I shake my head, exasperated from prying for details because it will be one big circle. “Not everyone is like you, Mr. Just Voted Newest Player to Watch in the Hockey League.” He’s been drafted from college hockey to the pros, to the Spinners, which despite what people may think, neither his father nor uncle played a role in that.
He can’t control his proud smirk. “Talent is talent.”
Walking to the bucket of sunflowers, I begin to count the flowers. “Thirteen, right?”
“Make it fourteen. Mom loses it when I say Wyatt also got her a flower.”
“You have the seven-year-old in on your ploys now too?” I’m impressed.
“Of course.” Connor walks to Nugget’s cage and peers in. “This guy causing you any trouble?” he asks me.
I laugh. “No, he doesn’t age. I was kind of hoping he would nap more and then I could pretend that he isn’t here plotting ways to murder me. Instead, he speaks words, lots of words.”
Declan bought out the building as a wedding gift to me, and he even negotiated a new home for Nugget. Yet, when it came down to it, I couldn’t let my faithful parrot go, so Nugget got to stay.
“You love it,” Connor reminds me.
“That’s what Declan tells me.” I circle back around to my workstation and roll out some wrapping paper for the bouquet of sunflowers.
Connor taps Nugget’s cage while the bird angles his head in various ways. “Where is your husband these days?” Declan and I have been married for two years, after a beautiful wedding which was by no means small here in Lake Spark.
“He’ll be arriving back from out of town. He was out in Arizona for a few league meetings. Don’t worry, he’ll be at family dinner tonight.” We all meet up at least a couple times a month, but sometimes we’re missing Connor or Declan due to hockey life.
But it’s June, which means everyone is on downtime. Well, at least, once Declan is back this afternoon, then I get him all to myself for a few weeks.
Luckily, tomorrow is Sunday which means we will not be leaving our bed. He’s always extra insistent that we stay in our little bubble after he returns from business travel. I can’t complain. We just need to survive a chaotic dinner first.
* * *
“I saywe bail five minutes after dessert is served,” Declan murmurs into my ear while my eyes roam the outside table to ensure nobody notices how my husband hasn’t removed his hand from my thigh for the last five minutes and his voice is thick with need for me.
I smile tightly, avoiding glancing at him. “Ten,” I counter.
He growls low into my ear, giving up in defeat before he leans back on his chair.
The lake is quiet on this early evening, but the backyard of Ford’s house is anything but. Puck circles the table with his wagging tail, desperate for any handouts, while my near-four-year-old nephew Alex sings a song that makes no sense. Meanwhile, my other nephew Wyatt protests to my brother that he should be allowed to play more hockey.
“Dude, relax. One more year, then you can start to really play games that mean something. Don’t rush it. You’ll be living in my shadow anyway, so good luck with that,” Connor informs him.
Brielle instantly reproaches him. “Connor.”
Ford touches his wife’s arm affectionately. “Relax, our son has a good point. Spears boys are exceptional hockey players, all eyes are on them.”
I sputter my sip of wine that I’m drinking. “You sound ridiculous. It’s not like it’s genetic.”
Ford makes a sound of doubt.
“Come on, it’s not like some men have some magical hockey swimmers. If that’s the case, then good luck, because one day, we—” I gesture between Declan and me “—may just produce our own little hockey team that could outshine your crew purely because my husband also has hockey swimmers.”
Declan winces before guiding my waving hand back to the table. “Can we not talk about my… in front of your brother?”
“Yeah, please don’t. I’m going to need therapy for this.” Ford shakes his head while he folds his arms on the table.
“We really should pivot into a new topic,” Brielle suggests. “By the way, I saw your parents, Declan. They mentioned looking at real estate out here. They were having lunch at Jolly Joe’s.”
My eyes snap to Declan. “What?”
He nervously offers me a tight smile. “They mentioned, but I forgot to tell you.” I mean, I love Pearl and Walter, but his parents living so close? I don’t know. Naked backyard sex will just feel too risky, in case they stop by to borrow eggs.
