Page 108 of My Brother's Best Friend

He kissed me softly on the neck. “Good girl.”

CHAPTER66

ALEC

“Ican’t believe we’re actually here,” I whispered to Maddie.

Shehadto be annoyed with me because that had to be the twentieth time I had said it during the past hour and a half of watching the Glaciers play in a game. But she sat in the stadium next to me, right outside the penalty box, and smiled.

No eye roll. No,Alec, stop it.

Just a supportive smile with a thigh squeeze.

“I’m so excited for you,” she said, gaze flickering across the ice as the puck glided to the other side. “I can’t wait until I’m watching you play in professional games.” She placed her head on my shoulder and sat on her hands, kicking her legs back and forth. “When we have a little family of our own someday.”

“Someday soon.”

Cheeks tinting red, she glanced up at me through those long lashes and giggled softly. “We’re still in high school, Alec. Not anytime soon. I want to get through college and have a stable life away from Redwood first.”

But I didn’t want to wait.

I had waited for years to have a family that wasn’t fucking dysfunctional like both of ours were. I had wanted Maddie for so many years, had been planning out what our lives could be together if I ever got up the courage to talk to her.

Maddie glanced down at her phone as it buzzed.Vera.

After turning off the screen, she glanced back up at the game when the buzzer sounded.

Another buzz.Vera.

“Aren’t you going to answer her?” I asked.

“I’m here with you right now,” she said with a grin. “Vera will understand.”

She slipped the phone into her purse, stood up, and took my hand. “Come on! Game’s over, and didn’t the coach say he wanted to talk to you before we headed back to the hotel tonight? This is the last chance you’ll get to impress him before we fly home tomorrow.”

Warmth spread through my chest, and I let Maddie lead me out of the stadium. Instead of waiting like everyone else did, she pushed her way through the crowd for us, throwing elbows in drunk men’s sides and stepping on feet.

“Maddie,” I murmured, grasping her hips, “if you’re not careful?—”

“You can fight, can’t you, Wolfe?” she hummed.

A low chuckle escaped my throat as I smiled at people Maddie had pissed off so I wouldn’thaveto fight anyone who decided she was being a bit too rough with the crowd. And thankfully, we made it out into the hallway without a scratch.

Once the crowd dispersed, we walked toward the head coach’s office. And I finally gathered the courage to knock on the door. This was the last time I would have to make a good impression on him. I wanted this so badly.

“Alec Wolfe!” someone called. Head Coach Welker walked down the hallway from the locker room toward us, a grin painted across his face from the Glaciers’ win tonight. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long.”

After he unlocked the door, we stepped into his office.

“It was great, having you this weekend,” he said, shaking my hand and smiling. “The team loved having you around. And”—he paused and glanced at Maddie—“hopefully, you’ll both be back soon.”

Maddie grinned and tightened her grip on my opposite hand.

“I hope so too,” I said, barely able to contain my excitement.

“Be expecting a call from us soon.”

Biting back a grin, I nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

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