Page 103 of Dream Mates
Oh, my heart.I put my arm around her. “I’ve got your back. Always.”
“ThanksDr. Thanukos.That is sodope.” She grinned.
It hit me. “I have consented to eventually beingDr. Thanukos.”
Riley nodded. “Yep.”
“Grace.” Evan stood at the end of the row holding a sweatshirt. I held out my hands and he threw it at me. I caught it and pulled it on, then blew him a kiss. He blew one back and went to sit back down with the guys.
“You two. Fuck me with a pineapple.” Riley rolled her eyes.
“Thanks for sharing your brother.” I sent a picture to Brennan of me in Evan’s hoodie. I still wasn’t sure why it bugged him so much, since I’d been told over and over that stealing your mate’s clothes was a perfectly normal thing.
“You and Evan have fun this weekend,” I added. They were going to do something special while Wes and I went away.
“Why are we being sappy fucks?” She took a chip. The lights started to blink. “Oh good, the intros are going to start. This is gonna be so much fun.”
“I’m excited.” From what I’d seen online it was just as violent as ice hockey–only with dance breaks–as in the teams dance-battled and did synchronized routines to dance music, complete with lights and lasers.
The arena grew dark, except for blacklights, and some low light on the rink, as fog filled the ice. Music blasted, as lights and lasers flashed and the Capitol Crushers skated out, one after the other, doing spins, flips, and other fancy tricks as they made their way around the rink. Everyone out, they assembled in themiddle of the rink and began to dance, in unison, on ice skates. After they finished, someone announced the night’s lineup, their pictures flashing up on giant screens as they skated one by one to the bench.
“That’s a good intro. But the Raiders’ is better. Just you watch,” she nodded.
The Raiders did their intro routine and took their seats. The ref came out and the starting six for each team assumed their place on the ice. The music started and lights flashed as the first two minute round, called a succession, started.
The main objective was for the ‘bullet’ of each team to try to make as many laps around the ice as possible without being impeded by the other team’s ‘crushers’ whose job was to stop them. This was pretty much by any means possible, since this was full-contact, with fist fights, commentary, and penalty boxes.
I looked over at Riley, who wasbeaming, as she yelled and cheered for various players, and predicting moves. I’d found my family. And for that, I was grateful.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Wes
Grace dozed next to me in the passenger seat of the rental car as I followed the directions on my phone. I’d been here many times, but I wasn’t usually the one driving. It had also been a while. Nostalgia shot through me as I remembered all the good times Lexi and I had here with our grandparents and cousins.
As I drove through a quaint little seaside town, I made note of what stores were still here, and what new ones looked fun.I pulled into a crowded lot at the pier, since it was a Friday afternoon, and parked the rental car.
“Wake up, Peaches.” I shook Grace.
She sat up and looked out the window. Before us was a pier and boardwalk. The sky swing and bubble wheel were in full force.
“Where are we?” she breathed. “I mean, I know we’re on the Northeastern Seaboard, but…”
“Welcome to Seaside.” I grinned, waiting a moment to see if she figured it out.
Grace sucked in a breath as she put on her sunglasses and grabbed her purse. “Boo-bear, really? Where your grandparents have a beach house?”
“Yep.” I grinned. “Grandma even said we can stay there.” Anxiousness shot through me. “I wanted to show you the places I told you about when we were kids. I hope this is good.”
It wasn’t some fancy resort, just a beach town where I spent two weeks a year for a large part of my life. A place I shared things about with her during our seven years of dream visits.
The grin on her face erased my nervousness.
“Are you kidding? I was always so jealous that you got to go to the oceanevery year.” She bounced out of the car. “This is the best. Thank you.”
I joined her as we walked toward the noisy pier that was a core memory from my youth. “I thought we could spend the afternoon here. Maybe I could win you a toy. We could ride the sky swing, have funnel cake, and do all the things I used to tell you about. I have a place that I want to take you for dinner, too.”
Her fingers entwined with mine. “I can’t wait.”
