Page 136 of Puck Princess

It’spink.

Everyone loses their shit behind me, but I stand there in the middle of the yard, frozen.

Callie runs to my side, throwing her arms around me. She’s laughing and has tears brimming her eyes.

“A girl,” I breathe, I think for the first time since I hit the puck.

“It’s a girl!” She cups my face in her hands, grinning. But as she looks up at me, her smile fades. “Are you disappointed?”

The shock wanes and reality starts to set in.

It’s a girl.

Callie is having a girl.

My girl.

Holy fucking shit.

Love pours into my chest, and I feel like I’m levitating. I press my hand to her stomach, my chest expanding. “We’re having a girl…”

She swipes the tears from her cheeks. “We are.”

I kiss her again until we feel everyone huddle around us. Callie hugs her uncle, who has already forgotten all about training up his future center and is going on about how spoiled his granddaughter is going to be.

Lance shakes my hand before hugging me. “Congrats, man. I have all sisters and it’s going to be a shitshow for a guy like you, I’ll tell you that. But you’re going to love it.”

Heath nudges me in the side. “All the time you spend perfecting your hair in the mirror will come in handy now that you’ll be doing pigtails and going to tea parties.”

“You better fucking believe it!” I say. “And your ass won’t be invited.”

Everyone filters back towards the dessert table and the keg, but I snatch Callie’s wrist.

Her face crinkles into an adorable frown and it’s a miracle I don’t scoop her up and run her straight into the house. Instead, I tip my head towards the house in silent question. She comes with me without a word.

I lead her through the back door and into the kitchen. I slide the patio door closed and can still hear everyone outside talking, but it’s muffled. For the first time in hours, it’s almost quiet.

I let out a breath, and Callie does too. Then we smile and kiss again.

“Can I ask you something?” she says as we pull apart. “Are you even a little upset that it’s a girl?”

“Are you kidding me? My heart exploded like the puck when I saw all the pink glitter. Callie, I couldn’t be happier. I am so in love with her already. And even more in love with you.”

Her teeth sink into her bottom lip, biting back a smile. “Really?”

“Really.” I rest my hands on her hips, tugging her against me. “And… I want you.”

“Here?” she whispers, looking around. “Now?”

“Here and now.”

Anywhere. Anytime.

I think she’s going to tell me there’s no way in hell, but she checks to make sure everyone is still outside before she whispers, “Where?”

I grab her hand again and pull her down the hall. Coach Coleman’s house is a six-thousand square foot ranch, sprawled out over three acres. There are five guest rooms, all of which are currently sitting empty. I pull Callie into one of them and close the door.

As soon as I lock it, Callie starts to change her tune. She wraps her arms around her body, shrinking away from me. “Someone is going to find us. Or hear us. They’ll notice we’re missing!”

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