The Keeper (Playing To Win Book 1)

“Are you still hiding from your family?” Everly asks as she looks up from the sketch she’s working on in our living room, then laughs when I don’t answer. “Okay, so we’re just going to avoid the Kingston conversation? Because I saw Scarlet today at cheerleading practice, and she asked me if I knew whether you met with an attorney yet.”

“Of course she did. Because that makes more sense than picking up the phone and calling me.” They drive me nuts. “I’m not actively avoiding them. I just haven’t gone out of my way to see any of them.”

Everly’s eyebrows shoot straight up to her forehead, and yes, I hear how bad that sounded.

“Ma was asking about you when I saw her at the bakery earlier too.” Maddox walks out of our kitchen and grabs the TV remote off the mantel. “Wanted to know if you figured out what you were doing yet.”

“Don’t you have your own place?” Everly kicks his leg when he sits next to her.

“Yeah, but Callen’s fucking some cheerleader in there. Didn’t feel like listening to the wannabe porn star, and I wanted to watch the game. See if Jace kicks the shit out of Easton on the ice tonight.”

“Oh . . . which cheerleader?” Everly’s eyes sparkle with excitement. “We sign a contract that we won’t screw the players.”

“How the fuck should I know? Want me to go interrupt them and ask for ID?”

Everly steals the beer out of Maddox’s hand and takes a sip. “Oops. Backwash. Guess you need to get your own now, buddy.”

“That was my own, demon spawn.” He finds the Revolution game about to start and pauses the TV, then heads back to the kitchen. “You want one while I’m in here, trouble?”

“No,” I call back and sit down on the other side of Everly. I peer over her shoulder at the stunning sketch of a ball gown with splashes of pink. “That’s gorgeous.”

She smiles nervously. Definitely not her norm. This girl was born confident. “I’m glad you like it because I have a favor to ask.”

“Sure. What’s up?”

“Let me design your dress for the New Year’s Eve gala.”

“Okay.”

“That’s it?” she questions, shocked. “Lindy, do you even realize how many people photograph you that night? Seriously, I think you were on the cover of People magazine last year.”

“Okay. So I’ll make sure to tell everyone I’m wearing an Everly Sinclair original.” I pull my legs up on the couch as she tackles me.

“Oh my God. I love you.”

“Dude, girl-on-girl is hot, but not when it’s you two,” Maddox grumbles and presses play on the TV.

“Whatever.” Everly untangles us and fixes her hair. “Like you’d ever have a chance with us.”

“Uhm . . . hello . . . ? Shared bloodlines here,” I interrupt their argument, and they both turn to look at me.

“You got a new number on your jersey there, trouble.” Maddox nods toward me, then hands me a bottle of water.

“You do,” Everly inhales, overly excited.

“Calm down. It doesn’t mean anything,” I tell them both, and okay, so maybe I’m trying to convince myself a little too.

“She doth protest too much.” Evie smiles.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Maddox asks, and I giggle.

Everly rolls her eyes. “How did you graduate from college?”

“I fucked a lot of TAs,” he tells her matter-of-factly.

They don’t stop, but I tune them out because there on my screen is Easton Hayes in my team’s uniform, skating onto the ice. And oh my, does he look good.

“Oh, honey, I hope you climb that man like the tree he is, once he gets home. Look at him.” I blush at Everly’s words because yes, I’d very much like to climb that tree.

“Are you climbing trees now, trouble?”

I reach across Everly with a pillow and smack Maddox in the face. His beer spills down his shirt, but oh well. “It’s none of your business whether I’m climbing trees, madman.”

He snatches the pillow out of my hand and uses it to wipe his shirt. “You’re right. I don’t wanna know. But make sure Hayes knows if he hurts you, I’ll kill him.” All the joking is gone from Maddox’s voice, and I’m pretty sure he’s completely serious.

“Aww,” Everly singsongs. “You do love us.”

He smacks her with the pillow. “Nope. Not you. Just her.”

LINDY

You won!

EASTON

Were you watching me, princess?

LINDY

I do own the team, hockey boy. I was watching everyone.

EASTON

Admit it. Not like you were watching me.

LINDY

Maybe.

EASTON

We’re pulling up to the hotel now. I’ll be in my room in a few minutes. Are you still in my jersey?

LINDY

Maybe.

EASTON

Leave it on.

LINDY

Aren’t you sharing a room?

EASTON

Boone’s going to the bar. He already asked me if I wanted to go.

LINDY

You should go and make friends.

EASTON

I’d rather talk to my wife. In my jersey. And princess . . .

Lock your door.

Holy hotness . . . okay.

I drop my phone down on my nightstand, and decide to lock my door, just to be on the safe side. I mean, it’s not like we can do anything over the phone, right?

Can we?

Of course we can. Crap.

What’s he thinking?

I’ve never even had real sex.

How am I supposed to know how to have phone sex?

I turn off my overhead light and fan, then decide to turn the fan back on. All my years on the ice have trained me to be more comfortable cold than hot. When I sit back down on my bed, I decide to turn on the lamp on my nightstand. It gives off a soft glow, and I wonder if I should shut it off, but before I can decide, Easton’s calling me.

His gorgeous face flashes on my screen, and I take a deep breath and answer, “Hey.”

His sandy-brown hair is still damp from the shower I’m sure he took after the game. A navy-blue Revolution hoodie is stretching across his chest, and a sexy smile sits on that handsome face. “Hey, princess. How was your day?”

I take a deep breath and try to convince myself I can do this.

It’s Easton, and we’re just talking like we’ve done a million times.

Only this time, I’m wearing his jersey and his rings and thinking about very un-friend-like things. I guess that explains why I’m suddenly so nervous, my hands are shaking.

“Well I avoided my mother. That was fun.” I move my pillows around behind myself and get comfortable. “She called twice, then texted, asking me to meet her at Sweet Temptations for coffee tomorrow. So I’ve got that to look forward to. I only had two baby skaters cry through their lessons, which is one less than yesterday, so that’s winning. I officially congratulated my former partner on replacing me. And I watched the Revolution game tonight with Everly and Maddox. Oh, and Everly asked me to wear one of her designs to the New Year’s Eve gala. So there’s that.”

He drops the phone down, so I’m looking up at him as he takes off his hoodie. His gray t-shirt rides up with it, momentarily exposing his delicious abs before he tugs it back down and sits down. “That’s a lot to unpack. Are you going to meet your mom tomorrow?”

“I don’t really want to.”

Easton shrugs. “Maybe she’ll surprise you. I talked to Jules today, and she was pretty good about everything until she heard Jace. Then she went kind of crazy before I ended the call. Jace better be careful. You know how Jules can get.”

“I do.” I snicker. “Big brother better watch himself.”

“What’s this gala thing?”

I fill him in on the event my brother Max’s wife started a few years ago as one of the many fundraisers she holds throughout the years to benefit the kids in our community. Then I listen as he tells me all about the game and my jerkoff brother, getting more comfortable the more we fall back into our old routine.

Eventually I reach over and turn off my lamp and get under my blanket.

“You tired, princess?”

“Yeah.” I yawn. “Aren’t you?”

“I am, baby.” His sexy voice grows gravelly and pulls at something deep within me.

“I wish you were here,” I whisper.

“Me too. Go to sleep, Lindy. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Stay with me until I fall asleep?” I ask quietly.

“Always.” He adjusts himself until he’s lying down too, and I close my eyes like I’ve done a hundred times before with this man. “Sleep,” he says softly, and I slowly drift off.

GRACIE

I’ve decided decaffeinated coffee is pointless. Kinda like a hooker who only wants to snuggle.

KENZIE

Have you ever snuggled a hooker or did you mean to text that to Callen?

EVERLY

Seriously. WTF is the point of decaf? Give me the strong stuff or give me nothing. Wasn’t that a line in a movie?

BRYNLEE

OMG. NO.

LINDY

Well I’m about to walk into Sweet Temptations. Maybe I’ll see if throwing decaf at someone is as effective as full caf.

BRYN

You can’t throw coffee at your mom, Linds.

LINDY

We’ll see about that.

I pull up in front of Sweet Temptations, my sister Amelia’s shop. Once I’m out of my car, I adjust my coat and turn to look at Charles, who tends to give me a little more breathing room when we’re in Kroydon Hills. “I’m pretty sure I’m safe in Amelia’s shop. Why don’t you go get lunch across the street?”

“You know I’m not going to do that, Miss Kingston. I’ll be in the back corner. You won’t even know I’m here,” he tells me with a look of frustration growing on his face.

I shake my head and push through the pink doors. The sugary scent of freshly baked sweets mixes with the spicy smell of coffee and wafts through the shop, making my stomach growl. When I was a little girl, this was my favorite place to go. Mom would pick me up from ballet class at the twins’ mom’s studio next door and bring me here to pick out a cupcake and get a hot chocolate. I always felt so cool because Mom would have her coffee and I’d have my cocoa. That feels like so long ago.

The shop is mostly empty today. I guess the morning rush has died down already because Amelia is sitting at one of her mismatched, Friends-inspired tables, sipping a cup of coffee with Lenny and Scarlet. Great. I didn’t realize this was going to be another full-blown sister thing. At least my brothers aren’t here too.

I walk up to the counter and order a cup of tea and a scone from the woman behind the register, then join my sisters. “Mom’s not here yet?” I ask as I slide into my favorite purple, crushed-velvet chair.

Lenny opens her mouth to answer as the bells chime over the door, then nods. “Jules and she just walked in.”

“Great.”

Mom and Jules co-own an event-planning company with offices across the street. I guess they came right from the office. Mom joins us at the table as Juliette walks over to the counter and grabs two coffees.

“Thanks for coming, honey. I hoped we’d have been able to talk before now, but you don’t seem to want to talk to me, so I thought maybe your sisters could help.”

“Ganging up on me isn’t going to help, Mom.” I tear a piece of my scone and stuff it in my mouth before I can say anything else.

“We’re not here to gang up on you, Lindy. But we need you to talk to us,” Lenny tells me like she’s rehearsed the words.

“Have you spoken to a lawyer yet?” Scarlet asks, and Juliette looks at her like she has five heads.

“Becket’s her lawyer,” Jules snaps.

Becks is a senator. I’m sure he has better things to worry about than his little sister getting drunk and getting married,” Scarlet responds, and I nearly get up and leave right then and there. But the look Jules gives me stops me in my tracks.

“There is nothing more important to Becket than his family, Scarlet. Easton and Lindy are both his family. Don’t forget this man you all want to vilify for marrying Lindy isn’t a villain. You know him, and you love him. Try to keep that in mind.” She throws me a quick look which holds a hint of defiance, then turns back to the table. “Becket’s already spoken to Easton.”

“Good for Becket.” Mom looks so hurt, I almost feel bad. Almost. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Is he filing for the annulment?”

Jules looks at me again but answers my mother. “Not yet. Easton and Lindy are both adults. If they want an annulment, they know who to talk to. But neither of them has asked for one yet, and I have to think there’s a reason for that.”

“What kind of reason could there be for not annulling a quickie Vegas wedding? She was clearly drunk in the pictures,” Scarlet demands. “Nothing good happens in Vegas.”

“You got pregnant with Killian in Vegas, if I remember correctly, Scarlet,” Lenny jumps in.

My head snaps to Lenny.

Do I have a sister on my side?

“I’m not saying my son was a mistake, Eleanor. But you’ve got to remember how difficult those next few months were. Everyone was furious.”

“And by the end of the summer, you were in love, married, and about to give birth. You were happy, Scar. Sometimes things happen because they’re supposed to.” Lenny reaches over and squeezes my hand.

Holy hell. I’ve got an ally.

“I was an adult with a career and life experience on my side,” Scarlet bites back, and my mom nods her head.

“Madeline, honey. You’re still so young and so sheltered. That’s my fault, but it doesn’t change the fact that we’ve never forced you to be an adult.” I can’t look at my mom by the time she’s finished speaking.

Anger fuels me when I can finally speak. “By the time you were my age, you were a widow with a baby. Lenny was living with Bash at twenty-three. Amelia was marrying Sam.” I look around the table, and Jules shakes her head.

“Don’t look at me. I was living my life, working my way through the hottest runways with the most in-demand designers in the world at twenty-three. Your brother came into my life when he was supposed to. When we were ready for each other.” She turns and squeezes Mom’s hand. “I think you need to let Lindy and Easton decide what they’re ready for, Ashlyn.”

“You don’t get to tell me what I need to do with my daughter,” Mom snaps back with an icy tone I’ve rarely heard her use and never with Jules.

“I need everyone to stop and listen to me.” I’m proud of how steady I manage to keep my voice, even though I feel like I could scream or cry at any moment. “I’ve let you all treat me like the baby my entire life. And I get it. To you, I’ll always be the baby of the family. Even though I have nieces and nephews nearly my age and others who might as well still be in diapers, they’re so much younger. But for some reason, it made you all feel good to baby me, and I let you.”

“Madeline—” Mom interrupts, but I cut her off.

“No, Mom. I can’t even go anywhere without a bodyguard. Does anyone else have that?”

“I do,” Scarlet says. “And so does Max.”

“You’re both the faces of the company,” I argue.

“Caitlin and I both have bodyguards, Madeline. But I’m aware we’re a little different,” Amelia says softly. “And you are high-profile. You have to be more careful than most of us. People are crazy. We all know that, you especially.”

Amelia’s husband, Sam, owns the security company my bodyguards all work for. I get that she’d know better than most what I need, but I just don’t care. I’m past that point. “I appreciate that. I really do. But I’m done asking for you all to treat me like an adult who can make her own decisions and live her own life. Do what you want. But I’m no longer asking. I shouldn’t have to.” I stand up and look at Charles, who’s tucked into the corner of the room. “Charles.”

His head pops up, and he attempts to act like he hasn’t been able to hear every word we’ve said.

“You’re fired.”

“Sorry, Miss Kingston. But I don’t work for you.”

“You don’t,” I agree. “But if you follow me out of this shop, I’m going to call the police and tell them you’re harassing me.” I slap my hand against the table and startle everyone. “None of you have asked me. Not one of you. I said this a few days ago, and you still haven’t asked me.”

I shove the big chair out of my way and grab my purse. “Maybe if one of you had bothered to ask me what I wanted, this would all have gone differently. But you didn’t. So here’s how it’s going to go. I have my own money, my own job, and my own condo. I own my own stock in King Corp. John Kingston might not have ever been a father to me before he died, but he set me up so I can lead an independent life without ever having to worry about how I support myself. If I want to teach baby skaters forever, I can. I don’t have to ask you for anything. I never have. So you no longer get a say in my life.”

I look around at my mom and sisters and stop on Lenny. “Except for Len. She at least gave me the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you should all try that.”

“Madeline . . .” Mom’s voice shakes, but I’m past the point of caring.

“Do. Not. Madeline me. I love you. But until you realize just how wrong you are, I’m done.”

And with that, I storm out of Sweet Temptations and into my car. Charles doesn’t follow me, thankfully, and I manage to force myself to keep my shit together long enough to drive home. It’s not until I’m parked in our garage that I finally let the tears fall.

My phone rings a few minutes later, and Easton’s name appears, so I try to pull it together. I look in the mirror and wipe my face, trying to clean myself up before I finally answer. “Hey,” I sniff.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Of course.” My voice cracks on the lie. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Jules called. She said you fired Charles and told your mom and sisters to fuck off.” His lips tip up in a hesitant, slightly crooked grin. “I would have paid to see Scarlet’s face.”

“Oh, she was pissed,” I admit. “If I wasn’t so angry, I might have enjoyed it. I’m so mad I let it go this far. It’s as much my own fault as it is theirs.”

I look down at my phone, nervous Easton’s going to be one more person who’s mad at me after today. “Are you going to yell at me for firing Charles?”

“Baby, you’re a grown woman. You’re smart and beautiful and the furthest thing from irresponsible there is. If you wanted to fire him, you had every right to. This is your life. Just do me a favor and try to be aware of your surroundings until I get home. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Easton . . .” I trail off, blown away by his trust in me. I stare at him, wishing he were here for the second time in twenty-four hours.

“I’ve got to go, princess. We’re boarding the plane to head to Washington.”

“Okay. Enjoy your night off and kick ass during your game tomorrow.” I end the call, wondering how this man—my husband—can have such blind faith in me, but my own mother can’t.

I get out of my car and run into Gracie. Her hair is pulled back in a bun, and a heavy puffer jacket is thrown on over her sweats and Uggs. “On your way to practice?”

“Yeah. I just let Myrtle out. She’s sleeping.” Grace points at my face. “What’s with that?”

“With what?”

“That look on your face. You’re up to something.”

Am I up to something?

I guess maybe I am.

“I think I may be falling for my husband,” I tell her as an idea comes together.

“Yes. I love it. I’m here for all the romance. And you and Easton will make pretty babies.”

“Calm down, good twin. Let me figure out this whole marriage thing before we start talking babies.”

Gracie laughs as she walks by me and opens her car door. “Just saying, I call godmother.”

She shuts the door, and I smile as I decide I’m here for the romance too.

I shoot Bryn a quick text.

LINDY

What hotel are you guys staying in tonight?

BRYNLEE

Why?

LINDY

I need to know where I’m going once I land.