24
Maria
“Nicklas is definitely on his game tonight,” Gabby says, lifting her glass before taking a slow sip of wine.
The arena hums around us as the team powers through a play. The roar of the crowd swells and dips with every pass, every near miss, every hit along the boards. Below us, the ice gleams under the lights, and my boys are practically vibrating beside the glass of the box, bouncing from foot to foot.
“Shoot! Shoot!” Josh yells, his hands pressed flat against the glass. “Lucas, did you just see Tuck get by Petrov?”
“Go Tuck!” Lucas screams and I grin at their antics. I’m never at these games, so I had no idea how invested they were, but it’s nice to see their passion for the game, and excitement over the team…over the men they’ve grown so close to.
I glance at the scoreboard. The Bucks are up by two—compliments of Tuck—and there are only minutes left. The boys are used to being down front, right behind the glass with Mom and Grant, close enough to feel the impact of every check. But tonight, I wanted them here. With me. Maybe because I wasn’t sure if I’d feel out of place or not and having them beside me was like a safety net.
But…it’s strange, sitting in the box like this. I don’t feel out of place. In fact, I feel like I’m part of something official. Like I belong here. Like I’m one of the WAGs. The thought should feel ridiculous. But it doesn’t.
It settles somewhere deep in my chest, and it was something I knew better than to get used to but already have. Because the truth is, I like it. I like being part of this family. The easy laughter, the shared looks, the way everyone just accepts you without question—even if what Tuck and I are doing is only temporary.
But you don’t want it to be temporary anymore, do you Maria?
I swallow, my fingers tightening slightly around my cup. No. I don’t. I haven’t for a long time now. Even though Tuck might not have wanted more in the beginning, even if he was afraid of my ready-made family, I can’t deny there’s been a shift in him. He’s been here for us. Showing up in ways I didn’t even know how to ask for. Quiet, steady, constant.
And honestly, I’m afraid to ask for more because I don’t want to ruin what we already have. I don’t want to push. Don’t want to ask for more and watch him pull away because this isn’t the same for him as it is for me...
It happened once in my life. Lucian was unable to choose us fully. I swore I’d never let it happen again. I thought I’d moved on from past hurts, but clearly those old demons are still peeking around the corner, and maybe that’s why I panicked when I saw Kate in Tuck’s house.
The thing is, I knew she was coming. Yet…my brain went somewhere ugly and unfair when it should have gone straight to…sister.
But it didn’t.
Tuck had to see that. Had to sense what I was thinking in that moment. What does that do to someone who’s been nothing but caring and devoted?
It lets him know that you don’t trust him, that you’re not around for the long haul.
Dammit.
“Nicklas keeps looking up here,” Gabby says, turning toward Kate with a grin. “Is there something we should know?”
Kate laughs, the sound light but a little curious as she glances down toward the ice. “He keeps looking at the box, but I’m not sure it’s me he’s looking at. We just met.” She nudges her glass slightly. “And my brother warned me to stay away from him.”
I let out a small laugh, grateful for the shift in my thoughts. “Nicklas is like an annoying little brother. He could just be trying to get a rise out of Tuck.” I tilt my head, watching her. “Or… maybe he likes you, Kate.”
She leans forward, elbows on her knees, eyes tracking the movement below. A soft smile curves her mouth. “He is cute.”
“Don’t tell him that,” Gina says with a laugh.
“She doesn’t have to,” Brighton adds. “He already knows it.”
Laughter ripples through the group, but as it fades, I feel it again. That sense of being watched. Not from the ice, but from beside me. I turn slightly, and find Kate looking at me.
Her expression is soft, but there’s something else there too. Something deeper. Like she’s piecing something together she didn’t expect to find.
“How long are you here?” Gabby asks, leaning back in her seat.
“Just a week.” Kate exhales, the sound soft, but filled with disappointment. “I wish it could be longer.” Her gaze drifts down to the ice, tracking the players. “I miss having Tuck around.”
“Aunt Kate,” Lucas calls, turning from the glass, his cheeks flushed with excitement. “When we get home, will you tell us stories about Tuck? I bet you have a bunch of them.”
Kate shifts uncomfortably in her seat. Her shoulders pull in just slightly, her fingers tightening around her glass before she sets it down. “Yeah, sure,” she says, forcing a small smile. “I’m his younger sister. I’d be remiss if I didn’t annoy my big brother.”
