Page 1 of Rebel Secrets
ChapterOne
Five months before the wedding
Rebel
“…so,to Rowdy and Tressy.Congrats on your engagement.Brother, you definitely don’t deserve this special woman.But you’re a lucky man because she agreed to marry you.And Tressy, when you get sick of him, I’ll be here to kick his a— ah, but back into line.”
From my left, I heard Krista, my soon-to-be niece, giggling.Turning, I gave her a wink.At almost eight and practically a resident at the arena, she’d heard much worse.But we were at my parents’ house for the engagement dinner of my brother, Rowdy, and Krista’s mom, Tressy.I knew better than to use that kind of language with my mom present.And in front of nearly half the town, including all of the women from my mom’s various volunteer groups.
And even though the entire Devils team was here, I knew “ass” was out of the question, and “fuck” would get me a smack upside the head from either my mom or my sister, Rain.Probably both.
Dressed in a new suit my sister Rain had insisted I needed and that I loved more than I’d ever admit—I raised my glass of champagne and nodded my head at the couple beaming in front of the roaring fireplace.
Mom had managed to pull together this way-too-fancy affair in an incredibly short amount of time, but then my mom was amazing like that.
Rowdy had proposed to Tressy two weeks ago, on fucking Valentine’s Day, if you can believe it.At the fucking Tea Room, the local bar, which I guess made sense, considering that’s where they’d met a year and a half ago.Tressy had wound up stranded in St.David after her car had gotten a flat, and Rowdy fell hard and fast.Lucky for him, Tressy fell, too.
Good for them.I gave Rowdy a lot of shit, but he was a great guy, and Tressy was an amazing woman.They were good to each other, and their marriage would last.Rowdy didn’t do shit half-assed.
Just the thought of getting married gave me the heebes.I barely had my own life figured out.How the hell was I supposed to deal with another person’s shit at the same time?
With my duties as future best man complete, I could enjoy the rest of the night… as much as I enjoyed being forced to mingle with this many people.Rowdy called me antisocial.Rain called me grumpy.My younger brother, Rocky… well, he understood.We never really talked about it, but he and I shared more than just our love of hockey.
The crowd converged on the happy couple, and I gladly shifted away to the corner where most of the Devils were hanging out.
“Reb, nice speech.Almost didn’t realize it was you.You actually sounded happy.”
With my back to the room, I could safely give Kaden Felix the finger.I couldn’t give him both because I couldn’t drop my beer glass.The Devil’s goalie laughed, raising his glass in a salute to me.
“Good to know the AHL hasn’t civilized you.”
Kaden and I had played together for years, at least until I’d gotten a contract with the Reading Redtails just a couple of months ago.This was the first time I’d been home since moving to a new league.
To say it’d been an adjustment was an understatement.But even as my anxiety rose, I throttled it back ruthlessly.
“Nothing’ll civilize Reb.You’re always going to be a pain in the ass, aren’t you?”
My sister suddenly stood beside me, sticking her elbow in my side as she smiled up at me.I had to smile back.
“Always, Rainbow Brite.You learned from the master, after all.”
She rolled her eyes at the childhood nickname, just like I knew she would, and shook her head.“You’re a menace.”
“You’re a brat.”
“And you’re both too old to fight like children.”
Our mom materialized at my side, wrapping her arm around my waist and giving me a little hug.Raffi Lawrence barely reached my shoulder, dressed like a more sophisticated flower child of the seventies and didn’t look a day over forty.And she ruled our family with love…and an occasional iron fist.Covered by a velvet glove, of course.
“We’re not fighting.”I shrugged.“We’re expressing our affection.”
I got a laugh out of the only two women in my life who mattered.Not bad for me.Usually I pissed everyone off.Of course, it was still early.
“I guess I should be glad you’re behaving as well as you are,” Mom glanced up at me.“Your speech was perfect, sweetheart.”
That came with a gentle pat on my back and a smile just for me.My mom knew how much I hate public speaking, or public anything, unless it’s playing hockey.After my family, hockey’s the only thing I care about.
“Thanks.”
