Bri sighs.
I hold my breath, hope no one will call me on my bullshit.
A beat…and we all turn back to the ice.
Phew.
I’ll admit I didn’t protest too vehemently when Luna roped me in to coming. Sure, I have work to finish up back at my kitchen after this outing is done, but it was nice to sneak out for lunch and some hangout time with the girls.
Especially considering my schedule of the next few weeks.
Completely jam-packed.
But good for my bank account…and those bills that never seem to go away.
Thankfully, they’re not all big events like the birthday party.
Some are catered breakfasts or lunches for meetings (thanks Clara), one is a small class for a group of women who want to learn how to make a homemade pasta dish. But several—including the party for Shannon—are fancy multi-course culinary adventures that require a lot of planning, prep, and overall effort to serve things perfectly.
And then clean up.
Dishes.
So many dishes.
Maybe instead of an assistant, I’ll get a dishwasher.
Now that would be a dream. My own hockey hottie who spends his free time doing all of my dishes.
I shake myself, ask, “So this is practice?”
“More like ice time,” Luna says.
I frown. “Umm, is there a difference?”
“Kind of,” she says. “It’s the off-season, so there aren’t any official Grizzlies workouts, on or off the ice. A lot of the international guys go home, and a lot of the guys with families in the Midwest or East Coast do the same. But obviously they need to stay in shape for the season so they find the ice time where they can.”
“Or sometimes, they need to get in shape,” Bri says dryly.
Luna laughs. “You’re not going to let Aiden live it down, are you?”
“The man ate an entire batch of cupcakes and then was bitching about having a Dad Bod.” Bri shrugs. “I just pointed out that either self-control or more time in the gym was required to change that.”
“We’re talking about your Aiden?” I ask, eyes wide.
A flash of a smile. “Yup,” Luna says.
I giggle.
So do the others.
“I know,” Luna says through her own chuckles. “And I know I shouldn’t laugh. But the man has a literal six-pack. Meanwhile, I’m resembling a whale, and somehow he’s the one worried about his weight?” She shakes her head. “Thankfully, he’s seems to be over it now.”
“Just like that?” I ask.
She shrugs. “I kind of pointed out that he’s going to be a Dad so having a Dad Bod might not be the end of the world. And then I—” She slants a look at Bri. “Marshmallow.”
Bri clamps her hands over her ears.
