Page 39 of Tempest

“Sure,” I say, letting him take her around to some of the others while I head to the kitchen to find Willa and Isla. Sisters, my coach’s daughters, and both partners to teammates. Isla is married to Cillian Wylder, and Willa is with Zander. The Cole family is the heart of this team. Coach is stern, capable, but cares about his players like family members. Isla, who also works for the organization, knows everything there is to know about hockey and isn’t afraid to impart knowledge to help any of us out. And Willa has become something like the team’s mother over the past year, consistently hosting gatherings to keep us all unified and cared for. We’re a lucky team, and we all know it. “Hey, ladies.”

“Hi, Gavin. How are you?” Willa asks.

“Doing great, how is everyone today?”

“We’re good,” Isla says. “Seems like you just made Letty’s day even better.”

“Fucker stole my date right out from under me,” I say, handing the bottle to Willa. “This is from Ode.”

“Ode?” Willa teases.

“Date?” Isla chimes in.

“Well, she doesn’t see it that way. But I’m working on it.”

“She’s even prettier in person,” Willa says. We all turn to where Odette laughs with Oliver and Hugo. It’s the same as when we were school kids, her head thrown back slightly. Watching her laugh feels like the first day of summer or Christmas morning. It makes me giddy with excitement and I can’t pull my eyes away.

“Ah fuck, you’re a goner already,” Isla says. “How long have you known her?”

“My whole life, really. Give or take a twenty-year absence.”

“She feels like home,” Isla muses.

“Is that what it was like for you when Cillian came back?”

“Yes. But those feelings were tainted by a lot of anger and fear, too. So, it was hard to see it right away.”

“Or it wasn’t, and you just fought it,” Willa says.

“Yeah, there was that, too,” Isla admits. “I don’t know your story, but if I can offer some advice?”

“Absolutely.”

“Don’t waste any more time. It’s precious and you can’t get it back.” Isla’s eyes are watery as she says it, and I move to wrap my arms around her.

“Get off my wife, asshole,” Cillian says, stepping into the kitchen.

“No,” I say. “She’s too smart for your dumb ass.”

“Don’t I fucking know it,” he says, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips. “You okay?”

“I’m good. Just feeling a little sad for our friend here.”

“Don’t be sad,” Cillian and I both say in unison.

“I’ll get it figured out,” I add, looking up to see Odette watching us. Our eyes lock and I swear our hearts dance in time with each other. For someone who plays a very physical sport for a living, I’ve become a fucking cinnamon roll.

I wink at her and mouth, “You good?” She smiles almost bashfully and nods. It’s a long moment before she looks back to Hugo, who is asking her a question while Letty stares at her like a lovesick puppy.

Can’t blame the guy. It’s the way she carries herself, confident and classy but without the air of superiority, like she doesn’t realize her own status. She’s friends with some of the most famous people in the world, but you wouldn’t know it because she doesn’t flaunt it. Or think she’s one of them.

“I don’t know, man, Oliver might beat you to it,” Cillian says.

“No way,” I say. “She won’t admit it yet, but she’s mine.”

Odette surreptitiously glances my way a couple more times, each one making my smile grow. I fully expect to battle with her, she’s far too stubborn to just give in, and I still have that stuffy dude to contend with. But she’ll come around, I’m sure of it.

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