The last few years had kept her busy. If she couldn’t find work teaching yoga, it was relatively easy to pick up jobs for cash under the table, usually in the ex-pat communities of Europe and Asia. As lifestyles went, it wasn’t for everyone. She kept a bank account in the US, her passport up to date, but otherwise no roots, no reason to stay still. Her next gig would be a six-month stint teaching English, extendible for a year, as soon as the work visa was granted.
Edie wanted to see her settled—with someone special—but it didn’t have to be near her. If Kennedy was going to stay put anywhere, it would be here because Edie was her touchstone. But Chicago was expensive and staying put for longer than a few months required she do more tending to her life. Get health insurance and a place to live and a Netflix subscription. Adulting.
Someone knocked at the door.
Bucky jumped to his feet and ran to it, his tail wagging. Usually that meant one thing: Daddy was home. But he couldn’t be. He would be gone for at least another day on an away game trip to New York.
She shut the laptop and headed to the door. Bastian stood there with a Whole Food’s bag under his arm.
“Hi ho, stranger! Figured I’d better knock seeing as you’re living here now.” He walked by her, put the bag on the kitchen counter, and leaned against it, so proud of his magic trick.
“Reid’s not here.”
“I know that.” He grinned. “I’m here to see you. The groceries are my toll.”
“To see me? Why?”
“You seem like a cool person and I like cool people.”
She took a glance inside the shopping bag. “Fancy gelato? That’s not for your brother. He’d have a fit if he saw that in his freezer.”
“He won’t see it if it’s all gone by the time he gets home.”
“You are a devil in disguise—those are Reid’s words, not mine—but I’ll allow it.” She headed to the cupboard and brought out a couple of bowls.
“So how’s living with Brother Reid going?”
“Not bad.”
Bastian eyed her as she unlidded the tub of gelato. Salted caramel, some fancy brand.
“It’s weird that he’d put himself through this. The temptation.” He waved his hands dramatically.
“Don’t worry. He’s doing just fine resisting me.”
“And how are you doing?”
Laughing, she grabbed a couple of spoons and handed one off. “Your brother is hot and moody which is an irresistible combination to my inner teen. Not so attractive to the adult me.”
Bastian raised the Durand eyebrow and added a smile, probably because she was obviously lying her well-toned ass off. She saw what Reid might be like if he went easier on himself.
“Sure he’s moody, but he seems to be less so since you and Bucky moved in. It’s nice to have him around, too.”
“So this is the first time you’ve lived in the same city in how long?”
“Since Reid went to college. I was sixteen when he left. I thought about going to the same school but Dad figured it made more sense to keep our trajectories separate. That way we wouldn’t be compared as much until we both got drafted.”
“I don’t know much about hockey but Reid said you’re incredibly talented. One of the best.”
Bastian preened a little. “It’s always come easier for me. But Reid’s no slouch. He spent a couple of years in the AHL, which is like minors hockey and really had to prove himself to move up. He works harder than anyone in the league.”
“I know. Turning into a dull boy.” Though that wasn’t true. No matter how much he refused to rise to her teasing, Reid could never be accused of dullness. “Your dad wanted to raise a couple of champions. He sounds tough.”
“Yeah, he was pretty hard on Reid. I mean, he was tough on both of us but Reid got the worst of it.”
She hated to pry but this seemed important. “Like violent?”
“No, nothing like that. Listen, I’m just telling you this so you can be kind to him.”
Her mouth dropped open. “I’m not—hey, do you think I’m unkind?”
“No, not at all. I’m not explaining well. Reid’s more sensitive than he gets credit for. He internalizes a lot.” A brief flash of something crossed his face, a memory that might be painful. “You’re here, so he’s obviously surrounding himself with good people and good doggos. Or one good person, one good dog. And that might make him realize that he doesn’t have to be such a loner.”
“What about you? You’re here for him.” Oh, now she got it. “Is this why you bring over food he doesn’t want, so he’ll be kinder to himself? He thinks you’re playing mind games.”
Bast’s face went soft. “I know. But that’s not it at all. I just want him to realize that it’s okay to stray outside the lines and eat a fucking bowl of ice cream.”
Acts of service to demonstrate fraternal love. As sweet as the ice cream on her spoon. “You could tell him that.”
“Nah, he’ll think it’s some reverse psychology thing. We’re not really an ‘I love you, bro’ type of family. Listen, I’m always here for him, but in order to get through the season, to stay sharp and competitive, Reid has to maintain a certain distance from me. I get that. He can’t really go from buddy up with me to my competition on the ice. He has to go method and just be a jerk all the time.”
She understood. Maybe. But it was still strange to treat his brother like the enemy even off the battlefield. This had an Avengers: Civil War vibe to it.
“Hmm,” she hummed, taking a bite of the ice cream. It was smooth and silky on her tongue. “Is there a reason you’re telling me all this other than warning me to be kind?”
Which she was! The nerve.
“Reid would never admit he needed anything, but there might come a point where it’s all a bit too much.”
“What exactly are you saying here?”
His lips twitched around his spoon.
“You think I should seduce him?”
“There’s a thought.”
Maybe Reid was right and Bast had ulterior motives that were game-related. But she considered herself a good judge of character. She actually bought his explanation that he was trying to sneakily coax his brother into adding self-care to his regimen.
Even if that involved giving her a gentle shove into his brother’s bed.
“You know, this is none of your business.” So what if it was pretty much all she could think about since she’d woken up in Reid’s arms in Reid’s bed with Reid’s ...
Hot flash!
He offered the least casual shrug she’d ever witnessed. “I know. I just worry about him. I want him to be happy.”
“And you think sex will make Reid happy. Have you met your brother?”
He laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right. Whatever was I thinking?”
Reid walked out of the apartment building to find a ranting woman engaged in a heated conversation with a car. He stood at the doorway, taking it in.
“I just need you to last for six freakin’ weeks! All you have to do is take me from Point A to B. Just do your job.”