The Troublemaker (Players on Ice Book 8)

by Cathryn Fox

  “You want to make it on your own. I get what you’re saying. I also know how much you want to give back and help the community. This location is perfect for what you want to do, and I don’t want to see you lose it. We can consider it a loan if you want, until you’re in the black, but I am your husband so I’m not really sure how that will work,” he says making light of the situation. I flick a glance over his shoulder to peer into the window. “Let’s go in and you can think about it.”

  I nod, even though in my heart, I know I won’t take him up on it. He’s doing enough for me as it is. He opens the door, and waves to let me in first. My heart jumps into my throat as I examine the space, and the complete design for the restaurant comes to me in a flash. Before I can stop myself, excitement pumps through my blood.

  “Oh, Cason, we can put the kitchen back there, there will be so much room, and think about all the tables we can have. I want it to be elegant, but homey, too, you know. I want it to be welcoming for everyone.”

  “I think it’s perfect.”

  My hands go to my chest. “It is perfect. I can even do a booth here, by the window so customers can look out onto the street as they eat.” My heart thumps, and I throw my arms around him. “Thanks for arranging this.”

  “I have a good feeling about it, Kins.”

  I squeal a little, letting the excitement pump through my veins. “This weekend, maybe I’ll start drawing up what I want to do.”

  “Speaking of this weekend, we’d better hit the road if we want to make it there for the barbecue and bonfire.”

  We head back outside, and I give one last glance over my shoulder to memorize the space before Cason locks up. There’s an extra spring in my step as we head back to the car, and I turn to look at Cason. My heart squeezes so tight in my chest, it brings tears to my eyes, and I quickly blink them back.

  “Tacos for life,” I tell him.

  “For me?”

  I squeeze his hand. “Yes, for you. For being so sweet.”

  “I just want to see you happy, Kins.”

  “Thanks, Cason, and don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone you’re sweet.”

  He squeezes my hand back, and we climb into his car. I rest against the seat and close my eyes to envision my very own restaurant as he drives us to the grocery store for supplies for his cottage. Once we’re loaded up with enough food to feed an army, we head to the beach. I sit up a little straighter when he pulls into the driveway, a gorgeous beachside cottage rising up before us.

  “This is yours?” I examine the beautiful two-story beach house, painted in seafoam green, with numerous plants in the window boxes. We had a cottage growing up, but barely spent any time there. Someday, if I work really hard and my restaurant is a success, I hope to have a place like this to go to.

  “Yeah. Do you like it?”

  “I love it. Did you plant those flowers?”

  “No, I’m sure Alyssa did it. She knew you were coming and probably wanted to make it inviting. I’m not much of a green thumb.”

  I remember Alyssa from the wedding. We didn’t get to talk much, but I found out she was a landscape artist in Vermont. Alek did a lot of traveling to see her, they still have a house there, but now that her grandmother passed away, she spends more time here in Seattle with Alek, aka, The Puck Charmer. I think it’s so cute that the guys all have such fun names and I’m looking forward to getting to know the wives better.

  “I don’t get out here as often as I’d like, and when we’re all here, the girls are always giving me a hard time about being alone. Guess they can’t do it this time, can they?”

  “Nope,” I say and climb from the car. Children’s laughter reaches my ears, as well as dogs barking. With the sun low on the horizon, I turn to take in the beach area and spot our friends in the distance. Jules and Rider have a place here, but I never made the time to come when they invited me. I was always pouring my heart, soul, and what little money I made back into my truck. With them off on their honeymoon, I won’t see them this weekend, unfortunately.

  “Want to go for a swim?” Cason asks, his mouth near my ear as he comes to stand behind me. He puts his arms around me, and I lean against him. I guess our friends know we’re sleeping together. Heck, Cole caught us kissing on my truck. So there isn’t much sense in avoiding public displays of affection.

  Nina and the boys come running up to me, a big black dog following them. “Hey, Huxley,” Cason says and falls on his butt when the dog practically leaps into his arms.

  I laugh and the boys pile on top of their uncle. He carries on with them for a few minutes, and the sight pulls a smile from me. He’s so good with his nephews. The man needs a family of his own. Want and need flood me as I picture myself in that happy family scenario.

  “Okay, boys, let your uncle breathe.” Nina picks the boys off, and they go running back to the water where everyone is playing. Nina leans in to give me a hug. “I’m glad you were able to come.” She glances into the car. “How long are you guys planning on staying?” she asks when she sees all the food.

  Luke comes sauntering over with a beer, and hands it to Cason. They click bottles and he takes a pull.

  “Come on,” Nina says and wraps her arm in mine. “Let’s go have a glass of wine. My lazy brother can carry the groceries in and put them away.”

  “What’s that Neaner-Nearner,” he says and grabs her in a headlock. She jabs her elbow into his stomach and I laugh, loving the sibling rivalry. But then sadness envelopes me, wishing I had the same with my older sisters. I guess they figured if they freeze me out, I’d eventually fall in line and become the obedient daughter and go back to law school. I’m not even sure either one of them is happy. We all work long hours, but at least I enjoy what I’m doing.

  She breaks free and gives him a punch to the gut. I chuckle, as she leads me away. “You two are pretty close,” I say.

  “Yeah, we are.” She casts me a glance. “I never really understood how close we were until I was older.” I frown, not really understanding what she means. “He’s one of the good guys, Kins. I never knew how good until Cole and he filled me in on all the things my brother did for me when we were young.”

  “I don’t understand.” We follow a gravel path, leading to what I assume is her cottage. “What didn’t you know?”

  “Let’s just say he’s a guy of actions, not words.”

  “He said something like that to me actually. He said he always messes things up.”

  She nods, like she totally understands where he’s coming from. “Probably because he does.”

  “He did something really sweet today, but do not tell him I said he was sweet,” I say with a laugh as I glance over my shoulder to make sure he’s not within ear shot.

  “He does do a lot of sweet things. Like I said, he’s a really great guy.” We take the three steps leading to her place. “What great thing did he do?”

  “He arranged for a viewing of the downtown space I want to rent. It was a really nice surprise.”

  “That’s my brother, full of surprises.”

  “He even offered to help me with the rent until I get on my feet. He joked that it wasn’t really helping since he’s my husband,” I say and do air quotes around that one word.

  “Sounds like Cason, and it sounds like he’s saying all the right things to you. That’s a refreshing change. Wonder what that’s all about.” She pulls the door open and warm scents of vanilla and fresh baked apple pie reach my nostrils. That’s when I remember Cason said they both did a lot of the cooking growing up.

  “He’s really good with your boys,” I say.

  “You’re right, those kids love him, and my brother needs kids of his own. Now that you two are married....”

  I roll my eyes. “You know it’s just pretend. He’s helping me out with a personal thing.”

  “Is that all that’s going on?” she asks and I turn my head to examine the pictures on the wall, fearing she can read me as well as her brother. I study the famil
y photos, love radiating from all the happy faces and wrapping around me. “You have a beautiful family”

  “Thanks.” She looks at me with big blue eyes that match her brother. “Do you want a family, Kinsley?”

  I give a noncommittal shrug. “I know I say I’m anti-marriage…”

  “You were hurt, I get it.”

  “But there is a part of me that wants all this, you know. How could I not? But I have to get my business off the ground and the thoughts of getting back out there dating.” I fake a shiver. “It gives me a rash.”

  She laughs and loops her arm in mine again to lead me to the kitchen. “That I can understand. But you don’t have to get back out there, you’re married.”

  I roll my eyes because we both know it’s a farce. She grabs a bottle of white wine from the fridge and holds it up. I nod. “Yes, please.”

  She pours two generous glasses and slides one across the kitchen island to me. I take a sip, and consider her brother, all the nice things he’s done and said to me. “Can I ask you something?”

  She tucks a curl behind her ear. “Sure.”

  “Has Cason ever been serious before?”

  “No, not really. He dated my friend once, and I thought they might turn into more, but they didn’t. After that, he came up with some two-week rule. I’m assuming you know all about that.”

  “Yeah, he actually mentioned it to me.”

  She frowns. “He did?”

  “He just wanted to let me know not to expect more.” I laugh to make light of it. “Not that I ever would.”

  “Is that right, Kinsley?” she asks like she can see right through me.

  “That’s right.”

  It’s a lie. A great big, stupid, fat lie, and maybe coming here really was a bad idea.

  13

  Cason

  “Who wants to go fishing in the morning?” Cole asks, and all the kids jump up and down. Well, everyone except Daisy—Zander and Sam’s daughter.

  “Eww, I am not touching a worm,” Daisy says. I laugh. Daisy might be eight, but she’s going on sixteen and her Mom and Dad are going to have their hands full when she really does hit her teen years. I glance at all the kids, and there’s an odd little ache in my heart. Do I want this? Fuck yeah, I do. I want it. I want all of this with the sweet girl beside me. Maybe I have to convince her she does, too—and try not to fuck it up, by giving her what she needs emotionally, and not saying the wrong goddamn thing.

  “What about you Kinsley, do you want to go fishing?”

  “I’m with Daisy,” Kinsley says, as Daisy pulls her marshmallow from the fire. The little girl steps up to Kinsley and offers her the gooey treat.

  “Thank you,” she says as she pulls it off.

  “Mommy,” Daisy says. “Tomorrow can we make my hair pink?”

  Kinsley’s gaze flies to Samantha’s, like she’s actually worried her free nature might cause conflict between mother and daughter.

  Samantha shrugs. “Sure, why not. It’s summer vacation. We can do something fun.”

  Daisy claps and grabs another marshmallow, as Kinsley smiles at Samantha. The two don’t know each other well. They only recently met at the wedding. Zander and Sam live in Boston, but fly out to their summer cottage here every chance they get.

  “We can have a girl’s day,” Katee says, and scoops up her tired little girl, Khloe. “But right now, I need to get this little one to bed.” Luke jumps up and we all say goodnight as they saunter off.

  “I want to stay at uncle Cason’s tonight,” Brandon says, and Cole jumps up.

  “Maybe tomorrow night. It’s their first night here and they are probably tired. Need a good night’s sleep with no kids jumping on them at the crack of dawn to wake them.” He shakes his head. “Wait, what am I saying?”

  I laugh. “Tomorrow night, Brandon. You and Casey can stay over.” I turn to look at Kinsley. “Are you okay with that?”

  “Of course. I’d love to get to know my nephews better,” she jokes. Even though right now they really are her nephews. “I grew up with all sisters. A house full of boys will be a refreshing break.”

  Cole and I both laugh at that. “Poor girl doesn’t know what she’s up against,” Cole says, and I shake my head.

  “In for a rude awakening,” I agree.

  “It can’t be that bad, can it?” she asks and crinkles her nose.

  “I’ll leave you to answer that,” Cole says. “Come on boys. You have to get up early for fishing, so let’s move it.”

  “Are you coming?” Brandon asks me, and I glance at Kinsley. Honestly, I don’t want to smother her this weekend, but I do want to spend as much time with her as possible. Does she want that, too? Want to make every minute together count?

  “Go ahead,” she says with a wave. “I plan to sleep in and then hang out with the girls.”

  Guess not.

  “Okay, kiddo, I’ll come,” I say and inject a lightness into my voice that I don’t feel. “Someone has to teach you how to properly cast, anyway. I can’t remember the last time your dad caught anything at the lake, other than a cold.”

  “Why would I need your help when I have Alyssa?” Brandon says innocently enough, and Cole and Nina burst out laughing. So does Alyssa, who is in the process of stuffing a marshmallow between two chocolate cookies.

  “Schooled,” Nina says. She gives Brandon a high five even though he’s completely confused by our reactions.

  “Alyssa fishes?” Kinsley asks.

  “She’s amazing,” I tell her. “Her grandfather had a rod in her hand by the time she was two. She out-fishes us all the time.”

  Casey rubs his eyes and lets loose a big yawn. “Okay boys, let’s get going,” Nina says.

  “I’m not tired,” Casey says, his eyeballs practically falling out of his head.

  “Yeah, I can tell,” Cole says and scoops him up.

  “I don’t want to go to bed,” he whines.

  “Casey,” I say. “If you get a good night’s sleep, we can get pancakes at your favorite restaurant for breakfast.”

  Casey smiles at me. “And a toy?”

  “Of course. What are pancakes without a toy?” I say. Hand on her hips, Nina glares at me and I grin. “What?” I chuckle at the way her lips are twisted.

  She points a finger at me. “Bribery on your part makes it harder for me to parent.”

  “It worked, didn’t it? Look at Casey, he’s ready for bed. Aren’t you buddy?” Casey nods his head emphatically and I give him the thumbs up.

  “Fine then, when you have your own kids, get ready for their aunt to bribe them. Then you’ll see what it’s like.”

  “Not going to happen little sister,” I say, as an invisible band tightens around my heart, wanting that so badly.

  “You’re quite the negotiator,” Kinsley says and leans into me.

  “He’s good at getting what he wants,” Cole says with a smirk, and I toss a marshmallow at him, knowing full well he’s talking about my rotating bedroom door—all the relationships I messed up. Why did I always say the wrong thing?

  Because none of them were what you really wanted.

  My entire body stiffens at that sudden epiphany. Holy shit, have I purposely been fucking up, sabotaging, saying the wrong thing, and keeping myself emotionally closed because while I want what my friends and sister have, I just never found the girl I wanted to have it with? As that rattles around in my brain, everyone gets up to get their kids off to bed, leaving Kinsley and me alone by the dying fire. I put my arm around her and breathe in her scent as she lays her head on my shoulder.

  “I love all your friends, Cason. You have an amazing tribe.”

  “They’re your friends, too.”

  “I only really know you guys through Jules and my food truck. It’s nice getting to know everyone better.”

  “Just stay away from Liam. I don’t like the way he’s been looking at you.”

  She laughs and whacks my stomach. “Liam is a pussycat. Besides, he was into Em
ily, not me. Just like you,” she says with a smile that does not reach her eyes. My stomach coils. What can I say to that? She’s right, I was going after Emily, but what I found instead was so much better. I’m about to open my mouth and tell her that, when she lets loose a big sigh.

  “It’s so peaceful here,” she says as I coil a long strand of her hair around my fingers. “So different from the city. A girl could get used to this.”

  “We can come here whenever you want.”

  “That’s a nice offer, Cason, but soon enough you’ll be back to practice and on the road. I’ll be working on opening a new restaurant, and things will go back to normal between us.”

  I open my mouth wanting to ask for more, but what if I scare her off? Maybe instead of telling her, I need to show her what she means to me.

  “It’s nice to live in a fantasy every now and then, though.”

  “Yeah, it’s nice,” I say at the reminder of our timeline. That’s still not going to stop me from doing my best to convince her we should make a go at this. Like she says, I’m quite the negotiator, and if there’s one thing I know, actions speak louder than words.

  She lifts her face to mine, and my God, my heart does a little flip. Her smile pulls me in and not even the toughest Seattle Shooter’s defensive player could keep me from her. I press my lips to hers, and she tastes like sweet marshmallow and everything nice…everything I want.

  Our lips linger, and our breathing is in sync as we exchange tender kisses without a care who’s watching. The last embers of the fire flicker, and water laps gently against the shore.

  “We never did go for that swim,” I say. I jumped in earlier with the kids, and I’m still in my swim shorts.

  “You want to go in?”

  “I have an idea.” I wag my brows at her. “See that wharf out there?”

  She lifts her head and peers into the night to take in the wharf lit under the near full moon.

  “Let me guess. You want to race to it, winner takes all?” she asks, as she pushes to her feet. She starts running, tugging her top off to reveal her bathing suit underneath. I jump up and go after her, tripping on my laces as I try to get my damn shoes off. She tugs on her shorts, and nearly falls into the sand as she tries to run, and by the time I reach her, my shoes and shirt gone, I’m laughing so hard I can hardly breathe.