“Hey,” I say, squeezing his thigh. His blue eyes meet mine, and I give him a soft smile. “If it’s his team, it will be okay.”
“It would just be easier if it wasn’t.”
“I know. But let's just hold on to this win. Our girl is at home waiting for you.”
“For us,” he says, and I nod my head.
“For us.”
* * *
“Do you two want to watch at our house?” Eli says, and Mikael gives him a look of irritation for having invited us, but I see that as a reason to say yes.
I look over at Owen to see how he’s feeling, if he’s tired and wants to go home and sleep, though I doubt he would be able to not knowing the game's outcome.
“We have to get Piper.”
Mikael groans. “She’s already at our house.” He rolls his eyes, and Eli sighs at his packmate.
“We’ll meet you guys there.”
Their house isn’t far from the airport, so we’re there in under ten minutes. I grab both of our bags so we can change into something more comfortable once we get inside.
We somehow beat Eli and Mikael here. I go to knock on the door when Piper opens the door holding a small sleeping baby in her arms.
“We just got them down, so you’re going to have to be quiet,” she says, giving us a soft smile.
I shouldn’t like how much I like her holding a baby. I’m not sure if kids are in our future or not, but I can’t deny that seeing that side of Piper does something to me.
I lean forward and give her a soft kiss before stroking the small baby's blond, fuzzy head. “Which one is this?”
“Linc. Anders has Andrea.”
“Where’s Katie?” Owen asks, getting his own kiss from Piper.
“With Anders' parents, she’s been eating up their attention lately.”
“We’re going to get changed,” I tell her, and she gives us both a once over in our suits.
“Fine,” she says, though her attitude says the opposite.
I shake my head at her but lead Owen to the bathroom for us to get changed. His posture is filled with tension, and I’m not sure what comfort I can offer him until we know the outcome.
After we’re changed, we settle in on their couch, a very similar position to the Christmas party. Piper sits in between us, but unlike Christmas, she is leaning against both of us while she still holds the baby.
“Owen, baby, are you okay?” she says softly so that no one else can hear besides me and Owen.
“Yeah, I’m good.” He wraps his arm around her shoulder, his fingertips touching my own shoulder, while my palm rests on Piper's thigh.
“I’m going to go put him down,” she says, holding the baby up a little more.
“I’ll take him up,” Anders says with a smile, already holding one baby and taking the other.
I look around. “Where’s Charlotte?”
“Also sleeping, so everyone needs to be quiet during the game, or else you will feel my wrath. Do you understand?” She points at each of us, and nearly everyone holds up their hands in surrender.
The game starts, and my stomach sinks immediately.
