeared out the door. Mmmm, I liked me some goodbye kisses.

Mercy

Are you coming? Kaiko’s here.

Me

On my way.

There were a few other things in the box–including the jewelry I’d sold Lenny, minus the things from Austin. At the bottom was a paper sack with pink fabric. The dress. The pink looked lighter than I remembered–not that my memory was perfect by any means. I texted Matty.

Me

Thanks for all the stuff.

Matty

I’m glad to give you your things back. I sent pictures and found the dress. It was always my favorite of hers.

Was it? Okay.

However, my painting wasn’t in the box. Maybe it didn’t fit, and he’d mail it separately.

I grabbed the bag and my backpack, put the envelope of pictures in it, and took off for Mercy’s. The building Verity and her pack lived in was close by–and fancy. They owned a two-story penthouse with a patio.

I texted her from downstairs and the elevator buzzed; the doors opening. The elevator went right into their living room like a TV show. As the doors opened, I saw Dean, Jonas, and Grif were watching TV together, drinking beer and eating something that smelled good. Their place was huge with the kitchen and dining room opening up onto a stellar view of the city.

“Hi, Ladybug. Mercy and Kaiko are upstairs,” Jonas told me. “What’s the plan tonight? You know, I’m still finding beads from all those bracelets you made for her birthday party.”

“I think we’re baking cookies.” I looked around. “Is Team Mom home?” I could ask Verity if I needed some dress help.

“She and AJ are on a date.” Dean’s voice grew sing-song.

“Nice. I get to go on one tomorrow with Tens.” I did a little happy dance. He’d texted me earlier. We were going dancing.

“So you are dating both of them?” Dean asked, leaning into Jonas as he gave me a teasing look.

“Yeah.” My cheeks warmed. I’d signed the papers in HR, so other than reassuring Coach K that I wasn’t being pressured into it, everything was fine.

With a wave I headed upstairs, where Mercy’s room and the living room we hung out in was.

Mercy and Kaiko sat in the living area, which had beanbags and cozy couches with pillows, along with a TV and her gaming systems.

“Gwenifer.” Kaiko stood and gave me a big hug. She was several inches taller than me, with light golden skin, killer legs peeking out of short shorts, and hair up in two little puffs. Pink streaked her black hair. She was nineteen and had joined the Maimers last year with Mercy.

“You’re back!” I put the bag and my backpack down, then hugged her. She’d gone back home to her parents for the off-season.

Kaiko was an alpha and played swing. That meant that mostly she played crusher like Mercy, trying to stop the other team’s bullet from scoring, but she could be tagged in as the Maimers’ bullet. You had to be versatile and fast.

She picked up a box. “I got you a present. I didn’t know these were your favorite, or I’d have my parents put them in their care packages.”

In her hands was a giant package of little bags of chocolate buttons, like the kind you’d get from a vending machine. “Shit, this is for me? Did you rob the business warehouse store?”

“My parents have a membership,” she told me.

I did a happy dance and opened it, pouring a bag into my mouth and offering bags to them. “Thank you so much. What do I owe you?”

This would keep me in buttons for a while. So many chocolate buttons!

Kaiko waved me off. “Don’t worry about it. How did I not know you were Canadian? Aren’t you from upstate?”

“Thank you. Um, that’s where I lived with my grandparents.”

“Are you from Kaiko’s part, Jonas’ part, or somewhere in the middle? Pretty sure you’re not from Quebec.” Mercy took a handful of spicy cheese puffs from a bowl on the table. Jonas was from Toronto.

Kaiko opened her mini-fridge and held up a can of soda.

“I grew up close to you, Kaiko.” I caught the can she threw. “There was this dance shop I loved to go to because they had much better stuff than the one by us. Or so my tiny self thought.”

Kaiko grinned. “Is it the one between the bookstore and that little tea shop with the purple chairs? We usually go to one on the other side of town, but sometimes we went to birthday parties there.”

“They have the best mini swan cream puffs.” Usually my mom and sisters would have tea, while Babo went with me to the shop and got me what I needed. Sometimes I talked him into a trip to the bookstore. I took a sip of soda and plopped down on one of the couches.

Mercy took another handful of cheese puffs. “I feel like baking chocolate chip cookies.”

“Sounds good. Should we make food first?” Kaiko held up her backpack. “I brought back those ramen noodle packs you like.”

“Oooh, and rice sprinkles?” I grinned. Tenzin had like ten different types of rice sprinkles.

“Of course. Hot sauce, too.” Kaiko started pulling food out of her bag.

Tenzin had given me a new appreciation for hot sauce.

“Oh, I got my package from Matty, so I brought the dress for the dinner,” I added.

Mercy’s eyes fell on the rumpled white paper sack. “Who are you going with, Clark?”

“Yep, we’re bringing Tenzin, too.” The idea of dressing up and dancing with Tenzin made excitement shoot through me.

“Fun. I’m going with Verity and the guys, since dressing up and eating free fancy food sounds fun,” she told me.

“My brother mailed pictures of me and of my mom.” I took the envelope out of my bag and handed it to her. “Since you wanted to see me in a skating costume. Anyhow, my mom always had such pretty dresses. I’m surprised one of my sisters didn’t take it. They took a lot of them after she died.”

Like to the point I’d hidden two of them in the attic, so they wouldn’t take them. Both dresses would be too short for me now, which was why I’d asked for this one. It made a dress-puddle on her while she wore heels, so it should work okay for me.

“Awww, you’re so fucking cute.” Mercy showed Kaiko the picture of me at the skating competition.

“This one’s pink, bare shoulders, ties in the back with a bow, and pools onto the ground. She looked like a princess in it. I’m going to need some alterations. Her post-eight kids rack is bigger than mine.” I opened the sack.

The dress had been stuffed in the bag and not even folded. A little mustiness wafted off it. I tore open the bag and pale pink fabric with pink flowers flowed out. Huh? I removed the dress, careful of all the food and drinks.

“It’s so wrinkled. Did he just stuff it in a sack?” Mercy laughed. “I have brothers that would totally do that.”

I shook it out, not that it did anything for the creases. The dress was beautiful, off the shoulder with a V-neck. Delicate pink and green flowers decorated a shimmery overlay on top of pale pink fabric. The skirt was full and had a bit of a train with a corset back.

It was beautiful. Too beautiful for the likes of me.

And very much not the dress I thought he was sending.

“Ooh, look at that,” Kaiko cooed. “That lace-up back.”

“You’re going to need one of those poofy slips,” Mercy told me. “If Verity’s are too long, maybe Valya has one? No, that might be too short.”

I held the dress up. “This isn’t the dress I asked for. It’s so beautiful.”

Kaiko took the dress from me and laid it out over one of the beanbags. “It’s not the dress? It does tick off all the boxes.”

“True. I think I might wear it anyway, if it fits. It won’t be too fancy, will it?” It was fluffy, not sleek.

“Is there such a thing? You’re going to look like a fucking princess. I can’t wait to see the expressions on your boys’ faces,” Mercy chuckled. “They are your boys, right? Valya says you were hooking up with them at the wedding, but Dean says you’re dating.”

“Yes.” My cheeks burned.

“Clark is one hot tater tot. You should absolutely fuck him and keep him. I’ve only seen pictures of the other one, but hoo boy, he’s a sexy man.” Kaiko threw a cheese puff in the air and caught it in her mouth.

“He’s taller than Grif. ” Mercy grabbed a handful. “If they treat you right, go for it.”

“They do. I don’t know what we are? Like it’s serious and exclusive, I think. Tens and I are coming off breakups. Though I’m ready and Clark…” I exhaled as I remembered last night…

“The man bought you books and bubble tea. I’m pretty sure he thinks you’re dating,” Mercy laughed.

Kaiko nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with dating again. If anyone says anything, they can fuck off.”

“True. I mean, they’re already mine.” I looked at my phone and Matty had texted me more.

Matty

Flavie thought you wanted some hot pink one. But I knew when you said looked like a princess, it was this one. Chiara has that one, anyway.

Send me a pic from the hockey dance.

Me

I will

Thanks again, it’s so pretty.

“Oh. A sister I don’t like has the other.” This was much prettier. It was surprising no one had taken it.

“There’s a little damage to the fabric, mostly fraying at the seams, and there’s a big rip, but it’s fixable in the hands of the right person,” Kaiko told me. “Let’s go into Mercy’s room. You can try it on and we’ll see what we can do. Mercy, bring me straight pins.”

Mercy’s room was done in earth tones, and on the wall was a nature photo she’d taken, that had been blown up on a giant canvas and hand-tinted by Dean.

Stripping out of the sweats I’d put on after practice, I stepped into the delicate dress. Kaiko had already undone the back.

We pulled it up, the soft fabric cascading over me. It was tight in the shoulders.

“That’s pretty. Look.” Kaiko finished lacing the back.

I looked in the mirror, on her closet door and sucked in a breath. My hands smoothed the full skirt. “Wow.”

The girl who looked back at me was unfamiliar. Shit, she looked good.

“The sleeves are cutting off the circulation to my arms.” I tugged at them, the tightness taking away from the rest of the dress. A rip rang through the room and I looked at the fabric in my hand, horrified. “Oh, fuck.”

“Hey, it’s okay. We were going to have to alter that, anyway. Clearly your mom had chesticles, but she must have skipped arm day,” Kaiko soothed. “There’s enough boning to make it strapless. That’s beyond what I can do–if we’re allowed to alter it?”

“We’re going to have to if I’m going to wear that, and I want to.” I bit my lower lip. “My sisters alter my mom’s dresses, so it’s fine.”

I didn’t stalk my sister Isa’s socials, but I’d seen her on the red carpet in more than one of my mom’s old dresses and she’d absolutely have to alter them.

“Here, let’s try.” Kaiko undid the lacing, helped me take my arms out, then redid it, tucking them in. She frowned and pinned a few things. “It’ll take someone cleverer than me, though. I just know the basics from years of helping out with my sibling’s dance shit.”

“I do feel like a princess. Is it too short? I can see my toes.” I looked down and wiggled them.

“You’ll have to wear flats.” Kaiko got on the ground with the safety pins.

“Verity probably has a good tailor? Like the one who did all the beads on that dress she wore to the gala last year.” I swished the skirt.

“That person’s out of town. We’ll figure it out–you have to wear that dress,” Mercy told me.

“I’ll text my cousin, she lives here and fixes costumes for the opera and ballet. Can I send her pics?” Kaiko asked. “She’ll charge you a fair price and she does nice work–especially on old and fragile dresses. One of the museums had her fix the dress on one of their sculptures.”

“Sure. That sounds good.” I’m sure Verity paid premium prices, and while I appreciated quality and the time it took, my money only went so far.

Kaiko took a bunch of pictures, then took some tape and put it on all the frayed parts.

Mercy picked up the bag. “Hey there’s something in here.” She took out a little bag. “There’s a note, I can’t find the necklace mom wore. But this is close. Oooh, pretty.”

She held up a triple-strand pearl necklace and some earrings that I recognized. They’d belonged to some aunty or nonna or something.

“Here, let’s put on the necklace.” Mercy helped me with it. “Oh, yeah. We can do our hair and makeup together. I’m going with Verity and the guys. Valya’s going with Dimitri. We’ll make it a party.”

“I like that idea. Maybe we can get pedicures, too.” I couldn’t help but stare at myself in the mirror. I’d need shoes, possibly a haircut by then, but yeah…

Mercy took a bag out of her closet. “Gwen, do you want to try on some of the shit I outgrew and take what fits.”

“Sure. You have cute shit. Thanks.” I swished again, not ready to take the dress off. Never had I worn something so beautiful.

Kaiko looked up from her phone. “My cousin thinks she can do it. At least we have a couple of weeks. I’ll bring it to her tomorrow?”

“Perfect. Thank you.”

Oh, I couldn’t wait for Clark and Tenzin to see me in this dress.