Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 53034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 53034 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 265(@200wpm)___ 212(@250wpm)___ 177(@300wpm)
“Did you bring any work with you?” I ask.
“Always.”
The large sailboat we’re on is crowded with not just the huge bridal party, but lots of other family members and guests that Audra and Kyle invited. Kyle’s mom cried when she saw Talia, embracing her warmly and telling her how much she missed her.
“So you two are a thing now?” Coach asks me, his tone bristly.
I shrug a shoulder. “We would be if she wanted to be.”
He pinches his brows together. “Then what’s with telling everyone you are? And all the touching?”
He can be the nicest guy in the world, or the grouchiest bastard. I know he just wants to protect his daughter, though. I tip my beer bottle to my mouth, speaking in a low tone right before I take a drink, so my mouth is covered.
“Because she feels more confident with people thinking she’s moved on.”
His scowl falls away. “But she hasn’t?”
“You’d have to ask her. I think she has, but being here is still tough for her.”
He exhales heavily. “Thanks for being here for her. I thought it would be enough if I was here, but ... thanks.”
“I want to be here. Talia’s awesome.”
Kyle’s been avoiding me. He only greeted Talia when she was pulled aside to meet someone. I catch sight of him holding on to the side of the sailboat, puking his guts out.
“Looks like Kyle is sick. Shame.”
Coach scoffs. “Hope he chokes on it.”
“You doing the paddleboarding group thing tomorrow?”
He groans. “I don’t know.”
“I guess there’s a volcano hike, too. In the afternoon.”
Coach shakes his head, draining the last of the whiskey from his glass. “Beaumont, I’d rather walk into a live volcano than spend time with my ex-wife.”
“Hang out with me and Talia, then.”
He clears his throat. “I’ll be frank. Watching you hit on my daughter is also not fun.”
I smile, but stop myself from laughing. “That’s fair. Just wanted you to know you’ve got people here.”
“Thanks. I agreed to do this and the ceremony. That’s it.”
Coach has been in a darker mood since his recent divorce. Which I get, because her cheating and leaving him for their contractor was an ugly, public thing. His ex, Angie, accused him of being emotionally unavailable and married to his work.
Talia comes over to us, saving me from trying to make more small talk with Turner. She’s radiant, her natural waves pinned up with a few pieces loose around her face.
“Lucien, this is my cousin Kimmie. Kimmie, Lucien Beaumont.”
Kimmie looks around thirty. She’s got wild dark curls and her eyes remind me of Talia’s.
“Lucien, I’m so happy to meet you.” She leans in to hug me.
“Great to meet you, too, Kimmie.”
She beams at Talia. “Girl, you totally traded up. He is delicious.”
Coach mutters something under his breath. I stand up so I’m beside Talia. She takes my hand.
“He’s pretty great,” she agrees.
There’s a commotion on the other end of the boat, and we all turn to look.
“No, sir,” one of the boat’s crew members says to Kyle.
Kyle shakes his head, looking disgusted. Audra is trying to lead him somewhere, and he’s not happy about it.
Kimmie turns to us and says, “They’re telling him not to vomit over the side of the boat. He got some on the boat and the captain is not happy.”
When Kyle glances at our group, his gaze stops on me. He squints and I can read his lips as he says, “What the hell is he doing here?”
He looks pissed. I knew he would be. I keep my expression neutral. Talia gently squeezes my hand.
“Here we go,” she says softly as Kyle shakes off Audra’s arm and stomps over to us.
Coach Turner gets up and stands on my other side, leaning over to speak in my ear.
“If he starts something, you finish it.”
“I will.”
Kyle stumbles and comes to a stop, swallowing. I hope he’s swallowing his own puke. After a couple seconds, he resumes his trek over to us.
“What the hell is he doing here?” He fires the question at Talia.
“He’s my date. Didn’t Audra tell you?”
Kyle looks over his shoulder at Audra, whose expression is horrified.
“Kyle, what are you doing?” she whisper-hisses. “Everyone’s looking.”
“You did this on purpose,” he says to me, seething.
It’s Coach Turner who steps in.
“Kyle, Lucien is on my team. It’s how he and Talia met. If you have a problem with him being here, you can address it with me. Privately.”
“Yes.” Audra puts both hands on his shoulders, trying to move him away from us. “Privately.” She lets out a loud, fake laugh. “You hockey players. Always fighting!”
Kyle’s resisting Audra’s efforts to move him, looking between me and his future father-in-law. He wants to rush me so fucking badly. Other than games, we haven’t seen each other since right after he threw me and the rest of our team under the bus. Everything imploded after that. I got traded.