Page 66 of Neutral Zone
“Tell him he’s got to come back and do the nighttime routine. Tell him only the best uncles know how to do it. He eats that shit up, I’m telling you. That fool thinks he actually has me beat in the uncle department, so I think you should teach him a lesson, especially before Bridgette and Dutton’s baby gets here. Did you hear he wants them to name the kid Royal? That’s some bullshit.If I can’t name my niece or nephew, then neither can he. It’s unfair.”
“Completely unfair,” JT agrees, clinking our glasses of iced tea together in a toast of solidarity.
“I’m not worried about it, though. I know I won’t be right next door when the baby’s born, but I’ll be a hell of a lot closer.”
I share a knowing smile with my best buddy. The news isn’t public yet, and it won’t be for another few days, but the truth is that my time in Poland has ended. It’s been a thrilling fucking ride, and I’ve loved every minute of it, especially with Viv by my side.
But it’s a good thing my girl loves adventure, because we’re about to start a new one this summer. I don’t know if the European league was the fresh start I needed, or if I always had the potential, but the upshot is that I’ve been signed by the Portland Sasquatch. I’ll be on their affiliate team for the foreseeable future, but living in the same town with JT and Maggie again is gonna be freaking awesome. Viv and I can’t wait to spoil their kids rotten.
When Pete and Van bring over a tray of food, we happily dig in. It’s glorious for a few minutes, until the smell of grilled deliciousness has half my old team descending on us and filling their plates like they haven’t eaten in a week.
“Where’s Leo?” Blue asks, looking around as he shoves food into his face. “I know the guy doesn’t love a social occasion, but I know he misses all of us. I swear, if he’s back at the hockey house, I say we storm the place.”
“Nah,” Pete says, his chest puffing with pride. “He’s at a development camp for the summer. You know he was picked in the first round of the?—”
“We know,” Ollie teases good-naturedly as he lobs an empty burger bun in Pete’s direction. “You never shut up about how great your baby brother is.”
“Damn right I don’t,” Pete says unapologetically.
“He’s not the only guy missing,” JT says. “Will called this morning wish Calla a happy birthday from Boston, and Dean’s in New York because Annabelle’s show is opening off-off-Broadway.”
“Yeah, and Roscoe graduates law school this weekend, or else he and Holland would be here,” Pete says.
I look around at the guys I lived and played with in College. Sure, not every one of them is her in person, but I know I wouldn’t have made it this far without my crew. I’m grateful for them, but I can’t get all mushy—not yet, anyway. I’ll save that for later.
***
“It looks the same,” Viv says as we stroll through campus a few hours later. The party is still raging, but we managed to duck out for a few minutes to walk through memory lane on campus.
“Don’t you think?” She asks me, pulling me out of my head. Dammit. I cannot get distracted. I have a mission to accomplish, so I shake my head and get myself back in the game.
“A mission to accomplish?” Viv asks, making me realize I blurted those words out. “What mission is that, Bran Mikalski? Just why are you taking me for a trip through campus when you and I have probably walked these paths a thousand times?”
I can’t help it. I panic.
I have a plan that I need to execute, but we haven’t made it to the fountain yet, so I need to stall. Dammit. I think she’s onto me. What can I say to throw her off the scent? I want this to be a surprise, even though it probably won’t be a shock. Viv knows I love her more than anything. And she knows I want to build a life with her. I know she wants the same thing. She’s just going to have to wait until we’re a little farther into our walk before I ask any official questions.
“Mickey,” she says, cupping my face in her hands. “Why did you suggest we go for a walk?”
“So we can fuck,” I answer, because it’s the only thing my brain can come up with. And honestly, it’s not a bad plan. I’m worked up. I need to chill out. And I always want Viv.
“You want to to fuck in the middle of our university campus? Even though we are no longer students and we have a hotel room a few miles away?”
“Yeah, I told JT we wouldn’t be gone long. Plus, you’re acting like we haven’t had sex all over this campus.”
Viv taps her finger against her lips. “You’re right. Are you thinking the storage closet behind the dining hall or one of the study rooms at the library?”
God, I freaking love this woman.
“Follow me,” I say, leading her around the back of the athletic complex. I could probably get in a shit ton of trouble for this, but what are they going to do? Kick me out of school?
We follow a group of kids inside, but instead of going to the main locker room, I clasp her hand and we duck inside a glorified storage room. I don’t bother looking at the equipment or the shelves full of supplies.
I just back Viv up against the door and cover her mouth with mine. “I love you,” I say, the words slipping out of my mouth and into hers.
Viv pulls back, her eyes finding mine. “I love you, Brannon Mikalski, more than anything else in the world.”
“Oh, really?” I tease, swatting her ass and then smoothing my hand over it. “More than anything? More than this plug that’s been teasing your ass since I put it there this morning?”
