“Oh yeah? What was your motive?”
“You’re so fucking pretty, princess.”
“Easton . . .” she protests, and I wonder if she even knows how pretty she is.
“You’re mine, Madeline Hayes. And I want the whole world, including you, to know it. I thought a great way to start would be with my name on your back. And I may have a fantasy or two that start with you in my jersey.”
“Oh yeah . . . ? Where . . . where do they stop, E?” Lindy’s eyes flash wide with heat, and I know I hit the mark.
“You gonna watch the game tonight?”
She nods her head but doesn’t say anything.
Hopefully, too busy thinking about what I just said.
“I’ll call you afterward and tell you how the fantasy goes.”
She takes a minute to collect herself, then slides her mask in place. The one she uses when she’s on display for the world. The one I hate. “Have a good game, hockey boy.”
“I’ll talk to you after we win, wife.”
LINDY
“Are you still hiding from your family?” Everly asks as she looks up from the sketch she’s working on in our living room, then laughs when I don’t answer. “Okay, so we’re just going to avoid the Kingston conversation? Because I saw Scarlet today at cheerleading practice, and she asked me if I knew whether you met with an attorney yet.”
“Of course she did. Because that makes more sense than picking up the phone and calling me.” They drive me nuts. “I’m not actively avoiding them. I just haven’t gone out of my way to see any of them.”
Everly’s eyebrows shoot straight up to her forehead, and yes, I hear how bad that sounded.
“Ma was asking about you when I saw her at the bakery earlier too.” Maddox walks out of our kitchen and grabs the TV remote off the mantel. “Wanted to know if you figured out what you were doing yet.”
“Don’t you have your own place?” Everly kicks his leg when he sits next to her.
“Yeah, but Callen’s fucking some cheerleader in there. Didn’t feel like listening to the wannabe porn star, and I wanted to watch the game. See if Jace kicks the shit out of Easton on the ice tonight.”
“Oh . . . which cheerleader?” Everly’s eyes sparkle with excitement. “We sign a contract that we won’t screw the players.”
“How the fuck should I know? Want me to go interrupt them and ask for ID?”
Everly steals the beer out of Maddox’s hand and takes a sip. “Oops. Backwash. Guess you need to get your own now, buddy.”
“That was my own, demon spawn.” He finds the Revolution game about to start and pauses the TV, then heads back to the kitchen. “You want one while I’m in here, trouble?”
“No,” I call back and sit down on the other side of Everly. I peer over her shoulder at the stunning sketch of a ball gown with splashes of pink. “That’s gorgeous.”
She smiles nervously. Definitely not her norm. This girl was born confident. “I’m glad you like it because I have a favor to ask.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“Let me design your dress for the New Year’s Eve gala.”
“Okay.”
“That’s it?” she questions, shocked. “Lindy, do you even realize how many people photograph you that night? Seriously, I think you were on the cover of People magazine last year.”
“Okay. So I’ll make sure to tell everyone I’m wearing an Everly Sinclair original.” I pull my legs up on the couch as she tackles me.
“Oh my God. I love you.”
“Dude, girl-on-girl is hot, but not when it’s you two,” Maddox grumbles and presses play on the TV.
“Whatever.” Everly untangles us and fixes her hair. “Like you’d ever have a chance with us.”
“Uhm . . . hello . . . ? Shared bloodlines here,” I interrupt their argument, and they both turn to look at me.
“You got a new number on your jersey there, trouble.” Maddox nods toward me, then hands me a bottle of water.
“You do,” Everly inhales, overly excited.
“Calm down. It doesn’t mean anything,” I tell them both, and okay, so maybe I’m trying to convince myself a little too.
“She doth protest too much.” Evie smiles.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Maddox asks, and I giggle.
Everly rolls her eyes. “How did you graduate from college?”
“I fucked a lot of TAs,” he tells her matter-of-factly.