Wild Tendy (IceCats Book 2) Read online

“You can do it. I know you can. You’re so ready. You’re doing so great, Nico.”

  I don’t think I am, but her encouragement makes me feel a little better. Like, two percent better.

  “Does Aviva know that this is a big deal?”

  I shake my head. “I told her I’m freaking out, but she doesn’t know that I may not make it past the thirty minutes.”

  “Tell her. Please.”

  Yeah, because that’s gonna be easy.

  Hey, Aviva, I probably won’t make it past the thirty minutes because right now, I’d rather rip off my left nut than go.

  Damn it, the thought of all those people. Standing around me, wanting to make small talk. Able to touch me and look at me without my gear.

  Shit. I don’t think I’m gonna make it.

  My hands are shaking against the steering wheel as I head to get Aviva. We have to be there at seven and it’s already ten minutes till, and I’m driving like a turtle. I don’t want to go. It’s that simple. To make matters worse, my mom decided to call and talk me to death.

  “Why are you being so short with me?”

  I want to groan loudly, but she wouldn’t appreciate that. Especially since she’s been dealing with it basically since I was born. I’ve always been a pain in the ass. “I have that gala tonight, and Dr. Jenkins says I can’t drink.”

  “Oh,” she says softly. “I forgot that was tonight. I have it written down, but I forgot.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “You can do this, Nicolas. I promise. I have noticed such huge progress since you’ve been with this new therapist.”

  “I thought you hated her.”

  “I do. She sucks, but you’re doing great.”

  “Because that makes sense.”

  “Don’t question me,” she says sternly. “Listen, you know you have this.”

  “Eh, that’s spotty,” I say with my face all twisted in annoyance, fear, and a wee bit of anger. I don’t know why I have to do this. Why can’t I be the player who just doesn’t do shit but win hockey games? I think I’m doing what I’m paid for. “Aviva is excited, though.”

  “Is she? Send me pictures.”

  “I will.” I probably won’t, though. “Are you bringing Mimi and Papa when you come?”

  “I am.”

  “Fantastic, Aviva will get to meet all of my crazy family.”

  She chuckles happily. “For as much as you talk about her and her sister, I’m sure we’ll all love her.”

  “Are you going to give her the third degree?”

  “Yes, and this could all be done before I arrive if you’d give me her number.”

  I roll my eyes. “I wouldn’t subject her to that. I want her to like me.”

  “How could she not? You’re absolutely perfect.”

  I love my mom. “Thanks, Mom.”

  “It’s the truth. You know I love you more than anything in this world.”

  “I know.”

  “And if a woman is going to come in and replace me—”

  “No one can replace you,” I say quickly. “Aviva wouldn’t even try.”

  She pauses. I want to say I feel better, but I don’t. I’m terrified. I swallow hard as I turn onto Aviva’s street.

  “I’m very excited to meet her, and I hope I am able to go watch Callie do flips and stuff.”

  “Callie’s pretty badass. Great girl.”

  “It pleases me that you care for her. It has to be hard to raise a young girl and date.”

  I scoff. “I think I’m the first boyfriend Aviva has had since she lost her mom.”

  “Because who can say no to you!”

  “Aviva. She can say no. She did…a lot,” I laugh, and my mom gushes.

  “I love her already.”

  My laughter subsides as I pull into the parking lot. “Hey, make sure before you come, everything is taken care of on your end.”

  “It will be. My lawyer is doing everything we ask and is also handling the will.”

  My nerves are making my words come out jerky, and I wish I could focus on what she is saying, but I’m all kinds of screwed up. “Just make sure everything is done and right. Send my lawyer the paperwork.”

  “Please.”

  “Please. I’m sorry. I’m freaking out.”

  “You’re going to be fine.”

  I just wish I believed her.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Aviva

  “I’ll Be There for You” by the Rembrandts is blasting through the shop.

  Even though I’m wearing a very expensive—and completely out of my comfort zone—evening gown, I help Callie prep for tomorrow as we sing at the top of our lungs. She’s actually a decent singer; then again, there’s not really much Callie isn’t good at. When I asked her to prep for tomorrow after Nico invited me to go to this gala with him, I was nervous to hand over the reins. I’m discovering, though, Callie is a lot like me. She is smart and quick on her feet. I’m very proud of the woman she is becoming.

  “I told Amelia about the surgery.”

  I glance back over at her as I pull the bread out of the proofer. “What did she say?”

  “She said she understood but that I can’t get lazy on her.”

  “Well, of course not,” I say, putting in the next batch. “You know we can just do the mastectomy now and then do the reconstruction and augmentation when you’re older.”

  She shakes her head. “No, I’ll be like you and put it off.”

  She’s got me there. I shift uncomfortably in my bra. I wish I’d had an augmentation now; a real set of breasts would have given me better options for a dress. Also, a lot more confidence. Since I don’t have cleavage, I went with a sparkly, midnight-blue halter-top gown that shows all of my back. I was kind of nervous about my little bit of back fat, but Nico promised the dress looked great on me. He says he sees no back fat, but I know it lives there. I left my hair down in big, wide curls with a small braid around the crown of my head. Callie did my makeup all classy-like, with a dark red lip. With a pair of strappy-backed heels, I feel like I look sexy, and I actually feel somewhat sexy. I just hope Nico thinks so.

  “Whatever you want,” I answer as I move to get another batch of bread going. “I just don’t want you out of the gym long.”

  “I know. I don’t either.”

  “And I’ll be pissed if you pop a boob.”

  She snorts. “Me too!”

  She moves past me to grab the big stack of onions. I really should move away. I don’t want to smell like onions when Nico gets here. “So, things with Nico are going very well.”

  I nod as I side-eye her. “They are.”

  “How long has it been?”

  “Almost two months now.”

  She gushes, “I’m just so happy for you two. You’re, like, the best together. I like him way more than Mike.”

  “Me too,” I agree. I feel all gooey inside.

  Things have been great with Nico. I’ve never had a man do everything to spend time with me. He’ll sit in the shop just so he can talk to me between customers. He keeps me laughing all the time, and we have a great time. He went to Callie’s gym practices twice last week, and while he didn’t want to sit in the crowd, standing by the wall with him was worth the numb legs at the end. He’s just great, really great, and I’m so damn happy.

  “Do you love him?” she asks, and I laugh loudly.

  “Callie, I don’t know. It’s still early. You can’t tell this early.”

  “Yes, you can,” she says quickly. “And you do. You’re just hiding behind your walls.”

  She might not be wrong, but I don’t want to acknowledge what I am feeling yet. I don’t want my mind to fuck with what we have. I could fall, completely and wholeheartedly, for Nico, but the fear that he can’t fall for me is there. I don’t want to keep beating a dead horse, but he could do so much better than me. So much. Yet he’s here almost every day, and when he’s not, my phone is blowing up.

  It gives me some inconceivable f