Dirty Toe Drag by Toni Aleo

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Stella

“Wes told me he loved me.”

Audrey looks up from where she is mixing frosting as my mom’s brows move up into her bangs. She is sitting at the counter as I put liners in cupcake pans and grin from ear to ear. I know that, at first, relationships are all sunshine and rainbows and you can’t get enough of each other and all that jazz. That it all seems perfect and wonderful, but at any moment, it could shatter into a million pieces. I get that. I know it. Been there, done that, and I also know it’s clichéd to say this time is different.

But for real, for real. It’s different.

I feel like we’re growing together. Becoming these two incredible members of society that can face any obstacle together. It’s absolutely corny, and I honestly don’t care. I am truly in love with Wes McMillan, and I know he’s in love with me. We click. We mesh. We vibe. We jam. Whatever you wanna call it, we’ve got it, and I’m proud of it.

“I could have told you that,” Mom says simply, shaking her head. “Surprised he waited this long.”

“Yeah, he basically worships you,” Audrey supplies, holding my gaze. “Which can be good and bad.”

“Not bad, only good,” I say, giving her a look. “Believe me, he makes me a better person.”

“How so?”

“Exactly. Because to me, you’re absolutely perfect,” Mom gushes, smacking my butt, and I grin.

“I feel like I am actually an adult with him. I don’t want to just bullshit or mess around. I see a future with him.”

“Oh my, she’s got it bad,” Audrey teases, and I stick out my tongue at her.

“I do. He’s awesome.”

“I know, my love, but you know what they say about the three great loves of your life.”

I glance over to my mom, confused since I’ve never heard this a day in my life. Audrey is nodding like she’s in the know. So, of course, I want to be in the know. “No, what?”

“There are three great loves of your life,” she says, and I wait for more.

When I get nothing, I say, “Yes. I got that part. Elaborate, please.”

“Oh,” she says, putting her phone down. “Sorry, work stuff.” She waves me off. “Anyway, your first love is always the high school love, the one you thought would be forever.”

Audrey nods. “Jessie Pechka for me.”

Mom grins, and I say, “Noah Willer.”

We both look at Mom expectantly, and she rolls her eyes. “Oh, come on. Neither of you knew him. Jeffery Miller.” We snicker as she continues, “And then the love who broke you. For me, it was your dad.”

I always have a hard time with my dad breaking my mom’s heart. We know the story and all, but I didn’t know that guy. To me, my dad is my knight in shining armor.

“Levi fuckface,” Audrey says grudgingly, and I wince. That dude almost killed my aunt, and I may never have met him, but even I would take his knees out—if I could get to him before Emery.

Which is doubtful.

When they both stare at me with this look, I bring in my brows. “What?”

“You don’t have a guy who broke you,” Mom says simply, and I scoff.

“Did you?” Audrey asks then, her eyes on me as she licks some frosting off her hand.

Very sanitary, but she is actually done with the frosting. I guess she is waiting for me to answer before she washes her hand, so I look down at the next tray I need to line and say, “Yeah, Ethan Kisher.”

I don’t need to look up to know they are both gawking at me. “Asher’s old best friend other than Ally?”

I nod as I look between the two of them. “Yeah, that’s why they’re not friends anymore. It was so short-lived, and I know I shouldn’t have fallen the way I did, but we were hooking up, and when I told him I loved him, he ghosted me.”

“What a little dickhead,” Audrey says, looking at my mom. “I made his fucking wedding cake. If I had known, I would have spat in it.”

Mom gives her a look. “You are why Emery is the way she is.”

Audrey scoffs. “No, ma’am. That’s you and Lucas all day.”

She ignores her and looks at me. “What did Asher say?”

“Well, of course, Emery told him, and then he ghosted Ethan. Never talked to him again,” I say simply. At the time, I never thought I would get over him, but I’ve done just fine.

Mom shakes her head. “I didn’t know.”

“I didn’t tell anyone because he wanted to wait. Which actually meant he wanted to have sex with me for a while and do it without anyone knowing.”

Mom glares. “He is a dickhead.”

“Total dickhead,” Audrey says, waving her spatula in the air. “Let him order a baby shower cake. It will be on like Donkey Kong.”

My family has issues.

I grab another pan, lining it, and ask, “And the third love?”

“You really have no point here, Fal.”

I look over at my mom, and she shrugs. “It’s the unexpected love. The one you never saw coming. Since I didn’t know about Ethan, I was worried Wes was your heartbreak love.”

I choke on my laughter. “Never. He cares too much for me. I am important to him.”

My mom’s lips curve as Audrey says, “Yeah, I married the guy who made me feel like that. My unexpected love.”

I grin over at her. I love Uncle Tate. He is Audrey’s Swedish giant. They’ve built a hell of a life, with two kids, and they overcame so many issues with Tate’s injuries and whatnot. I look over to my mom. “Who is yours?”

Her eyes light up, her face glowing as she says, “Lucas Brooks. He broke me, put me back together, and has given me the world ever since.”

Oh, my heart flutters. I look between my mom and aunt. Both so powerful and loved so fully by their spouses. “While I saw Wes coming a mile away, I didn’t expect us to click like this. I knew we would have fun and we got along, but—” I pause as I search for the word. Unable to find it, I reach for the batter and start to fill each liner that I have placed. Then it comes to me. “He may not be unexpected because I knew what I was waiting for, someone to complete me and all that. But he blows me away unexpectedly every day. I have never had someone so in tune with me.”

“Oh, my love. But you’re so young,” she reminds me. “Are you sure you want to throw all your pucks into his net?”

Audrey looks at her sister. “Please only let Lucas make the analogies. Or maybe Aiden. You suck at them.”

I can’t help but laugh as Mom throws a marshmallow at Audrey. “I am amazing at them!”

“You’re not,” she says, but Mom ignores her, looking back at me.

I hold my mom’s gaze as I ask myself the same question. I don’t really have to, though; I know the answer. “There are things about Wes you don’t know, nor will you ever know. His past wasn’t easy, and my favorite thing about him is that he has risen above it all. At the end of the day, he wants to be a good man—not only for himself or me, but for his mom, who passed away. That makes my heart swell, and I want to be a part of that growth for him. I know I am young. I know some think I am naïve and silly to be so in love with him. But for me, what we have is special.”

“Stella, I would never say you’re naïve. I’m pretty sure you’re more mature than I am now,” Audrey says, grinning. “You’ve always known what you want.”

“Always. Your ambition is incredible,” Mom says. “But to me, you’re still my little girl with a huge-ass bow on your head.” My lips curve, thankful for the moment when I figured out I could take off the bows and throw them away. They were not my style at all. “But truth be told, I met your dad at nineteen, loved him with my whole soul, and that love never stopped. I know what you’re feeling is real, and you know I support you, no matter what. Daddy will come around. You know how he is. You’re his baby, and no man is good enough for you. Not even that sweet-faced sweetheart Wesley.”

I know what she means, but the negative part of my brain wants me to believe that neither of them would be supportive of my career change. But her eyes tell me differently. My heart wants different. If Wes were here, he’d tell me it would be different. He wouldn’t let it be anything bad. I saw that when we went out with Aiden and everyone. Wes is so compassionate, so encouraging. He would fight an army for me. And I only love him more.

“Agreed,” Audrey says as she goes to wash her hands. “We are all on Team Stella.”

“We are,” Mom says proudly, and I hand off the trays to Audrey before helping put the rest in. “Wow, you two have become a well-oiled little machine! It’s impressive.”

Audrey looks over her shoulder at me, and I swear, I go into deer-in-headlights mode. This is my chance! I can tell her, she’s Team Stella, but nothing leaves my lips.

Instead, Audrey says, “She’s my favorite cupcake partner.” She waits for me, searching my gaze. “You know she made the cupcakes for Aiden and Shelli’s party.”

I can’t look at my mom; I even look away from Audrey. “Really? Those were my favorite! Hell, Stell, you may need to give up design and go for cupcakes.”

Audrey’s eyes burn a hole in my head, but I don’t say anything.

Like a fucking coward.

* * *

“Ugh,it was so pathetic. I had the perfect opening, and Audrey was so annoyed with me.”

Wes gives me a sympathetic look over FaceTime. “You should have just said it, babe.”

“I know,” I groan, covering my face with my hand and leaning my head against the headrest of my car. “I feel so dumb.”

“Not dumb, just scared. It’s understandable. But now you know you have their support.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, unsure if that’s true.

“Stella, you do.”

I uncover my face, gazing at him. He’s all wet from the shower he took after his skate. The Assassins are doing okay on the road trip, but Wes doesn’t feel they’ll make the play-offs. I know he isn’t the only one who feels everything is a little fucked up. It’s all Boon and Aiden talked about at brunch. It’ll be the first time the Assassins haven’t made the play-offs since Elli Adler took over, I think.

But I don’t know if Wes is worried about it. He is playing his best every night. It’s a team effort. We’re only a week into the road trip, and it’s been hard, but I also love that I am learning so much about his career. Like that Wes hates when the ice time is in the afternoon; he’d rather it be in the morning. Which reminds me, he had therapy, and I would really like a subject change. “Anyway—”

He rolls his eyes. “You know I’m right. Hell, you were a boss, telling Aiden and Shelli and everyone.”

I look down at my lap. I’m dressed for my shift at the restaurant. I took a double since Wes isn’t home.

“How about when I get home, we’ll go over and do it together?”

He’s offered this before, but maybe now it’s time. “Yes, please.”

“Absolutely. I’ll even have a shirt made that says, ‘I love Stella’s cupcakes.’”

I give him a look. “Please don’t. Knowing my dad, he’ll think it’s something sexual, and he’ll lose his shit.”

His laugh makes me smile, but I groan, “I miss you.”

His grin falls away. “I miss you more.”

It makes me feel better that he’s missing me too, but man, I hate the space between us. “How was therapy today?”

Wes nods, wiping his mouth. “Good, we talked about us, and Noelle is very proud of my progress.”

“That’s awesome. I know you were worried.”

“I was. I keep hearing that awful chick in my head, but Noelle isn’t her.”

“Exactly what I was going to say. I’m happy. Are you happy?”

“Beyond happy,” he says with a wink, and of course, I swoon. “She also likes that we’re doing that daily dating challenge.”

I beam, proud of myself for finding the program. It’s designed for long-distance relationships, but Emery helped me adapt it for us. Lots of cutting and pasting were done, but I’m happy with the outcome. “Did you give me all the credit?”

He scoffs. “Hell no, because you wouldn’t have even found the program if I didn’t say I wished there were something like it!”

“Maybe so, but I did all the work.”

“Yes, but it was my idea.”

We hold each other’s gaze, waiting for the other to crack. When he bats his lashes at me, I cave. “Fine. We both should take credit.”

“I’ll accept that. Also, did you do your challenge today?”

“I did,” I say proudly, minimizing his face to the corner of my screen and finding the YouTube URL I saved. I send it to him, just as he sends me his. We grin at each other, and I love how bright his eyes are. Could be the lights in the arena, but I just adore him. “So, for me, the song is pretty self-explanatory. But I want to add, there is a part about promising you’ll be the same person, and I know that won’t happen. You’re growing daily, and I love that about you,” I say happily, speaking of “Crowded Room” by Conor Maynard.

He pats his hand to his chest. Right over his heart. “Wow. Bringing the big guns, huh?”

“Always,” I say with a wink, and his grin is unstoppable.

Wes leans in then, his lips so close, I wish I could kiss them. “So, I guess, going off yours, though I haven’t listened to your song yet, my song just screams us to me. You’ll see.”

“Okay,” I say, excited. “You know we’re super corny for this.”

“For sure, but I don’t care.”

“Me either,” I say, wiggling in my seat. Then I notice that I need to go, so I promptly groan.

“You gotta go?”

“I do.”

“Okay. Text me when you’re off. I’ll try to stay up to ride home with you.”

“Okay. Text me when you’re done listening to the song.”

“You do the same,” he says with a nod. I blow him a kiss, and he blows me one before saying, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” We wave before hanging up. Since his message thread is up, I hit the song he sent me, and the music to “At My Worst” by Kehlani fills my car. I close my eyes as the lyrics hit me in all the right ways. The song is us—perfection. It talks about loving him at his worst and that he is worth it. The song is made for us. It makes me miss him more, but it also makes me fall for him all over again.

A feeling I wasn’t prepared for. But I’m quickly learning that my unexpected love is like that.