“Are there more finger fucks you aren’t telling me about?”
Anders has a coughing/laughing fit next to her, and I scoff.
“Anders, will you go get us some drinks?” Charlotte says to her Alpha.
“You got it,kulta.” Anders leaves, and I feel like I can talk more freely.
“Alexi tricked me into going on a date with him, and I met Owen's mom.”
Charlotte blinks at me, rubbing her belly. “These are things you tell your best friend, Piper.”
“You have a lot going on.”
“I never have too much going on to not make time for you, Piper. Tell me what’s really going on.”
I look out at the ice, intense brown eyes staring at me and Charlotte until his focus is moved to a rogue puck.
“I don’t want to get into it here, but I’m working on it.”
“Which part, that you hate being a surgeon or that you’re in love with two guys.”
“I’m not in love with them—wait—you know I’m not liking surgery?”
She scoffs and waves me off. “Piper, we’ve been best friends for as long as I can remember, of course I noticed. But I also know you, you have to come to terms with things on your own.”
I blink at her a few times. “Charles, I don’t know what to do.”
“About the hot hockey men, or surgery?”
“Both.”
“You want my real opinion or not?” I sigh and nod my head. “I think you need to stop caring what your dickhead father thinks and switch specialties. And as far as the guys go, I don’t know Owen, but he seems kind and smitten with you. I think Alexi is perfect for you, and I’ve always known you would need an Alpha in your pack.”
“And you were what, just never going to tell me this?”
She shrugs and looks out at the ice, smiling at her Alphas. Eli blows her a kiss with his gloved hand, and Mikael gives her a look that only they understand. “Like I said, you’re hard headed. I love you, Piper. But you don’t do shit unless you have the idea or want to do something. I know you would be happy with a Beta, and Owen could be that Beta. But no one has ever taken care of you.” I scoff, and she grabs my arm and looks at me. “I’m not saying you need a nest or you need to be coddled. I’m just saying you deserve someone who you can share your burdens with, and I know that’s hard for you.”
Charlotte looks back at the ice, and I’m rendered speechless.
When I had breakfast with Alexi, that’s how I felt. I felt understood and that I could tell him anything without feeling like a burden, and when I was around Owen, I felt lighter.
Fuck.
“But one thing at a time, maybe call the Colonel,” she says. We both grimace at my dad’s nickname.
“Maybe.”
“I don’t think you’ll be able to go all in with the guys until you figure out what you want to do for work,” she says, and I nod.
“What would I do without you?” I say, bumping her shoulder.
She smiles and rests her head on my shoulder. “I ask myself the same thing about you all the time.”
* * *
The game is intense. There have been multiple penalties and power plays. The score is one nothing for the Penguins.
“They need to get their shit together,” Anders says, his elbows on his knees as he watches the game. He always keeps some contact with Charlotte. It’s obvious hockey is still something that he’s passionate about, but Charlotte and their kids are more important. I’m so happy that they found the right balance. I can’t imagine if Charlotte was doing this all on her own while all three of them traveled.
