𝐑 𝐎 𝐒 𝐀 𝐋 𝐈 𝐄 ' 𝐒 𝐏 𝐎 𝐕

"Why is Boston so cold?"

Cara and I share a knowing look at Aaron's complaint, as we told him to wrap up before we left the apartment. Pulling the gloves off his hands as we walk into the warm restaurant, he glares at us.

A sign to not say one word about the fact we told him so. A waitress leads us to a spare table, and we all take a seat. Her eyes paying special attention to Aaron, who doesn't give her the time of day.

Weird.

Usually, he'd be flirting up a storm and would have her number by now. Looking at Cara, who has the same thought as me as she knows how Aaron is, she shrugs as if not thinking anything of it.

Opening the menu, I check the time on my phone, seeing we have an hour before the hockey game starts. After Aaron and I spent the day together, we met up with Cara before coming to get some food before the game.

"What is it with you California pansies?" Cara throws her arms into the air, and I chuckle.

"Not all of us freeze during the winter months, Cara." Aaron points out and before she can retaliate, Octavia pulls out the chair next to Cara and across from me.

"Sorry I'm late. Isaiah held me up," Octavia explains, and I raise my eyebrow. She rolls her eyes at my knowing gaze of why she got held up. "You must be Lia's brother."

"That's me, Aaron." Aaron holds his hand out and she shakes it before introducing herself.

"Also known as the world's most annoying big brother," I joke, and he ruffles my hair.

"You're mad because I cockblocked you, or the female version of whatever that is." He scrunches up his nose.

"He what?" Octavia raises her eyebrow.

"He was in the apartment when Lia and Rome stumbled through in a pretty heavy make-out session." Cara smirks, resting her arms on the table.

"I am not relieving that experience, so let's move on," I insist and thankfully, the waitress comes back to take our orders. She rests her hand on Aaron's shoulder as she asks for his order first and he takes no notice. Once the rest of us order and she leaves defeated, I turn to Aaron. "What was that?"

Aaron raises his eyebrow before he takes a sip of his beer. "What was what?"

"I think she's referring to your blatant disregard of the very attractive waitress." Cara twirls the straw around her drink.

"Why is that so weird?" Octavia asks, confused.

"Because my brother will take any opportunity to flirt or get a number and he didn't," I explain before turning to him.

"I hate that you know me so well. No wonder everyone thinks we're twins now that we're older," He mutters before leaning back in his seat and sighing. "I may or may not be seeing someone."

"How come I'm only just hearing about this?" I slap his shoulder.

"How come I only found out you were when I had to see it for myself?" Aaron fires back and I wave him off.

"Roman and I...it's complicated. Let's focus on you." I divert the conversation and he shakes his head.

"She's a physical therapist back in LA. I see her all the time when I go to see my clients if injuries occur. Anyway, I saw her downtown one night, and things took off from there," Aaron explains.

"I don't know whether to throw up at the meet-cute they had or be in awe of it. Meet-cutes are rare!" Cara taps her fingers on the table.

"What the fuck is a meet cute?" Aaron whips his head around to Cara and I snap my fingers in front of his face.

"Focus."

He pushes my hand away. "It's still new. I haven't told anyone, so if I'm keeping what I saw this weekend a secret from mom and dad, you're keeping this knowledge secret too."

I motion to zipping my lips. "What's her name?"

"Lucy."

"Cute. Aaron and Lucy." Tavia smiles before our food gets placed down in front of us.

"Don't you start too." Aaron sighs and the three of us laugh. "Anyway, what's so complicated with you and Roman?"

"The fact that we hate...d each other," I correct myself. "Or maybe we still do, or he does, I have no idea."

"I feel like you're going to need six more drinks before you talk about that and we don't have a lot of time before the game," Aaron says, and I nod my head. "No one answered my question from before. What the fuck is a meet-cute?"

❈❈❈

Halfway through the hockey game and our team is up by two. Aaron has witnessed Octavia's love for the sport early on when she was banging on the plexiglass, and made a joke about how Cara even joined in.

"You better not tell me you're next. Dad will disown you if you cheer for hockey," Aaron reminds me as his eyes flicker to Cara and Tavia as they are standing up cheering.

"I'll leave the cheering for them. Plus, Rome's ego is already big enough." I wave him off and he chuckles.

"He seems like a good guy," Aaron states and I look away from the game and to my brother, whose eyes remain on the ice. "Hockey player and all."

I snort. "He is. Just don't tell him I told you that."

Focusing back on the game, my eyes watch Roman as he skates along the ice with the puck against his stick. Everyone watches in anticipation as he rushes down the ice towards the opposing net.

We all flinch as a player from the opposing team slams Rome up against the plexiglass. Then shouts of annoyance and disapproval come from the stands as the guy continues to slam him into the plexiglass one after another.

Leaving Roman nowhere to go and soon enough the team are pulling the guy away as the referee calls a violation on the guy's behalf and sends him off the ice. My eyes focus on Roman as he holds his helmet covered head in his hands and the guys go over to check on him.

This cannot be good.

𝐑 𝐎 𝐌 𝐀 𝐍' 𝐒 𝐏 𝐎 𝐕

"You don't have to babysit me, Hollywood. Go spend time with your brother before he leaves tomorrow."

Feeling her eyes roll from behind me, she shuts the door to my room before placing my keys for my truck that she drove on my desk and placing my duffle bag down.

Heading straight to my bed to sit down. The dizziness and pounding in my head doesn't stop when I lean against the headboard with my legs spread out in front of me.

"You have a concussion. The team doctor told you not to drive and taking care of yourself when you're concussed is not going to be fun. So shut your mouth and let me help." Rosalie leaves no room for argument and I'm not in the best state to argue with her, anyway. "Maybe you should get a concussion more. You don't argue with me as much."

I chuckle, before opening my eyes and see her standing at the end of my bed with her hand resting on the wooden frame. "Where's the fun in that?"

A smile plays on her lips. "Look, Aaron was fine. He knows injured players and knows you shouldn't be alone. He's with Cara. She'll keep him entertained by probably getting him to model for a painting or something."

"Poor guy," I mumble. "You know, I'd make some joke about a sexy nurse's uniform, but I feel like you slapping me would make my head worse."

"Look at that. It makes you smarter too," She jokes. "I'm going to get you some water and order some takeout. They said not to sleep for three hours after your injury, it's already been one. I know you'll want to, but you can't."

"You know this isn't my first concussion, right?" I smirk and she glares at me.

"Might want to be nice to the person taking care of you." She points at me. "I told the guys if they want to celebrate the win to go to a bar because a rowdy party won't help. So, it should be quiet for a while."

"Thanks, Lia." I smile, and she smiles back before heading out of my room. Sighing, I stand up and head to change into some pajama pants, with bulldogs on for old time's sake.

"Here's your water. You need to take your pills when the food comes," Lia explains, walking back in and her eyes flicker over to my shirtless chest before they go to my pants. "Really?"

I shrug. "I know how much you like them."

She laughs, shaking her head, and I go back to sitting up against the headboard again. "Is it bad?"

I know she's referring to my concussion, and I nod. "It's only mild. Mostly they pass within a week or so if you're lucky. My others did, so I'm hoping this will be the same."

"I can't believe that guy on the other team." She shakes her head as she comes over to sit on the bed next to me.

"It's a violent sport. Shit happens." I shrug and lean closer to her hand as she runs it through my hair. "That feels good."

I open my eyes and smile at her softly before she leans in and kisses me. I cup her chin with my fingers as we kiss for a few moments before the doorbell rings.

"That must be the takeaway, apparently if you tell them it's for the hockey team, they come really fast. Tavia told me that one." She stands up before heading downstairs and I chuckle. Not soon after, she comes back up, bringing some forks with her as well. Sitting back down on the bed, we take out the food and dig in.

"I needed this." I sigh in relief as I start to devour the food and she chuckles, leaning into my side as she eats slower than me. "I'd put a movie on but my head is killing."

"It's okay." She shakes her head. "Oh, here."

She stands up before grabbing my water and pills, before sitting back down and handing them to me as I thank her before taking them. For the next hour and half, we eat our food and talk, before Rosalie cleans up everything. Once done, she walks back into the room, checking the time.

"And you are good to sleep." She shows me the time before sitting down on the edge of my bed next to me.

"Thank god for that." I run my hand through my hair before looking at her. "Want to stay the night? I mean, we can't have sex until the doctor gives me the green light..."

Surprise flickers across her features at my offer, considering we have never just slept in the same bed without having sex first. "Can I wear something of yours?"

I chuckle, nodding my head, and she smiles. My eyes follow her around the room as she heads for my wardrobe and picks out a sweater of mine. Her eyes catch me a few times and she sends me a small smile my way each time.

Starting to strip down, I take great pleasure in watching her strip to just her underwear. She throws on the sweater before walking over to the other side of the bed and we both climb in.

I lie on my back, and she lies on her side facing me, seeming unsure of what to do. I lift my arm and she moves closer, resting her head and hand on my chest, entangling her legs with mine while I run my hand down her side. My eyes flicker down to her brown hair sprawled across my chest and I sigh in content.

Ever since the lake incident, things have changed between us. The hatred between us hides beneath the surface and we're enjoying each other's company as we spend more time together.

Playing with a piece of her hair, I smile before leaning down to kiss her head. Ever since Thanksgiving, the feelings of hate have been replaced and gradually over time have turned into romantic feelings for her.

Too bad I just don't know if she feels the same.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

𝐀 𝐔 𝐓 𝐇 𝐎 𝐑 𝐍 𝐎 𝐓 𝐄

「 Okay I got it wrong, I said in the last chapter this one was the one where you would see why they would confess to each other, but I got my chapter mixed up, it's actually the next one, I completely forgot this chapter was in-between them.

But you get to see a little more of Aaron and Rosalie's relationship! 」