“People realized they didn’t actually like listening to them,” Ida Jane said. “I bet that stung.”
“Jay’s hanging around like a bad smell. He’s dating a woman from the ticket sales department named Eileen, and I think it’s to get the scoop on the organization,” Keelie said. “I hope Eileen knows what she’s getting into.”
“Considering how often they undress each other with their eyes, I’d say she’s quite happy in the relationship,” Naomi said. “It’s more than you and Gunnar, Z.” She smirked.
“Oh, please, they aren’t any worse than you and Cormac,” Naomi said.
“Or Lennon and me,” Vivian added.
There were murmurs of agreement among the ladies.
“Admittedly, we do that often,” I said. “Gunnar’s quite a catch, a man in his prime.”
“Love looks good on him,” Paloma said with a smile.
Naese scored a goal, and Hana jumped up, doing a hip-thrust-shimmy dance.
That brought another round of giggles.
“At least Eileen can’t tell Jay anything he can use against the team,” Keelie said.
“And we’ll keep it that way,” Paloma agreed.
When the game ended, Gunnar stepped out of his office, where he’d been watching the game, and rolled his eyes at us even as he organized rides home for each of my friends.
Later that night, as I got into bed, I stared up at the ceiling.
“What’s wrong?” He settled his rump next to my hip.
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
“Rookie, you promised.”
I bit my lip as I swallowed the latest knot of emotion. “I’m just feeling sorry for myself, sad about the pregnancy.” I sighed as I closed my eyes. “I got invited to a baby shower.”
Gunnar gathered me into his arms, and I rested my head against the thick slab of his shoulder. “Ah, my love, that brought all the grief forward.”
I wrapped my arms around him because I’d learned that leaning on Gunnar didn’t make me weak; it made me human. I appreciated his ability to hold me—and hold me up sometimes—just as I did for him when his demons came in the night.
“It’s been just over a month since the surgery, and my mom was gone just a couple of months before that. It’s all been…a lot.” I huffed out a breath.
“You overloaded.”
I nodded, my eyes squeezed shut. “But I want to go. I love that the CATS invited me.”
Gunnar smoothed my hair. “You can be pleased and sad together. Hell, you can be happy and grief-stricken at the same time. I spent months that way, when I was courting you.”
I giggled, remembering his bad dad jokes as we waited out the thunderstorm. “Why did the bicycle fall over?”
“What?” he asked, sounding confused. I pulled back to meet his gaze.
“It was two-tired!”
Light bloomed in the icy depths of his eyes as he grinned. I’d never tire of that smile, which he still graced me with too infrequently. “Ah, I see. You’ve been holding out on me.”
I shook my head. “I looked that one up today, in case I needed it.” I hesitated. “I might have bookmarked a site. You know, so I had some options.”
He swiped at the damp skin under my eye. “Ah, well. Karl would be proud. Did it help?”
