Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23556 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Shea looks up, and when he sees what I’m standing beside, he laughs loudly. “Oh, when Quinn pulled on the bear’s dick?”
Quinn snorts as Benson looks horrified. “What?”
“While holding his own penis,” I add. “And yelling, ‘Look, Ma, the bear has a dick like me!’” I exclaim, and Benson falls over laughing as Quinn nods arrogantly.
“Even back then, I was hung like a bear,” he says proudly. “You should have taken a picture.”
I shake my head as the door opens, and Shea’s twin, Grace, enters the chalet with bags in her hands. “Quinny, Benson, go get the rest of the bags, please.”
The boys agree and head out as Shea goes to help her. “I got everything on the list, and I hope you’re ready to start cooking for all these damn people. We should have catered.”
I glare at her. “I’m not taking someone from their family on the holidays.”
“No, you’ll just work your sister-in-law into the ground.”
We hug tightly before we start to unload all the goodies she has gotten for us. Grace is distracted as she directs the boys and Shea, though I know she’ll never admit it. Ever since we lost James, she hasn’t been the same. Her eyes aren't bright anymore, nor is there any joy in her smiles. She misses him, especially around the holidays. I know in my heart, though, that with Ryan, his wife, and Amelia and her family coming, it should provide some happiness for her. I hope it does, at least.
Shea and the boys go back outside to get the rest of the bags, and I lean into her. “How was your date?”
She rolls her eyes in true dramatic fashion. “Awful. Men are dumb. He just assumed I would sleep with him.”
“Ew.” Honestly, you couldn’t pay me to date nowadays.
“Exactly. It was pathetic, and I hated it. So, I acted like I had the shits and left. Went home, got drunk, and got off with my Edward Cullen dildo.” She winks at me. “Thanks. I love that thing.”
I look at her, confused. “I bought that like ten years ago. It’s still working?”
She nods. “Hey, he’s a vampire. They live forever and sparkle while doing it.”
Speechless, I shake my head as she snickers beside me. “It’d be nice to get some real dick, don’t you think?”
“Yes. But unless it’s attached to a nice guy, I don’t want it.”
She’s right, but man, I hate seeing her sad. “True.”
I move around her to wash the produce just as my phone rings. To my surprise, it’s my best friend’s sister Piper. “Piper! Hey!”
“Hey, sis. How are you? Merry Christmas!”
We fall into easy conversation, and it excites me to hear from her. She and her family moved to Russia maybe eight years ago, and their eldest, Dimitri, has blown up there in the KHL. He has a killer shot, and we love watching him play. I wish he played for my team, the Nashville Assassins, but he chose the KHL instead.
“So, the reason I’m calling is, we’re coming home.”
My lips curve up. “No way! Really?”
“Yeah, we plan to move back after Katarina is done with school this summer.”
“Isn’t it only her junior year?”
“Yes, but Dimitri wants to play for the Assassins. He isn’t happy in the KHL anymore.”
Surprised by that, I listen, and I am over the moon with eagerness. Shea walks in and makes a face as he listens to my side of the conversation. When we hang up, he looks over at me. “Who was that?”
“Piper Titov. They’re coming home, and Dimitri wants to play for the Assassins.”
Shea raises his brows, and then he shakes his head. “Good luck with that. Shelli is going to fight you on it.”
I wave him off. “I haven’t retired from my role as owner yet, and I always told Dimitri he’d be welcome on our team.”
“Yes, but he chose the KHL, not us, and Shelli will hold that against him.”
“You’ll see. It’ll all work out. We’re all family.”
“Yeah, but Shelli’s hockey team isn’t about family ties, Mom. It’s about winning,” Quinn says, and Benson points to me.
“She told me if I didn’t clean up my skating, she wouldn’t even let me in training camp.”
I roll my eyes as Shea agrees. “I mean, you do need to be faster.”
Benson nods. “I know.”
“I’m not worried. Shelli will support my request, and everything will be just fine. It’s Christmas. Look around… It’s intoxicating in here!”
“I need to be intoxicated so I don’t puke from the Christmas overload,” Grace teases, and Shea nods.
“Wine?”
“Is that a question? ’Cause the answer is always yes.” Grace grins widely as her twin gets up to pour her a glass. I ignore them both and check my phone to see where Shelli is. They haven’t even gotten to Knoxville yet, so I have time to come up with a good reason for why we need Dimitri Titov. Not only is he a good player, but his dad played with Shea for years. We have spent many of our family gatherings with them. Shelli and Dimitri used to be close. Surely she’ll be supportive and not fight me on it.