Page 11 of War

Tyler: I’ll call you when I drop off Bray. I think I figured out how to get everything I want.

Ava: Hi, Sis. I met someone! You were right. When you stop looking, it just happens. I’m so glad you pushed me to move to Boston. I can’t believe it’s been two years. I miss you so much. But I truly think this is where I’m supposed to be.

TWO

TYLER

PRESENT DAY

Brooks: You’re late, and your favorite redhead is pissed.

Aiden: It amazes me how you bring out this side of her. To the rest of us, it doesn’t exist.

Hall: If you tell me it’s because you’re finally getting laid, I’ll tell Ava it’s my fault.

Brooks: LOL

Aiden: You’re sick, Hall.

Aiden: By the way, Lex screens my texts, so she’s def going to read this.

Brooks: LOL. Lennox just up and smacked Aiden on the back of the head.

With a huff,I slip my phone into my pocket. I love my teammates, and I’m fortunate enough to consider them friends. Brooks Langfield, our goalie, specifically. The guy has stuck with me since college. He’s quiet and levelheaded most of the time, and up until he met his fiancée, Sara, he didn’t so much as look at women. His focus wasfixed solely on hockey.

His younger brother Aiden is our center and one of the greatest players the NHL has ever seen. He recently reconnected with his ex-girlfriend, Lennox Kennedy—yes, of the Boston Kennedys. Known for Kennedy Records, Kennedy Diamonds, Kennedy Properties—and they didn’t waste any time getting married. She may be American royalty, but she’s down-to-earth and a blast to be around. Best of all, she keeps Aiden truly smiling. He’s one of the best guys I know, and he’s always building up the people around him, but behind his happy-go-lucky personality, he battles bouts of depression. It makes me happy to know he’s got an amazing wife in his corner.

Then there’s Daniel Hall. He’s a winger like me. He, Aiden, and I—the first line—spend a lot of time together. Outside of team practice, we put in extra time on the ice, working on our own plays. And if we’re not at Bolts Arena, we’re texting. Since Hall came to the NHL, he’s been my go-to guy when I want to go out. The boy is never not down for a good time. But my priorities have changed over the last few months, and he’s been nagging me about not being around as much.

Hence the comment about getting laid. That’s another thing I haven’t done in a long-ass time.

I don’t miss it nearly as much as I thought I would.

I’m going to need to tell them the real reason I’ve been avoiding going out. I can’t even imagine their reaction—how I’ve managed to keep it a secret this long is mind-fucking-boggling. Not a single person besides our assistant coach Fitz knows—well other than my attorney and the people involved. I haven’t wanted to jinx it. Haven’t wanted to get my hopes up. But this meeting could change everything.

Leg bouncing, I watch the clock, itching to get out of this office. I really am going to be late today. Not that I have a choice in the matter. This appointment is the most important thing I’ve got going on. Even more important than hockey. Not that Ava will understand.

Since we got off on the wrong foot two years ago, she’s made it crystal clear what she thinks of me, and honestly, it’s easier to let her believe it than to try to prove her wrong.

Brooks: Just a heads-up, your brother is here.

Jaw clenched, I stare at the text that comes through from my best friend. This one is in a thread between the two of us only.

That word,brother, rankles me. Stepbrother? Brother? In any other scenario, the distinction is insignificant to me. Family is family.

Except when Xander Warren is involved.

Yes, the dipshit tookmyfather’s last name. He and his mother probably cooked that up together. The list of people I genuinely hate is short, but Xander tops it.

It hasn’t always been this way. When my father married his mother, we were young. Both six.

Even then, though, Dory made it clear that I was not welcome in my father’s home.

So I lived in Canada with my mother and only visited Boston in the summers. Unlike most kids, I dreaded the last day of school. It meant having to leave my mother for eight weeks. It meant being stuck in a place where I knew I wasn’t wanted.

My father made a killing in the stock market, but he worked long hours, and when he wasn’t working, he was networking. Always out. Always traveling. Barely around, despite how little time the two of us had together.

But despite all of that, I loved him.Love him.

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