I thought last season was tough, what with our pitcher Rafe’s surprise kid showing up, which led to his retirement and proposal to his now-wife after the final game of the season with no warning. All that, combined with my best friend moving to Vancouver Island, meant the spring and summer of last year were pretty freaking stressful.
But this year, with Ronan in town and Lydia being Lydia, might be even worse.
When I wake up the next morning, I’m exhausted and oh so grateful it’s Saturday. So, when a video call from Tori comes in, I actually debate not answering for a second to preserve the silence and warm, cozy feelings.
When I do, it’s clear she’s not at home. “Are you on a ferry?” I ask, excitement washing away my exhaustion.
She nods, then pans the phone to the side so I can see Cooper holding his puppy Chloe, and Tori’s boyfriend Sawyer, all grinning and waving. “Surprise! Got any room for some last-minute visitors?”
I scramble up to sit straighter on my couch. “Oh my God, of course, I do! Wait, why are you coming? Why didn’t I know this?”
Tori says something to Sawyer off-screen before turning back to me with a wide smile. “Coop’s going to visit his grandparents, and instead of them coming to the island to get him, we decided to come to the mainland. Sawyer’s got a weekend off, and it was just a spur-of-the-moment decision.” Her face grows serious. “Are you sure you have time, though? I know preseason isn’t too busy normally, but I saw that video with Maverick.”
I groan. “You did, huh? Yeah, he needs to learn better ways to handle things that don’t involve fighting. But it’s fine, we issued a press release and he’s now on lockdown in Arizona.”
“So it’s good timing for us to show up uninvited?”
A big smile breaks free on my face. “T, it’s always a good time for you to show up. I miss you guys so much.”
“Awesome.” She grins back. “We’ll be at your place in an hour and a half. Coop wants to see you before we take him to his grandparents.”
“Perfect.”
We hang up and I leap into action, setting up the guest bedroom for Tori and Sawyer, and change out of my pajamas into some real clothes.
By the time Tori and her family get to my apartment, I’m so ready to see them. As soon as I buzz them in, I open my apartment door and wait, staring at the elevator, willing it to move faster. The doors open and I yank Tori into a huge hug.
“Oh my God, you’re crushing me, woman.” She laughs, but her arms are squeezing me just as tightly. For so long, it was the two of us and Cooper against the world. I’ve missed them so much, even though moving to Dogwood Cove was perfect for them.
Eventually, I let her go, only to open my arms wide and wait to see if Coop will still hug me. With him turning nine this year, I’m wise enough to let him decide. But he throws himself into my arms as well, and my heart bursts with love for my pseudo-nephew. I hold him equally tight.
“Where’s my love?” Sawyer Donnelly’s deep voice teases. We first met Sawyer and some of his friends at the BC firefighter’s fundraiser gala last year. I pegged the three of them as outrageous flirts, but Sawyer saw something in Tori, and she saw the same in him, I guess. A one-night stand was supposed to be all there was to it until Tori moved to Dogwood Cove and discovered her hunky firefighter lived there.
It’s not all that different to mine and Ronan’s situation, come to think of it, except Tori was free to continue having a fling and a bunch of hot sex with Sawyer, and I’m most definitely not with Ronan.
“C’mere, you,” I say, hugging Sawyer. “I’m glad you guys are here.”
We enter my apartment, and Sawyer heads down the hall to the guest room with his and Tori’s bags.
“We’re meeting Coop’s grandma in half an hour, then Sawyer is going out with his firefighting buddies for lunch. Meet me for sushi at Mizu in an hour?” Tori asks as Cooper and his dog Chloe roll around on my living room floor.
“Sounds perfect,” I say, and it really does. Certainly beats the laundry and frozen pizza I had planned for the day. They all head out shortly after arriving, and Cooper gives me yet another hug.
“I kinda wish I was staying here,” he mumbles into my shoulder and I squeeze him a little tighter.
“Maybe you can come over, just you, for a weekend when the season starts and we’ll do a Cooper and Aunt Willow weekend,” I whisper back. His enthusiastic nod is everything. I love that kid so damn much.
Just over an hour later, I slide into a booth opposite Tori in our favourite little sushi joint.
“I already ordered gyoza and sunomono.”
I grin. “You’re too good to me.”
Tori picks up her green tea and takes a sip. “So. How’s the Ronan situation?”
I grimace and sip my own tea, trying to decide how to respond. “Fine? Frustrating? Nonexistent? Hell if I know.”
Tori sets down her tea and leans forward, her eyes filled with curiosity. “I want to know more about the frustrating part.”
