I guffawed. “Did you just do a magic trick to make me stop crying?”
Nick watched me with bright eyes, the mischief in the jade color popping. “Did it work?”
“Yeah, it worked.”
Nick pressed a sweet kiss to my forehead, then the tip of my nose. “Let’s get these pies and go.”
Chapter 30
Nick
NOVEMBER | Tarot: Ten of Cups
Annie and I arrived within fifteen minutes of each other, her letting me get a head start. Kitty chastised her for being late as soon as she got in.
“Sorry. Couldn’t find my one boot,” she said, acting like she was the silliest goose for forgetting. Annie, Leroy, and I held up the “single” contingent, with Romelski and his family, Sorrento and his, and Mikey and Jessie making up the rest of the guest list.
“You could have brought your new girl,” Guy said, clapping me on the back.
“Oh, yeah. Still kinda new,” I said, glancing over at Annie, who was busy already exchanging secrets with Kitty.
Greg played with Sorrento and Romelski’s kids, though I did have to stop him from going to humptown on Romelski’s son. Greg got put in time-out in the guest bedroom for that one. Sometimes the little fella just gets too hyped up.
We eventually sat for dinner after some shooting the shit and a cheese tray. Annie and Guy helped Kitty carry out the dishes, Guy almost dropping the turkey and Kitty almost passing out from the stress of the near-turkey-drop.
“Everything looks really nice, Kitty,” Leroy said, and I swear everyone snapped a little at his statement. Compliments were rare from him. Maybe being away from Sydney had really changed him.
Kitty started with an acknowledgment of the First People and the land where we shared the meal. Then we all went around and said what we were thankful for.
Leroy was thankful for his kids and his divorce attorney. Jeanine was thankful for our friend family. Jessie was thankful for having met Mikey this year, and Mikey was grateful she put up with his shit. A tear gleamed in Annie’s eye when it got to her. She drew a shaky breath.
“I’m grateful I got to move to L.A. I got to live with my best friend and her husband. I got to meet all you wonderful people and y’all have been so welcoming. It really,” she wiped under her eyes, “it really means a lot after a hard year.”
Kitty hummed and side-hugged Annie next to her. “We love you so much, Annie.”
“Okay, someone else go,” Annie said, waving her hands. “I hate public crying.”
As it moved to Romelski on her other side, I caught her eye and shot her a wink. She gave me a soft smile and took a sip of her wine.
When it came to me, my heart pounded and my face went hot. “I’m thankful for all of you lovely people, especially the ones who protect me on the ice. I’m thankful for Greg. And uh, I’m thankful for the new person in my life, even though it’s just getting started.”
A whoop went up around the table as I briefly met Annie’s eyes.
“Show a pic!” Romelski said.
“Oh, uh,” at this point my whole neck was boiling. “I don’t have any fit for public consumption.”
Leroy howled like a coyote and more cheers erupted.
But really, Annie and I didn’t have any pictures together. I wanted them, but I figured she’d tell me no. It wasn’t practical. What were the chances that anyone would go through my phone and be like “HA! I knew you were trading orgasms and kisses with your agent!”
Still, I knew not to ask.
Dinner was loud and warm, full of laughs and ridiculous jokes,and talk of what our families were doing back home.
Annie excused herself to go call her family toward the end of dinner, noting that it was getting late back home. She was gone ten or so minutes, and I hoped everything was going okay. I stepped away to go to the bathroom, then slipped into their backyard to check on her. She had the sweetest smile on her face talking to her family, waving me over when she saw me come out.
“You don’t want to miss it. My sisters are doing their dance routine,” she whispered. I caught the last minute of their performance, sitting next to Annie on a pool chair with our heads together to watch the screen. We cheered when the song ended and the two sisters ran over to talk to Annie.
