Page 62 of Just One Season
“But let’s make sure to keep it PC,” Atticus says in a stern voice. “Kiss her like you’d kiss your sister.”
“Gross, dude.” Kellen groans.
“Exactly.”
“Hello?Heris right here.” But they all ignore me.
“The next event is a big one,” Lachlan says. “The retreat. You’ll have all weekend to prove to them you’re really together. Or at least banging.”
Oh my god. It’s seriously like I’m not even present for this meeting.
“Lachlan!” Atticus throws a remote control at the Aussie.
“Whatever.” Lachlan easily catches it. “You know what I mean. Try harder.”
“What does that mean?” Kellen shakes his head.
“It means we need to get you and Lucy in a compromising situation where Savannah can see it and report back to her husband. Because you know Paul won’t be hanging out with the team. He goes to whatever cold dark place he retreats to when he’s not harassing hockey players.” Lachlan swigs from a beer. “That’s what I mean.”
“Stop drinking.” Kellen waves a finger at Lachlan. “We have four games this week.”
“This is my only one. See? What would I do without you, mate? Hence why we’re all so interested in keeping you on the Blizzard.” Lachlan slides his beer onto the coffee table.
Kellen grumbles something and leans back, resting his arm across the back of the couch behind me.
“How about progress with your father, Lucy?” Harley asks.
“I haven’t heard from my dad, so I’m not sure. Paul asked about him the other night though, so I’m guessing they’ll talk at some point.”
“I haven’t heard from Richard either, if anyone cares,” Atticus says. “But I have an idea for how to make sure he knows about Kellcy.”
“Go on,” I say to my brother.
“I’m warning you, it’d be a baller move,” Atticus says to me and scoots forward on the single couch. “Thanksgiving.”
“Huh?” But I almost instantly understand.
“Kellen should come with us to Mom’s. Richard always wants to meet for a late dinner on Thanksgiving. If Kellen comes, it’ll cement the idea that you’re happy with a professional hockey player and working for a NHL team. Not in D.C. Not working for DC FC. Not with that fuckwhit who he refused to fire.”
“And you’ll go to dinner too?” I furrow my brow. Atticus usually won’t meet up with our father, and I don’t blame him.
“Yup. I’ll want to witness this firsthand.”
Everyone nods, including Raleigh and January on the video call.
“You hate him that much, Atter?” Lachlan says to Atticus, mostly kidding, but also serious. “You went fromhow dare you fake date my sistertobring him home for the holidayspretty smoothly.”
“I do hate him that much.” Atticus’s voice sounds like a sharp bark, but to me, he’s more a kicked puppy than a vicious dog.
Makesmehate our father even more.
“Well, it’s Bri’s year with Ava,” Kellen says. “Usually, we all get together anyway, but she’s planning to take Ava to her parents’ house in Pueblo, which is the absolute last place I want to be, ever. So I was going to stay in FoCo anyway.”
“Come with us. Mom’s a great cook. You won’t regret having Thanksgiving at her house,” Atticus says.
“Lucy?” Kellen gently nudges me with his elbow. “What do you think?”
I look at him and press my lips together. “I’m game if you are.”
