We all roll our eyes and I brush by him, opening the front door and holding it wide. He and Sawyer carry in Harper’s couch, Aiden, Gray, Ace, and Storm trailing behind them, all with boxes in their arms.
The women are in the kitchen, unpacking the bulk of Harper’s belongings—those being items that belong in the kitchen.
Good thing I have a big one.
The couch goes in the den, and I direct the guys to leave the paperwork and her planner things in one of the empty bedrooms, figuring with all the windows and natural light it will make a great office. The boxes of her clothes go in my room, obviously.
And the baby stuff—what little of it we have so far—goes in the room nearest the master.
“Is that it?” Sawyer asks, brushing his hands on his jeans.
“That’s it,” I say, my mind drifting from the small number of boxes back to those bills. “Harp lives simply.”
“And now you’re going to spoil her, right?” he asks.
I lift my fist for him to bump. “Damn right I am.”
“Righteous!” Smitty shouts from the kitchen and we both shake our heads.
“Fucking Smitty,” I mutter. “He only comes in one volume.”
Giggles trail into the hall—both female…and toddler-sized.
“Eh,” Sawyer says. “He’s not all that bad.”
And I can’t help but feel the same when I round the corner and see everyone gathered around the kitchen island, Gray with his arm looped over Faye’s shoulders, her body tucked close to his side, Kailey smiling indulgently up at Smitty, who’s resting his palm on her growing belly, Aiden holding Reese while Luna fixes Reese’s bowed headband and Bri smiles at the trio. Lainey and Ollie standing next to Harper, who’s already pulled dough out from somewhere and is helping him cut shapes out of it with a butter knife. Ryan stands, leaning back against the opposite counter, watching the scene with an indulgent smile. Storm is beside him—he’s heading home to Cedar Hollow tomorrow. The younger player is maybe even more quiet than Ryan, shadows clinging to his eyes and a sense of deeply seated anger sitting heavily in the air around him.
Then there’s Ace Ambrose and Violet Lamour.
He’s tall and dark and a complete and total asshole on the ice.
She’s like a real-life version of Cinderella—blonde hair, blue eyes and a refined quiet demeanor, as though she’s hiding a hundred secrets.
And considering she’s known only in a few select circles, and those circles mostly know her as only the Blue Line Matchmaker, that’s not a surprise, I suppose.
She’s probably rife with secrets.
“Does that mean you’ll be around more during the season?” Luna asks Violet.
“My home base is in Harrisburg, so I spend the bulk of my time there. Though”—she shrugs—“I do travel a lot for my job.”
“For the matchmaking,” Luna says.
Vi smiles. “Yes.”
“Do you need another employee?” Luna asks—or maybe it’s more akin to a demand.
“I—” Vi begins, her eyes skating to Ace’s.
He slips his arm around Vi’s middle, draws her close. “Vi and Josie have it under control.”
Probably because Luna’s looking positively feral…and Smitty’s not much better.
“Who’s Josie?” he asks suspiciously.
“My assistant,” she says. “Or better described, the person who keeps my life on track.” An embarrassed smile. “I’m not sure how I’d manage without her.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Smitty says (or maybe demands).
