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Jax shifted, and something dark passed over his face. Whatever had happened to her plans that allowed Sidney to come here, Jax wasn’t happy about it. She gave me a wide smile. “Congratulations.”
“Let me know if he gives you any trouble.” Jax winked at me and wrapped his arms around his date. Warmth flooded me to see my best friend happy.
“Piper,” my mom called, and I was forced to go through the crowd, mingling for the rest of the night.
I was nearly dead on my feet, exhausted from talking to so many people, when Lucas led me toward the dance floor. He wrapped his arm around my waist, holding up most of my weight, and I rested my cheek against his chest. I relaxed into him, happy to get a moment alone, and breathed him in. As we swayed together, it finally caught up that this was really happening.
I raised onto my toes, brushing his lips with mine. “You’re going to marry me… I’m going to be your—”
“Wife.” His mouth descended on mine, and the world fell away.
10 YEARS LATER
“No, no, no. We don’t touch that.” I gently lifted the remote from Marcus’s sticky fingers. He’d just turned four on Friday and was still hyped up from sugar. I wiped it clean before setting it on a higher shelf in the family seating area. Boston was lucky enough to host this year's All-Star weekend, which meant we got to stay in our usual clubhouse.
They’d decorated it with families in mind, since most childless WAGs liked to sit and watch the game from the stands, whereas the rest of us preferred to sequester toddlers back here, where it was easier to keep them entertained.
“Mama, I don’t like it.” Marcus looked up at me with bright blue eyes he’d inherited from me and scrunched his freckled covered nose he’d got from his daddy. He tugged his hand, wiggling his body as if I was torturing instead of removing the chocolate sauce from a donut he’d only half finished.
“Just one more second.” I used a wet wipe between his fingers while he struggled to get away and just cleaned off the last one when he let out a high-pitched laugh.
A flurry of brown curls came running in and wrapped themselves around Marcus. I skipped to where Sidney leaned against the doorframe, smiling at our kids.
I grabbed the bag from her shoulder. “How was your flight?”
“Good. The girls both napped, so it was pretty smooth. I even got to read my book.” She winked at me and walked deeper into the room. Jax would’ve come with his team last night, leaving her to do the international flight alone with their three-year-old twins. She looked around, pausing on the multi TV wall, one of which was playing some kids’ show on low volume. “This place is nice. Ottawa’s clubhouse is nothing like this.”
“You sure Jax doesn’t want to be traded here?” I smirked, and Sidney rolled her eyes.
“Ship’s sailed.” She laughed, no doubt remembering Jax’s one and only week as a Bruin.
The arena outside the door filled with music and the sound of the increasing crowd. Sidney crouched and held out both hands.“Summer, Emma, let’s go see daddy.”
Both girls spun, giggling as they ran towards their mom. The kids always found it exciting to visit new arenas. Marcus followed them out into the rink and I made my way to the playpen next to the couch.
“Up!” Where Noah sat with a gummy smile and his hands raised. His eyes were a warm brown and his dark blonde hair curled close to his head.
I scooped him up in my arms and tickled a giggle out of him. “Let’s go see daddy.”
He parroted daddy back to me and we joined Sidney at the glass. The way the stadium was set up there was a walkway between the team benches and the bleachers, leaving a four foot wide space to stand next to the boards.
Alex and River skated by with wide smiles and all four kids squealed seeing theiruncles. But nothing compared to the noise they made when Jax and Lucas stopped in front of us.
Lucas placed his gloved hand on the glass and I nearly dropped Noah when he tried to throw himself out of my arms to get to it. “Hold on.”
I reached down, lifting Marcus so that he was at the same level as his dad, and brought them both close enough to touch the glass barrier.
I smiled at Jax’s booming laugh from beside me when Emma leaned in and blew a raspberry. The kids erupted into giggles and I met Lucas’s gold rimmed eyes. He was already watching me, a small smile on his face.
He mouthed “I love you.” before telling the kids if they’re good, they can get ice cream later. I laughed because I knew he’d be the one staying up with them. Even though both guys were pro-athletes, Lucas and Jax spent most of their time at home helping with their families. I didn’t relate to ‘my helpless husband’ social media posts because Lucas was always all in.
Marcus squirmed out of my arms as soon as Lucas skated off and was already running toward the clubhouse. “Come on! I brought toys!”
* * *
The game ran long with double overtime and the kids were all passed out on the couches like tiny drunk people at a kegger. I tucked my feet under me and smiled up at Sidney when she handed me a glass of red wine.
“So how’s work?” I asked her, and she beamed. She’d taken the full eighteen-months of Canadian parental leave and I’d never seen anyone so excited to get back to work.
