I know that’s how people see me, and I’ll do whatever I can to start changing those perceptions, but it won’t happen overnight. And Maddox has known me since college. He’s seen me through my most unserious fuckboy moments. There’s no way he’ll see me as someone worthy of his sister.
“No one sees you that way, Wright.”
“They do.” I shake my head. “And I know it’s my fault.”
Sebastian is silent for a moment, and my stomach twists. “Who is the first person on the team to hype everyone else up? Who shows up, day in and day out, and does whatever it takes to make sure morale is high?” He glances at me, but when I don’t respond, he continues. “Who has stuck his neck out for his teammates and their women when shit hits the fan? Who refused to accept that things were over between Isla and Maddoxand stepped in to make sure Maddox didn’t ruin his own life with his stubborn pride?”
Warmth fills my chest, and the back of my eyes begin to burn, but I still can’t speak. Although I appreciate what Sebastian is saying, none of that means Madds would ever support my relationship with his sister.
“You’re never late to practice, you show up even when you’re sick or injured. You square up for every single man on our team if some asshole starts shit on the ice. While some guys blow through their salaries, you found someone to help manage your money, then made sure we all did the same. You may not be the captain of the Rogues, but we depend on you because we know you care, and you care deeply. If that doesn’t make you the kind of guy worthy of Mira, then Madds doesn’t really want his sister with anyone.”
Sebastian’s words wrap around me like a warm bro-hug. I want to believe him; I do. But even if I wanted to sit Madds down and have a heart-to-heart with him, I can’t. Mira has sworn me to secrecy about this marriage, and until she’s all in, I can’t do anything to jeopardize this.
“Thanks, man. I appreciate that, I really do. But there’s nothing to say about me and Mira, okay? Please don’t mention anything to him.”
Sebastian steals a few glances at me as he pulls up to the airstrip’s security gate. “Okay, Griffin. But you can talk to me about anything. You know that, right?”
I nod as he rolls his window down and shows his ID to the guard, who opens the gate and waves us through.
“Yeah, I know. Thanks, brother.”
“You’re a good man, Wright,” Sebastian says as he parks. “I’m sorry we’ve turned you into the butt of our jokes. I’ll get the guys to knock it off.”
“It’s fine,” I tell him. Because whether they give voice to their jokes or not, that’s exactly how they see me. A joke.
Bash shakes his head. “It’s not. And if therewassomething going on with Mira, she’d be lucky to have you. I hope you know that.”
It doesn’t matter if I know that or not, only that Mira does. And as of right now, I haven’t done enough to convince her. I will, though. Whatever it takes, I will prove that she can rely on me. That I’m it for her and she’s it for me.
twenty
MIRA
I knowI’m in trouble when, halfway through the week, I’ve yet to sleep straight through the night. Not a single time. The only time I come close is when Griffin FaceTimes me before bed, so I can’t even lie to myself and claim it’s not at least partially because I’ve grown so used to feeling him beside me.
Never before have I needed another human being in bed with me in order to fall asleep or stay asleep, and, not for the first time since I woke up married to my brother’s best friend, I wish I hadn’t pushed all my girlfriends away for stupid Jared. I could really use someone to talk to about all of this with. Someone who doesn’t know my brother or isn’t engaged to him. I consider calling my mom, but Camila Graves wants me to find Mr. Right as much as I do, so I have a feeling she’d deafen me with an excited scream, then demand to know when we’re giving her grandbabies.
Probably not the most helpful or productive conversation.
Isla has asked me, Lexi, and her two best friends to go wedding dress shopping with her today, so I could try to find a roundabout way of bringing all of this up, but after some of thelooks Isla has given Griffin and me, it seems likely she would figure it out.
Suffering in silence, it is.
Parking the G-Wagon isn’t as easy as parking my little Toyota, but I love her heated seats, top-notch sound system, and smooth ride. What Idon’tlove is the curious look it earns from Isla when I pull into the spot beside her car just as she’s climbing out.
“Hey, Mir. Is that Griffin’s car?” My future sister-in-law stands on the sidewalk with an unreadable expression on her face as I climb out of Gertie. Which is what I’ve named the car. Because, obviously, all cars should have names.
“Hey.” I wrap the redhead in a hug before we head into the bridal shop. “Yeah. Artax died, so Griffin’s letting me use his car while they’re on the road. I’m hoping to hear some news about my car from the mechanic soon.”
“Really? Huh.” Isla smiles and waves at her best friends, Jess and Nevaeh, who are already enjoying mimosas and laughing about something in some plush white leather chairs toward the back of the shop. “That’sniceof him.”
Not loving the emphasis she puts on the wordnice, I shrug, playing it off. “Yep. Pretty sure Griffin would give anyone the shirt off his back if they needed it. He’s a good guy like that.”
“He is. But he also loves that car. Maddox has tried to get Griffin to let him drive it a few times, and Griff always says no. That he doesn’t trust Maddox’s giant feet not to press down on the wrong pedal and crash his baby into a wall or something.”
That has me snorting out a laugh because I’m sure that pisses my brother right off, but it’s also a hilarious mental image. “Well, I suppose he’s letting me drive it because I don’t have oversized ogre feet.”
Isla chuckles at my use of her nickname for my brother and shakes her head as we join her friends. The little bell on the doorjingles a few seconds later, and Lexi steps in. “Right. I’m sure that’s it.”
