Page 118 of My Husband Problem

I shift to pull the duvet down around us, then flip it up over our bodies. I cuddle her close, feeling her tears against my chest.

I hate her tears, but at the same time I love that she’s willing to shed them in front of me.

Several minutes later, she’s finally quiet, and I pull back to look down at her.

She is fast asleep.

And two realizations hit me. One, my life is now fully and completely here in Rebel, Louisiana.

And two, I don’t want to even wiggle my toe for fear it might disturb her. But I’m going to have to eventually get up and go take care of the ducks.

CHAPTER 24

DECLAN

I showup to the arena, dressed for practice, ready to go early. I’m doing solo shooting drills and practicing with a hockey stick for the first time in years when the rest of the team shows up.

They come in as a group, talking and laughing, and pull up all at once when they see me there.

I send a puck flying into the net from several yards out, then prop the stick on the ice and look over.

Beckett is, of course, the first one to speak.

“Oh, this is gonna be fun.”

They spill out onto the ice, all of them greeting me as if I’m a teammate back from an injury or long hiatus. I am sincerely grinning by the time all of them have slapped me on the back.

Alex is the last one to stop. He places his hand on my shoulder. “I apologize in advance for what’s about to happen.”

I arch my brows. “What’s about to happen?”

He shakes his head. “There’s no way of knowing. But itwillbe stupid.”

I laugh. “I have seen every one of your games, you know.”

He looks surprised by this news. “Seriously?”

“They’re live-streamed.”

He nods. “Yeah. But you would still have to watch them on purpose.”

“And I do.”

He studies me for a moment, then gives me a grin. “Okay then. Maybe Beckett is right. Maybe this is going to be fun.”

I’m on the Revelers team since I’m filling in for Teddy, and we run through drills and then play back-and-forth with the players for the Otters on the other side for almost an hour.

Then everyone sheds their helmets and masks and turns toward the benches.

That’s when I notice Sutton has joined us.

She is dressed in leggings and a short jacket, her hair pulled back, skates on her feet. She glides out onto the ice. “Okay, so we’re really trying this?” She’s looking at her brother.

She’s also carrying a hobby horse.

“Fuck, yeah,” Beckett says, taking it from her. “I’m telling you this is going to be hilarious.”

Sutton doesn’t seem convinced. “Fine, why don’t you just do a quick skate with it?” She looks around the group. “Anyone want to play some defense?”