Page 134 of Offside Angel

“He was in New York. Remember the show we watched last night where Daddy was on the TV?” I ask. Aiden nods. “That was in New York.”

As the new team captain, Zane is the face of the team on the ice and off. The last few days, that meant showing up for photoshoots and fulfilling brand endorsements in the offseason. He tried to get out of it, but I convinced him he should go. He worked hard to be captain and I don’t want anything keeping him from living out that dream fully.

(Plus, he sent me some of the photo proofs, and him shirtless with a milk mustache is my new screensaver.)

The plan was for Zane to get on a red eye flight as soon as his sponsorship duties were over, but a freak storm shut down the airport, and I firmly forbade him from even attempting to bribe a pilot to bring him home.

“You’ll end up in TSA jail!” I said.

“Maybe. Or, alternatively, I’ll make it home and be buried inside of you before sunrise.”

As tempting as that was, I held my ground, and Zane finally agreed to get a hotel. He texted me a few hours ago that his new flight was boarding, and Daniel is going to meet him at the airport to drive him home.

“Can I please stay up?” Aiden yawns as I pull the blankets up under his chin.

He’s going to drop any second, which is why I make a deal with him. “How about this? You can stay awake if you want, but you have to stay in your bed. If you hear your dad come home, then you can come out and say hi. But only if you hear him. Okay?”

He gives me a sleepy smile. “Okay.”

“Okay.” I kiss his forehead. “I love you.”

His lips move around the words, but almost no sound comes out. I slip out of his room quietly just as I hear my phone vibrate in the living room. I jog to answer it, hoping it’s Zane. But it’s just the security system.

Front Gate Alarm Activated.

I groan just as my phone buzzes again. This time, it’s Evan. I got a notification about the gate. Are you okay?

I’m in the middle of telling him I’m fine when he calls.

“Mira?” He sounds groggy. “You okay?”

“Evan, please tell me that stupid alarm didn’t wake you up.”

“Are you okay?” he repeats.

I can picture him poised on the edge of his bed. The man probably sleeps in cargo pants and combat boots, just in case.

“I’m fine. You know this security system goes off every time the wind blows. Zane is going to get rid of it next month and go with a new company.”

“Have you checked the cameras?” Nothing I’m saying is comforting him at all. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already in his car.

I put my phone on speaker and open the security app. I try to select the front drive cameras, but they aren’t pulling up. Neither are the backyard cameras. Or the interior cameras.

The entire stupid system is down. Again.

Since we’ve gotten married, Zane has spent more quality time with Lance from the security company than with me, I swear. And yet, it’s still a piece of garbage. A very expensive piece of garbage.

“The cameras all look good,” I lie, wedging my phone between my shoulder and my ear. “And Zane will be home soon. I’ll have him double-check everything when he gets here.”

Actually, I won’t. I plan to make sure Zane makes good on the promise he made me yesterday, and he can’t do that if he’s outside trying to fix the front gate alarm in the dark.

Evan makes me promise to text him the second Zane gets home, and I give him a solemn “cross my heart and hope to die.” Then I drop back down on the couch. I’m about to hit play on the TV when I hear what sounds like shuffling from the front porch.

Like suitcase wheels rolling across the cement.

Zane’s home.

I jump up and run to the front door. I don’t even look through the peephole before I yank it open to greet my husband.

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