Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Kiera’s fingers reflexively grip hard onto mine and I look down to see her crying. My arm goes around her shoulders and I pull her in close as we watch Drake shoo the boys away so he can put the ring on Brienne’s finger. She admires it and then the boys ooh and aah.
Finally, Brienne’s eyes pin on Kiera and she pulls away from me to hug her future sister-in-law. The waiter comes out with the champagne and sparkling grape juice. Flutes are filled and toasts are made. There are more hugs and kisses and Drake even tells the story of how I switched out the ring and gave him a heart attack. Brienne laughs so hard, her face turns red.
Eventually, I gather Kiera and the boys. I’m taking them back to Drake and Brienne’s house where Kiera will stay the night with the kids. Drake booked a suite at the Omni William Penn and while I’ll stay for a bit with Kiera, it won’t be an overnight thing.
While the boys chatter on the ride home in the back seat, I notice that Kiera is quiet. She stares out the passenger window as the downtown lights fade behind us.
“You okay?” I ask.
She turns her head my way. “Yeah… just reliving that. I’m so happy for Drake.”
“It was a pretty cool proposal, I’ll admit.”
“He’s always been a family man. The settling-down type. When things didn’t work out with Crystal, my heart broke for him. As much as he tries to act all gruff and standoffish, he’s a teddy bear on the inside. His circle is definitely complete now.”
I don’t reply because I can’t tell if that’s wistfulness in Kiera’s tone. Is she wondering if she’ll have that one day? I’ve come to know the woman well the last several weeks and I know marriage has never been an immediate goal. But admittedly, I have no clue how she really feels about settling down now that we have a kid in the picture. I know we’re giving the relationship a go, but should we consider something more permanent?
The word marriage makes me feel off balance, but the answer is elusive and nothing feels right.
But then again, my life is incredibly tumultuous right now. Other than committing my support for the baby, all other decisions will have to be made when they do feel right.
CHAPTER 24
Kiera
It’s girls’ night.
Not at the club, but in the Pittsburgh Titans’ owner’s suite.
Normally, Brienne uses this space to entertain business guests and sometimes conduct meetings, all while watching her team play. Tonight, though, it’s closed off to all business acquaintances and more importantly, open to her closest friends.
Over the last year since the crash, Brienne’s circle has grown. Once she stepped into the shoes of her late brother as the sole owner of the Titans, she became more personally invested. That included bringing all the significant others under her wing.
It was hard for her at first because she’s never really had time to cultivate personal relationships and she works in such a ball-busting career, it’s awkward sometimes for her to let her hair down.
But tonight we’re all carefree laughs as we cheer on our men.
The suite is beyond luxurious. It’s located at a premium vantage point, offering unobstructed views of the ice. At the front is a balcony with three rows of leather seats so plush you sink into them. That spreads backward into a living area with sofas and chairs to relax in as well as round dining tables and high tops. Large screen TVs dot the walls so you can watch the action while getting a drink from the open bar.
The walls are covered with personalized memorabilia and other Titans decorative elements, including the logo recessed into the ceiling and outlined in neon tubing.
The food is the best and tonight we’ve got a buffet of sliders with a build-your-own taco station, warming trays of loaded potato skins and hot wings. For the more health conscious there’s a massive veggie platter and a Caesar salad. And if that’s not enough, an array of chocolate brownies, cheesecake bites and fruit tarts for dessert.
I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but ever since finding out I’m pregnant, I’m hungrier than ever. I think about food a lot.
I think about sex a lot, too, but that’s just because it seems to have gotten better and better with Bain. Which I’m not even sure how since it was the best I’d ever had. Maybe it’s hormones. Maybe it’s an increased intimacy based on sharing something so personally deep.
Regardless, I can be bought with food or sex with Bain at this point in my life.
I’m sitting in the front row of seats with Danica, Tillie, Harlow and Stevie. Behind us sit Brienne, Sophie, Jenna and Ava.
It’s pure coincidence that we’re sorted with us in the first row dating players and the second row coaches. Of course, Brienne is unique, given she sits above everyone on the food chain.