“Apparently, I didn’t need to.” Nalani slides out.
She holds up her phone, and I see an app. “Of course you don’t. We still share locations.”
“When did we start doing that?” Noelle questions.
She waves her question off. “Let’s go.”
Nalani reaches back, and I hand her the car seat. “You didn’t tell me that Noelle owns a bookstore.”
“That’s her story to tell.” Sofie smiles at her. “One of many.”
FIVE
The Bears
Claudia
As soon aswe enter the box the horn blows, Savannah starts crying I lift her out of her seat and hold her close, “Shh, it’s all right, sweet litle one, shh.”
“That was poor timing. Aunt Sofie is so sorry.”
“She’s okay,” I kiss her cheek and whisper to her, “You’re okay.”
The amount of trust my child has in me is crazy, because she immediately quiets. “Look at this place,” I whisper. “All the lights? You see them?”
The box is epic, the lighting is warm and casting a soft glow over the plush leather seats. To the right, there’s a long granite countertop lined with food—sliders, hot wings, shrimp cocktails, and, yes, New York pizza. A fully stocked bar and a bartender ready to take our orders, and I can’t partake, but that’s just fine with me.
In front of the plush leather seating are floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ice. It’s a perfect view. The stadium lights flood the arena as the Zamboni scoots around.
Then I see Nalani, and tears are falling down her face.
“All right, Lani, it is time to find your seat,” Sofie says, handing her a tissue. “And pull your shit together. Put your emotions in check and start devising a plan.”
“God, I can’t believe I’m crying,” She sniffs.
“I can,” Noelle says from beside her. “Lauren may think I shouldn’t write about love, but I know it when I see it, and I’ve never seen anything like Nalani and Koa in my twenty-seven years. You prove to me that I’m not wrong, and I’ll write my first bestseller based on it.”
Nalani forces a laugh. “Or die trying, and you can write your first tragedy.”Oh my.“That was a joke.”
“Wouldn’t have mattered, anyway; you’re not gonna fail.” Sofie rests her head on Nalani’s shoulder.
“Because love—true love—always wins,” I kiss the top of Savannah’s head, and I wholeheartedly believe that. In my case, it happens to be the love of a mother for her daughter, but nonetheless.
The door opens behind us, and someone squeals. I turn and see an older woman come in.
“It’s true. They told me that my KET sisters have arrived. Oh, the joy I’m feeling right now is second only to the win we’re about to experience, ladies.”
“Mrs. Costello,” Sofie squeals, “you came.”
They wrap each other up in a tight hug.
“I heard your father bought a box, and then I heard that you were interviewing some of our boys before the game—of course, I came.”
She steps back and turns her head to face Nalani, who says. “You look exactly the same as you did the first time I met you.”
Nalani smiles and hugs her.
“Oh, darling, when you can afford the best plastic surgeons, you never have to get old or saggy.” She laughs and then deadass asks her, “Is this your first time watching the professional cock?”
