BRADLEY

“Come in honey!” Lexi’s mother calls from the kitchen. The scent of marinara, pasta, and meatballs filters through the house. “Do you have Kitty with you? I bought that special French wine she loves.”

I raise my eyebrows at Lexi, who shoots me a guilty look.

“Sorry,” she murmurs. “I meant to tell them, I promise.”

I wait, not sure if I should announce myself, or hang back. Now that I’m here, I have no clue what I should be doing. Even the foyer is mystifying—so familiar and so foreign, all at once.

The colors have changed. I’m not a big one for colors, but I can tell when something goes from blue to red. There’s also the noticeable absence of hockey bags on the floor, but that’s probably understandable seeing as the Monroe's no longer have children at home.

“What are you waiting for?” Elaine Monroe calls again. “The food is getting cold. Oh, and tell Kitty I tried that new—”

“Hey, mom,” Lexi says, as Mrs. Monroe appears in the doorway.

Lexi’s the spitting image of her mother, and Mrs. Monroe’s bright green eyes land on me in shock, giving me an eerie sense of deja vu. I’ve been standing here many times before—good times, and not so good times.

For example, there was that not-so-good time the police dropped us off after a scavenger hunt gone wrong in high school. Then there were the better times, like when I’d picked Lexi up for prom. This time, I’m not quite sure if it’s one of the good times, or if it’s one of those ‘police dropped me off’ sort of visits.

“Bradley!” She blinks and wipes her hand on the colorful apron around her waist. “Bradley?”

“Hey, Mrs. Monroe.” I used to call her Elaine, but I’m not sure of the protocol now. Especially since I’m in the process of trying to win over her daughter’s affections. “How have you been? By the way, thank you for those delicious meals you’ve been sending my way. I’m sorry I didn’t thank you sooner.”

Lexi shifts sheepishly as I run a hand over my stomach and smile at her mother.

“Bradley!” This time, there’s no question in her voice as Elaine throws up her hands and launches herself across the room. She’s shorter than Lex, a little plumper. Where Lexi is stunning, Mrs. Monroe is charming and pretty and warm.

I open my arms to catch her forward motion and smile as she brings me into a tight squeeze.

“Don’t you dare call me Mrs. Monroe again,” she says, giving a gentle smack to the side of my head as she pulls away. “It’s always been Elaine to you. I’m so glad you’re here!”

“You are?”

“Well, of course! Good grief! I keep telling Lexi she hasn’t brought you over in ages... how long has it been now?” She waves a hand. “Oh, who cares? You’re here! Come along inside.”

Lexi gives me a serious I told you so look as she rests a hand on my lower back and pushes me toward the kitchen.

“I never doubted your mother,” I whisper back. “It’s the men I’m worried about.”

“My dad loves you, too,” she says.

Any mention of her brother is notably absent.

“He liked me just fine when I played hockey with his son,” I say, not letting the bit about her father drop. “That doesn’t mean anything about him liking me as his daughter’s boyfriend.”

She freezes in the doorframe of the kitchen.

Instant regret. I lean in to correct myself, but when my hand lands on her waist, I realize my second misstep in so many minutes. Elaine Monroe’s eyes land on my hand, then on Lexi’s waist, and then finally she turns back to the pot of sauce she’s stirring on the stove. But not before both Lexi and I catch the twinkle in her eye.

Lexi turns to me, her eyes saying everything she won’t say in front of her mother.

“I’m sorry,” I hiss, so quietly I can barely hear myself. “I told you this was a bad idea.”

“This is a great idea,” Elaine says. “Pop on over to the table and I’ll call your brother.”

“Where is he?” Lexi asks. “And how did you hear that, mom?”

“Oh, he’s here.” Mrs. Monroe coughs, her cheeks turning pink. “I think he imagined Kitty was coming over. He’s fixing his hair.”

Lexi snorts with laughter. I don’t dare react to that comment. It’s not my place to even breathe in the wrong direction today.

“He’ll be sorely disappointed,” she says. Then catches herself, and faces me. “Not to see you, dear, he’ll be glad you’re here. But you know, he’s always had a thing for Lexi’s friend.”

“I’m well aware,” I say, allowing a hint of a smile. “Some things never change.”

Mrs. Monroe glances between us. “And some things do, eh?”

Lexi makes an awkward noise in her throat, but she’s spared a response by her father entering the room and greeting his little girl with a huge hug.

Mr. Monroe is an intimidating figure; he coached our hockey team for several years, which means he can control a rowdy group of hormonal boys. A tall task. He keeps in great shape, too, and as far as I know, still plays on a men’s league. The man is frightening.

I stand, waiting for the reunion between father and daughter to conclude. But Mr. Monroe catches my eye over his daughter’s shoulder, and no small amount of surprise floods his expression. “Hamilton?”

“Mr. Monroe.” I extend a hand. His shake is firm, meant to intimidate, and it’s working on me. “Good to see you again.”

“How are you? How’s the knee?”

I’m suddenly reminded why I hated having company in the hospital. Pity is scrawled across his face, and if there’s one thing I don’t want, it’s for anyone to feel bad for me. Shit happened, and I moved on. I’m fine now, and the last thing I need is people walking on eggshells over the subject of my career.

“Just fine,” I tell him.

“You playing hockey?”

I shake my head. “No, sir.”

“Shame.”

“It is.”

“Miss it?”

“Dad!” Lexi jumps in. “Don’t you think you’re being insensitive?”

“I’m just asking questions,” her dad says. “Am I hurting your feelings, Hamilton?”

“Like I said, I’m fine,” I tell them both. “That was years ago.”

“See?” Mr. Monroe faces his wife. “Smells delicious. Are we eating now?”

“Waiting for the birthday boy.” Elaine begins to scoop pasta onto plates. “Someone call him, please.”

“Lucas!” Lexi yells, while her mother rolls her eyes.

“Some things never change,” Mr. Monroe says. “Take a seat, Bradley. Elaine, what’s Lucas doing up there anyway?”

Elaine’s eyes flick toward me. “I think he expected different company.”

Mr. Monroe groans and rolls his eyes. “Don’t tell me he’s dressing up for his girlfriend.”

“Kitty’s not interested,” Lexi says. “She’s focusing on her career. She’s not his girlfriend.”

“She just needs time,” Elaine says. Then she gives a pointed look at Lexi. “Like some people in this room, maybe she just needs a few years to realize what’s right in front of her face.”

I look down at my plate. It’s hard to tell if Elaine is angry or happy, or some combination of the two. Women are complicated. She seemed happy when she caught my hand on Lexi’s waist, but now she’s sounding a little pissed, and I’m trying to figure out if it’s me she has a problem with, or the fact she found out about us before we told her.

“Lucas!” Mr. Monroe bellows. “Get your ass down here.”

Footsteps pound on the staircase, and I can picture the path from Lucas’s bedroom to the kitchen. Blue and red walls upstairs, a shared bathroom with his sister. Back when they both lived here, at least. Now, the bedrooms are guest rooms.

More footsteps. Lucas is probably winding past the bookshelves that are missing books on the top shelf, the space covered in hockey medals and trophies. Unless they’ve removed those, too, since the last time I’ve been around.

Lucas rounds the corner and barrels into the kitchen, taking a moment to collect himself as he stands still and surveys all of us. “Hi, Kit—”

“Happy birthday, bro,” Lexi says. “You’re old.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Lucas has eyes for nobody but me. “Who invited him over?”

“Lucas. Where are your manners?” Elaine scolds. “I’m ashamed to hear that come out of your mouth. We always welcome friends to dinner.”

“Right. He’s not a friend.” Lucas’s eyes shift toward Lexi. “I thought when she said she was bringing a friend, she meant Kitty.”

“Seriously, Lucas!” Lexi explodes. “If you want to get Kitty alone, ask her out on a freaking date. You’re acting like a child. It’s not my duty to set you up with my friend.”

“Language!” Elaine yells.

“Why’d you bring him here?” Lucas asks Lexi again. “The last I heard, you hadn’t talked to him in three years. If you want to get together, do it when I’m not around.”

“Relax! It’s nothing serious. We’re just hanging out.”

“Whatever you want to tell yourselves,” Elaine jumps in. “I know serious when I see it.”

I am still trying to decipher what she means when Lucas’s frustration is directed at me like a cannon. I only catch the tail end of it.

“...waltzing in here like nothing ever happened,” Lucas snarls. “I don’t think so. Now you want to date my sister?”

“We’re not dating!” Lexi says.

“Of course they’re not,” her father agreed. “You three have always been friends. So why are you arguing?”

Elaine reaches over and pats her husband on the shoulder. Then she murmurs something under her breath about him being naive, and begins serving up the pasta dish.

“I shouldn’t have come,” I murmur to Lexi. “I’m going to head outside and grab some air.”

“No, Bradley, wait!” Lexi stands, shoots a scathing glare at her brother, and then follows as I turn to head outside. “Stop walking so fast.”

I can’t make myself stop walking until we’re outside, tucked into the dark space safe from motion sensor lights. If only I’d driven myself, I wouldn’t have to ask her for a ride back. I knew I should’ve taken my own car.

She catches up, out of breath. “I’m sorry!”

“You don’t have to apologize.”

“I shouldn’t have dragged you into this mess.”

“It was mutual dragging,” I say, leaning in with a forced wink. “I saw you in the elevator, and I knew what I was getting myself into when I asked you out.”

“You just hadn’t thought about the family part.”

“I wasn’t thinking about your family, no.”

“There’s nothing to worry about—my mom loves you. She always said we’d end up together.”

“End up... doing what together?”

“Together, together. She always thought it would be so cute if we got married. Neighbor kids, best buds, my big brother’s best friend...”

“Your mom’s not upset?”

“She’s annoyed, but mostly at Lucas. A little bit because I didn’t tell her that we were seeing each other,” she says, and coughs. “I tell her just about everything, and she probably felt out of the loop that I hadn’t mentioned we were more than...uh, friendly.”

“That’s not true. You won’t let me get past friendly.”

“Oh, you are so friendly,” she says. “You’re so friendly I need to consider investing in underwear with a padlock.”

“Tell me that’s not a real thing.”

She raises her eyebrows. “Where were you going when you stormed out here?”

“I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” I say, glancing around the yard. “I could possibly walk home.”

“Right. Go ahead. I’ll see you when I drive in that direction tomorrow at ten in the morning.”

She’s right; it’d take me too long to walk home from here, so I grit my teeth and nod. “Fine. Tell me a better idea.”

“Come back inside.”

“It’s your brother’s birthday, and I shouldn’t be here ruining it for him. I’ll ruin another day, I hope, when I come to tell him you’ll be mine forever.”

“What?”

“When...” I pause, clear my throat awkwardly. I hadn’t meant to come on so strong. “If you ever decide to date me, put an official label on things, I’m sure he’ll hate it. But I respect him enough to be up front about it.”

“He doesn’t have to hate it. He might not even mind, if you just talked to him.”

“We’re past talking.”

“Listen, I’m really sorry for making you come tonight. I was trying to ease things over with everyone, and it completely backfired.”

“It didn’t backfire completely. I got a kiss from you, so my evening is complete.”

“Brad.”

She’s leaning into me, and it’s all I can do not to take her fully into my arms. Instead, I lean over, and run my fingers against the edge of her chin. “Yes?”

“I’m sorry I made you uncomfortable. I just... I wanted us to just fit together. All three of us.”

“For old time’s sake.”

“For old time’s sake.”

“I’m afraid it’s not like that,” I say. “And in some ways, I don’t want it to be like the good old days. In fact, I don’t want it to be any day other than today. Do you know why?”

She gives a shake of her head.

“Because I get to do this.” Both my hands find Lexi’s cheeks, her skin wonderfully soft beneath my hands. I guide her toward me until our lips collide, steady and familiar.

The motion sensor flips on, startling us, but before I can pull away, a large hulking figure rushes toward me. Lucas. I see his fist rise, but things are happening too fast for me to stop anything. It’s crashing down. Connecting with my jaw.

The next moment, Lexi screams at her brother, and I double over from the pain of his upper hook and land on my knees. The man can throw a punch. I’m just surprised my entire jaw didn’t pop out and land on the driveway.

“What the hell was that?” Lexi’s voice is shrill. “Lucas!”

She kneels next to me, and her cool hands are all I need pressed to my face.

“I deserved that,” I tell her, easing to my feet. “For not talking to him for three years.”

“Damn right, you deserved it,” Lucas says. “What makes you think you can just waltz into my house, on my birthday, with your hands all over my sister?”

“I’m an adult!” Lexi yells at him, but I stop her with a wave of my hand.

This is my battle. My old friend. My mess to clean up. “I have no right to walk in here like that,” I tell him, eye to eye. “But Lexi invited me over here, and I’ll do whatever I can to make her happy.”

Lexi’s face turns pale as I speak.

“As for you?” I give a shake of my head, my hand coming to rest on my aching jaw. Man, the bastard can punch. “I thought you were an asshole for not coming back after the injury.”

“You didn’t want us there.”

“I didn’t feel like I deserved to have you there.”

“That’s stupid.”

“We were both stupid,” I amend. “And you hit like a bitch.”

“Want me to hit you again?” Lucas asks, but this time, there’s a smile on his face. “Do you think you can still chew?”

“I hope so,” I say.

“Manicotti is made for unhinged jaws,” Lucas says. “Easy to swallow. Super soft.”

“Excuse me, but what is happening?” Lexi asks. “Is this a male thing? Are you two okay, or should I call the cops?”

I look up to Lucas, waiting for his response. I’ve made peace with my past, which is why it’s easy for me to nod along.

Lucas, however, stalls. Ten seconds, twenty, then thirty. “Yeah,” he says. “We’re all good. So long as you keep your hands off my sister.”

“That might be hard to do,” I say. I’m feeling honest.

Lucas glances between us. “What do you think, Lexi?”

“I think you should figure your shit out alone,” she says, then stomps to the house. “You guys are like a ping pong game. Can’t tell who’s winning.”

Once she’s gone, Lucas shakes his head at me. “That analogy makes no sense.”

“Just laugh and grin.”

Lucas holds onto his smile. “I suppose you’re right. Now are you going to come in and eat or what?”

“One more thing. I’m not dating your sister yet, but I would like that to happen. And I hope she’ll agree to it sometime soon.”

Lucas swings again, and I make no move to block it. This time, however, he pulls the punch just seconds before hitting me. “Don’t you dare make her cry, Hamilton.”

“I plan on avoiding it at all costs,” I say. “But you know your sister as well as I do. She’s tough—I have about as much of a chance at winning an argument with her as you do finishing a cross during the playoffs.”

Lucas’s eyes burn at me, but instead of a smart retort, he offers a smile. “That’s because your crosses were shit.”

“It’s fine, insult my hockey years. I know you’re just upset I wasn’t Kitty in there.”

“Excuse me?”

“I know you were expecting to see Kitty instead of me, tonight. I’m a letdown.”

Lucas gives me a skeptical eye. “She has a nicer ass.”

“So does your sister.”

Lucas warily glances over at me. “Don’t start.”

I grin. “We’re good?”

“I said don’t push it.”