“There’s a New Year’s Eve party at Axis my friends and I always go to. How about you?”
“I know Axis. Can I tag along?”
I tilt my head and squint at him. “It sells out almost as soon as the tickets go on sale.”
He smirks, like he’s been waiting for this setup. “I’m a hockey player. I know people.”
I raise a brow, pretending to be unimpressed, even though I’m already fighting a grin. “Tristan, do you have secret club connections?”
He leans in just a little, close enough that I catch a hint of his minty goodness.
“Sweetheart, Iamthe secret club connection.”
A surprised, short burst of sound escapes before I can control it. Did I just giggle?
His hazel eyes catch the light, specks of green on display. “Well? Are you good if I party with you and your friends?” he prompts.
I glance away for a second, suddenly self-conscious about what my friends would say about Tristan showing up when I’ve dodged any questions about him.
“I’m surprised Toby hasn’t invited you.”
“Does he know about the twins?”
I shake my head slowly. “I’ll let him know soon. He’ll kill me if I don’t tell him at least a few weeks before all our other friends find out.”
Tristan’s expression softens. “Your friends loved me at the Halloween party.”
I smirk. “They loved the wings.”
He releases a low chuckle, amused and thoughtful and so damn sexy.
“You have a great community here, Ligaya,” he says after a moment. “I can see why you stayed in Centerstone.”
His words catch me off guard.
Something about the way he says it tugs at my insecurity. Is that an insult wrapped in flattery? Like I “stayed in Centerstone” and didn’t explore my options? Stayed where I was comfortable, and my “community” was consolation for settling? That I haven’t seen the world or pushed past what’s comfortable?
I wrap my arms around myself against the cold, unsure if I’m trying to warm my body or protect my pride.
“It’s a compliment,” Tristan assures me and reaches over to smooth the furrow on my brows.
“Thank you,” I say, keeping my reservations to myself. “It’ll be a great place to raise kids.”
My eyes search his, willing him to say something more, hoping for reassurance that this “compliment” is a precursor to staying here, too.
Part of me wants to ask outright:Are you settling down in Centerstone or not?It’s the wordsettlingthat stops me. Tristan issomeone who has seen the world and taken risks. He’s lived his entire adult life away from Ohio.
I’m keeping the babies based entirely on my choice.
Whether or not he stays in Columbus or returns to Denver needs to behischoice.
CHAPTER 27
TRISTAN
The bass is thudding so hard it’s like I swallowed a boom box. The lightshow in Axis is how I imagine being stuck inside a kaleidoscope would feel. The line outside was wrapped around the block, yet I strolled right in thanks to the VIP hookup. It was easy enough to snag a ticket to this sold-out rager. One of the perks of being a Columbus Mavericks player, since the team has a sponsorship deal with the bar.
I’m surrounded by hundreds of sweaty and scantily dressed people, yet there’s only one person I want to see. Ligaya’s last text mentioned that her group secured a table underneath the bright pink sign of Axis.
