Blair’s lips thin, but it’s impossible to miss the smile threatening to break free. She knows I’m right.
Pressing a kiss to her nose, I gesture for her to continue, and she laughs until her gaze flits back to the water, her expression turning serious. My stomach drops and I focus on the wind as it tangles Blair’s hair, knowing what’s coming.
“Now for the bad news. Your dad was arrested for a pub brawl last month. Your mom reached out to mine for support, but when Mom mentioned talking to Zane, she ah…said someunkindthings, and my mom hung up on her. I think she’s struggling and—”
“Unkind things?” I balk, but it’s not aimed at Blair. My mom’s words still burn when I think about them. “She blamed Dad’s drinking on me, and toldyourmom she should cut me out of your life.”
“Are those things not unkind?” Blair questions, and I huff out a laugh as she continues filling Sierra in. “Anyway, as I was saying…I think she’s struggling with your dad’s trial coming up. He beat someone up pretty badly. We were waiting for it to come back to Zane in the media, but thankfully they seem tohave moved on. It’s hard for them to tear him down when he has the label of football’s underdog, rising from heartbreak and seclusion to become one of the NFL’s greatest.”
“Fuck off.” I chuckle. “That’s not what they call me.”
“It’s not?” She furrows her brow, her expression marred in fake confusion.
“You know it’s not. She knows it’s not,” I say to Sierra and then laugh again, grabbing Blair’s face to kiss her. “If it wasn’t for me, Storm wouldn’t have won the Super Bowl the year all that went down, and we wouldn’t be back on top again this year. Ready to win. We’re going to pretend last year never happened.”
“Do you know the definition of an underdog, Zane?”
“Stop,” I growl and Blair’s eyes spark with heat. She loves it when I do that.
“Okay. Stopping. But you’re playing dirty.”
“Maybe. But now that you’re looking at me like that, I refuse to take it back. Hurry up and finish telling Sierra whatever you have to say.” I lean forward, grabbing her hip below her tee, whispering the rest. “I want to fuck my wife before we’re summoned for more Christmas festivities. I need to hear her scream.”
Blair sucks in a breath and when I pull back, her bottom lip’s trapped between her teeth. “I’m good.”
“No, you’re not. You have one more big bit of news.” I raise my eyebrows, and she laughs.
“Whoops. You’re right.”
My phone buzzes as she begins and I mindlessly open my message, smiling when I see it’s our group chat, now titled “Anti matchmaking group” based on Easton’s request. With everyone being loved up and happy, we’ve retired the romance side of it, only occasionally using it for team workouts. It’s mostly used for Luke to stay in the know, or to schedule get-togethers, like he is now.
LUKE: New Year’s Eve is locked in at the Bennett residence. 4 p.m. onward. See you all there
REED: Hayls will be late but I’ll be there with the drinks at 3:45
EASTON: Paige says we’re in, but we’ll see. I might be busy
“Let me guess? The group chat?” Blair grins after telling Sierra our final bit of news.
“It sure is. Luke’s confirming New Year’s Eve at his place.”
“Oh, like Amelia did three weeks ago?”
“Yep.” I snicker under my breath. “You know Luke; he likes to feel like he’s in control. Did Amelia tell you what we need to bring?”
“She was reluctant, insisting on doing it all herself. But Hayley put an end to that. We’re on dessert duty.”
“Dessert. That seems easy enough.”
“I’ve already got it ordered.” Blair winks and I laugh.
“Of course you do. Honestly, I’m not sure how I managed to organize my life before you walked back into it.” I stare at her lovingly and she punches me in the arm, seeing through my sincerity.
“Shut up. I like being organized.”
“I know. And I love it. Speaking of, what time do we have to get back to open the presents?”
“We’ve got an hour.”
