War (Boston Bolts Hockey #3)

16. Ava

SIXTEEN

AVA

“Then he said he was his boyfriend and she was his girlfriend. It was literally the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” Lennox is saying as Josie, Scarlett, and I approach the table. War and Brayden dropped us off on the way to the rink, and out front, War hopped out to pull Scarlett’s stroller from the trunk and show me how to open it up.

The past two days have been a whirlwind. After cleaning up Christmas brunch, we bundled up and went outside in search of reindeer tracks. That turned into a snowball fight.

The kids and I ganged up on War and won, though I suspect he threw the game, which is annoyingly adorable.

After we were all sufficiently frozen, we went inside, where War gave me one of his comfy sweaters and another pair of enormous sweats. When he came out in a short-sleeve tee, his tattoos on display, I practically choked on my tongue.

Somehow, I’d forgotten all about the panty-melting tattooed arms, but as I watched him carry sweet Scarlett around, the image was burned into my memory. And when she fell asleep on his chest during Elf and one of those arms was the only thing keeping her in place, I knew I was screwed.

Because I’m extremely attracted to my future husband.

While she napped, War arranged for a car to pick me up so I could get some things from my apartment. Josie was adamant that she come with me. It was more of a blessing than I would have imagined, because it kept me from sitting alone in the silence and overthinking what I’d done over the previous twenty-four hours.

It tempered thoughts of how I had moved into that apartment two years ago on the heels of one of the worst days of my life, how it had been my escape and my salvation. How I was up and leaving this haven now, when I wasn’t sure I was making the right decision.

Rather than dwell on any of that, I quickly packed enough to last a week. Because taking this one week at a time was far more palatable than preparing for a sixteen-year stretch.

I didn’t see the messages from Xander until I got back to War’s house. I’m not sure how the jerk could think I’d still plan to go to Christmas dinner with him after he left me at War’s house. In what world—even if I didn’t know about the strippers and have photographic proof to remind me of what an ass he is—would any woman welcome her boyfriend back into her arms after being left on Christmas?

Nope. Instead, I went and got engaged to his stepbrother. Because that’s way more normal. I’m just thankful that Maria will be back tomorrow and Tyler will leave for an away game the following day. That will give me time to slowly adjust to all these changes.

“I still can’t believe Fitz has two people to fuck, and I’ve got none,” Hannah whines.

I cup my hands over Josie’s ears, although it’s probably too late, and gasp.

The sound garners Hannah’s attention, and when she locks eyes with me, she blanches and mouths an “oh my fuck, I’m so sorry.”

Sara whacks her in the arm. “ Duck. God, it’s like this is your first time.”

Hannah shoots daggers at our blond friend. “Is that a dig at my lack of sex life?”

“Little ears,” Josie pipes up.

Hannah throws her arms out wide. “Come to me, my favorite nine-year-old, and tell me all about your magical Christmas.”

Josie peers up at me and whispers, “Your friends are weird.” Despite the observation, she happily skips to the table and launches herself into Hannah’s arms.

“I need a hug,” Lennox whines.

Josie, eating up the attention, makes her way around the table, doling out hugs before settling in the seat between Sara and me.

“Where are Millie and Vivi?” I ask as I pull Scarlett from her stroller and study it, looking for a way to fold it up. Sara hops up and does it for me—how the hell did she figure that out?—then puts it in the corner.

“Paris. Gavin swept them away on Christmas morning. Pretty sure he’s trying to knock her up. Give Vivi a sibling,” Lennox says.

Sara coughs out a laugh. “Uh, I doubt it. Millie’s got big plans, and they don’t include any more babies. At least not for a while.”

“When she gets back, we’ll invite her and Vivi over,” I say to Josie. “I bet Vivi and Scarlett would love to play together.”

“How was your Christmas?” Hannah asks, eyes dancing. She called on Christmas Day to remind me not to go back to Xander.

I promised I wouldn’t and then told her who I was marrying instead. She did a proper scream and then told me how she’d always known War was obsessed with me. I let her in on the real reason we were getting married since what we have is far from a whirlwind romance that occurred in only ten hours’ time. She is still convinced it’s more than that. The other girls remain completely in the dark, though.

“I had the best Christmas ever,” Josie says, her sweet voice a soothing balm, as always.

Lennox pushes a mimosa in my direction, eyeing Scarlett to make sure she won’t swipe it.

As I reach for the glass, Josie leans forward, eyes wide, and whispers, “But I think Ava”—she thumbs over at me—“had an even better day. When I woke up, I found her having a sleepover in Tyler’s bed.”

“ Josie .” I set my glass on the table with a little too much force. Thank god I haven’t taken a sip yet. If I had, Scarlett would be wearing it.

“ Shut up ,” Lennox shouts, her voice echoing off the walls.

“Yup.” Josie nods, chin lifted with pride. “Then he asked her to marry him, and now she’s going to be my mom, right?” She peers over at me, a hint of wariness in her expression, despite her confident tone. It guts me, the caution there. The poor thing is worried that I’ll change my mind.

“Yeah, love bug.” I stroke her hair and frame her face with my free hand. “That’s the hope. But no matter what, I’ll always be here for you, okay?”

The way the tension drains from her body pinches my heart. “Okay.”

Sara eyes me over Josie’s head, silently making it clear that I can’t get away with not telling them the full story. Her eyes go from serious slits to wide with shock, though, when she catches sight of the ring on my finger. “Oh my god, look at that rock.”

Blushing, I can’t help but study the beautiful emerald. And I can’t help but be reminded that this is the exact ring I would have chosen if asked to design my own. A simple gold band with filigree designs and a round emerald. It’s obviously an heirloom, and I know he didn’t have time to go shopping sometime between midnight and seven a.m. on Christmas morning.

The look in his eyes as he slid it on my finger told me everything I needed to know. Whoever this ring belonged to, and I have a feeling it was his mother, was very special to him. It made me think that, just maybe, I’m special to him. Or I could be.

Flexing my fingers, I shake the thought from my mind. This isn’t a real marriage. Believing this is a fairy tale is a bad idea. That’s how people get hurt. How hearts get broken.

We’re doing this for Josie and Scarlett and Brayden.

My entire life has been in service of other people. It’s what I’m made for. I can absolutely do this.

“Tyler Warren, you sweet boy, you,” Sara says as my husband-to-be appears with Brayden in tow. We’ve just finished brunch, where we drank way too many mimosas and I had to cover Josie’s ears three more times because these women don’t know how to censor themselves. It’s official—girls’ brunch is not meant for kids. I’ll have to find a sitter next time.

Wow, look at me thinking of babysitters and maternal things like that.

War only gives her a who me? look in response.

I pull my little love bug into my side and hold her tight. “Josie here told the girls our news.”

A slow grin spreads across his face. “Ah, so they know that it was all an act.”

A hint of dread worms its way through me in response to the clear calculation in his tone. What the hell is he doing? This is not the place to tell our friends the truth about our agreement. And I can’t believe he thinks it’s okay to bring it up in front of the kids.

“What was an act?” Lennox asks, squinting.

My cheeks heat, and my heart is thumping against my breastbone. I get it if he doesn’t want the girls to think he actually has feelings for me, but this is mortifying.

He doesn’t turn away from me as he replies. “The hatred my future wife has always harbored for me. Apparently she just wanted my attention.”

Instantly, the unease dissipates, but it’s quickly replaced with irritation. That shouldn’t be surprising. When it comes to Tyler Warren, I’m always irritated.

Hannah lets out a dry laugh. “ Right. Because she’s the one who was putting on the act.”

“Oh, I don’t deny that I wanted her attention and that I acted like a jerk to get it,” he says, his voice and expression filled with far too much glee. He faces me again, mischief in his eyes. “But now she’s all mine. Right, Vicious?”

“Why did I say yes again?” I ponder aloud, sarcasm dripping from my tone.

Though the question is rhetorical, Josie answers anyway. “Because you wanted to be my mom.”

Everyone at the table laughs, and I smile down at her, even if it hits too close to the truth. If War is bothered by the comment, he doesn’t let it show, though.

“I should probably tell the boys asap, since none of you know how to keep a secret,” he says, his attention drifting between Lennox and Sara specifically.

Lennox grins. “Oh, honey. When was the last time you checked your notifications? I can’t imagine the group chat isn’t already blowing up.”

Brayden must have been a pickpocket in a previous life, because before War can reach for the device, he’s got it out and is holding it in front of War’s face to unlock the screen. “Dude,” he shouts. “You have ninety-eight notifications.”

“Let me see that.” Grumbling, War reaches for it.

Before he can take it from Brayden, Hannah swipes it out of the teenager’s hand. “The first message is from Aiden. Looks like Lennox has the biggest mouth.” Hannah waggles her brows. “‘Holy shh’—look at me censoring; see? I’m getting better at this—‘you finally got your dream girl to give you a chance.’”

My heart stutters, and my attention flies to War, who just shoves his hands into his pockets and rolls his eyes.

“This one is from Brooks. ‘Congrats, man. Ava is the best. Glad you finally got the girl.’” Hannah’s devious smile grows wider with every word she reads, mirth filling her tone. “Hall chimed in next. ‘Duck’—he didn’t actually say that, but I remembered the rules—another one bites the dust.’ Hall again: ‘But I’m happy for you, man. We all knew it was only a matter of time.’”

“All right, I think we’ve heard enough.” War stretches out one long arm, but before he can grab the phone, Hannah is passing it to Lennox.

“No, I don’t think we have,” my pink-haired friend says. “Exactly how long have you been pining for our precious Ava?”

War scoffs. “I don’t—I didn’t.” He huffs and meets my gaze. “Can you make them stop?”

I should, but I’m too bewildered to form a coherent sentence.

“Since he first met her,” Josie says, popping up on her knees on the chair beside me, her hands splayed on the white tablecloth. “Right, Bray? He told us all about the beautiful ballerina he met and how it was love at first sight.”

Brayden only side-eyes War and shrugs.

With a gasp, Hannah zeroes in on Josie. “When was this?”

I’m also wondering when this happened.

“Brayden and Tyler were visiting me in the hospital, and we were playing Pretty Pretty Princess. I asked if he had his own pretty pretty princess, but he just laughed and said I was the only pretty pretty princess in his life. Then I asked him if he’d ever been in love.” Josie glances at War, not the least bit ashamed of herself for giving him up, despite his frown. “He said no, but that he once thought he could fall in love. It was when he watched the prettiest ballerina dance. When I asked what happened to her, he said he never saw her again.” She eyes me. “But later, when Tyler was in the bathroom, Brayden told me that he saw Tyler’s pretty ballerina all those years ago. He said she had long red hair and green eyes, just like you. And you’re a ballerina, right?”

It takes everything in me not to look at War. To tamp down on the hope that threatens to bubble up in me when I consider what she’s saying. It’s in my best interest not to let myself believe that he’s felt anything but animosity for me since that day he found me in the studio.

Because the way she describes it, her retelling of how he described it, was exactly how I felt. The closest thing to love I’ve ever experienced was in the moment he had me backed up against the mirror and asked me out on a date. That man was Tyler. He’s been War ever since. He’s asked me to call him Tyler again, but I think doing that will screw with me. All of this is screwing with me.

Love at first sight? That’s absurd, right?

“That’s why I asked Tyler to sign me up for ballet,” Josie continues, like her confession hasn’t completely upended this conversation as well as my understanding of Tyler Warren.

I still haven’t looked at him. I can’t.

I can’t look at anyone. Head down, I study the tablecloth, my empty glass. Every eye is fixed on me. I can feel it. And I want to turn and run, rush back to my apartment and hide while I consider what this all means.

If it means anything at all.

“I always wanted to take ballet,” Sara says, drawing attention to herself.

Relief floods me. I could kiss her for taking the pressure off me.

“But I’m way too much of a klutz for that.”

“Oh my gosh, do you remember when we did that talent show in college?” Lennox asks, full-on laughing.

From there, the conversation shifts, and I ease back into my body and out of my mind.

Until I’m daring enough to glance at War. I don’t know what I expect to find. I’m not even sure what I want to find.

What I’m met with is a pair of cool blue eyes searching mine, as if he’s trying to read my mind, trying to determine what I think of Josie’s statement. It’s simple, but it feels like a revelation.

The man I thought was War might just have been Tyler all along. Is it possible I got it all wrong?