Page 87 of Light My Fire

I have no idea what they’re talking about. “Rarely,” I say dryly.

He laughs. “Tucker says Alexsei Ryan is going to be as good as Crew McNeill. No fucking way. Am I right?”

I look at Tucker. “No way,” I agree. “Ryan is awesome. And he works his ass off. And him and McNeill together are magic. But he won’t ever beasgood as McNeill.”

“Statistically he’s just as good,” Tucker argues. “Give him more experience and he’ll be right there with McNeill.”

I shake my head. “He’s one of the best in the league, and he’ll go down as one of the best in history. But McNeill is a natural. He doesn’t even have to try. The guy was born to be a hockey player. You just don’t get players like that more than once in a generation.”

“We should all just be grateful that we have them both on our team,” Rasmussen says.

We all nod. That’s the truth.

“Fuck!” Tucker suddenly shouts.

We all look at the television. Justin Travers, the star player for the Dallas Dragons, just scored on the Racketeers.

“Goddammit!” Tucker exclaims. “This new goalie is a piece of shit. Why the fuck did Wilder have to retire?”

The name Wilder seems to punch me in the gut.

God, I miss that girl.

It hasn’t even been thirty-six hours and I feel like I’m going crazy.

I glance toward the kitchen at Luke’s back. I wonder, for the twentieth time, if he’s thinking about her. And if so, what he’s thinking.

We haven’t talked about her. Jackson and I haven’t either. He’s been texting us about the dogs, and I love that. I’ve loved every photo he’s sent, and love that my friend is suddenly a dog dad. At the same time, though, every photo reminds me of her. The dogs, of course, but the glimpses of the cabin as well.

I shove a hand through my hair. Fuck, I’m so messed up.

“Hell yeah!” Tucker suddenly exclaims.

I turn back, expecting to see that the Racketeers have scored. Instead, I see something better. Elise Starling is crossing the room with a bakery box.

Actually, it’s Elise Starling-Wilder. Elise is married to Blake Wilder, the Racketeers ex-goalie. She also is best friends with Crew McNeill’s sister, who owns a bakery.

But even better, she’s dating our lieutenant, Aidan Burke. And that means she stops by occasionally when he’s working. And she never comes without a bakery box from Books and Buns.

I grin, but as she’s greeted by the rest of the firefighters and someone yells, “Burke! Your girl’s here!” it hits me that Elise is Brooke’s sister-in-law.

And I am again crushed by a wave of missing the sweet virgin who fucking rocked my world.

She’s not a virgin anymore.

Of course, that thought follows directly after.

Along with the memories of all the things that made her very much not a virgin anymore.

I’m scowling at the coffee table when Elise stops in front of me with the open bakery box, displaying the assortment of cookies, eclairs, and macarons she’s brought for us.

“Hi, Wyatt.” She gives me a bright smile.

I look up at her and wonder how often she and Brooke talk. Do they text periodically? Have they gotten to the point of being really good friends along with sisters-in-law? Elise is great and Brooke is amazing. Surely they get along really well. Does Elise know how Brooke is? Did Brooke tell Elise that she was stuck with us? Would she tell Elise she’s not a virgin anymore? And how that happened?

Elise snaps her fingers in front of my face.

“What? Sorry,” I tell her, forcing myself to focus.

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