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Chapter Twenty-Two

Lainey

“Where’s Uncle Bashie?”

Ugh, my aching ovaries. I’d forgotten that my niece Avana calls Bash that. She’s in Cleveland with Eric and Callie for the weekend, and we’re all at Bash’s game against St. Louis at his home arena.

“He’ll be out there, punk.” I pick Avana up and point out to the ice. “We’re going to watch him play hockey.”

Her whole face lights up as she points to the ice. “Uncle Bashie!”

“Yes, baby. Soon.” I kiss the top of her head.

We’re in a suite an usher brought us to, where the Crush family members gather for a buffet and social hour before the game. I smile as Suki brings Charlotte and Hallie over.

“Hey, girl.” She gives me a half hug since I’m holding Avana. “Who’s this cutie?”

“This is my niece, Avana. And this is my brother Eric and my sister-in-law Callie.”

“Eric and Callie!” Suki lights up. “Bash and Lainey have told us all about you.”

Eric frowns. “All lies.”

She laughs. “It was all good, promise. I’m so glad you guys are here. Have you eaten?”

“I’m not sure there’s enough food,” Callie deadpans.

The buffet is an absolute feast, with long tables loaded with wings, burgers, soup, salad, potato skins, mac and cheese, roasted vegetables, and several desserts.

“Are you hungry?” I ask Avana.

She shakes her head, wiggling to get out of my hold.

“I should probably take her to the bathroom,” Callie says.

“I’ll take her,” I say. “You guys eat.”

“Great, thanks.”

I hold Avana’s hand and lead her out of the suite. People I don’t even know smile and nod at me when we walk out. Everyone here is friendly, easing my nerves about attending my first game as Bash’s girlfriend.

There are TV screens hanging on walls and mounted in corners, all broadcasting pregame coverage. I pause when I see a shot of the crowd entering the arena, the back of one of the jerseys showing Bash’s name and number.

He has fans. I knew that, but being here is really making it sink in. I’m not just with a hockey player; I’m with a hockey star. People enthusiastically spend their time and money to come watch the Crush play.

That has to be high pressure for the players. I imagine doing my research in the center of an arena, tens of thousands of people watching and cheering for me to succeed.

Damn. It has to feel terrible to disappoint people, even when the players know they gave it their all. Bash told me he has a game-day routine and that he might seem emotionally unavailable on those days unless I have an emergency.

I’m realizing what that means. When he was traveling, we exchanged minimal texts. Mostly just checking in to say hey when he arrived in a new city. I actually liked it because, on those days, I could throw myself into work at the lab and spend time alone at home.

I need my alone time. Suki and Mara are extroverts; they seem to thrive when they’re with their people. And I love that, too, but I also need time to recharge my social battery.

Silence is golden sometimes. I like to bake bread, read, or rot in front of the TV all alone sometimes. It makes my time with Bash feel more special.

“Where’s Uncle Bashie?” Avana scans the arena hallways for him.

“You’ll see him soon. He’ll be out on the ice playing hockey.”

We use the bathroom, which is an adventure. I have to go, too, which means keeping her in the stall with me. I have a new appreciation for Callie as I pee while trying to keep Avana from touching anything.

“Mommy says hold hands,” she tells me, taking both of my hands in hers.

Genius. Callie must have her daughter hold hands with her while she pees to keep her from picking up ten thousand germs and microbes.

I have to wipe, but I can do that one-handed.

When I’m helping her wash her hands, I smooth a hand over my niece’s little blond ponytail.

She’s wearing a little version of the same sweater I have on, which is Bash’s.

I really wanted to wear one of his, and he told me to take anything I wanted from his closet, but they were just too big.

They all hung past my fingertips and looked ridiculous on me.

So I went with a smaller one he got me from a merch stand at the arena.

Once back in the suite, Avana and I eat. I’m careful to stick to low-fat foods. Avana has three bites of mac and cheese and that’s it. Hallie is leading her around the suite, enjoying her opportunity to be the bigger kid for once.

“So you and Bash.” Callie gives me a giddy smile. “I’m so happy for you.”

I get warm all over, grinning. “Thanks. It’s...I mean, he’s amazing. Really. He sent me flowers today.”

She puts a hand on her chest. “How sweet. Roses?”

“Two dozen purple roses. My favorite color.”

She looks at my brother and clears her throat dramatically. “Are you taking notes, Eric?”

He gives her a wry look. “Yeah, I’m all over it.”

That floral delivery made me cry. I was so surprised. It was my first time getting flowers, and when I read the card, I lost it.

Lainey, today is one of many firsts for us. I love you. - Bash

I never want to leave. Though I’m doing what I have to do and looking into my options for next semester, there’s a sense of dread when I do.

The place in Israel sent me information to apply. I emailed about Cambridge and they don’t have openings but they put me on a waiting list.

It’s time to decide where I’m going next semester and also next year if I want to become a full-time student working on my doctorate.

I’m torn. I love the research I’m finally getting to focus on. I worked hard on my bachelor’s and then my master’s, and this is the payoff. A doctorate would open more doors for me, but I’m really enjoying the doors that are open right now.

And Bash. For the first time in my life, my greatest joy isn’t coming from academic or professional accomplishments. I would have liked to date in high school, but it wasn’t in the cards for me. So, instead, I threw myself into my classes, graduating as one of seven valedictorians.

I don’t love Bash because he’s a star hockey player. I loved him long before that. And he sees through my accomplishments to me and loves me for who I am, not what I’ve done.

I’ve seen other women be loved like this. But me? I never expected it to happen. This isn’t a fling. I’m not scratching an itch. What I have with Bash fills a part of me I didn’t even realize was empty before.

“Shane saw the picture of you and Bash that Bash posted on his socials.” Callie looks smug. “I asked Brielle to ask one of the guys he games with. Shane said you cheated on him with Bash and that’s why you guys broke up.”

“Bull. Shit.”

“I know. But the point is, he saw it. He knows.”

I don’t have strong feelings about that. I guess I’m glad he knows I moved on, but I don’t wish bad things for Shane. His indifference and carelessness saved me from a disappointing marriage, so it’s hard to resent him.

Eric shakes his head. “He’s a tool. I’m really glad I don’t have to pretend I’m interested in him telling me about pool maintenance. Why the hell would I care? I don’t have a pool, and I don’t plan to get one.”

I laugh, remembering all the times I had to feign interest in pool chemical balances.

“It’s like me talking to someone in a casual conversation and being like, ‘Hey, do you know about insurance subrogation?’” Eric continues. “I’m just going to drone about it until you fall asleep.”

“I wish you’d told me how you really felt about him,” I say.

“I do, too. I gave Bash so much crap for complaining about him, and...” He shrugs. “He was right.”

“Yeah, but let’s not remind him of that,” I quip. “His ego is big enough.”

“Lainey!”

A woman wraps her arms around my neck from behind. I turn my neck to find Mara, who kisses me on the cheek.

“Wait a minute.” Eric gives me a shocked look. “You have two friends here?”

I roll my eyes at him. “Yes, I do, and they’re nicer to me than my own family.”

Mara stands. “She’s got four friends here, and we’re not sharing her with anyone else. This girl’s a trivia goddess.”

“You seem to be feeling better than the last time I saw you,” I say, smiling.

“Oh yeah. Dex and I had a very slow day after that night.”

We missed our last trivia night because Mara was tied up at work. She recently started a new job in the state’s attorney’s office, and they had a backlog of cases.

“I’m Mara Diaz,” she says, extending a hand to Eric.

“Sorry,” I say. “Mara, this is my brother Eric and my sister-in-law Callie. My niece Avana is here somewhere. She’s with Hallie.”

“It’s great to meet you.” Mara looks at me. “You guys are coming to the Halloween party, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

She gives me a quick hug. “I’m going to stuff my face. I’ll see you later.”

“Be good. I’ll see you soon.” I check my watch. “The pregame show is starting soon. We should get to our seats.”

Bash got us seats on the glass for Avana’s first hockey game. He didn’t get them from the team because the tickets he forwarded to my phone were from a ticketing app and I saw how much he paid for them. Let’s just say he’s a really nice boyfriend, uncle, brother, and brother-in-law.

“Uncle Bashie!” Avana leans forward, a hand on the glass, when the pregame light and video show ends and Bash skates out with the rest of his team.

He gives her a little wave, then shoots me a wink.

Callie leans over and speaks in my ear. “You’re going to have his babies. I know it. I can’t even stand how happy I am for you.”

A thrill of excitement shoots to my stomach. Bash asked me casually the other day if I wanted kids. When I told him I did, he smiled and said he did, too.

I’m still afraid to dream that dream. Just having Bash see me the way I always longed for him to see me, hearing him tell me he loves me, and getting flowers from him is everything.

I love it all. His voice, his smile, his arms around me. The sweetness only I get to see, and the sexy, commanding man that’s also only for me.

If I wasn’t already waist-deep in researching the human microbiome, I’d study the love hormones like serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Vasopressin is particularly fascinating.

It helps the human body conserve water and regulates sodium levels, but it’s also part of people—especially men—forming long-term emotional attachments and protective behaviors.

I’ve read about these things and thought of them in clinical terms, but now I get to feel them.

Bash gets checked into the boards by a St. Louis player. He recovers quickly and gets back to playing, seeming unfazed.

“These seats are unreal,” Eric says. “I can see their sweat.”

It is pretty incredible to be so close to the action. The man who gently stroked a hand over my hair and kissed me on the forehead before leaving home early this morning drives his shoulder into an opponent, knocking him off balance.

Bash quickly regains control of the puck and shoots it into the net. The arena erupts, horns blaring and people cheering. Alana claps, oblivious to the chaos with her noise-canceling headphones on.

The goal Bash scored ends up being the only one in the game, and the mood in the room we sit in to wait for him after the game is high. Alana was exhausted by the third period, so Callie took her back to Bash’s to go to bed and now it’s just Eric and I waiting.

When he walks into the room in a dark suit with a white shirt and a light-blue tie, Bash’s gaze goes right to me. I stand up, my heart racing with excitement.

He’s wearing the hell out of that suit. His hair is still damp from the shower and I take in his familiar amber-and-pine scent as he hugs me and kisses me.

It’s a soft, chaste kiss, probably because my brother is two feet away.

“Great game,” I murmur in his ear.

“Thanks.”

He grins at Eric and shakes his hand. “You made it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it. Hell of a game, man.”

The others are going out, but we’re going home. We’re getting up early tomorrow, so we stay aligned with Avana’s sleep schedule. And we’re going to take Eric and his family to a few of our favorite Cleveland places.

This city is quickly starting to feel like home to me. Or maybe that’s just Bash that feels like home. Either way, if he wants me to stay when my semester is over, I’m in.

I can do research from anywhere. Maybe not as part of a large team, but that’s okay. There’s only one Sebastian Stone, and now that he’s finally mine, I go where he goes.