Chapter 1
Sloane Storm
I was late.
Stupid plane lost my luggage.
I, of course, had to make sure my mom knew I was going to be late.
That woman worried about me.
Me: My plane was delayed. I’ll be there around five.
I shoved my phone back into my pocket and headed toward baggage claim.
Then I spent the next forty minutes trying to figure out where the hell my luggage had gone.
Eventually, I managed to file a report with the baggage claim people.
They had no idea where my suitcase was.
Fantastic.
Exactly what I needed today.
I gave them Mom’s address and was told they’d contact me when they found it.
Whenever that might be.
I walked away with my carry-on and pulled my phone back out.
No response from Mom.
Not surprising.
She’d been planning this Legacy Event for months, and knowing her, she was probably running around the arena making sure everything was perfect.
I checked the time.
Shit.
At this rate, everyone was going to be there before me.
Again, not surprising.
Being late had practically become my specialty.
I adjusted the strap of my bag over my shoulder and headed toward the exit.
Now I just had to get to the arena.
I found a taxi quickly.
Thank God.
I got in, told the driver my location and I was off.
I pulled out my phone.
I saw a few texts from everyone at the event.
I rolled my eyes.
Where are you?
That is what most said.
One name caught my eye.
Cade James.
I opened it.
Because I am an idiot.
Cade James: You need someone to get you?
I took a photo of me in the cab and sent it.
I smiled.
Of course he typed back quickly.
Cade James: Looking good for a few hours in the air.
I smirked.
God, was he flirting.
We don't flirt.
We..
Just hook up.
It started as me wanting to lose my virginity.
Cade offered.
I took it.
And we've been doing it for 5 years now.
I've never slept with another guy.
Only Cade.
That makes this arrangement strange.
I shook my head.
Nope, Sloane.
We were not going there.
Cade and I worked because we didn’t go there.
We didn’t talk about feelings.
We didn’t ask questions.
When I was home, sometimes we ended up together.
When I wasn’t?
We lived our own lives.
Simple.
My phone buzzed again.
I looked down despite literally just telling myself I wasn’t going there.
Cade James: How far out are you?
Me: Why? Miss me?
There.
That wasn’t flirting.
That was—
Okay, fuck.
Maybe we did flirt.
Cade James: Would it be a problem if I did?
I stared at the screen.
What the hell was that?
I started typing.
Deleted it.
Started again.
Deleted that too.
Finally, I locked my phone and dropped it into my lap.
Nope.
He wasn’t doing this today.
Not when I was already late.
Not when my luggage was somewhere in another fucking state.
And definitely not when I hadn’t seen him in months.
The arena came into view a few minutes later.
My stomach flipped.
Home.
No matter how many places I traveled to or how long I stayed gone, Aurora was still home.
And that building?
That building held practically every memory from my childhood.
Dad playing.
Uncle Knox.
Uncle Cole.
All of them.
Mom taking over the team.
And now she had somehow convinced everyone to come back for one massive Legacy Event.
Everyone except her daughter, apparently, who couldn’t even make it there on time.
The taxi pulled up, and I paid before climbing out with my pathetic excuse for luggage.
I adjusted my bag and looked toward the entrance.
“Finally.”
I stopped.
Oh, fuck me.
Cade leaned against the wall near the doors.
Black pants.
Blades polo.
Arms crossed over his chest.
And that stupid fucking grin on his face.
I hadn’t seen him in four months.
Four months shouldn’t have been long enough for me to forget what he looked like.
Apparently, it was.
Because holy shit.
“Are you waiting on me?” I asked.
Cade pushed away from the wall.
“No.”
I raised an eyebrow.
He walked toward me.
“Just happened to be standing outside an arena five minutes after asking how far away you were.”
“Right.”
“Complete coincidence.”
“Obviously.”
His eyes moved over me.
Slowly.
Too slowly.
My stomach tightened.
There it was.
That thing between us.
The thing I refused to name.
His gaze finally came back to mine.
“Hey, Sloane.”
And just like that, the teasing disappeared.
I swallowed.
“Hey, Cade.”
Five years.
You’d think I’d be used to him by now.
I wasn’t.
He looked around before his hands went to my waist.
Then he pulled me in.
Fuck.
That was nice.
I missed.
No. Stop it.
Not doing this.
The kiss wasn't brief.
I pulled away. "I have to go inside."
He laughed. "Yeah, let me go first."
I smiled and reached up to wipe my lipstick from his mouth.
“I know the drill,” he said softly.
I nodded. “Go.”
Cade looked at me for another second before turning and walking inside.
I stayed where I was.
One minute.
That was usually enough.
God, this was ridiculous.
Five years of this shit and we had it down to a science.
He went first.
I waited.
We didn’t walk into family things together.
We didn’t look suspicious.
And we sure as hell didn’t let anyone know that five minutes earlier his tongue had been in my mouth.
Simple.
My phone buzzed.
I pulled it out.
Mom: Where the heck are you? It’s five.
I snorted.
Of course.
Me: I’m literally about to walk in.
Because I was.
I adjusted my bag, gave Cade enough time to get wherever the hell he was going, and opened the doors.
“I’m here!”
Mom closed her eyes.
Uncle Knox laughed beside her.
“Your fucking clone.”
“I will hurt you.”
“Mom!”
She turned toward me.
I dropped my bag by the door and grinned.
“Before you start, my flight was delayed. That is not my fault.”
“You could’ve texted better.”
“I did!”
“After I texted you!”
“Whatever.”
Uncle Knox snorted.
My eyes landed on him.
“Uncle Knox!”
I ran straight past Mom.
“Oh, fuck you too.”
He laughed as he caught me.
“Hey, trouble.”
“Hey.”
He kissed the top of my head before I finally turned back toward Mom.
“You know you’re my favorite.”
“Bullshit.”
I grinned and wrapped my arms around her.
She hugged me tight.
“You’re late,” she muttered into my hair.
“I know.”
“I’ve been asked where you are approximately four hundred times.”
I pulled back.
“Aw. Everyone missed me.”
“That is not what I said.”
I laughed.
Then I looked past her shoulder.
And stopped.
Cade.
He was across the room.
Looking right at me.
Like we hadn’t just been outside together.
Like he hadn’t kissed me.
Like I hadn’t wiped my lipstick off his mouth before sending him inside.
Except there was something in the way he was looking at me.
Something that made my smile change before I could stop it.
Fuck.
I looked back at Mom.
“Don’t mother.”
Her eyebrows shot up.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“How long have you two—”
“Mom.”
Absolutely fucking not.
She sighed.
“Go eat.”
Dad finally spotted me.
“Come get a plate, baby girl.”
Thank God.
I grinned at him.
“Coming, Daddy.”
I walked away before Mom could ask another question.
Because that was the last thing I needed.
Mom noticing Cade was one thing.
Mom finding out Cade and I had been secretly sleeping together for five years?
No.
Fucking.
Thank you.
“How was the flight?” Dad asked.
I glared at him. “Don’t even ask.”
He laughed. “Lost your luggage?”
I closed my eyes.
“Yes.”
He laughed again. “Oh, honey. That is the worst.”
“I know.”
Dad kissed my forehead. “I’m going to check in on the old farts at the table.”
I laughed.
“Have fun with that.”
He walked toward a table where some of his old teammates were sitting, and I headed toward my brother.
Beck hugged me as soon as I reached him.
“Glad you finally made it.”
“I’m here.” I beamed.
“We can catch up later. I’m going to talk to Mom.”
I nodded.
“Mommy’s boy,” I muttered.
“What?” He turned to face me.
“Nothing.” I smiled sweetly.
He narrowed his eyes at me.
I kept smiling.
Beck shook his head and walked away.
I headed over to Gemma.
“Hey, Gemma.”
“Hey.” She hugged me.
I hugged her back.
It had been a while since I’d seen her too.
That was the problem with never staying in one place for very long.
You missed shit.
People.
Family.
I pulled back.
“How have you been?”
“Good. You?”
“Currently luggage-less, but otherwise alive.”
Gemma laughed.
“Again?”
“Why does everyone keep saying things like that?”
“Because it’s you.”
“Rude.”
She grinned.
I glanced around the room.
Everyone was here.
People I’d grown up around.
People who had practically raised me.
And somehow, every time I came back, it felt like nothing had changed.
Even when everything had.
My eyes almost wandered toward Cade.
I stopped myself.
Nope.
I was talking to Gemma.
Cade didn’t exist right now.
At least not until we were alone.
I looked back at Gemma. “What are you up to?”
She sighed. “Just doing classes and interning for this PR firm.”
“That’s great.”
“Yeah, it’s okay. The work’s fun. School sucks.”
I laughed. “That is why I travel.”
She rolled her eyes.
I glanced toward my brother.
He was looking at Gemma.
Oh.
That was interesting.
I smirked at him.
His eyes met mine.
Then he looked away fast.
Got you, baby bro.
