Page 81 of Power Forward

“Actually, why don’t you start with why you’re in my house?” Jackson asks.

“Because I had the best idea yesterday after you left, and being the genius that I am, I made it happen. So, if you would stop being cute, you’ll find out what it is.” He motions for us to follow him into the living room. “Come on. Don’t just stand there.”

I throw a worried glance to Jackson, who looks equally confused, but we follow Elliot into the living room.

I startle as a streamer pops, showering us with confetti.

“Welcome home!”

I place my hand over my chest, my heart beating rapidly against my breastbone. Holy shit, they scared the crap out of me.

Standing in the living room are Blaine, Alex, Jacob, Ethan, Zach, and Peyton.

“Kenny would be here, but he’s on kidlet duty,” Elliot adds, referring to the Thunder defenseman Adam Kendrick.

“And Carter is in Denver, but he said to say hey.” Zach smiles.

I’m about to open my mouth when the two angels who have stolen my heart jump up from where they were hiding behind the couch.

“Surprise!” Ryan and Isabela shout together, then proceed to burst into laughter.

“Wow…” I say barely above a whisper. I’m struggling to find any words because I wasn’t expecting this kind of welcome.

The kids jump off the couch and run over to hug me. I crouch down, wrapping an arm around them both.

“Did we surprise you?” Ryan asks quietly.

“You sure did.” I smile. “That was the best welcome I’ve ever had.”

Isabela’s arms tighten around me, her silent way of telling me how she feels.

When I stand back upright, it’s Blaine who talks first.

“We wanted to start off by saying we’re sorry that we’ve been shit friends to you—” He grimaces. “Sorry, I forgot there’s little ears around.”

“It’s okay,” Jackson says around a huff of laughter before Blaine continues.

“I know we work together on a professional level, but I, and I’m sure I speak for everyone here, do consider you a friend, and we had a bit of a reality check yesterday when your man yelled at us.”

My head snaps to Jackson. “You yelled at them?”

Jackson rubs the back of his neck, something he does when he’s not feeling so sure of himself. “Yeah, I was angry and scared and kinda let my emotions take the wheel.”

“It was warranted,” Zach points out, then looks at me. “The times when you’ve been there for us, both on a personal and professional level, have meant a lot to us, and we’re sorry that we haven’t shown you the same respect.”

I shake my head. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. Friends know where friends live. Friends check in on each other. Friends notice when friends are struggling and make sure they know they have support,” Peyton adds, and then his lips tip into a smirk. “And friends tell each other when they’re dating our teammate.”

Heat travels up my neck at the knowledge these guys now know, but I also feel overwhelmed. It’s been a long time since I had this. I can’t remember the last time I had more than two people in a room who cared about me.

“I…” I lower my head, feeling emotional. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Tell us you’re staying in Chicago,” Jacob says.

I turn my head to Jackson. A soft smile spreads over his lips, those blue eyes I love so much dancing with happiness.

“Yeah, I’m staying.” I take Jackson’s hand, interlocking our fingers together. “I’m not going anywhere.”

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