Page 157 of Wicked Serve

“How is Uncle Nik going to play, Harps?” James asks. “Good, right?”

“Bad!” she declares, brushing her strawberry-blond hair, so like Bex’s, out of her face.

I burst into laughter. James looks at her helplessly.

“Sorry,” he says. “She’s in this phase where everything is bad. It’s her favorite word.”

I blow her a kiss anyway. “You’re lucky you’re so cute.”

James takes a seat next to us. “You okay?”

“Just nervous.” When we found out that the Sharks were planning to trade Nik, it came as much of a surprise to us as everyone else that the Rangers won out. He wants this to be a long-term thing, considering Cooper’s recent contract extension. Even if it isn’t, I can’t deny how exciting it’ll be to see them on the same side of the ice again. “You remember how banged up he was by the end of last season.”

“He’s healthy now,” he says reassuringly. “He’ll get back in the groove of things.”

“Auntie Mia!” Harper says, pointing at the door. I crane my neck around, watching as Mia hugs Penny.

“Are we late?” she asks, kissing her nephew on the head. “This is when I regret being all the way in Boston.”

“The traffic was rough,” Sebastian adds as he embraces Bex.

“No, you’re perfect,” Bex says.

“How are things going with the restaurant?” Penny says, untangling Mia’s hair from Lukas’s grabbing fist.

“Uncle Sebby!” Charlie exclaims, holding up her arms.

“Charlie girl!” Sebastian scoops her up, spinning her around. “It’s great. We finalized the drinks menu.”

“I’m still impressed that you worked so many space puns into the names,” Mia says dryly.

Harper wriggles out of my lap, a determined look on her adorable face. I don’t blame her for wanting to join the group. I’ll never get enough of moments like these.

“I can’t believe you’re doing it all again,” I say to James as we follow Harper across the box. Mia picks her up, letting her play with her necklace. “Do you know yet?”

“Another girl,” he says.

I stop short. “Seriously?”

He just nods, a quiet, pleased smile on his face. “I guess that officially makes me a girl dad?”

I throw my arms around him.

“Izzy, do you want a glass of champagne?” Penny says.

“Do it for me,” says Bex, pressing her hand against her bump. James winds his arms around her, kissing the side of her head.

I hold up my drink in answer. It’s just seltzer, but they don’t need to know that yet. It’s barely sunk in; life has been so busy lately. Between my own wedding this past summer—in the Hamptons, of course—the trade, Nik acclimating to the new team, and wrapping up my last West Coast clients’ weddings while moving across the country with a dog, I’ve barely had time to breathe, let alone really think about the positive pregnancy test I stared at in private the other day. We only just started to try, so I had no idea to expect it so soon.

One thing I do know? Our baby will have plenty of cousins.

The thought makes me smile. Sebastian and Mia won’t be having kids, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Cooper and Penny gave Lukas a sibling at some point. I fiddle with my wedding ring—an heirloom from Katherine that she gave to Nik the moment he mentioned proposing—as I take in the scene.

My family. The family I was born into, and the family Nik chose. Literally chose, since he took my family’s name when we got married. It was sad to say goodbye to San Jose, but I can’t deny that this homecoming feels good. Sebastian and Mia in Boston, Bex, James, and the girls in Philadelphia, and the rest of us in New York—it’s close. It’s perfect.

“Let’s go down for a quick hello before the game,” Penny says to me. “Luke likes seeing Cooper on the ice.”

When we reach the boards, I tap on the glass, waving at my husband.

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