Page 67 of Snap Shot

“You gotmarried?”

The vague text on the group chat asking if he could bring Skylar over before the annual 'Twas The Night Before Dry Land' party didn’t prepare us for this.

Fletch lunges forward, pulling Jaeg into an unexpected hug. “Congrats, man!”

Their smiles waver as Wade shoots daggers at each of them. The swollen veins on his right temple wind like a snake, jaw clenching tight. “What. The. Fuck?”

Fletcher retreats behind the couch, knowing to get out of our teammate's way.

“When—how—where?”

I switch my gaze between the two guilty parties, mouth curled to one side, baffled by this spur-of-the-moment decision. It's no surprise they'd get married, but not yet. Not like this.

“We flew to Vegas over the weekend.” Derrick pulls Skylar to his side, clasping their newly banded fingers together and palming her waist. A protective, possessive stance. Much needed from Wade's standing height and building temper.

Skylar frowns, her brown eyes going darker and rounder than they usually are. “I thought you'd be happy for me.”

Wade ignores her, menacing eyebrows dipping while staring Jaeg down. In one large stride, he's nose-to-nose with the d-man. It doesn't seem to matter that he's two inches shorter and probably forty pounds lighter—though seven years younger—than our captain, who also happens to hold the third highest enforcer score in the league. “If this was your idea” —he stabs a finger into Derrick's chest and grits through his teeth— “I'm gonna fuckingkillyou.”

“Whoa, whoa,whoa.” I bound toward them but fail to separate their torsos.

“It was mine, for the record.” Skylar wraps a petite hand around her best friend's finger and gives him a gentle shove.

Wade snorts and escapes her grip, then stomps off, withdrawing into my kitchen around the corner.

“Damn it. I'm sorry, my love.” Her hand cups Derrick's jaw. “Let me go talk to him, okay?” He turns to kiss her palm and nods. She squares her shoulders and marches after Wade.

“Are you mad at me, too?” Derrick grumbles.

I exhale and face him. “No. I thought we'd get to be a part of it. Feel like I missed out on a really important moment, I guess.”

He initiates an embrace. “I'm sorry, man. This is what she wanted. And I love her so much, I can never say no. I already had the ring.”

“I knew it was gonna happen sooner or later.” I clap him on the back. “Sooner is better, eh? How'd your families take it?”

“Good. They're already planning a reception-party-thing.” He shrugs. “My only rule is that Skylar gets whatever she wants.”

I puff my cheeks and heave my chest to fake gag, then mime swallowing the acid down. “We get it. You're in love. No need to rub it in.”

“Quit being a jealous prick.” Jaeg shoves me. “You'll be the same one day. Anything going on with you and that gym chick? Or are you still wanking yourself to sleep every night?”

“Oh,uh—” Still wanking myself to sleep every night.

A fist pounds loudly into the kitchen counter, interrupting us. Good thing, too. I don't want to deal with explaining what happened over the weekend to him while he's riding the high of a whirlwind wedding.

“Walton Quade Boehner! Will you grow the fuck up and talk to me?” Skylar sounds more like his mother than best friend.

Fletch cringes and hisses. “She used his full name.”

Never a good sign. He, Derrick, and I poke our heads around the kitchen wall in a Three Stooges-style slow peek to snoop.

“You robbed me!” Wade cries, the arm he points at Skylar shaking through real, giant man tears. “Iwas supposed to walk you down the aisle after your dad died. You promised me!Me.I was supposed to get you blind drunk during your bachelorette party and cry like a baby when seeing you in a wedding dress instead ofright fucking nowafter you've got a ring on your finger and changed your last name.”

All rigidity leaves her body. “Oh, honey. Come here.” She holds open her arms and rounds the island. It's a ridiculous sight, Skylar's petite frame comforting one of the tallest goalies in the NHL. Seeing our nosy faces, she waves us off, shushing and rocking to soothe Wade.

People can say what they want about our tendy: that he's a goof-off, an unserious jock, a fuckboy. It's all true. But we know what's underneath the armor. When you have his affection, he gives it his all. And he loves Skylar more than any other woman except maybe his mom.

We watch some black-and-white western on TCM until Wade and Skylar emerge, arms curled around each other's sides.

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