“You’re one to talk,” Hannah says to her sister. “What about theHunger Gamesparty you made us throw for you.”
Wren beams and talks to me, like she’s filling me in on a secret. “We put all the food and drinks in the middle of the backyard like a cornucopia and everyone had Nerf guns so if you wanted anything to eat you had to run through a blaze of bullets. It was epic.”
“And she made me dress up like Elizabeth Banks’ character in this wild makeup and hair.”
“It was great. God, we should do that again. Maybe I’ll come back in March. Travis could be Caesar or President Snow.” Wren’s eyes light up at the prospect.
I think for them, I just might. “I love a good villain.”
Wren’s still smiling at me as she asks, “When’s your birthday?”
“October twenty-sixth,” I say without any thought but as soon as the words are out of my mouth I go still. Shiiiit. I force a smile and sneak a glance at Hannah. I guess it was too much to ask the universe that she not remember another important thing that happened on that date.
She clearly does. Wren thankfully chatters on, tossing out potential party ideas for me and asking if I ever had a Halloween-themed party since my birthday is so close to it.
“No.” I look quickly away from Hannah to her sister. “I had a lot of hockey-themed parties.”
She snorts. “Figures.” Then something catches her attention on the screen. “Oh, I love this part.”
Wren falls quiet and I turn back to Hannah. She’s still looking at me with so many questions on her face, but she doesn’t ask, and I take that as a cue she doesn’t want to discuss it in front of Wren.
I try to go back to watching the movie, but I can feel how tense Hannah is next to me and I hate it. Finally, I drop a hand to her thigh under the blanket. Her leg jumps but then slowly relaxes. I do my best to pour an apology and promise to explain later into my touch with a light squeeze.
She shifts closer as if in agreement and we watch the movie cuddled up together.
We make it halfway through the second movie before Wren falls asleep. Hannah’s eyes are heavy too. I really don’t want to move but I know if I do, they’ll both sleep better on the couch.
With more willpower than excitement, I slowly pull away.
“Where are you going?” Hannah asks quietly, voice deeper than usual.
“To bed. You need anything?”
She looks at Wren and then shakes her head.
My stare is holding on her mouth again. Dammit.
I swallow thickly and stand. “Night.”
I don’t let myself linger or look back as I head upstairs to my room. I’m pulling my shirt over my head when footsteps sound behind me.
“We got married on your birthday,” Hannah says, a hint of a question in the words.
I turn to her slowly and offer an apologetic smile.
I knew this was coming eventually so I nod. “That’s why I was in Vegas.”
“How could you have not told me that?”
“It didn’t come up.”
She does not like that answer. She crosses her arms over her chest and tucks her chin so she’s glaring up at me.
“You were there to celebrate your accomplishment with your teammates, and I didn’t want to take the focus off you for even a second.”
“You should have told me. If not that night, then after.”
“I did.” If we’re laying all our cards on the table, then I guess this is my final one. “When we were leaving the wedding chapel, I told you it was the best birthday I’d ever had.”
