Page 33

thirty-three

. . .

Viv

The arena is bustling with the special frenzy of hockey fans. With Tony’s hand in mine and Cari beside him, we make our way to the suite we’ll be sitting in. As soon as Ceci heard Chuck would be in town, she insisted on coming to the game. Sadie, Vanessa, and Rachel are all in the suite with us, plus what feels like half of our book club. Hailey MacGregor too, whose brother is an assistant captain.

Cari bounds over to Hailey, pulling her into a hug. There are a few other men, mostly the partners of my friends, but the vast majority of our group is female. I love seeing women interested in sports. For so long, it’s been such a male-dominated world. I’m glad we’re starting to claw our way to an even playing field.

Tony swallows loudly as Ceci approaches with a sharp look in her eyes.

“What’s he doing here?” she demands, hands on her hips.

“We like him,” I tell her flatly. After all, the last time she’d seen him, I still hated him. Even though we’ve talked since then, I can’t blame her for being wary.

She grins. “Awesome. Welcome to the family, then.” Ceci tugs him into a hug.

He looks back at me with wide eyes.

“You’ll have to bring your cute friend around sometime,” she continues. “I could use more single guy eye candy.”

Tony forces a chuckle. “He has a girlfriend.”

“Shit. Okay, you’re out of the club.” She gives him a cheeky smile. “I’m kidding. But make some new, hot friends.”

“I’ll do my best.” He reaches for me, taking my hand. “Thank you for letting us sit with you.”Ceci waves it off. “You’re family now.”

He’s wearing a Gonzales #56 jersey, same as Cari. I pulled out my old Colorado Dragons jersey with Gallagher #12 on the back. If it were any team other than my brother’s, I’d have no issue supporting Al.

“Two households, both alike in dignity,” Tony murmurs into my ear. “In fair Boston, where we lay our scene.”

I laugh. “Okay, Shakespeare. I like to think we’ll have a better outcome than Romeo and Juliet.”

“Well, if I suddenly appear to have died, check for poison first,” he says. “Maybe give it an hour to make sure I’m really dead.”

“You won’t be pining for the fjords?” I tease.

He shakes his head. “You’re mixing your pop culture again.”

Drawing him closer, I wind my arms around his neck. “You love it.”

“I love you .” His smile kisses mine. “The rest is just a bonus.”

We settle in to watch the game. Since Ceci sprung for a nice suite, we have cushy leather seats instead of the unforgiving plastic stadium seats. Tony holds his own with my friends, but once the game starts, he’s laser-focused whenever his brother is on the ice.

I have mixed feelings about who to root for. As much as I want my brother to win, I’m a Boston girl now, and my friends are on the team. Can’t I just cheer whenever either side makes a good play?

Alas, it’s like Al has rocket fuel in his shakes, because he dekes and fakes out half the Colorado squad before putting a bullet past their goalie. He blows Chuck a kiss and my brother glares at him.

Tomorrow morning, there will be speculation my brother and Tony’s brother are in a scandalous relationship. I almost wish it were true. It would certainly fix both of their dating woes. Then at least we’d keep it all in the family.

It sounds like a romance novel. Good thing I know a writer. I make a note to tell Sadie later. Who knows, maybe it will be the plot line of her next book.

The game is exciting, the pace quick as the players get chippy. High in the upper bowl, I can’t hear what the players are saying on ice level, but I can see Chuck and Al jawing at each other all game long.

Fuck. I worried so much about me getting along with Tony’s siblings, and him getting along with mine, that I didn’t consider what would happen if our respective siblings didn’t jive.

As if he can sense my agitation, Tony draws his arm around me and pulls me into his side. He kisses my temple and then focuses his attention on the game again.

Rachel and Sadie are across the box. I see them watching me with knowing smirks. I roll my eyes and Rachel outright laughs at me. She’s such a little shit.

Last winter, we sat in this arena and watched her now-boyfriend play while she dithered over whether to make a move. I’m the one that convinced her to take the first steps; I claim their relationship as my success.

The score on the ice is tied even, 2-2. Jake Lewis, Rachel’s boyfriend, is doing his best to keep the Dragons out of his crease, but the Grizzlies’ defense is mediocre at best and pitiful at worst. If it weren’t for all of Colorado’s shots ending up wide or hitting the post, and if it wasn’t for Jake playing the game of his life, the score would be a lot more lopsided.

Chuck has landed four shots on goal, Jake denying him each time. Where I wasn’t sure before, now I’m certain: I want my brother to win. At the very least, I want him to score a goal and get the monkey off his back. His hard work and dedication should be rewarded.

I take a few photos of the ice, sending them to the family group chat. Perry sends back a thumbs up and Janine hearts the photo. No response from Frankie or Bradley—yet.

The Dragons score, bringing the tally to 3-2. Boston pulls their goalie to get another attacker on the ice.

And as the final seconds wane, Colorado has the puck. I watch with bated breath as Gibson passes up to Chuck, who stick handles around Al before firing a dart at the net.

4-2 Colorado. Goodnight, Boston.

Understandably, that lets the air out of the crowd’s collective sails, but I can’t stop smiling.

The sour mood continues as the final buzzer rings and we make our way to the bar. It takes the players a while to do press, shower and change, and leave the arena, so we’ll have a good head start on the night by the time they arrive.

Our gang is let into the VIP section by the bouncer and we post up at a few tables. We have a large crowd tonight, not to mention the rest of the players’ partners and families. Tony doesn’t leave my side, his arm around my waist or his hand holding mine the entire time. When the waiter comes by, he orders us sodas.

“I don’t care if you drink,” I tell him. “It doesn’t bother me.”

Just because I’m sober doesn’t mean he has to abstain. Sure, I won’t like it if he gets blackout drunk, but a few drinks on a night out are not enough to be concerned about in someone who doesn’t already have a problem.

I did. I couldn’t moderate it. I’m not ashamed of that. How long it took me to get help, maybe. But if I had gotten help earlier, then I wouldn’t have hit my rock bottom when I did, and I wouldn’t have had that first night with him. For all the bad that came with it, there was a whole lot of good too.

Tony shrugs. “I don’t need to drink tonight. Another time, maybe.”

There’s a cheer throughout the club, and heads swivel toward the noise. The pack of hockey players have descended upon the place, thundering up the stairs to the VIP section.

To my surprise, there are more than a few Colorado Dragons players mixed with the Grizzlies guys. Al has his arm around Chuck’s shoulders. And, even more shocking, Chuck isn’t pushing him away.

My brother reaches me and I stand to give him a hug.

“Good game,” I yell in his ear. “Congrats on the goal.”

“Thanks, V.” His eyes skate past me to land on Tony. “So you’re the boyfriend.”

Tony stands, squaring his shoulders. “Tony Gonzales. Nice to meet you.”

Chuck shakes his hand, scrutinizing him. After a moment, he purses his lips and nods. “Okay, I like you.”

I laugh. “That’s all it took?”

“Nah. You like him, so that is all it took.” Chuck snags a chair and sits. “Tell me. How did you meet? Viv’s been fairly quiet in the group chat.”

Tony takes my hand. “We met at the Olympics.”

“No shit. And you’ve been dating all this time?”

I shake my head. “His sister joined the Revolution. She actually set me up with Al. That’s how I met Tony again.”

My brother grins. “And was it love at first sight?”

Laughing, I say, “No.”

It’s just as Tony opens his mouth and says, “Yes.”

Swiveling in my seat, I stare at him. His eyes meet mine resolutely.

“Yes,” he says, this time just for me. “It was love at first sight.”

My eyes tear up. “I didn’t—I was so?—”

So mean. So rude. I didn’t want to give him an inch, much less a mile.

“I love you,” he whispers. “The past is the past. What matters is what we do going forward.”

“Retirement,” I nod. “Vet school.”

Chuck’s eyebrows go up. “You’re going to vet school? What about rugby?”

“I am,” Tony says confidently. “I have to start applying. I’m done with gymnastics after the Olympics. I want to get back there, but after next summer, I’ll be done.”

“Me too. I’m retiring soon,” I admit. “I haven’t told Mom and Dad yet. I just… I’m ready to move on.”

“Hmm.” He sits back in his seat. “Have you thought about what schools you’re applying to?”

Tony nods. “I have a few on my list.”

“You know, Boulder has one of the best vet schools in the country,” Chuck says. “It’s not far from Denver, either.”

I blink. “How do you know that?”

“Dated a girl who was in vet school. Didn’t work out.” A sad smile twists his lips.

“She was too smart for you?” I tease.

He has a faraway look in his eye. “Something like that.”

“I’ll add it to the list,” Tony says gamely.

“You would seriously move to Colorado?” I turn to him.

“Chuck and Janine are there. You’d have a support network,” he points out.

“Okay, but you’d leave your siblings?”

“They’re grown adults. And they’d still have each other.” He shrugs. “I don’t care where I go to school. If it’s a city where you have people, that’ll make me feel better. I don’t want to uproot your entire life.”

“Okay. Let’s do it,” I decide. I let out a laugh. I can’t believe we’re doing this. But I can’t imagine doing this with anyone else. I can’t imagine wanting to do this with anyone other than him.

“Really?” Tony squeezes my hand. “You’d give up your life here in Boston for me?”

It’s not my life here. I can visit the city. I can keep in touch with my friends online. Without rugby filling my day, I’ll finally have the space to figure out who I am and what I want. Maybe it’s taking a more aggressive outreach with social media. Maybe it’s advocacy and public speaking. Maybe it’s something private and out of the public eye.

Whatever it is, I know I’ll have the freedom to explore and navigate it for myself. He gives me the space to mull it over without forcing me to make a decision I’m not ready for.

Wherever we are—in Boston, in Colorado, in freaking Minnesota, I know that I can do anything as long as he’s there beside me, cheering me on. Just like I’ll always do the same for him.

“Apply to the vet school in Boulder,” I tell him. “And if you get in, let’s move to Colorado. Together.”

Tony cups my cheek, pulling me close for a kiss. He brushes his nose against mine before his lips finally meet mine.

“Together,” he whispers.

“Forever.”