Page 64 of Ice Cold Rival

The two of them bowed out before the dessert menu arrived, and Gram watched them go with a pensive expression. She’d wanted us to play big, happy family, so we did, and I felt like Matt, at least, left the restaurant with a more positive attitude toward the company. Vanessa couldn’t give less of a shit. Mission accomplished.

While she waited for her crème brûlée, Kenzie excused herself to the bathroom, and as soon as she was out of earshot, Gram leaned forward to scold me in a quiet voice.

“Vanessa seemed perfectly lovely. You could have engaged her more.”

“I engaged Matt instead. Isn’t he the one you want to buy? Besides, Vanessa wasn’t the least bit interested in any of us, let alone me.”

“Maybe if you’d tried harder she’d still be here.”

“What were you hoping would happen, Gram? I’d take her out after? Maybe bring her home and fuck her for the good of the company?”

She leaned back and threw a hand in the air. “Well, why not? That’s seems to be all you’re working on in college. One disposable girlfriend doesn’t revert years of offering yourself to every available female who throws herself at you. I’d hoped you’d learn from that girl in high school, or at least grow out of the need to find a new bed partner every other night.”

As much as her dismissal of me hurt, it was her insult of Kenzie that had me standing and tossing my napkin onto the table.

“I’ve been with Kenzie for months, and I haven’t so much as looked at another woman. She’s not disposable—she’s everything. She’s smart and warm and kind, and I’d choose her over you any day.”

Gram’s eyes darted around the restaurant. “Sit down. You’re making a spectacle of yourself.”

“Maybe, but it’s time we had this conversation. I don’t want to work for the company, I don’t want you parading me around like a prized pet, and I don’t want to see or hear from you until your attitude changes.”

She scoffed and took a sip of her wine. “You’ll come crawling back begging for a job once you get bored with hockey and Kenzie, just like your father.”

The insult stung because in the last few months I’d seen how close I’d come to becoming him. I didn’t want to float through life with a series of increasingly younger lady friends and no real responsibility.

“Or I’ll leave and never look back, like my mom. Either way, I won’t be running the company for you. Good luck with your takeover.”

I turned, intending to march into the women’s bathroom and retrieve my girlfriend, but she was standing right there with her fingers tangled together in front of her. Kenzie caught her bottom lip with her teeth, then she gave me a big smile and offered her hand.

My heart flipped, settling into a nervous rhythm, but I wanted to get her out of the restaurant before she crushed me by dropping out of our deal. The night had ended up quantifiably worse than Boo’s toxic ass.

I tucked her against my side, leaning down to whisper in her ear as we passed tables of people trying not to stare. “How much of that did you hear?”

“All of it, I think.”

Fuck. This was the moment I was trying to avoid. I needed time. Kenzie wasn’t ready to be in a serious relationship after Kane, and as much as I wanted to hold her to the deal, I couldn’t make her a target again.

If she decided she didn’t want the drama with my family, I’d give her the out, but I wouldn’t give up. I’d finally figured out how to fight for what I wanted, and I wanted her.

“I’ll understand if you’re done with me after this. Gram is stubborn and only listens to herself, so she’ll probably hound me for a while. If you’re around, she’ll drag you into it.”

She scoffed. “Please. I know a thing or two about negative familial attitudes. A cranky old woman’s opinion doesn’t matter to me. I know you, and you can do anything you put your mind to, including resisting the hordes of women apparently throwing themselves at you. Let’s go home.”

I chuckled and tried not to let the relief show, “You didn’t get your dessert.”

She tilted her head at me, full of mischief. “Guess you’ll have to take care of me then.”

This girl.If I wasn’t already gone, this would be the moment. Unconditional support and faith when she knew it might be hard. I couldn’t get over it—I never wanted to—and I’d spend eternity taking care of her if she’d let me.

“I can definitely do that.”

I had a pang of regret for the way I’d left things with Gram—and the knowledge she’d bring the harassment to Mom too—but I’d do everything I could to block her from Kenzie.

22

The last thing I expected after the dramatic dinner with Reece’s grandmother was for him to double down on our deal. He’d gotten what he wanted—captain. It would have been easy for him to start backing away, especially when his hockey workload increased with his new responsibilities.

Instead, I spent almost every night at his place. Boo was an easy excuse, but he wasn’t the main reason. Reece wanted me there. He wanted to see me every day, even the ones that were hard. I loved it.

---