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Chapter 39

Guy

“I hate that I can’t be there tonight,” I said into the phone. Kitty was having her housewarming party for all of her L.A. friends and coworkers that night. “I can’t believe everyone else is getting to see your house first.”

“You’ll be here tomorrow. I promise I’ll save some fun for you,” she said. “How’s Anaheim?”

“Oh, ya know,” I said, trying to play it cool. “Sunny. Pretty. But I’d rather be with you.”

“I know, baby. Hey, thanks for sending those flowers. They look good with all the wood and stone in the house,” she said, adoration clear in her voice.

“Are they big? I wanted them embarrassingly big.”

“They’re enormous,” she laughed. “I have to rethink how I’m going to put all the food around it.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

“Hey, where are you? It’s quiet. Shouldn’t you be on the bus to the arena?”

Fuck, she was onto me. “No, we got here a little early and I found a quiet spot. I just wanted to talk to you before it was late and you were all champagne buzzed.”

“I appreciate it,” she said quietly. “I know you like to get in the zone before games. You calling means a lot.”

“Anything for you, ma puce ,” I said. “I’ll call you after the game, but don't feel like you have to pick up if you still have lots of guests. I know you’ll do great hosting tonight.”

She gave an exaggerated groan. “Yeah, you know I get weird about hosting. I’ll let you get to it, though. Give ‘em hell, Stelle. I love you.”

“I love you more, Birdy.”

* * *

My hands shook as I walked up to Kitty’s house. I rang the doorbell before trying the handle. Her porch was so perfectly her: a simple wreath and little yellow flowers in concrete planters. The mid-century modern house was modest, but it was something I knew Kitty had wanted for years. She loved houses that looked like her Meemaw’s house. I knew she was especially excited about the pool and hot tub in the backyard. She was obsessed with 1950s California houses. I was so happy she’d gotten everything she wanted. And all on her own. Without me. I knew that was important to her. I could buy her whatever her heart desired, but she wanted to make her own way.

“Just come in!” yelled a voice from inside. But I wanted Kitty to answer the door. I rang again and again, being a pest with the button.

“Jesus, God, what?” Kitty demanded when she wrenched the door open. Her face went from annoyed to shocked as she realized it was me. She looked at the champagne and flowers in my hands. She sucked in a breath, tears making the sound choppy. Her eyes rounded. “You’re here.”

I grinned. “I’m here.”

“Put that shit down so I can maim you,” she commanded as she threw her arms around my neck. Of course, she hadn’t given me a chance to put that shit down, so I wrapped her up while still holding the flowers and booze. She covered my neck in kisses before putting both hands on my face, like she didn’t believe I was real. “How?”

“Coach let me be a healthy scratch tonight,” I said, smiling down at her. “I couldn’t miss this, Kitty.”

The kiss Kitty launched was aggressive and tenacious. I held her tight, elated to have her back in my arms. We hadn’t seen each other since New York, and I’d made a lot of changes to make sure I could keep her in my arms more often than not. But I’d tell her that later.

“Come meet everybody,” she whispered against my mouth, then dragged me through the door.

“Listen up!” Kitty shouted into the room. Her guests laughed and looked up at us. “This is Guy. He’s real. He’s actually here.”

A cheer went up from the room. “Did you tell them I’m not real?”

“No. They just don’t believe that I’m involved with some hockey star,” she laughed.

Kitty paraded me around the room, introducing me to her boss, the producer of the show she worked on, and some of her L.A. friends I’d never met. It felt so good to be by her side again, the man on her arm. The man with an arm around her waist. The man glued to her, pawing at her, staring at her because I needed her.

I helped her pour and hand out champagne to all the guests so she could make a toast.

“Come stand with me, Guy,” she said after she brought the room to attention. She wound her arm around my back. “Thank you, everyone, for coming over to help me break in my new house. Don’t be strangers. Most of y’all know I’m from West Virginia, so I come from a place where I expect you to just show up and insert yourself in my business. If you’re here tonight, you are always welcome in my home. I’m new to L.A. and I need all the love I can get. Especially with this guy far away,” she said, nudging my side. “It means so much to me to already have such an awesome work family, and friends that I stole from New York. Thanks for being my people. Cheers!”

The room erupted in heartfelt cheers, glasses clinking. I leaned down to Kitty.

“Mind if I say something?”

“Go ahead. Don’t embarrass me, though, Guy Stelle,” she warned. I clinked her glass to mine to quiet the room again.

“Kitty said I could give a toast, too, as long as I don’t embarrass her,” I said, beaming at her. “I’ve known Kitty for a long time. A decade or so now, right, ma puce ?”

Kitty nodded, blushing.

“I’m sure if you know her, you know how hard she works. She’s wanted this for as long as I’ve known her, and it’s been such a joy to watch her grow her talents and succeed. I just wanted to toast Kitty, because I’m so proud of her and who she’s become. In a world full of Pepsi and Coke, she’s my Dr. Pepper. I love you, Birdy. Cheers.”

Glasses were raised again with a few swoons as I kissed Kitty, the taste of champagne on her lips.

“Okay! We’re in a room full of writers and creatives, but nobody steal his line! It’s mine,” Kitty announced, fanning her face. “Now everybody, eat, drink, dance, and have a good time!”

Her friends seemed pretty cool, overall. I don’t know what I expected for L.A. I guess something more superficial, but everyone was genuine and kind. Just like Kitty, no one treated me like a meathead. Well, I guess one guy asked me if all my teeth were real, but that’s a decently valid question for someone who plays professional hockey. Some even complimented how funny I was in our stand-up appearance from New York. One guy said he’d ask if I could be a guest on SNL.

“Only if Kitty helps me,” I said. “I couldn’t be funny without her.”

While I loved meeting all her people, I was eager to get Kitty alone. It was getting late and I needed to be up early the next day. When it got close to midnight, I had to speak up.

I took her hand between conversations and leaned down to her ear. “Hey, Birdy, I think I’m going to head out.”

“Head out? You’re not staying with me?” she asked, her face thoroughly confused.

“Can we talk outside?”

“Uh, yeah,” she said, looking scared. I took her hand and led her to her backyard. She had the area around the pool lit with candles and hanging lanterns. A few guests stood outside, smoking and chatting. They didn’t pay us any mind as we sat on a lounge chair by the pool. “Did you come here to break off whatever we’ve got going on?”

“Never,” I said. “I actually just wanted to check in with you. We haven’t really talked about it since New York. If I can figure out a way to make it all work with us, is that what you want?”

Her face turned pensive. “Yes.”

“I need you to be absolutely sure, Kitty. No holding back. No reservations. You fully want this?”

Her mouth arranged into a little pout. “I’ve fully wanted this since we were kids, Guy. I never would have left if we’d been able to stay together.”

My heart fluttered looking over at her. “Good.”

“Do you have some kind of plan you’re not telling me about?”

“Working on one. I don’t want to jinx it and make it end up not working out,” I said. “You’re coming to the game tomorrow, right? And sitting with Mel? She asks about you constantly. Misses you.”

“I wouldn’t dare miss it, baby,” she said, holding my chin for a kiss. I tugged her closer, deepening it. “You’re sure you don’t want to stay over?”

I booped her nose. “I don’t want you to kick your guests out and I need good sleep. We’ve got an early practice since the game’s at five. You’ll still go to dinner with me after?”

“Of course,” she grinned. “I’ll take you for as many hours as I can get you. And I appreciate you sneaking out tonight to surprise me. It means a lot.”

“This house is perfect, Birdy. Everything you dreamed of.”

She glowed with pride and gave me a final kiss before sending me on.