16. Ella

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

ELLA

I hear Scarlett outside my dressing room door. "She's in here. Come on, I'll introduce you."

There's a knock on my door followed by a "Ella! It's Scarlett along with several friends! Okay if we come in?"

"Absolutely! Come on in!" I turn just in time to see Scarlett step inside along with six other women all dressed in Chicago Red Tails jerseys. My eyes grow, as does my smile, as I welcome them all. "Hi ladies! Wow I think I can venture a fairly good guess who you all are given your attire this evening."

We all have a quick laugh before one of the women steps from the group of them and shakes my hand. "Hi. I'm Carissa Nelson, Social Media Marketing Director for the Red Tails aaaand team captain, Colby Nelson's wife. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine," I tell her with a friendly smile. "I'm Ella Montgomery, official mascot of the Anaheim Stars."

"Oh, we've heard a lot about you," she says with a wink.

Wait, seriously?

"You have?"

"Of course! We knew Astro when he was the mascot of the team, so for the Stars to introduce a new mascot, that's a big deal! In fact, I was kind of hoping you might be willing to do a few social media posts with our Remi before the game."

I beam back at my new friend. "Of course! That would be so much fun!"

"Great! I'll catch up with you sometime within the hour after I've met with Marlee upstairs. I'll find you."

I nod. "Perfect."

Carissa sees herself out since she has pregame responsibilities, but the rest of the ladies hang back with Scarlett.

"Okay so now I can introduce you to the rest of the gang, and I'm going to do it quick because girl, I know you have some tea and I need you to spill it so I can hear all the juicy stuff!" Scarlett says smiling.

"Oooh juicy gossip?" one of the women says. "Did we walk in here just in time or what?"

Scarlett laughs. "Yeah you did! I have it on particularly good authority that our girl, Ella here, reeled herself in some August Blackstone and I am HERE. FOR. IT! So, Ella," she says, gesturing to one of the women to her left. "This is Charlee Magallan Landric." She over-emphasizes Charlee's maiden name to be sure I catch on, which I do.

"Right! Oliver's sister!"

The woman nods. "Yep. That's me."

"And my soon to be sister-in-law!" Scarlett beams as she jumps up and down and claps her hands. "Sorry, I might be a little excited about that. It's not every day you gain a sister."

"Girl, it's not just me," Charlee says. "You marrying Oliver means you get all these wonderful ladies too."

Scarlett pumps her fist. "YAASS!"

"Ella it's nice to meet you. And it just so happens, I know a little about you and August so I'm equally as eager to hear what's been happening with you too."

"Okay, okay, we all clearly need to hear what's going on." One of the girls with dark hair steps forward. "So, hiiii! I'm Rory Foster Malone. Sister to Dex Foster but wife to Hawken Malone."

The blonde woman next to her steps forward. "I'm Tate Foster, Dex Foster's wife."

"Pleasure to meet you," I tell them both.

The next woman wears a camera around her neck as she shakes my hand. "I'm Kinsley Shay, Quinton Shay is my hubby."

"And I'm Ada Miller. Zeke Miller's wife."

"Wow." I smile at them, shaking my head in bewilderment. "It's so wonderful to meet you all."

Scarlett waves her hand dismissing my pleasantries. "Yeah, yeah. They're all great and we're all going to hang out together after the game. Get to the good stuff, babe! How are things with you and Blackstone?"

"Well, I had this terrible date with a guy who I actually thought was nice and fun and all that jazz, but then he told me I was a bad kisser because I wasn't spitty enough. So then?—"

"Wait." Rory raises her hand. "I'm sorry, but did you say you weren't spitty enough?"

I nod. "Yeah. Spitty. That was the word he used."

Her face contorts as does Tate's and Ada's. Kinsley just laughs. "Oh, my God, that's so gross."

"Right? I agree. So, I slapped him and drove myself home and then broke down in the solace of my apartment which is where Auggie came in."

"Auggie," Charlee coos. "You call him Auggie? That's so cute!"

"Yeah. We've literally been the very best of friends since we knew how to walk. We were neighbors growing up and he was just that kid I was always with. So, anyway, he walks in and I'm a sobbing mess and he asks what happened and I told him everything, including how the few nights previous to that in Vancouver, when we were chatting, I felt sure he was going to kiss me but he didn't and I think I was more messed up by that than I thought and then before I knew it he was walking towards me and told me to shut up and then he kissed me." I shrug like it's no big deal even though it's a super big deal.

To me, anyway.

"Eeeeek!" Scarlett squeals, clapping her hands excitedly.

Charlee's eyes grow in excitement. "Way to go August!"

"Was it one of those super romantic devour you kind of kisses?" Tate asks, wagging her brows. "Or was it one of those slow sweet I-love-you type kisses."

"It was definitely a devour kiss at first and then he stopped and I thought maybe he was regretting his decision to kiss me in the first place. But then he lifted me up and put me down on the kitchen counter and kissed me again and that time was slower. Softer." I smile. "Definitely more meaningful."

Scarlett brings a hand to her chest. "Be still my heart. It's so great to see August Blackstone smitten for someone. It's so freaking cute."

Rory leans in with a smirk on her lips and asks, "So what's it like?"

"What's what like?" I ask her.

"It's a thing. We all talk about it in our friend circle so I'll just pass our little tradition on to you and Scarlett. You have to talk about the dick. What's the dick like? Is it like…" she uses hand gestures, "long and lean or bulbous and weighty?"

"Yeah, oooh or is he pierced?" Tate winks. "My husband is pierced and it is…" She fans herself. "Phew! It's hot. Not gonna lie."

The ladies are all giggling and I join in with them but with reddening cheeks, I have to answer, "Honestly, I can't answer that question. We haven't had sex yet."

They stare at me blankly.

"I mean, I've, you know." I smile, bobbing my head. "I've felt it when he's close to me and I know it's an impressive size, but I haven't like…felt it, felt it. It's only been a week or so since we decided to move from friends to…"

"Lovers?" Charlee says with a seductive tone to her voice.

"Yes. Lovers."

She pats me on the shoulder. "Perfectly understandable. But girl, you get that dick and then you make sure you tell us all about it because we will be dying to know! We're here to support you always!"

"That's right," Ada says with a nod. "Us hockey gals have to stick together."

Scarlett nudges me with her elbow and gestures to the ladies with her head. "Hear that, Ella? We have a tribe!"

"Alright, we should probably let you get yourself ready for the game. But we'll be cheering for you, Ella," Tate says with a smile. "It was so amazing to get to meet you!"

Scarlett reminds me that they'll all be at her and Oliver's place tonight to hang out after the game and then we say our goodbyes. In the next fifteen minutes I'm in costume and ready to go. Marlee and Carissa stop in to get me and I'm off to make a few social media videos with Remi Red Tail before tonight's game.