“Oh? Where?”
“A midwife Serenity—”
“Oh my goodness! That’s where I’m delivering. Aren’t they amazing?”
She clapped her hands and yanked me into a hug so surprising she almost jerked me off my feet. Goodness. “I thought so.”
“You’ll love them. Seriously. They’ve helped me with so much stress and everything. I couldn’t have stayed so calm all the time through this without them.”
“You’ve been calm?” someone asked and Paige glared at her.
“Yes Maisy. Calm. Well…” She shrugged and chugged her sangria like it had half a bottle of alcohol in it. “As calm as I can get anyway.”
So the one who asked about Nadia was Maisy. She smirked at Paige, narrowed her eyes as her gaze danced over me, and then gave a fake smile to Sophie. “So, how about we go watch that game.”
Everyone ushered out, but it was Paige who touched my hand as I went to grab a plate of cheese and crackers. “Don’t mind Maisy. She’s been dating Max, one of our defensemen for like six months and she thinks she’s hot shit because he’s the captain. None of us can stand her but we can’t hang out and not invite her because then we seem like bitches. Can’t have that when her social media following is six figures.”
I smothered a laugh and rolled my lips together. “Thanks.”
“No worries. Joey was so excited when he heard Garrett was being traded here he couldn’t stop talking about how great he was. He mentioned you, too, seeing you at Christmas when he was with his family. You’re good people, I can feel it, but that doesn’t mean all the girls are, even if we try to like them.”
She had no clue how much I needed this. Friends. People who understood I wasn’t a gold digger or anything.
“Thanks Paige. I appreciate the help. Truly.”
“Sophie and I are happy to help. Frankly, we’re pretty kick ass, at least when I’m not carrying around an extra thirty pounds.”
That I could understand. I was a lot more fun thirteen weeks ago myself.
We set down the snacks we’d brought from the kitchen on a massive, fabric covered ottoman and snuggled into a sectional couch that could fit twelve of us comfortably.
Soon, we were laughing at Sophie screaming at the television, laughing over everyone’s stories of ridiculous things that have happened to them since dating a pro athlete, and by the time I got home, and crawled into bed I’d felt like I was beginning to have a new home.
Friends.
A growing family.
Why in the world would I ever want to leave?
23
Garrett
“Damn. You deserve a drink after that last save.” Alix Halvrick, one of our left wingers, slid a beer in front of me, and settled his elbow on the bar.
We were at the hotel bar after the game in Anaheim. We had another game there tomorrow before we hopped on a plane to fly up to San Jose to continue our West Coast series. Tonight’s game was tough, but we won three-to-one and the save Alix mentioned almost made me pull a groin muscle I stretched so far to grab it.
Being a yoga master with all that flexibility was one of the things that made me such a good goalie.
“Thanks.” I grabbed the drink and checked my phone. I’d already gotten a few texts from Lizzie, and I knew she was back at my place, in bed.
She was probably sleeping, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her, knowing she was in my bed, sleeping because she was exhausted from carrying my baby. Sure, sure. Ours. Whatever.
It was still mine. Being on the road and leaving someone I loved behind was a whole new dynamic I hadn’t been prepared for.
“So, you think tomorrow will be as easy?”
I snorted into my beer. “No games are easy.”
“Maybe not for your Chicago team, but we kick ass here in Vegas.”
Alix had been in the league for three years, and he wasn’t wrong. Vegas did kick ass. But being cocky never helped anyone. “With an ego like yours, it’s a wonder you can fit through a doorway.”
He shrugged. “Ain’t ego if it’s true. I’m the best.”
“The hell you are,” Joey said, coming up to him and shoving him away, laughing. “You’ve yet to beat me one on one.”
Alix’s blond hair shook as he laughed back, scratching his short beard. “Well, I’m better at soccer.”
The guys tended to kick around a soccer ball for pregame warm-ups. It loosened us up, was something stupid and fun, and Alix was right on that account. He dribbled a soccer ball better than any of the other players. His solo record currently sat at forty-five.
“Too bad you can’t shoot a puck like you can dribble a ball,” I cut in, tipping my beer in his direction. “It’s all right, little Halvrick. A little more practice and you’ll be a big boy soon.”
“Oh fuck off. I’m big in all the places that matter.” He stuck out his tongue and glanced down at his junk.
“Don’t care about your dick,” I teased back. “But I wonder if there’s anyone on the team you could beat in that contest one on one, either.”
“Oh!” Joey called out, covering his mouth with his fist. “Shots fired.”
“You’re all idiots. Grow up.” Max strolled up to my other side, stern look on his face. At thirty, he was one of the older guys on the team. Still single, divorced actually, but in a relationship with some chick none of the guys could stand.
“We do grow.” Alix smirked, full of mirth. “That’s how it gets so big.”
Max rolled his eyes and ordered another vodka tonic before standing from the bar. “Don’t get too drunk tonight. I don’t want to have to carry your hungover asses on the ice tomorrow.”
“Okay Daddy. We’ll behave, we promise.” Joey and Alix said it at the same and I dropped my head, chuckling and trying to hide it. Being on a hockey team was a never-ending game of giving each other shit and not taking it personally. Fortunately, Max, as serious as he always was, took the ribbing good naturally and smacked Joey on the back of the head as he walked away.
“Don’t be stupid,” he called out, taking his drink to the elevator. He’d probably be upstairs, reading and passed out in thirty minutes. Typically, that was me, after a game. I only enjoyed a drink or two before needing the night to rest up for the next game. Tonight was no different. I would have headed up if Alix hadn’t bought me a drink. But I was still getting used to my new team, so bowing out early wasn’t the way to get in their good graces.
As it was, I was content sitting at the bar, hanging with men who came up to me, since they had to get up here anyway for more drinks.
Alix and Joey took off while I checked my phone like a psycho one more time.
Damn. Get a girl in my house. Get a baby in her belly and I turned into a neurotic loner.
A flash of long blonde hair appeared in my peripheral and I turned, giving the woman a cursory glance before dipping my head back to my phone.
“Would you like another?”
I glanced up at the question, only to find the woman pointing to my drink. “I’m good. Thanks.”
“You played really well tonight. I’m a huge fan of yours.”