Page 75 of Power Play

“You love parties.” Emmy frowns. “Are you sick?”

“Sick? No.” She pauses and rests her hand on her stomach. “I’m pregnant.”

One second, I can hear out of my right ear. The next, I can’t.

We all scream.

Lexi almost tackles Maven and I burst into tears. Emmy wraps her arms around her, creating a dogpile, before I yell at them to not hurt the baby.

When the dust settles, we’re one big blubbering mess. I’m not sure who is crying more: the hormonal mother-to-be, or her three best friends.

“Details,” I say. “We need the full story.”

“Dallas and I have been trying for a while. Nothing was happening, so we decided to go in for testing. The doctor said everything came back normal and to be patient. Well, after seven months of being patient, thinking it wasn’t going to happen for us and looking into adoption agencies, I took a test. It was positive.”

A fresh wave of tears hits me. “I’m so happy for you.”

I know how much Maven loves being a mom.

She’s always excited about her career and supporting Dallas, but she wasmadeto be a mother. Her adoration for June is out of this world, and there’s no doubt in my mind that Lansfield Kid #2 will be any different.

“We’re so happy too. Dallas is at Mav’s tonight with some of the guys, and he’s planning on telling them while he’s there. We wanted to do a big announcement at team dinner next week, butI couldn’t wait. I wanted you all to know. You’re my sisters, and I hope you’ll love me when I’m in bed by eight and can’t go out because I’m so damn tired. I don’t want to know what it’s going to be like come April and May. I’ll probably fall asleep standing up.”

“We can do aWeekend at Bernie’sbit when we go out to dinner,” Lexi says. “We’ll scare so many people. It’s going to be great.”

Emmy’s phone dings with a notification, and she laughs. “I think Dallas must have told the guys. Maverick just sent me a photo, and his eyes look red and swollen from crying.” She holds up the screen, and we all giggle at the picture. “That man is the biggest fucking softie.”

“What does it say under the photo?” Lexi squints at Emmy’s phone. “Come home. Going to fuck you six ways to Sunday until I put a baby inside you too.Don’t care if the guys are still here. Wow. And they say chivalry is dead.”

“Whoops.” Emmy’s cheeks turn as red as her hair and she shoves the phone under her thigh. “Ignore that.”

“Six ways to Sunday? Is that a new move?” Maven teases. “I haven’t tried that one yet.”

“You’ve triedsomethingthat works.”

Before I can join in on the ribbing, my own phone buzzes on the end table. I pick it up, surprised to see Liam’s name.

We text occasionally. He’ll send me a message now and then. A check in after practice. Asking how my day is going and if I’ve had enough to eat. A few days ago, when I told him I hadn’t had lunch yet, he marched up to the broadcasting offices in his pads and a sweaty jersey, put a sandwich on my desk and left without saying a word.

Sometimes he’ll send me pictures. A photo of Pico, blurry from the tabby cat running out of the frame. A view of the night sky when he said to go outside and look at the full moon.

They’re all short. Barely more than four or five words. From someone else, I might consider it an afterthought. A throwaway conversation to pass the time or ask when we’re going to hook up.

With Liam, they mean something, and I’m lucky to have a friend like him.

Liam

I’m assuming you heard the news too?

Me

Wait a second. You’re at Maverick’s? Spending time with people? Are you ill??

Liam

I’m a social butterfly now, Mitchell.

Me

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