“You’re wrong,” Willow says, getting in on the hug action, wrapping her arms around them both. “It’s a big fucking deal. Gid, get in here. Group hug.”
“You’re all weird.”
“Come on.” Ryker opens an arm, and I give in, hugging them for a second and then pulling away.
Seeing them all together, actually welcoming Lena, laughing and talking, has something shifting in my chest.
God, she looks right here. Like she belongs here, with us. Like she should never leave.
She’s going to leave.
But today isn’t that day.
“I’m hungry,” Lena announces, wiggling her way out of the group hug.
“Me too,” Willow says. “We had alotof wine.”
“You don’t say.” My voice is dry as fuck, but they just laugh at me.
“It’s not like I’m driving anywhere,” Lena says as she leans on the counter. “Or drunk dialing an ex to piss him off or turn him on. Or both.”
I narrow my eyes at her and lean in so only she can hear what I’m about to say.
“I’ve been reminded twice tonight that other motherfuckers have had you, Rebel. I don’t like it. Not even a little. Keep it up and see where it gets you.”
“Yeah, okay.” She snorts.
“I don’t think I’ve seen Gideon possessive,” Willow tells Ry, as if I’m not even in the room. “It’s fascinating.”
“He’s definitely not usually like this. It’s new.” He steals a slice of garlic bread and bites in. “I’ll set the table.”
“So you won the Stanley Cup?” Lena asks him.
“Twice,” Ry says with a shit-eating grin.
“That’s impressive.”
“But has he protected a fucking president?” I glare at my brother, who just laughs. “I don’t think so.”
“You’re both impressive,” Lena says, patting my chest, and I catch her hand in mine, linking our fingers. I fucking missed her this afternoon. “But I don’t know anything about hockey. I know all about your job.”
“Hockey isn’t all that great,” I mutter, and Ryker laughs out loud.
My brother is a dick.
“I was also the MVP. Twice.” He winks at my woman, and now I know he’s just trying to piss me off.
“I wonder if I ever saw you play,” she says, tipping her head to the side. “When I was a kid, before Mom won the presidency, my dad would take me to games. Hockey, football, basketball, pretty much everything. He’s a huge sports fan.”
I didn’t know that.
“Then, Mom went into politics, and we couldn’t go anymore. I loved going with him. It was the only time that it was just the two of us out doing something together. My dad was an attorney, so he worked long hours, but we went to a game at least twice a month.”
“Did you watch together on TV once you couldn’t go in person anymore?” Willow asks, and Lena shakes her head.
“Nah. Things got busy for them after that. Lots of politicking.” She sips her wine, and I dish up a big slice of lasagna for her—she needs to soak up some of that wine—and she takes a big bite. “I don’t really know my parents all that well, when I think about it. God, this isso good.”
Ryker frowns. “What do you mean?”
