Page 12 of Pucks and Likes

“So, maybe for the Fourth of July?” Louisa suggests, and everyone is nodding so I do the same. “Awesome. These are the dresses I want everyone to wear. I just need sizes, and I’ll get them ordered.”

When she shows us a photo of a skintight, mermaid-style dress, I inwardly cringe. I can’t wear that. “It’s a bit tight,” I say, searching everyone’s faces. Surely someone agrees with me.

Alas, they don’t. “You have the best body out of all of us. Why would you care how tight it is?” Eliza teases, and I force a laugh.

This would be a great time to drop the bomb, but Louisa sets me with a guilty look. “You can pick the dress if you agree to move out and not hate me.”

My jaw drops. “You’re kicking me out of my digs?”

Our sisters all giggle as Louisa looks positively stricken. “I am. I’m sorry. We want our place back, just us.”

I can’t hate on her for it, but great. Now I gotta find another place. That is until Eliza pipes up. “You can have our place, El.” I look over at her, surprised, as she goes on. “Coleson actually suggested it when Louisa said she was going to ask you to move out.”

“Really?” I ask, and my anxiety dies down. It’s been really hard since I had to come off my medications for the baby. I tend to spiral quite quickly.

“Yeah, of course. We can’t use it.”

I smile widely. “Thank you,” I gush, and then I set Louisa with a look. “Thankfully, one of my sisters loves me!”

They all chime in at that, but I ignore them when my phone sounds from the table. With a grin, I reach for it to see that it’s our peepaw. I bring in my brows since he doesn’t usually call me, texting instead. Before I answer, I tell my sisters, “Sorry, it’s Peepaw.” They all nod in understanding. “Hey, Peepaw. What’s up?”

“Where are you?”

I make a face. “I’m at the coffeehouse with the girls.”

“Did you not get the email?” He sounds frustrated, and my chest seizes up.

“What?” I ask as I put him on speaker to check my email. As soon as I open my app, I see an urgent message from our marketing department, and my stomach drops.

How did I miss that?

“I need you here to film Cruz’s return.”

Everything goes still around me. A ringing starts in my ears, and my heart stops in my chest. I can’t form words as I read the email quickly.

Alejandro Cruz has been sent back to the Bears from the Assassins for the postseason. We need to announce this by 3 p.m.

Alex is here.

In Knoxville.

And I’m pregnant with his kid.

Fate is a cunning little cunt.

And almost as if they want their presence known, Alex’s kid kicks me in the rib.

CHAPTER 6

Alex

To my surprise, being back on the Bears’ ice isn’t as embarrassing as I thought it would be.

Everyone welcomes me with open arms and expresses how excited they are to have me back. I’m showered with praise for how I killed it in Nashville and how we’re a sure win with me in goal. It feels good knowing that they feel how I do. Or everyone is laying it on thick to get me amped up to be back.

If it’s the latter, it’s working.

When I park Louisa’s car, I send a silent prayer that she doesn’t crash my car on her way in, and then I notice Coach McCoy and Mr. Davenport are waiting for me. Once I’m out of the car, Davenport is kissing my ass. Riggs just nods and agrees with a pleasant smile on his face that says he won’t kiss my ass, but he is glad I am here.

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