Page 45 of Lock 'em Down

“That’s all I can give you,” I breathe out.

His arm reaches over the table and his hand settles on mine. My shoulders drop as the warmth of his fingers seeps into my skin. “That’s all I need. If we’re honest, we can make this work.”

I nod and take another sip of my margarita.

But are we supposed to try to make this marriage work? Shouldn’t it be intuitive? Shouldn’t I feel it and know—deep down—that it’s the right call?

As much as I’m enjoying hanging out with Leif, I still can’t imagine an entire lifetime with him. Right now, I’m still trying to process my move to Tennessee, my new job starting on Monday, and the fact that I have a husband.

I’m way out of my wheelhouse and I don’t possess the calm confidence Leif exudes. I like split decisions and the feeling of euphoria.

Right now, this is starting to feel real.

Genuine and serious and stable.

But not baffling and convoluted and claustrophobic like I imagined.

At least I know, deep down, in my heart, that Leif Bang is a good man. He’s a good man who’s trying to be an even better husband.

Twelve

Leif

“I heard Mama Bang is in town!” my teammate River Patton—a guy I’ve known for years since we played in a handful of tournaments together—announces as I enter the gym.

“She’s driving me crazy,” I admit as I smack hands with him in greeting.

Last night, she texted me three times while I was on my date with Cami. This morning, she woke me up an hour before my alarm to remind me to start a load of wash. I’m not used to having my mom in my space and I’m giving my brothers a lot of credit for the shenanigans they put up with during her visits.

River chuckles. “I’ve got nothing. My mom Gayle is a saint and my mothers-in-law…” He whistles low. “Maisy is a dream and Anna gives solid advice.”

I shake my head, loving the dynamics of River’s family. Between him and his wife Lola, they’ve done a lot of blending and yet, it works. It’s more functional and loving than a lot of other families I know. “Yeah,” I agree. “But you’ve got Axel Daire to watch out for.” River’s father-in-law, a longtime player with the Thunderbolts, retired at the end of last season. I had the opportunity to play with him for a few months and even though he’s not playing the game anymore, his nickname is still Brawler.

At that, River straightens. “Yeah. Axel’s fair but you’re right, intimidating as hell.”

I smirk, although I shouldn’t. I don’t know anything about Cami’s dad. Other than that, he’s not a fan of our marriage and wanted to jump on a plane and haul his daughter back to Minnesota.

“That’s what I like to hear,” Brawler announces, stepping into the gym.

River swears good-naturedly.

Brawler chuckles. “Can’t get rid of me, kid. You, Lola, and Mia are coming for dinner tonight, too. So are Jasmine and Johnny.”

River shakes hands with him and I watch through narrowed, assessing eyes. I remember the shitstorm that kicked up when Patton knocked up Lola, Brawler’s daughter. I think everyone in the League heard about it but given my history with Patton, I got more details than most. Since then, Lola and River had a baby girl, Mia, and tied the knot. Now, everyone is in a good place.

Can’t Cami and I achieve that too? I mean, our moms are already friends. We should be able to figure this out. To make it work. And last night, we had a good dinner together. We talked and shared stories. I kissed her good night in front of her apartment door and wished her luck at her new job today. As far as first dates go, it was the realest one I’ve ever been on and I relished it. Loved spending time with her.

Then, I went home to drink tea with Mom and get an earful on the proper way to fold a fitted sheet.

We can have the happily-ever-after. Hell, if River Patton managed to figure it out, I can too.

“So, your mom’s in town?” Brawler asks.

“Mama Bang is no joke,” Barnes supplies, picking up heavier weights.

Brawler chuckles. “With five boys in the NHL? I doubt you can pull the wool over her eyes. Heard your brother King is serious with his new girlfriend?”

“She’s on a mission for us all to settle down. Now that Mom’s retired and…well, she recently lost a close friend…she seems worried that she’s not going to be around to see us find our happily-ever-afters,” I explain.

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