“Unless they decide to start trusting me to stay home alone.”
“Well, I hate to bet against your budding independence, but it would be good to see you.” I hold up my hands where she can see I’m crossing my fingers. “So, here’s hoping you’re still untrustworthy.”
She laughs. “I should get in the shower before dad puts in a workout DVD and makes me join him. Wish you were here. I miss you.” She sticks out her bottom lip.
“Me too. Love you, Al.”
“Don’t forget—you don’t know anything! They’re going to wait until Friday when we’re getting on the plane to tell you.” She smiles big into the screen.
“I won’t say a word,” I promise.
“Why couldn’t your competition have been a month ago. I won’t even be able to see a hockey game while we’re there.” Her smile gives away her tease.
“Love you too.”
“Call me during the game later. I just want to hear the noise of the game.”
“Yeah, we’ll see.”
“Bye, S.”
Inside the restaurant, the team is easy to find as they take up one entire side. A few other girlfriends and family members have crashed.
There’s an empty chair pulled up next to Rhett’s, but I skip it and sit on his lap so I can hug him. “Hey.”
He chuckles softly. “Hey. Miss me?”
“Maybe.” I squeeze him harder and then drop a kiss on his mouth. I’m well aware his teammates and coach are probably watching, but I don’t care. He’s at the Frozen Four! It’s surreal and I want him to know how excited I am to be here with him.
“Wanna meet my parents?”
“What?” I jump up and look around. “I thought they weren’t getting in until late tonight.”
He stands and nods his head to a booth nearby. A man and a woman with a little boy sitting next to them stare back at us. “They got in earlier than planned. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
“Oh, god. And they just saw…”
“You tackle hug me and shove your tongue down my throat.” He nods. “Yep.”
He chuckles when I cover my face with a hand.
“I’m so embarrassed and I just got really nervous.”
“You’ll be fine. They’re cool.” He pauses. “I told them you were my girlfriend.”
I smirk. “Am I your girlfriend?”
“I could refer to you as my sidepiece or my old lady, but those didn’t have the same ring to it.”
I smack his arm playfully. “And you’re not the president of a motorcycle club,” I joke back as butterflies swarm in my stomach.
Rhett’s mom has a friendly smile. Her eyes take in every detail of her son’s body language, from his hand around my waist to how close we’re standing.
“This is Sienna,” he says. “Sienna, these are my parents and that is Ryder.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” I lift a hand to wave.
“My brother is number twenty-three,” Ryder says, staring at my shirt.
I glance down and my cheeks flame. Ginny made us matching shirts with our boyfriends’ jersey numbers on them for this weekend and I’d completely forgotten I was wearing mine to surprise Rhett. It reads, Property of #23.
“Are you excited to watch him play?” I ask the adorable mini-Rhett.
He shrugs. “Mom says I can have popcorn and a lemonade.”
Rhett chuckles. “Who needs hockey when you have the snack bar?”
“Are you staying for the weekend, Sienna?” his mom asks.
“Yes, I came with the Scott family.”
She smiles warmly. I can tell they’re beyond nice, but there’s still a beat of uncomfortable silence where none of us know what to say.
Rhett slides into the booth next to his mom and holds his arm out for me to sit next to him. There’s only a sliver of space so I’m basically sitting on his lap again.
“Mom, I forgot to tell you that Sienna skates. She took second in her competition last weekend. She’s really good.”
I feel myself blushing at the attention.
“You do?” His mom moves forward to see around Rhett. “Oh, well, we’ll have lots to talk about then.”
“Mom skated in college too.” Rhett nudges me.
“You never told me that.”
“It was a long time ago,” she says.
Coach Meyers announces that the boys have five minutes before they need to load up for the arena.
Mr. Rauthruss leans toward his youngest son. “Your brother is leaving. Do you want to give him your present?”
The little boy nods and holds his hand out, offering Rhett a shiny black rock.
“This is for me?” Rhett asks, taking and inspecting it.
“I found it at school. Sarah and Rachel wanted it, but I told them I was giving it to you for luck.”
Rhett’s chest shakes with a silent laugh. “Thank you.”
Ryder smiles proudly.
I stand and Rhett slides back out of the booth. His parents and brother get up too to hug him and wish him luck.
“We hope to see more of you this weekend, Sienna,” his mom says as Rhett and I start toward his teammates.
“Me too. Nice to meet you all.”
We walk out with the team as they start to load up on the bus.
“You survived,” Rhett says when we’re outside.
“Shut up. I was so nervous. I’ve never met a guy’s parents before.”
“I’ve never introduced one before,” he says. “They already knew Carrie.”
“Right.”
He wraps me up in his arms and hugs me. “Thanks for coming.”
“Are you kidding? They have popcorn and lemonade.”
He chuckles. “Are you going over to the arena for the first game?”
We break apart and he takes a step toward the bus stairs. “I don’t know. I’m just along for the ride, but I imagine we’re going wherever you guys are.”
He nods and I realize he’s starting to get nervous.
“You’re going to be great. You have to be otherwise I’m going to get my ass kicked in this shirt.”
He glances down at it and then fists it and hauls me to him for another kiss before getting on the bus.
25
Rhett
We win our first game, but it’s close and we head back to the hotel with grim expressions and the final game looming over our heads. The morning of, Sienna and I have breakfast with my family at the hotel.
She has a jacket on over her property of number twenty-three T-shirt which makes me laugh. My mom is asking her about skating and it’s nice. I knew they’d like her.
My knee bounces with anticipation as I half listen and finish my food. One more game. Win or lose, this is it.
“What time are you going over to the arena?” my mom asks, breaking my train of thought.
“Bus leaves in an hour,” I say.
“Do you have my rock?” Ryder asks. His face is covered in chocolate from the donut he ate.
“Sure do.” I pat my pocket. “Brought me luck last time.”