Changing Positions (Brooks Haven Bears 3)

Chapter 18 - Tripping

Hans

You’ve got to be kidding me. Tonight isn’t unfolding as I thought it would. I thought we wouldn’t say anything, but I hoped our actions should be enough to get people to see what we really are to each other.

This New Year’s Eve Party has gone to s**t, and it hasn’t even started. First, my friend Enzo thought he could try winning Emily’s affection. That’s in the past. Surprisingly so. He has grudgingly given us some space. Now, this Gustav guy, who is apparently the son of Mrs. Park’s cousin’s friend, is here to get to know her? I love Mrs. Park, but I don’t know how oblivious she can be.

Friends. Almost siblings. That’s how they see us.

Do I need to kiss Emily in front of everyone just for them to stop shoving her at other guys?

“You’re not going with him,” I hiss. “Please don’t tell me you’re going to stroll around the grounds like some couple in a Jane Austen novel.”

Well, Jane Austen closeness may actually be preferable with all that 19th century repression. I don’t trust guys these days, though. I try my best not to be like my peers, especially jocks who have all unfairly gained a rep for the rest of us for scoring more girls than the rest of the student population. One of them just happens to be my own cousin. There was a time I thought he was smitten, but he really was just there for the competition. It was all about the challenge of winning a girl over his frenemy, the former captain, and now NHL player Carter Knox.

I’m still standing too close to Emily. Out of respect for her wishes, I don’t hold her hand, although I want to hold her as close to me as possible. I want to do so many things with her, but I’ve always been waiting for her cues. On the ice, I’m the captain who calls the shots, but with her, her moods rule my world.

“Jane Austen,” she laughs and looks at me with dancing eyes, except I don’t welcome humor or levity right now. I just need her here. I want her to tell everyone we have been secretly dating and even literally sleeping together. I enjoy thinking that we’re like a young married couple without the s*x. Yet. “That guy doesn’t look like he knows who Jane Austen is.”

The smirk on her face reminds me of who she is, though. Having grown up together, we knew what readings were assigned at our respective high schools. Even when we were not that ready to share, our mothers did. The Jane Austen thing is not a way for us to prove that we read classics because we know each other well enough. It’s a way to separate us from others.

Emily seems to not have realized how her hand is now on my biceps, her favorite part of my body. With some satisfaction, I notice Gus seems to have noticed our whispered exchange, although Mrs. Park is currently distracted by another one of her friends. Where’s my mom, anyway? More likely off to comfort her sister. I should ask Lance if he’s okay, but I’m too scared to leave Emily’s side.

“Oh, Emily, go on ahead and accompany Gus,” Mrs. Park says, beckoning Emily just like she does with us when we were little kids. She does this quick wrist flick that makes me think of hockey. It’s the kind of move someone makes when the goal is close enough. She’s probably already imagining Emily’s and Gustav’s wedding. I stifle a groan.

“So, I’m now one of you ushers,” Emily quips. “I can’t leave Hans over here after he drove me here.”

After she drove me crazy.

“Hans, uh, I think Lance needs you,” Mrs. Park says, as she gently pushes her daughter to the douchebag with a creepy smile. He’s not even hiding how he’s looking her up and down. The tight sparkly black dress that reaches only mid-thighs will be the death of me. I’ve saved her from possibly being ogled by some Uber guy, and now Gustav gets a closed up look without the fear of crashing against a post.

Emily gives me a resigned, apologetic look, and, f**k, I know what that means. It’s another few hours of pretending we’re nothing to each other. Worse, it’s a few hours of watching her with this other dude. He has blond hair and blue eyes, just like I do, as if to add insult to injury. I reason that he at least has curly hair to my wavy, and a slimmer build. I can take him down if I have to.

I check Lance and Jason, who are seated a few feet away with their respective dates. From what I can see, they’re drinking a lot, and they don’t appear to need me there.

“Okay, Mrs. Park,” I say, as meek and mild as when I was when I was five, almost expecting my girl’s mother to say, “Good boy.”

The last time I said yes to alcohol, I ended up in handcuffs in bed, waiting for a hooker to “help me out,” but I need a little something to get myself through the night.

Not left with any choice other than scandalous ones, I saunter toward my favorite assholes, ready to face the punishment of being the fifth wheel when my girl is in the same party, anyway.

“Hey,” I greet, my eyes focused on Lance. He looks a little red, and not just with the usual flush we both get when we’re on the ice or in the cold. It could be the alcohol. Anger from his father’s indiscretions. Or both.

“So, you’ve heard,” Lance says, his eyes flashing angrily. His mouth wears a sarcastic, bitter smile. I’m not used to seeing him like this.

“Everyone heard,” I mutter, thinking back to my aunt’s shrieking. “I’m guessing mom is with Aunt Liana?”

“Yeah. My mother knew it all along. The cheating I mean.”

“Really? I had never thought of Aunt Liana as someone who takes things sitting down.”

“They’re now divorced, Hans,” Lance admits. “It’s official. So, if you’re hearing from the others that she just found out he was cheating, well, they’re wrong. I think it’s the fact that he’s planning to marry the other woman that’s got Mom reeling.”

It’s definitely not good. My aunt has her own money. So, I know she’s never concerned about Mr. Larsen’s property, but it must feel like hell for the person you’ve loved for over two decades to discard you so easily like that.

I’m still standing and I scan the faces of the people at the table. They look clearly uncomfortable. Jason at least looks like he isn’t that surprised. He looks like he’s drinking as much as my cousin. All for one and one for all. Meanwhile, their dates look like they’d rather be elsewhere than with these two, and that’s something that never happens. These two always have girls running after them.

“I-I’m sorry,” is all I can say while I run my fingers through my hair.

“Cindy’s not too happy, either,” Lance says, tilting his head toward his date. Ah. Cindy Kowalski. Her name flashes in my head as soon as I get a closer look at her. She’s currently ranked 16 in the world. Not shabby at all. I’m pretty sure she isn’t the tennis player he used to date. That one was a brunette and her name was Maureen or Maura.

“Not happy about what?” Cindy snaps. At least, she’s not one of those that he can just twist around his little finger.

“Well, my dad’s a cheater. So, what does that make me?”

“Whatever you want yourself to be. The oh, my daddy’s a cheater, so I can’t help become one is just a shitty excuse and you’re smart enough to know that, Larsen. Right now, you can’t even commit to one woman,” Cindy mutters. “You luckier with Jason, huh, Lu?”

“Us? We’re just playing,” the girl with the short black hair says with a grin. Jason shrugs, as if to confirm what his date said. Ah, well. Modern romance. “You’re not going to sit? Or are you still planning to run after your girl over there?”

Despite trying to train my eyeballs not to go where Emily goes, they do. Gustav’s getting too close for comfort, and Em’s body language isn’t exactly unwelcoming. She seems to be laughing at something he just said. I’m thankful that they’re a least still a few feet apart or I have no choice but to run over there and have an accident – or cause one.

“His girl?” Jason asks, suddenly alert.

“Oh, isn’t your sister dating Lance’s cousin? Hans, right?” Lu looks very confused. Her chocolate brown eyes are glued to my face, and I’m trying my best to escape this awkward situation. I’m not afraid of Jason. If he needs to punch my face, he can do it right now, and I won’t fight back. I’m more afraid of what Emily will say if word gets out that we are together even before she’s ready to say anything.

“Hell no! They’re like brother and sister!” he exclaims angrily, as if he never told me a few years ago that he knew how I looked at his sister.

“For f**k’s sake,” I mutter.

“What did you say, Hans?” Lance asks, a grin breaking on his face. Well, at least I made him smile.

“Nothing.”

“I’m fine, you know. I’m a grown-ass man. It’s not like I’m a little boy about to cry because Mommy and Daddy are divorced. Go get rid of Gustav,” he says. There’s still a smile playing on his face, but his eyes tell a different story. They are sad, sad eyes. He’s taking it hard. Cindy rubs his shoulder.

“What’s wrong with Gustav? Why would you want Hans to get rid of him? Mom chose that guy and -.”

Lance gives him a pointed look and Jason shakes his head, looking more miserable than angry. The two may practically read each other’s minds, but I know the message that was passed on. Mrs. Park’s a little manic today. So, even her mama’s boy son can’t argue for her judgment.

“You see how that douche has been looking at your sister’s legs?”

Jason groans and scrubs his face. He does give the two a look. Emily and Gus are standing right in the middle of the garden, in front of the gazebo, as if ready to have their candid photos taken. Emily seems to be telling a story, but the asshat can’t keep his eyes on her face.

“I’m headed over there.”

“If you’re going to trip the guy, make sure you don’t get a penalty for it. Do it smooth,” my cousin advises, nodding his head mock-seriously.

“He’s a clean player,” Jason says, almost absent-mindedly. I’m not sure if he’s talking about hockey or is giving me a warning about how I handle Gus.

“Ah. This time, I don’t advise it. Play dirty or let some asshole score.”

This time, Jason narrows his eyes at Lance. He’s catching on. I’m pretty sure he knows what’s going on but just doesn’t want to admit it yet.

“Well, if it’s between you and Gustav, you have my back, captain,” Jason surprises me by saying.

“Er- thanks,” I mumble.

“I told you something was going on!” Lance explodes in laughter. It’s as if his parents did not just have a very public fight a few minutes ago. Then again, he’s right. He’s a grown-ass man. He can be sad about the divorce but he doesn’t have to be defeated by it. “Pay up!”

“f**k off,” Jason mutters, taking his wallet from his pocket and getting a handful of bills to slam into my cousin’s palm. Lu rolls her eyes and Cindy just takes deep breaths.

“You two knew all along?”

“Well, I was fighting the idea. But Lance’s right. It’s better you than Gustav over there. It’s also very easy to find you if you f**k it up,” Jason says calmly.

“You’ve got some guy to trip. So, go on Hans Blom.”

Now, I only have one other person to persuade that the whole thing is meant to be –the most important one. The one who matters. Emily.