Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
“To apologize,” he says. “I was hoping maybe we could meet for a drink so I could do this in person.”
It’s with astonishment that I push the mute button and look across the table at my friends. “He’s calling to apologize and wants to meet for a drink so he can do it in person.”
Jenna rolls her eyes dramatically and snatches my phone from my hand. I watch as she unmutes it and then puts it to her ear, “Listen here, douchebag… the only reason you’re calling Ava is because you know she’s hot shit right now. Great friends with Brienne Norcross and dating Cannon West. You either want to get in on that action or you want to break them up so you can feel like a real man. But I’m here to tell you, it’s not going to work. Ava and Cannon are deeply in love, so there’s no way she’d ever look twice at you again. Take your apologies and shove them straight up your ass.”
And then she disconnects the phone.
My eyes bug out of my head, and my mouth hangs open. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“That was…,” Sophie says, but then pauses, at a loss for words.
“The most amazing, spectacular thing I have ever witnessed in my life,” I gush, and then laugh hysterically.
Jenna and Sophie join in, and we spend the rest of the evening finishing off our champagne, making fun of Derek, and lifting more toasts to Cannon for making it such a great night.
CHAPTER 24
Cannon
After exiting and locking up my car, I pocket my keys and pull out my phone. As I walk up the driveway to Brienne’s house for the coaches’ dinner she’s hosting, I make a quick call to Ava.
I almost hang up after four rings, but then she answers. “Hey… what’s up?”
“Just getting ready to go into Brienne’s for this dinner. Thought I’d do a quick check-in. What are you doing?”
It definitely sucks not being able to see her tonight. Because I don’t know how long this dinner will run, she’s staying at her apartment.
“Oh, I’m just settled on my couch to get some work done.”
“Well, I wish I were with you instead of here,” I say.
And that’s the absolute truth. There are some things in my job I don’t enjoy, and while attending a business dinner isn’t overly bad, the fact it’s keeping me from Ava leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.
What’s worse is that I’m leaving tomorrow for an away game to DC, so I won’t see Ava until the day after that.
“I’ll call you tonight when I’m on my way home, if it’s not too late.”
“It won’t be too late,” she assures me. “I’ll talk to you later.”
I walk up the porch steps and ring the doorbell. “Talk to you later. Bye.”
I no sooner get my phone in my pocket than the door swings open and what seems like hundreds of voices scream, “Surprise!”
I’m having a hard time processing what I’m seeing, but right before me stands Brienne and, to my utter shock, Ava, grinning at me.
I start to make out other faces—all my hockey players, the other coaches and their significant others, the equipment staff, the trainers, and even some of the front office staff.
My eyes go back to Ava, and as I step across the threshold, she moves into me. With her hands to my shoulders, she goes up on her tiptoes to kiss my cheek. “Happy early birthday, Cannon. Hope you’re not too shocked.”
I come out of my stupor and circle an arm around her waist to pull her into a hug. I whisper into her ear, “Did you do all this?”
She pulls back to look me in the eye. “It was mostly Brienne, providing the place and funding, but she let me plan it all. We had to have it tonight, though, since you’ll be in DC tomorrow for your birthday.”
Releasing Ava, I turn to Brienne, who is standing there with Drake. His arm drapes over her shoulders, and I step into her to kiss her cheek. “Thank you. You sure surprised the shit out of me.”
She laughs and then calls out, “Okay, people… disperse. Get back to the food and drinks and we’ll congregate soon for birthday cake.”
Brienne and Drake walk off, but other people move in, wishing me a happy birthday.
I take Ava’s hand and we mingle as we talk to all the guests. Ava has met a good chunk of them already, but I make introductions where necessary. Someone brings me and Ava beers, and we eventually circle over to a room with a large buffet. Another table holds a massive sheet cake with a large hockey puck on top and “Happy Birthday, Coach!” written in purple icing with the Titans’ logo below it.
Ava and I plate up food and walk through the Norcross mansion until we find an empty corner where we can talk.