With more than a decade on us, Rowan probably had more NHL hopes than Ryder and I combined.
"I'll take a cinnamon raisin bagel with heaps of strawberry cream cheese."
"You eat like a kid," she teased, flicking my head. "But I'm not fetching it for you. You're coming with me."
"You’re cruel. And way too chipper for the ungodly hour of…" I reached for my phone. "Ten a.m." Oops. Guess I really needed that sleep.
"I've been up since six with your dog. You can thank me by getting your ass up because I'm starving."
I winced. "Sorry. You should’ve let Guardian sleep in here so he could wake me up instead of you."
"Nah, I'm not the one with a concussion. His crate can stay in Ryder’s room with me." She slapped my shoulder. "Up, up! The day awaits."
It wasn’t like Sydney to be so cheery, so I rolled my eyes. "You really need Ryder to get back in town."
"Don’t I know it?” She sighed dramatically. "Now, no more dillydallying. I’m leaving because you sleep in way too little clothing, and I don’t need to see all that when the covers are gone. Meet me downstairs in five."
"I don’t even get to shower?"
"Nope."
"Asshole." She was already halfway out the door and on the stairs before I kicked the blankets off. She’d made one mistake,though. I didn’t sleep in any clothes at all. Not something my sister needed to know.
The bagel shop was conveniently next to a Starbucks, and Sydney had already placed a pickup order, so it didn’t take long before we were enjoying both.
I sat across from her at the tiny outdoor table, trying to fit my long legs under it. I’d thrown on a pair of gray sweats and a Guardians shirt. The team’s namesake sat loyally at Sydney’s feet, the traitor. She kept feeding him bits of her egg sandwich, which probably didn’t help my case.
"You’re going to spoil him," I grumbled.
She smirked and continued feeding him. Without lifting her eyes from her sandwich, she took a long drink from her iced chai, set it down, and gave me a look. "So…"
"So?" I wasn’t sure I was ready to hear what was coming next based on that side grin.
"Was it just me, or were there some super weird vibes last night when I picked you up?"
"I don’t know what you're talking about." I tried to hide my grimace behind a sip of coffee, but the scalding liquid burned my tongue and made me sputter.
"I knew it." She leaned forward, pointing a long finger at me. "Theodore Valentine, did you Teddify your freaking coach?"
"Teddify?"
"Stasia and I came up with it. It’s what you do. You charm everyone. You haven’t met a woman your age you didn’t want in your bed, and for some reason, they fall for this bumbling-idiot-full-of-charm act."
"It’s not an act." I deflected, my go-to move. "I’m just naturally charming."
"But you’re not an idiot. You act like one because you think it’s what people want from you."
I bit into my bagel, chewed, swallowed. "New therapist?" My sister was unraveling her own issues—falling for my best friend, realizing some things about herself. She was a bit of a mess.
That single finger pointed at me again. "Not the point here. You’re fucking your coach?"
"Whoa there." I held up my hands in mock horror. "Who said anything about fucking? Also, gross. Don’t say that to your brother. Frankie and I?—"
"Coach."
"What?"
"You called her Frankie. That alone tells me there’s something going on."
