Page 115 of Slapshot Bride

“Do we know her?”

Wyatt’s smile disappears almost instantly. Interesting.

“Drop it.”

Kai opens his mouth, but one look from Wyatt shuts him up.

Wyatt leans back in his chair, his beer resting against his thigh, and for a second, something almost thoughtful crosses his face. “Let’s just say if I ever decide it’s time to settle down, I already know where I’d start looking.”

The evening goes on, late into the night and by the time the guys are rounding up to leave, one thing is clear to me.

I want people of my own.

Not instead. In addition.

I pick up my phone when Easton steps out to see them off.

I open the messages, scroll past my mother’s last unanswered text, and find the thread that has been dark for three years.

Rachel.

I type.

Me:

Hi, Rachel. I’ve been thinking about you. — Riley.

I look at it for one second.

My finger hovers around the cursor, and I quickly hit send before I overthink it.

I hear the sounds of cars pulling out of the driveway, and my heart warms. The realization hit me all at once.

I’m happy.

I don’t know how long it has been since it happened. How long I’ve been in this bubble, but I love it here.

23

EASTON

Piece by Piece

The house is quiet again.

The guys left an hour ago. The kitchen is mostly clean because Riley insisted, and I let her, because arguing with Riley about dishes is a battle I’ve learned to stop fighting. The leftover chicken is wrapped in the fridge. The grocery store cake is down to one sad slice that neither of us wanted, but neither of us threw away.

It was a good day. Better than good.

And the highlight of my day? Walking into the kitchen to see her waiting to surprise me…

God… if I didn’t already love her, this would have changed everything.

Might as well specially celebrate the day she got into my car at that red light.

We’re in bed. She’s on her side, facing me, half asleep already, her hand resting flat on my chest. The lamp on her side is still on, throwing a low, warm light across the room.

My phone is still lit from a video call with my mother.