“You need to find a way to build bridges with Tristan.”
“Agreed,” Silas adds.
I give them both a warning look. “Have you tried speaking to him about that?”
Mason nods. “I have, and he’s being as fucking stubborn as you. You’re going to need to be the bigger man and bury the hatchet for you both.”
Silas clears his throat and glances at Vesper again. “Being honest, I don’t get why you guys have such a problem with each other. Teammate rivalries are normal, but this feels personal.”
As much as I like both of these guys, there’s no way I’m trusting them with the fact that I boned Tristan’s sister and left her brokenhearted. I don’t know them well enough yet to gauge how they would react. From what I do know about Mason, he’s been married for years, and Silas is clearly a good guy, trying to look out for his asshole brother.
“I’ll speak to him,” I tell them both.
“Good man,” Silas confirms, setting a palm on my right shoulder and pulling out his phone.
He doesn’t hide the screen as he navigates to a group chat and adds my contact into it.
My cell buzzes in my pocket.
“What are you doing?” I question.
He just smirks at me and repockets his phone. “Making sure you follow through on what you just said. Now that you’re a member of the group chat, there’s no backing out.”
Mason knocks his shoulder into me, voice playful as he says, “We will make a Rogue of you yet, Jones.”
12
. . .
Drew
“Tell me that you’re wearing the long navy gown. Your hourglass figure looks insane in that dress.”
“Of course I’m wearing that dress,” I say to my sister, fastening the buckle on my left stiletto—which is way too high to walk in comfortably—before moving to the right one. “It’s the only gown in my wardrobe that I actually like.”
Marley groans happily down the phone as I stand from the bed and move to my open closet, inspecting the collection of purses I’ve built up since I was sixteen.
“I wish I could make it tonight. I haven’t seen you or Mom and Dad in way too long.”
Still examining my accessory options, I share in Marley’s frustration. It has been too long since we last saw each other, especially for a closely knit family like us.
“You’ll be home for Thanksgiving though, right?”
Marley falls quiet, and my heart sinks.
“I think Christmas is more likely. Work and college are insane, and I promised Greg that I’d spend this Thanksgiving with his family. So, we’re traveling to Virginia.”
Suddenly, my choice of bag doesn’t feel all that important.
“You have to promise me that you’ll come home for Christmas. Otherwise, I’m jumping on a plane to Vancouver.”
She snorts a laugh, and it fills my chest. I’ve been nervous about tonight and especially since we found out that Repeet and a couple of other important sponsors will be attending the gala this year, but the melody to my sister’s giggle will always soothe me.
“I promise,” she confirms. “Anyway, what accessories are you going for? And, ooh, will you be dancing with any hot hockey players?”
“I’m attending this year in a business capacity, not just the coach’s family,” I grumble down the phone. “We both know I plan to fade into the background and observe how Will interacts with potential sponsors.”
“Borrrring,” Marley declares, and I roll my eyes even though she can’t see me.
