Total pages in book: 136
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 665(@200wpm)___ 532(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Everyone turns their attention to her.
“This…” She motions between me and my father. “…is unbelievable.” She tosses her napkin on the table and pushes her chair back.
I get up to help her. “Meems.”
She raises a hand and uses the other one to grip the edge of the table. Her eyes are on fire. “I don’t know what is going on between you two, but this…pissing contest is juvenile and uncalled for.”
“Your grandson—”
“He’s your son!” she snaps.
Mildred looks utterly stricken. She pushes back her chair and rounds the table. I watch her transform, become the woman who saves teenage girls from embarrassing bathroom situations. “Okay, Meems, put your firecrackers away. They’re grown men. They can work their own shit out.” She offers her hand, and Meems takes it. Mildred whispers something to her, and she nods.
They link arms, and Mildred turns back to my family, who wear varying expressions of shock. “Thank you for coming for dinner. You’re welcome to stay for cake, as long as it doesn’t end up on the walls. But Meems is done with company.”
And with that, she steers Meems out of the dining room, leaving my family staring after them. Three seconds later, my parents get into it. But my mother’s fire won’t last long. She’s too afraid to lose what she has.
I leave them, going in search of my wife and Meems so I can apologize.
I find them in the kitchen with Ethel, Norm, and Cedrick.
Mildred slides over and pats the empty stool between her and Meems. “Come on, Connor. You’re a sweet enough villain to deserve cake and ice cream.”
CHAPTER 35
DRED
“These boys are on fire tonight.” Rix pops a chocolate-covered peanut in her mouth.
“They’re playing so clean these days,” Hemi notes.
“It’s good to see in such a transitional year.” Hammer snaps a picture and sends a message to either Hollis or her dad, or both. They might be retired from the league, but they’re still invested in the team. They’re both coaching tonight at the Hockey Academy; otherwise they’d be here, too.
Roman worked closely with Kellan and Connor last season to get them ready, and it feels like all that hard work is paying off.
“Connor has really stepped it up this season.” Shilpa cradles her little nugget in her arms. He’s wearing an adorable pair of earmuffs, and he’s totally zonked after two periods of being snuggled and passed.
“It’s been a good season for him,” I agree.
“Seems like maybe you’re responsible for that shift.” Essie nudges me.
“I don’t know that it’s a me thing…”
“Seems like a you thing.” Hemi arches a brow.
“He’s getting along with everyone on the team, even Flip,” Hammer notes.
Tally looks up from her phone with a disgusted expression.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, sorry. Cammie’s at Chase’s game tonight, and my ex is hitting on one of our other friends. She didn’t want to tell me, but she felt like it would be better coming from her instead of someone else.” She tucks her phone in her pocket. “I don’t care who he dates, but he’s kind of flying his douchebag flag by flirting in front of one of my closest friends, you know?”
“I’m sorry, Talls.” Fee hugs her arm.
“It’s fine. He’s a dick. He just needs to stop being so creepy and find new people to hang out with.”
“Maybe we need to attend one of Chase’s games,” Rix suggests.
“And bring our boys,” Hemi adds.
Tally’s eyes light up with glee, and a side of vindication. “It would be such a shitshow,” she breathes. “But also probably worth it.”
Tally’s boyfriend from last year wasn’t a fan favorite. They broke up at the end of summer, when pictures surfaced of him making out with a girl from his hometown. Apparently, he’d been dating her and Tally the whole time. Mostly Tally was annoyed by all the online chatter and irritated with herself for not seeing him for what he was sooner, but she bounced back quickly.
“Oh! You know what we need to do?” Hemi taps her lip.
“Go over things for the library fundraising gala?” I ask hopefully. It’s taken a back seat with the wedding and writing all the proposals.
Hemi nods. “We have loads of time, but I’d love to get most of it ironed out in the next few weeks.”
“Agreed.” I try not to sound overly eager, but I would love for this gala to give the library a soft cushion after what happened with Connor’s dad and pulling the funding. It’s been reinstated, and I’m sure it has everything to do with my husband, although he hasn’t mentioned it. “Now that I’m settled, I’ll be able to give it more of my attention.”
The girls jump in, throwing out ideas, and Hammer pulls out her phone to take notes.
The Terror win the game. It’s a Friday night, and they have a three-day break, so we decide to go out and celebrate. Under normal circumstances, I would bail early because the club scene is not my jam, but not this time. I’ve been living in a mansion on the edge of the city, missing the easy access I used to have to all my friends. Before I could walk across the hall or down the street; now it’s a drive with some planning.