Page 97 of Pucking the Team

CHAPTER 43

EMMA

I knock on the heavy oak door with a trembling hand. A few seconds later, it swings open to reveal Slade’s handsome face, his lips turned up in that sexy half-smile I adore.

“Hey gorgeous,” he greets me, giving me a quick kiss. “Come on in.”

He takes my hand and leads me into a stunning foyer, with gleaming hardwood floors and a crystal chandelier. I glance around, in awe at the elegant surroundings. There’s an incredible smell wafting from the kitchen, wherever that is.

Lukas, Alex, and Ryan come out of the room to the left of the foyer, which appears to be a living room.

Lukas leans casually against the doorframe, his emerald eyes sparking with desire as they rake over my body. “Well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” he teases with a wink.

Alex rolls his eyes at Lukas and steps forward to envelop me in a warm hug. “Ignore him. We’re so glad you’re here, Emma.”

Ryan hangs back a little, hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans as he gives me a small smile. “Hey, you,” he says softly, and my heart does a little flip at the gentle affection in his tone.

My gaze flicks between the four of them, my pulse quickening. “What’s going on, guys? What is this place?”

Slade squeezes my hand, his thumb rubbing circles on my skin. “It’s a house we’re borrowing. We wanted to make you a special dinner. Come on,” he says,

Slade leads me further into the house, down a hallway and into a gorgeous gourmet kitchen. The countertops are gleaming white marble, and stainless steel appliances shine under the recessed lighting. In the center of the room stands a large dining table, and my mouth falls open when I see what’s on it.

An elaborate dinner is laid out, complete with fine china, crystal glasses, and an elegant floral centerpiece. The aroma I smelled earlier is even stronger in here, an enticing blend of savory and spicy scents.

“You guys did all this for me?” I ask, my voice choked with emotion.

“Of course we did, princess,” Lukas says, coming up behind me to wrap his arms around my waist. “We thought we might have something to celebrate.”

“You did, huh?” I ask, leaning back against his strong chest.

Alex smiles at me from across the table as he pulls out a chair. “We had a feeling Vincent might offer you that video coach position after I talked to him. And judging from the grin on your face when you walked in, I’m guessing he did just that?”

I slide into the chair, practically bouncing with excitement. “He did! I can’t believe it. I’m going to be an assistant video coach for the Blizzards!”

Ryan takes the seat beside me, reaching over to squeeze my hand. “We’re so proud of you, Em. You deserve this.”

Slade starts uncovering the various dishes on the table, revealing a mouth-watering spread. There’s a sizzling cast iron skillet of garlic butter steak bites, a giant bowl of creamy mushroom risotto, roasted asparagus with parmesan, and a basket of warm sourdough rolls. My stomach rumbles at the sight and smells of the delicious food.

“This looks incredible,” I marvel as the guys take their seats. “I can’t believe you cooked all this.”

“Well, I may have helped a little,” Lukas says with a grin. “But it was mostly Slade and Alex. They’re the real chefs here.”

Alex shrugs modestly. “We wanted to do something special for you, Emma. To show you how much we believe in you and support your dreams.”

Emotion wells up in my chest, and I blink back tears. “I don’t know what to say. This means so much to me, having you all here, celebrating with me.”

“You never have to doubt that we’ll always be here for you, Em,” Ryan says, his brown eyes full of sincerity. “No matter what.”

I squeeze Ryan’s hand, full to bursting with love for these incredible men. “I know. And I’ll always be here for all of you, too. I love you guys so much.”

“We love you too, Em,” Slade says, his voice gruff with emotion. “Now, let’s eat before this amazing food gets cold!”

We all laugh and dig in, piling our plates high. The meal is absolutely delicious—the steak is perfectly cooked, the risotto rich and creamy, the asparagus crisp and flavorful. We chat and joke as we eat, the conversation flowing easily.

Lukas regales us with a hilarious story about a prank he and some of the other players pulled on their coach back in juniors. Ryan shares an update on the youth hockey team in Detroit, pride shining in his eyes as he describes their progress.

Alex and I get into a deep discussion about advanced hockey analytics, debating the merits of different metrics for evaluating player performance. His deep knowledge never fails to impress me.

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