Page 13

13

Kalen

I n the locker room, I slick my damp hair from my forehead and pull my bag from the locker. Here it is Tuesday, and this morning, after waking up early in Sahara’s bed, I hightailed it home to get ready for today’s skate and team meeting. I’m pretty sure my sister is on to me, judging by the knowing grins she keeps giving me I’m guessing she’s happy that I’m preoccupied, and not constantly asking about her every move. My phone pings, and I pull it from my bag and read a message from my sister.

Taylor: hey bro, are you going to the costume store on Newbury?

Me: Wasn’t planning on it.

Taylor: (Sad face emoji)

Me: What do you need?

Taylor: I called them and they have one Wednesday costume left.

Me: What the hell is Wednesday.

Taylor: Brother get with it. It’s that character from the Addam’s family series. Anyway, they said they’d hold it for me for the next hour because it’s so popular, but I’m in class and can’t get there in time. Can you get it for me? Pretty please big awesome brother.

Yeah, she thinks I’m awesome when she needs something. Most other times she’s annoyed with my constant overprotectiveness.

“Everything okay?” Ash asks as my fingers fly over the phone.

I nod. “It’s Taylor. She wants me to go to the costume store for her.”

“Which one”

“Newbury.”

“I’ll come.”

My head rears back. “Why?”

He laughs. “Because I’ve been looking everywhere for a Beetlejuice costume for Zoe. Apparently, it’s pretty popular this year. That’s the one store I haven’t tried yet.”

I nod and send Taylor a text.

Me: Yeah, okay. I can get it.

Taylor: What are you going as, and don’t say hockey player.

Me: A man with a jersey and a hockey stick.

Taylor: (Emoji eye roll) I was talking to Sahara and she doesn’t have a costume yet. You guys should do a couple’s costume. How about Marvel characters?

Me: No

Taylor: Chips and Salsa?

Me: No.

Taylor: Waldo and Wendy?

Me: No.

Taylor: Bro, you’re no fun.

Instead of answering, I tuck my phone away and find Ash grinning at me. “What?”

“What’s wrong with a couple’s costume?”

“You were reading my texts?”

He shrugs. “No, well yeah.” He gives me an almost apologetic look. Almost. “Gina was asking what everyone was wearing. You said you were texting about costumes, and I couldn’t help myself.”

I shake my head. “Dude, back off.”

He holds his hands up, palms out.

“What’s this about costumes?” Brady asks. “I need to figure out something and Mel will kill me if I go as a hockey player.”

“Me too,” Noah pipes in.

“Are we all going somewhere?” Roman asks, coming around the corner.

Ash nods. “Looks that way.”

“Road trip,” Roman yells, and snatches his bag from his locker. “Wait, where are we going again?”

Tuck laughs and throws his arm around Roman. “Follow me, kid.”

As everyone files out, I message Sahara to see if she needs anything from the store. She told me she had a bunch of errands to run today and things to prepare for the theater, so I have no idea where she is right now. I do know she hasn’t got a costume yet.

Me: Hey, I’m heading to the costume store to pick something up for Taylor. Need anything.

I wait a second and I’m about to put my phone away when I see three dots.

Sahara: I really don’t know. If you see something you think I’d like, maybe just grab it.

Me: Taylor said something about us getting couple’s costumes.

Now why the fuck did I message that?

I wait a long time for her to message back and as the locker room clears, my stomach knots. Shit, did I scare her off with the couple’s comment. Finally, I see three dots.

Sahara: Sorry, just really busy. Yeah, okay that sounds good.

I stand there for another second, waiting for more to come in and when it doesn’t, I tuck my phone away and head outside. The guys are in their cars, and Roman and Elias are standing by mine. Roman and Elias both grew up in the same neighborhood—both their parents are in politics—and Elias pretty much looks out for him here in Boston. I expected Elias to be at my car considering we traveled together this morning, and clearly Roman needs a ride. He has a car but likes to walk most places, even when those places are far.

“Shot gun,” Roman yells as I approach, and Elias pushes him out of the way.

“Rookies in the back.”

Roman grumbles, but when I press the fob to unlock the doors, he hops in behind Elias. I back out of the lot, and Elias pulls his phone from his pocket. I catch the way he’s scrubbing his chin, deep in thought.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

He nods. “Yeah, Mom was just asking me about Thanksgiving. Wants me to fly home.”

For him, home is California and we do have the time off, and my only plans were having a big turkey with Taylor and eating leftovers for a week. “Are you going to go? If you want to stay back and celebrate with Taylor and me, the more the merrier.” I know his Thanksgivings are much different from ours. Big elaborate gatherings, with numerous people—most of who are acquaintances. That’s how it is in politics, I guess.

While I crave a big family sitting around the table, sharing a meal and laughter, I don’t want to do it with acquaintances. Longing wells up inside me.

“I don’t suppose you and Taylor would like to tag along? At least then I’d know who my real friends were.”

“Hey, I’ll be there,” Roman pipes in, looking all indignant.

“Dude, really.” Ignoring Roman, I cast Elias a fast glance. “If you need me, you know I’ll come.”

He laughs and pushes back in his seat. “No. I’d never torture you or Taylor like that.”

Roman scoffs. “But you’re okay to torture me?”

“You know it.” Elias laughs. “I need someone there charming the women so my parents don’t try to marry me off.” His laugh is followed by a sigh as he turns to Roman. “Just promise me you’ll run interference with whoever it is Mom is going to try to set me up with this year.”

Roman leans forward and pats Elias’s shoulder. “You can count on me, dude. But you could always bring a girl and pretend you’re engaged or something.”

Elias and I exchange a look and both grin before I say, “Dude, you watch too many romantic comedies. That shit never works out.”

“Especially with my family,” Elias responds. “They’d grill her from head to toe, and no woman should have to stand up to that.”

“Taylor is tough enough for that,” Roman says, and I laugh. He’s not wrong, and I’m proud that Taylor could hold her own.

“Probably, but then she’d need to go with me to Easton’s wedding in Vegas to keep up the charade.” I arch a brow, and he continues. “Easton was my best friend growing up. His younger brother Rip was Roman’s best friend. If I show up without a date, Mom will have some socialite ready to pounce.”

Roman laughs. “I can’t wait to check out the bride’s maids.” I shake my head at him and he continues with, “I’m sure Taylor would love a trip to Vegas.”

Why the hell does he keep bringing up Taylor?

“Leave my sister out of this,” I growl, and glance at him in the rearview mirror.

He holds his hands up palms out. “Just saying.”

Elias glances out the side window, and Roman pulls his phone from his pocket. As I drive through the downtown core and pull into the costume store parking lot, I consider Roman’s ludicrous idea, which oddly enough, doesn’t quite seem so crazy anymore.

I glance at Elias. “Maybe Roman’s idea isn’t as outrageous as it sounds. Taylor has a break over Thanksgiving and depending on when the wedding is she might love to go to Vegas.” I shrug. “I wouldn’t let her go with any of the other guys.” Jerking my thumb toward the back seat I add, “Especially that one, but with you, it’s different.”

Elias looks like he’s about to swallow his tongue. “I don’t know, Kalen.”

As I warm to the idea, I park and say, “Maybe just ask her. Hell, if she can handle my overbearing ways, I’m sure she can handle your parents in the nicest possible way.” I snort out a laugh. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they loved her.”

“She’s pretty loveable,” he mumbles, and then clears his throat quickly. He points. “We should go.” I lift my head to see the guys are hanging out in the parking lot waiting for us.

“Think about it. She’s been working hard, and this would be a nice break for her.”

He nods and hurries from the car like it might be on fire, and we all head inside. I wince under the bright overhead lights and all the music that’s supposed to be spooky, not annoying. I glance around. The place is huge, with many aisles.

Ash gestures with a nod. “I’m going to find the kid stuff.”

Everyone goes their own way and before I head to the counter to get Taylor’s Wednesday costume, I begin to browse the aisles, my sister’s words and Sahara’s agreement that we should do couples costumes is bouncing around inside my brain. The last time I dressed up as a couple…

What ever happened to Darien Lewis?

I glance at the costumes and pull a couple from the racks to look at them, but nothing feels right. Continuing my search, I make my way to the next aisle, and Roman comes running up to me.

“What do you think of this one?”

I arch a brow. “You want to go as a firefighter?”

“Girls dig firefighters.” He puts the helmet on his head and gives me an award-winning smile.

I shake my head at his antics. “I think it’s perfect, Roman.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I tell him and he looks pretty pleased with himself as he saunters off. I search a little more and I’m almost ready to give up when I come across Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf.

“You getting that?” Tuck asks, a knowing smile on his face. How many times do I have to tell him Sahara and I are just friends?

I let it go. “I don’t know.” Why am I suddenly embarrassed?

“Get it, dude.” He pulls it from the rack. “This is perfect for you and your girl.”

Okay, here we go. “She’s not my girl. She’s Taylor’s friend.”

“Right. You said that. Are you at least going to introduce us to her at the party?”

“Yeah, shit. It was?—”

“Roman, I know. Dude says the first thing that comes to his mind. I wouldn’t introduce him to my girlfriend…I mean friend…either.”

I eye him for a second, and he turns his attention to the costumes on the rack. “You don’t think this is too…?”

“Suggestive…sexy,” he responds, finishing my sentence. I nod and he laughs. “Dude, you’re going to make any costume sexy.”

I shove him. “Asshole.”

“Kidding. What’s wrong with sexy?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want her to think I’m trying to…” What am I even saying? “…you know. Show off her body or something. Fuck, I don’t want the guys to be staring at her, or think they can get with her.”

He gives me a sincere smile, and puts his hand on my shoulder. “You really like her, huh?”

Fuck.

“She’s my?—”

“Yeah, I know. She’s your sister’s friend.” He turns his attention to the costumes and pulls out a different one. “How about this?”

I let my gaze fall over the chips and salsa outfits. I laugh because this was what Taylor suggested. I guess my sister knows her friend, and I should trust her judgement.

“I’m doubting you could make these chips sexy.”

No, I can’t, but I have no doubt Sahara is going to make the salsa costume sexy. Shit, she could wear a potato sack and I’d still want to rip it from her body.

“Son of a bitch,” we hear Ash curse from the next aisle. I put the wolf and red riding hood costume back and take the chips and salsa from Tuck. We hurry to the next aisle where we find Ash standing there, a huge smile on his face as he holds out a child-size Beetlejuice costume my heart stalls.

Jesus, knowing he’s going to make his daughter happy really looks good on him and I can’t deny that I want what he has.

“I found it,” he says. “It was hidden among these superhero costumes.” Jesus Christ, I could practically fucking cry seeing the excitement on his face. Ash is a huge guy, and with his big hands, he gently holds the costume out, laying it over one arm for a closer inspection. “Zoe is going to love this.”

As the guys pile into our aisle, all checking out the costume, I see the warmth, comradery and love between players. It’s strange, really. I’m a part of this team, but sometimes, I feel like an outsider looking in, watching a big family at play. I don’t know, maybe it’s because a lot of them are settling down with their own families and I never really felt like a part of a family, outside of Taylor and me.

I stand there for a moment, just watching my teammates. Ash finally looks up and when he catches my eyes, I smile and nod. As if reading my emotions, he angles his head, and I simply hold up my costumes. “I think I found mine too.”

“Now I’m hungry,” Roman announces, lightening things up, and I’m grateful for that. “Who wants to get food?”

We all chime in, and since we’re not too far from Kilting Around, we decide to head there for nachos. After we head to the cash register and pay, we make our way outside.

“I’m going to win best costume,” Roman says.

“Don’t think so,” Tuck counters.

Roman frowns. “What are you going as?” he asks, considering Tuck is the only one not buying anything.

“You’ll see.”

Laughing, I pay for my purchase and head outside. As I make my way to my car, Roman and Elias in tow, Ash calls out. “Hey, I’m going to make a quick stop at the library.”

I glance across the street, and take in the looming building. Boston Public Library. Sahara has been looking for that firefighter book for book club and ended up downloading it onto her reader, but I’ve noticed the way she complains it sometimes hurts her eyes and she’d much prefer the print version. Perhaps I should check.

“I’ll come with you.”

“Dude, I’m starving,” Roman complains, and rubs his stomach.

Ash tosses his keys to Elias. “Take my car. I’ll catch a lift with Kalen and meet you there.”

Ash and I make our way to the streetlight and head across the street. “Zoe is going to kill me, coming here without her.”

“You know, parenthood looks good on you.”

He grins, and I expect him to come back with a smart-ass comment but instead he says, “You should try it sometime.”

I laugh, like the idea of that is ludicrous, because that is my go to move, but then I stop, something strange coming over me. “Maybe I will.”

He chuckles. “I see the way you are with Taylor.” He shrugs and cocks his head. “I mean, you might be a little too overprotective of her, at her age, but you’d make a great dad.”

Me, a dad.

I don’t hate it.

Honestly, I never hated it. I just…well, I guess I just have been so closed off.

I fall quiet as we make our way up the steps of the library, and once inside, I glance around. “I’ll meet you back here in ten?” Ash asks. He clearly knows where he’s going and I clearly don’t spend enough time reading anymore. But today, I’m not looking for a book for myself.

Walking quietly, I head toward the information desk, but there’s a line. How hard can it be to find the romance section? I start meandering through the aisles. Whispered voices reach my ears when I walk to the end of a row, and spot a group of students seated around a circular table.

I head down another aisle and that’s when I see a very familiar person pulling a book from a shelf. My heart picks up its pace. What the ever-loving hell? I walk closer, and she’s so engrossed in the book in her hand she doesn’t notice me.

I lean in, my mouth near her ear and whisper, “Are you stalking me?”