𝐑 𝐎 𝐒 𝐀 𝐋 𝐈 𝐄 ' 𝐒   𝐏 𝐎 𝐕

Thanksgiving with Roman King can go one of two ways.

The first is that we remain civil with each other for the day, while we're around his mom and his sister, or the second way is that we'll be at each other's throats as per usual, whether or not it's a holiday. The only way the first one will happen is if pigs fly.

My gaze locks on the scenery as we pass by Boston and make our way out to Cambridge, where Roman's family home is. The aroma from the steaming pie on my knit dress covered lap fills the car, as music from the radio is the only source of sound in here. Cara sits in the back with her earphones in, doing her best to block out the fact Miles is the one driving.

I see his eyes flicker to the front mirror more than normal, and I doubt the cars behind us are of great interest to him. An awkward atmosphere has surrounded them since we got in the car. If not for Miles and I talking, the car would have been a tense silence the entire way.

"Have you been to Romans for Thanksgiving before?" I ask Miles, since he seems at ease driving around this area with no help.

Miles nods as he taps away to the music. "Every year since we met, yeah. It's the same as why you aren't going back, too far. Plus, we usually have a game close to the holiday."

"Isn't that kind of strange that you have a hockey game the day after you've all loaded up on Thanksgiving food? It takes me a week to recover," Cara questions, now holding one of her airpods in her hand as she listens to us.

Miles's eyes flicker to the mirror, and he smiles. "Coach's form of torture, I'm sure."

"That guy has some weird ass kinks," Cara mumbles before putting her airpod back in and I shake my head.

"Momma King makes the best Thanksgiving meal. She always packs us leftovers to take back to the hockey house," Miles explains, and I can't help but smile at how she takes care of the team. "Don't tell my mom I said that."

After his comment he pulls up to Roman's house, parking up on the curb outside behind Roman's truck as two cars sit in the driveway. I'm guessing his mom and sisters. We all pile out of the car before heading up and before Cara or I can even knock, Miles walks straight in.

"Please tell me you don't just walk into people's houses without knocking all the time?" Cara questions as we follow him in more hesitant than he is.

"It's fine," Miles waves off before he leads us to the living area. As soon as we walk in, all three heads turn to us. Roman rolls his eyes and my eyes go to where his mom sits on the sofa along with a pretty woman.

"Dude, we've been through this. You have to knock, or Naomi will think you're an intruder and knock you on your ass. Remember the first time you just walked in before you even met her and she tried to hit you with a pan?" Roman stands up.

Cara and I look at each other in amusement before Miles speaks up. "I had a bump for two weeks. I was telling people it was a hockey accident because it was embarrassing to admit Naomi did it."

"Right now, Hollywood is more welcome than you. She brings food." Roman eyes the pie in my hands and I roll my eyes.

"If you keep calling me Hollywood, you'll end up with a pie to your face instead of in your mouth," I smile sweetly, and he smirks.

"And by law, as her best friend, I'll have to help," Cara raises her hand.

"What law is that? Cause I call bullshit," Miles scoffs and Cara goes to retaliate but Ms. King interrupts...thankfully.

"Watch your language in this house, Miles," Ms. King walks over, crossing her arms, and he immediately straightens his stance before apologizing. "But Roman wasn't wrong, Rosalie is more welcome."

Roman's mom hugs me before we pull back and I gesture to Cara. "This is my best friend, Cara."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. King. Thanks for letting us crash your Thanksgiving," Cara politely responds, and Roman's mom waves us off.

"It's no problem. I would never let anyone go hungry on this holiday. Speaking of, you didn't have to bring anything," Roman's mom glares at me and I shrug.

"My mom would quite literally dig my grave if I came empty-handed. It's pumpkin pie." I hand it over to her, and she happily accepts.

"You're already also more welcome than Roman. He brought nothing." The woman, who I'm guessing is Roman's sister, slides up beside him.

"Hilarious. This is my sister Naomi, also known as the fuck up in the family, so I came along and rectified that. This is Rosalie and Cara," Roman introduces.

"Who the fuck are you calling a fuck up?" Naomi scoffs.

"Do I need to put a language ban on?" Roman's mother questions and they shake their heads. "Great, boys, set the table. Ladies, help me bring stuff out."

❈❈❈

Passing around all the home-cooked food Ms. King made. We pile our plates full to the brim...more so Roman and Miles, who look like they could eat all the food on our plates too. Chatter flows easily around the table, with Naomi and Roman's mom getting to know Cara and me.

"You know I didn't think anything could beat my mom's mash potato, but I was wrong." Miles points down to his plate, which, in fact, has a mountain of mash potato on it.

"Well, I'd love to be flattered, but that's Roman's doing." Roman's mom pats Roman on the shoulder.

"You can cook?" I raise my eyebrow at Roman, who shrugs nonchalantly.

"Most of the hockey team can't, right? From what Octavia says anyway," Cara comments. Both Roman and Miles nod their heads.

"There are a limited amount of them that can cook, so they take turns and make the rest of us help. With step-by-step instructions," Miles explains, smiling sheepishly. "I haven't burned anything yet."

"Live with two females who can cook growing up and you'll learn," Roman jokes.

Miles looks over at Cara and me. "I'm guessing you were going to be the one cooking, because we both know Cara can't."

"I've been doing better. Tell him!" Cara looks at me and I pat her shoulder sympathetically, getting them all to laugh.

"You can cook then?" Naomi asks me and I nod my head before taking a sip of my wine that Ms. King doesn't seem to mind us having.

"When my mom was pregnant with my twin younger siblings, she was really ill from the pregnancy and was bed bound. My dad was coaching at the time, so he was traveling a lot. We had extended family helping, but my older brother and I learned how to cook," I explain.

Roman's brows furrow. "Your dad was a coach?"

I nod. "He played for the NFL and when he retired, he took up coaching NFL teams instead, so he traveled just as much as he was when he was playing."

"Is that why you don't like hockey players? Cause your dad was a football player," Roman accuses, as he puts his fork down and I chuckle.

"I told you we're a football family. He played football in college, and there was a rivalry between the hockey team and the football team. He's clearly still a child and not over it," I joke and everyone laughs.

"Did he want your brother to follow in his footsteps?" Naomi questions and I nod.

"Yeah, but that didn't happen, and he was cool with it. Aaron, my older brother, is actually a sports agent, though. So, he went into a similar field that is just as much traveling."

"Do you not see each other a lot then?" Ms. King questions and I shake my head.

"When I was living back home, not really. He has his own apartment, and he is the agent for different athletes, so whereas they have the season, he has all the seasons where he's working. He's in Miami right now."

"So, if you come from an athletic family, what made you choose Biochem?" Miles questions, curious.

"My dad's friend Dylan, who is my uncle. They went to college together, and he also played in the NFL. He studied Biochemistry as his backup plan. Now he's retired from the NFL. He dabbles a little in it work wise and I was always interested. So, he showed me what it entailed, and I was hooked." I shrug.

"Why do you do biochem? I mean, not the obvious choice for a hockey player who is on track to go pro." Cara looks over to Roman, who looks surprised at the question and he leans back in his seat.

"My grandfather was a biochemistry engineer. He was the father figure when I was growing up. He used to take me to work with him if mom was working and Naomi was busy," Roman explains with ease.

"He was such a nerd when he was growing up," Naomi chuckles and Roman shoves her. "Oh, come on, it's true. Whenever you weren't playing hockey, you were with grandad or reading up on biochemistry."

"He's still a secret nerd now," Miles chuckles and Roman throws a napkin at him before we all carry on eating.

❈❈❈

Roman's family have been really welcoming. Including his sister I have never met, but she enjoys having other people insult Roman. Roman has been surprisingly not annoying.

Once our plates are cleared, Ms. King delegates us all tasks in the clean-up process. While she washes, Naomi dries, and Miles and Cara take the plates in. Meanwhile, Roman and I are to clean up the table settings and décor.

"Better than just you and Cara in your apartment?" Roman questions as I hand him the mats to stack, and I nod my head.

"If we weren't here, Cara would have eaten that entire pie herself," I chuckle.

Roman rubs his stomach. "Could not let Cara eat that pie herself. It's too good for just one person."

"It was my grandmother's recipe on my mom's side. She died when my mom was twelve, so I never met her, but my mom likes to keep her recipe alive and a tradition in our family."

"I'm taking you won't give my mom that recipe, then? She's dying for it," Roman questions and I smirk, shaking my head. "Worth a try."

For the next few moments, we work in silence and as we fold up the tablecloth. I ask the question that's been eating at me. "So, why did you invite us? I mean, we're not exactly friends. I'm surprised we managed to get through the night without an argument."

Roman shrugs as if it's not a big deal. "I know if it was me, I wouldn't want to be away from my family for the holiday. So, being around more people helps."

"Whatever you say, but I think you're warming up to me," I tease, and he shakes his head yet smiles. "But thank you for inviting us. It's been fun, and my parents appreciate it."

"They upset you couldn't go home?" Roman asks, and I nod my head.

"I mean, I haven't been back for Thanksgiving the past few years, so they're used to it, but I know they want me there. Our thanksgivings are crazy. Between extended family on my dad's side, we're going to have to get a bigger house at this rate."

Roman laughs. "That bad?"

I nod. "Oh yeah, my dad has a huge family."

"I could not even imagine that." Roman shakes his head before we place everything away where it's supposed to go.

"Time for us to go," Cara storms into where we are, and I give her a confused look.

"Why?"

"Because if you don't, I'll be going to jail for murder."

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𝐀 𝐔 𝐓 𝐇 𝐎 𝐑   𝐍 𝐎 𝐓 𝐄

「 Looks like Roman & Rosalie are starting to know more and realise more about each other that they didn't know before...

I loved being able to write Rosalie going to Roman's for Thanksgiving just like Ava did with Noah. It's all coming full circle!

Don't forget to vote and comment, next update will be Friday. 」