Page 164 of Power Play

“That’s what happens with life. It gets busy, but it slows down eventually.” My mom nudges me with her elbow, and I huff. “Piper’s lovely. Is she having a good time?”

“I think so. From the way she’s dancing in there, I’d say she’s having a blast.”

“It’s good to see you smiling so much, Li. You work so hard and you don’t stop until a job is finished. I know you get worn down by your father and I asking about your personal life, butI want you to know we’d never want you to put yourself in any situation that didn’t make you totally happy. If that’s hockey. If that’s with a woman. If that’s with a man or no one at all, I don’t care. As long as you’re doing what’s right for you.”

“I don’t know what is right for me, to be honest. If I take away hockey, who am I? Some asshole who has a shitty attitude and is easily irritated? I sound horrible.”

“No. You’re a good man with a kind heart, Li, who’s not any less when he’s not stopping a puck. Hockey is always going to be there. Important moments and important people won’t be. Think of all the memories you and your father missed out on because you were on the road with your travel team.”

“Thanks for the pep talk. Haven’t done some soul-searching in a while, and you’re really helping me with that.”

“There’s my smart-ass son.” She tugs on my ear and I bend down so she can plant a kiss on my cheek. “You should head back inside. I’m sure there’s someone in there who wants to see you.”

“I don’t know about that. I think I might have fucked up somehow.”

“So unfuck it up.”

“Whoa, Mom. Easy with the language there.”

She rolls her eyes and does her best to shove me toward the door. I step back into the ballroom, the music still loud and the party still going strong. I look around until I find Piper standing by the bar, a drink her hand.

I scoot past a group of distant cousins and get tangled up in a conversation with my great aunt that lasts way too long. When I can finally free myself, my social meter is fucking depleted, and I want to go to bed.

“Hey,” I say to Piper, and she smiles up at me.

“Hi. I was wondering where you disappeared to. Thought you left for the night.”

“Alana would drag me from our hotel room by my ear if I left without saying goodbye.” I lift my chin toward her glass. “How’s your drink? Do you want another round?”

“I’m okay. It’s only seltzer with lime.”

“Not in the mood to party hard, Mitchell?”

“Not when we have a transatlantic flight tomorrow.” She covers her yawn with a hand and rolls her shoulders back. “But I don’t think I have much energy left in me.”

“You and me both.” The music shifts to a slow song, some love ballad I’m sure Alana took hours to pick. “Kind of feels like the universe is telling us to dance, though.”

“Oh, really?” Piper’s mouth twitches in amusement and she sets her drink down. “It would be a shame to let the universe down.”

I offer her my hand and she threads our fingers together. Her touch is warm and steady as I lead her to the dance floor. I set my palms on her waist and her arms drape around my neck, a natural, easy rhythm to our sway.

“Are you having fun?” I ask in her ear, and she nods.

“Yeah. I didn’t think I’d be down for a destination wedding, but it’s the way to go. Maybe my next one.”

“Tell me how Dickbag McGee proposed to you.”

“What?” She bursts out laughing. “Is that what you call Steven?”

“Mhm. I’ve got a Rolodex of nicknames, Pipsqueak, and the rest aren’t as nice.”

“You’re going to have to tell them to me later.” She lets out a sigh before continuing. He proposed at a work event. There were five hundred people there. I didn’t know any of them. He brought me on stage, said a few things about how much he loved me, got on one knee and showed me the ring. I loved him too, but the pressure from being watched by so many people made me sick.”

“You hated every second of that proposal, didn’t you?”

“I did. It was my nightmare. If I’m ever get engaged again, I want the proposal to be small. Private. At one of my favorite places like the arena or down by the Potomac on a spring day. I’d like to think the person asking me to marry them knows me.”

“Sorry you didn’t get that in Vegas. I’m sure I shouted something at you when we were drunk.”

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