“Precisely,” he said in a firm tone. “They can wait. Today is for you. This whole weekend is for you. The rest of the month if you need it.”
“Hell, Baby Girl,” Jake said as he walked up behind Ian. “Take the rest of the year. We can run all the interference plays you need. One thing that we are both very good at.” He lifted a fist that Ian bumped easily and I laughed.
“That’s a football reference.”
“Thank fuck you didn’t say baseball like you did last time.” Jake gave me a mock glare as he pressed a hand over his heart, but it was Ian who snorted.
“She knew what she was saying, she was just messing with you.”
“Honestly, I thought it was about hockey after you had talked about learning to play,” I admitted and that earned me a droll stare from each of them, only Jake’s lips were twitching. “What? You can’t tell me with all the slamming around they do on the ice that hockey doesn’t have some interference in it.”
They both turned their gazes skyward, though Jake was chuckling and Ian wrapped an arm around my shoulders and tucked me against him. “She has a point.”
“She always has a point. The big question is will you watch me play if I play?” The last held just a hint of challenge.
“If it comes with hot cocoa and warm blankets, as well as someone to snuggle me, then yes.”
“Done,” Ian said and Jake grimaced.
“Wait—”
“Too late,” Ian told him, the grin in his voice audible. “We’ll keep her warm while you bust your ass on the ice.”
“Just don’t bust up your face please,” I said, leaning up to brush a kiss to his jaw. He tilted his head and caught my lips in a barely there kiss, more pressure than anything. At the same time, he cradled my chin and let out a soft sigh.
“I’ll do my best,” he promised.
“Are we moving this all outside?” Coop asked. “Also, if there are free kisses and cuddles, Player Three should definitely be in this game.”
Real laughter surfaced at the comment. Despite the light remark and easy grin on his face, Coop studied me with serious gray-green eyes. “We still doing this?”
‘Yes,” I said slowly. “I need to. Have Archie and his dad arrived?”
“Not yet,” Coop said. “But I checked in with him. His dad’s being reluctant because he doesn’t want to set off your grandparents.”
“Can I borrow your phone?” Mine was off and left in the room. I hadn’t really thought I’d need one today. The guys had theirs and were always close by.
“Always.” He passed it over and I pulled up the text message with Archie.
Me: Hey babe, it’s F. Tell Edward that I want him here if he wants to be here. Don’t worry about the GPs or anyone else. If he doesn’t want to come, that’s also fine. But he is welcome.
It barely said read before Archie responded.
Archie: We’ll be there soon, Babe. Promise. You okay?
I thought about it, then answered with the truth.
Me: No, but I’ll get there. Love u.
Archie: Love u 2.
Passing the phone back to Coop, I took another breath. “I can do this.”
“Hell yes, you can,” Jake said. “Jeremy’s got your back, so does Hank, and we’re right here.”
I smiled. “I love all of you.”
The huddle pulled me right into the center with all three of them hugging me. We held there for the longest of minutes then Coop said, “If I fart right now, how long would my grounding last?”
“Dude,” Jake scolded but I was already laughing. “She told you no bean burritos.”
Ian gave him a playful shove, but I grinned. Coop winked at me and something aching and sore settled in my chest. I had told Archie the truth. I wasn’t okay. I wasn’t even sure what okay was supposed to look or sound like, but I’d get there.
Especially because I had my guys. I had my family. Despite his playful threat, Coop didn’t fart or act like he would. As we got to the side entrance, I returned Ian’s suit jacket to him and he pressed his finger to my lips.
“When you’re ready to go, just give one of us the nod, Angel. The rest of us will take care of it from there, okay?”
“Okay.”
But instead of opening the door, he held my gaze. “You’re an amazing woman, Frankie Curtis. You’re strong as hell and I believe in you and in that great big heart of yours. We’re all going to trust you to know your limit, just trust us to go from there.”
It was as much a request as it was a command, and I could obey that. I wanted to obey that.
“Yes, Sir, I promise,” I said, holding up two fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
Jake corrected my finger positioning and Coop cracked up as I stared at my hand and then at Jake.
“That’s ‘Live Long and Prosper’.”
“I know,” he said. “Just testing.”
I whacked him gently, but my smile was back when Coop pulled open the door and we headed inside.
Time to mourn, or at least—remember, I guess.
CHAPTER THREE
EVERYTHING WRONG WITH…
COOP
No matter how many times we told her she didn’t have to go in and greet all the ‘mourners,’ it seemed to have little effect. Frankie couldn’t understand why so many people showed up to support her. These people weren’t here for her mother—fuck that bitch and speaking ill of the dead—they were here for Frankie. They were here to show her that she was loved, and whether she came to the lunch or not, they wouldn’t love her any less.
That was Frankie, though, chin up and charging forward, even if she had needed a moment to collect herself beforehand. I kind of didn’t blame her. While we weren’t that unruly a crowd, all of our families were here. I was surprised my father had shown up, but apparently, solidarity was the rule. Jake’s dad and Klara had come over. They were sitting at a table with Jake’s mom, and you couldn’t pay me to sit in on that drama.
Hank and Kelly had brought their kids, though Hank had been a fixture at the brownstone since the “incident.” I hated referring to Maddy proving how fucking insane she was when she tried to kill Archie and Frankie—again—as an “incident.”
“Stop scowling,” Rachel told me with a not-so-subtle jab to my sternum. I “oofed” out some air and she turned to face me with the fakest fucking smile ever, before handing me what had to be a glass of wine.
Nope, not even gonna ask.
“I wasn’t scowling,” I muttered. “Much.”
“She’s glancing at you every couple of minutes.” Like I needed her to tell me that, but just as she said it, Frankie glanced over to where Rachel and I were standing. She was talking to Jake’s sisters, who’d all surrounded her. Jake was right there, taking point. We would all be on hand to run all the interference she needed. I found a smile for Frankie and she nodded, some of the worry vanishing from her eyes.
“Thanks,” I said from the corner of my mouth.
“Welcome,” Rachel said, then hooked her arm through mine. “You can repay me by looking interested in what I have to say.”