Del: Think of it as a fact finding mission on that yummy client of yours.
Lily: Already found out he tried to ask Sophie out. That was before Luke staked his claim on her. Her words.
Del: I’m liking hockey players more and more.
Lily: Of course you would.
Del: Judge much?
Lily: Eye roll emoji
Time to return to the fray before someone knocks on the door to see if I’m okay, which is a great question, considering. If I’d known this assignment would require pretending to be friends with other WAGs as well as Payton’s fake wife, I may have reconsidered taking it.
But that permanent position is what I’ve been shooting for, figuratively speaking. I just hope, in the end, I can say it was worth it.
When I return to the living room, everyone is lined up in the kitchen, filling their plates with food. Someone threw asalad together while I was gone, which I find impressive, even if I suspect it’s one of those kits. I’m starting to appreciate how these people do life together.
Definitely brings back a lot of memories of the group home I spent time in as a teenager. By the time I was thirteen, I was labeled as “difficult.” Most likely because I was tall for my age and took it upon myself to protect the smaller kids.
After a few complaints from parents who had no business parenting, in my opinion, the label stuck, and I wound up a permanent resident in the group home, which was fine. I was tired of getting bounced around so much by that point. At least I knew what to expect on a daily basis.
But Payton and his friends are different. They’re a community by choice, not because of circumstances. I’ve never experienced that nuance before, and frankly, I find it unsettling. I’m better at identifying the best exit route or avoiding choke points. Of making sure my principal gets from point A to point B safely. Not socializing and building relationships.
Somehow, we all crowd around Payton’s dining room table. He’s the consummate host, ensuring each person has what they need without lifting a finger because everyone is quick to jump up and take care of whatever he suggests, so he doesn’t exert himself any more than necessary.
I find it all very amusing. And even…heartening. I get that these guys spend hours together every day on the ice, doing a job they love. But they’re friends, too. Payton asks about Mathéo’smémé, who lives in Canada still and just had hip surgery. He’s bummed he couldn’t fly out to be there with her, but everyone reassured him she understood and had plenty of other family members to help, details they already knew about him.
And then there’s Elias, who’s decided to quit dating since his last girlfriend cheated on him. I wantedto tell him that most of the time, life isn’t fair, but then Sophie jumped in and said he couldn’t give up on love. He just hadn’t met the right person yet, and that she and Luke were proof of that, which only made me more curious about those two. I mean, she’s the very definition of sunshine, and Luke’s as grumpy as they come.
All of this swirls to a screeching stop when Sophie pins me with a question. “What do you think, Lily? Should Elias give up on love?”
My hand pauses mid-air, holding my next bite of garlic bread. I lower my hand. “I think…” I clear my throat. “I think anyone who can make garlic bread this good is a great catch.”
An unexpected rumble of laughter erupts around the table. I smile, genuinely glad I dodged that bullet.
Payton leans over. “I made the spread. He just finished what I started.”
I turn my head so only he can hear. “Are you feeling a little jealous?”
He says nothing, but I don’t miss the slight pulse in his jaw muscle. Is he trying to impress me?
“Aww! Look at the lovebirds.” Mia beams at us. “Aren’t they cute?”
Heat flushes up my cheeks despite my attempt to appear unaffected as I continue eating.
Payton gets to his feet and raises his glass of wine. “I would like to make a toast to my lovely bride to thank her for taking such good care of me.” He turns to face me, capturing my gaze with his.
There he goes again, using ‘lovely’ to describe me. But this is for show, right? Maybe the word just rolls easily off his lips.
I try to communicate a cease-and-desist message with a few blinks, but he continues.
“I know we rushed things, and the last thing we expectedwas for me to be laid up while we’re still technically in our honeymoon phase…”
Whistles and catcalls fill his pause, which was clearly his intention, and succeeds in making me squirm in my seat. The man moves as smooth off the ice as on, I have to admit. But I’m not ready to give up this fight.
He flags his hand to quiet the snickering. “She is truly the woman of my dreams. To Lily!”
Everyone raises their glasses, be it wine, water, or, in Wade’s case, a beer, and cheer, repeating Payton’s last two words. I stand up, intending to add my own lethal toast, but before I can say anything, Wade drawls, “Lily, the only way to top that one is to kiss the guy. I think he earned it.”
