Page 86 of Pucking Revenge

“Conning your drunk employee into marrying you in Vegas isn’t stupid?” Liv asks as she walks into the dining room.

“No. It was the most brilliant thing I’ve ever done.” He pats his lap, signaling for her to join him.

With a laugh and shake of her head, she slips into the seat beside him. He, of course, tugs her closer and rests a gentle hand on her stomach.

Gavin clears his throat and plants his elbows on the table, steepling his fingers. “This shit with Seb—it gonna be okay?”

“Not if he keeps treating Sara like she’s a puck bunny,” I say, clasping my hands on the table in front of me.

Liv sucks in a shocked breath. “He said that?”

“He did,” Gavin answers for me. “I heard it the night she ended up on the ice while Brooks did push-ups.”

Beckett grimaces. “And you didn’t say anything to him?”

Gavin waves his hand. “Sara glossed over his comment. She called Lennox over, and I got distracted. But obviously shit like that doesn’t fly. What does he have against her?”

I lower my head and survey my Best Uncle bracelet. Dammit, I hate lying to my brothers, but I refuse to spill Sara’s secrets. “He thinks she’s a distraction.”

“Is she?” Beckett asks.

I tip my chin up and glare at him. “Yes. Just like Liv is for you.” Then I turn to Liv and soften my tone. “A good distraction. I can do my job and have a girlfriend. I just, ah—” An annoyed breath escapes me. “I’m screwing it up with her. Seb said those things, and then War meant well, but something he said got in my head. And…I don’t know. I just figured a little distance would be best. Give me a chance to clear my head. But now she thinks I don’t care about her.”

Beckett nods. “Open communication is key. As are dates. That’s always been my rule.”

“Yup,” Liv agrees, sitting straighter. “Friday night date nights. They were his requirement when we were fake married.”

“It was never fake,” Beckett grumbles. “See that ring on your finger? It’s been there since the day you became my wife.”

She presses her lips together but can’t hide her smile. “I love riling him up.”

Squinting, I assess my oldest brother. “So you forced Liv to go on dates with you, and that’s how you got her to fall for you?”

Beckett’s face darkens, and he pitches forward. “Watch what you’re suggesting.”

Liv laughs beside him. “Yes. It was his only rule. I had many.”

I arch a brow. “Any good ones?”

“He had to watch the kids on Thursdays. No PDA. No kissing.”

Head tipped back, I bark out a laugh. “Those are awful.”

The growl that Beckett lets out practically rattles the table. “Telling me.”

Liv smiles. “Not awful. Because when he did all those things, I knew that he genuinely wanted to. That it wasn’t just a PR stunt to him.”

Beckett weaves his fingers with Liv’s and squeezes her hand. “I always wanted you.”

“I know that now, baby.” She bumps his shoulder with hers. “I didn’t know it then, though. And it was hard to believe. We’d worked together for years, and he never said anything.”

“You were married,” Gavin quips, but he quickly slams his lips shut when Beckett glowers at him.

“You want to show Sara you care about her?” Liv asks, keeping the conversation on track.

“Yeah, this week was stressful for me, and I didn’t handle it well. I think she took it personally.”

“I did too.” Gavin scoots in closer, back to steepling his fingers in front of him.

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