“It’s still weird to hear you talk about not wanting a kid to miss school like it’s a normal, everyday part of your life,” Ryder says. “It suits you, though.”
“We can make Sunday work,” Maddox says. “And I agree with Handsome. I’ve never seen you this happy.”
“I’d be happier if we didn’t have some unhinged stalker making threats against Blair and Reed, but thanks, guys. I really appreciate you stepping up to help.”
“That’s what family does,” Griffin replies, lifting one shoulder in a shrug.
Not mine. I’m thankful as hell that these guys have spent the last ten years showing me what family should look like and howthey should behave. If they hadn’t, I never would have ended up with Blair.
Clearing my throat, I clap Griffin on the shoulder. “Thanks for being my family.” I shift my attention to each of them in turn, making sure they see how much I care about them. How much they mean to me. “I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.”
“Well, you never have to find out.” Bash tugs on his coat and drags a beanie over his still-damp hair. “Why don’t we grab a beer? It’s been a while since we’ve had a guys’ night. Or afternoon. We can plan over lunch.”
“I’m in,” Ryder says. “Just let me text Lex.”
“Isla’s still teaching, so I’m good.” Maddox turns to Griffin. “Mira’s working on that big new project, right? She shouldn’t mind.”
“Yep. I’ll let her know, but she gets so deep in the flow of her work, she probably won’t see my text until I’m home, anyway.”
“And I don’t have anyone to check in with, so…” Sebastian’s lips twist into a grimace before he wrestles them into a fake-as-shit smile.
“You will, bud.” Griffin wraps an arm around his shoulder and presses a kiss to Bash’s temple, earning an eye roll from the goalie. “Your perfect girl is out there somewhere. You’ll find her soon, I know it.”
Bash sighs but doesn’t shake off Griffin’s arm. “I wish I believed that, but I’m starting to think she’s hiding from me.”
Before, I would have rolled my eyes at a statement like that. I mean, seriously, we’re standing around the locker room talking about finding true love. What the hell has happened to all of us? But now? Now I know how fucking amazing it is to find your person. To have them in your corner. To fall asleep with them in your arms and wake up to their squinty smiles. And I think Bash wants that.
He’s been sick of the one-night-stand game for a while, and I thought maybe it was just boredom or that the chase had lost its thrill for him. But now I’m not so sure. Now, I wonder if, every time Bash scans a crowded bar or the stands before a game, he’s looking for someone specific. I wonder if he ever even notices the women who fight for his attention? Or if he’s completely blind to anyone but whoever the woman is that’s got him all twisted up inside.
For the first time, I get it, if that’s the case. Because ever since Blair came blowing into my life with her snarky comments and steel spine, I don’t really see other women. Not like that, anyway.
“Come on. I think Bash could use a beer just as much as me.”
We spill out of the building, all laughing and talking over each other. Despite the frosty temperatures, we walk to Chasers because there’s no point in trying to find parking when it’s only about a ten-minute walk from the arena. I’ve been so stressed out with this whole stalker situation, so it’s nice to let loose with the teammates who are as close as brothers.
“I could have a brother soon.” I don’t even realize I’ve said it out loud until Maddox glances at me.
“What’s that, man?”
“Oh. I just… I was thinking about how you guys are like my brothers, and then I realized that if I ever ask Blair to marry me, I’ll have a brother.” I shove my hands into my coat pockets and shrug. “I always wanted a brother.”
“Are you thinking about asking her to marry you?” Maddox asks.
“I don’t know? Not yet or anything, but I guess with the threats and the shit my stalker said about Reed, it has me thinking. If something happened to Blair, and we weren’t married, would they let me keep him? Like, I don’t even want to think about any of this, but if—god forbid—something happened and she couldn’t take care of him, and we’re not married, I don’thave any legal right to demand to be his guardian.” I blow out a breath, staring at the sidewalk in front of me because I can’t bear to look at my teammates right now.
“And of course, that’s not the only reason I’ve been thinking about marrying her. I fucking love her, you know? And marriage is important to her. She doesn’t have the same hangups as me, and it’s made me reevaluate mine.” Fuck, how are my palms sweaty when it’s barely ten degrees out?
“I guess what I’m saying is that I want to be with her. I want the three of us to be a family. And it feels like we already are, but the safest way for them is if we make it all legal and official, you know?”
“Wow, man.” Ryder, out of all of them, probably gets my desire for family the most. Like Blair and Reed, he lost both his parents way too young. Before Lexi, he didn’t have anyone cheering him on in the seats, either.
And yeah, my dad occasionally shows up to some games. But not to cheer me on. To relive his glory days and give me shit.
Having Blair and Reed in the seats, cheering for me… It’s everything.
The rookie’s voice is understanding when he speaks again. “So you’re going to talk to her about being added as one of Reed’s legal guardians?”
Shit. Yeah, I guess I am. “I mean, at some point. Not right now. It’s too soon for that, and I have no idea what goes into something like that, or if either of them would even consider it. But yeah, I guess I do plan to talk to her about it.”
