Page 194

Because I'm staying with him.

In Golden City.

A quick drive to Mage Hollow.

I'm putting down roots for the first time in years. Building something that's mine for the first time ever.

"So, how long have you known the groom?"

Jace chuckles. "Burnsey? Long enough to still be shocked I'm at his wedding."

I glance over at the shaggy-haired hockey player standing with his hip leaning against the bar. He lifts his beer and two other Flames players tap their bottles against his. One is Alexei Petrov—the massive Russian defenseman from Jace's building. Another is Drew Anderson—their captain and one of Jace's close friends.

Jace catches me looking and turns just in time to watch Drew's wife, Brooke, walk—or waddle, rather—toward the group. She rips the beer from Drew's hand and brings it to her nose, inhaling deeply before reluctantly returning it to her husband and resting her hand on her very swollen belly.

Jace and I both laugh quietly to ourselves.

"Well, the ceremony was beautiful," I say, putting my hands back on his chest. "And Nellie… wow. She looked flawless."

"Yeah," he nods. "It was. They're good people."

Suddenly, Tessa—Liam's wife and Ruthie's mom—comes barreling toward us. "Ooh, Lenny, perfect!"

I quickly glance at Jace, who shrugs.

Tessa continues. "Nursing question…" Her face lights up. "Literally!" She nudges my elbow with hers and I smile, confused. "From the scale of totally fine to medical emergency, how bad would it be if I skipped my next pump?"

Her eyes dart to her cleavage, and Jace's brows shoot up as his hand finds the back of his neck. He takes a vested interest in the carpet beneath his black leather shoes as Tessa looks back at me and winces.

"I forgot the damn thing at home."

I smile softly. "You should be fine. One missed session won't completely mess things up. You might be a little uncomfortable but…"

She cuts me off with a heavy sigh of relief. "Okay, cool. Yeah. I mean, they'll be massive, but hey…" From the corner of my eye, I see Liam and his brother, Levi, walk toward us. So does she. "Nothing wrong with that," she teases.

"Wrong with what?" Liam asks, stopping beside his wife. Levi stands next to him, his hands in his pockets.

"Nothing," Tessa says. "Lenny here was just telling me that I should be good without the pump. I was afraid we'd have to leave or I'd have to scar Cooper for life and make him bring it to me."

Liam huffs out a laugh. "Cool," he says. At the same time, he holds his hand out to Jace and grins. "Rook."

"Sunshine," Jace throws back, slapping his palm into Liam's. He shifts toward his brother. "Levi." The two shake hands, then Jace rests his hand on my lower back. "Have you met Lenny?"

Levi tilts his head as I soak in the proximity of being tucked beneath Jace's arm.

"Not officially," he admits. "But between Ruthie and Vienna, it feels like I have." He extends his palm and purses his lips. "Welcome to the chaos."

I laugh before I can stop myself because that was exactly what I was thinking.

The whole Golden City crew I've been threaded into the last few weeks—the Gators, the Flames, Jace's friends and family. His people. My people—could absolutely be seen as its own form of chaos.

Much like my job in the ER or my family in Mage.

Crazy. Messy.

In the best possible ways.

I smile genuinely at Levi. "Feels like home, honestly."