Page 118 of Shift Change

Chuck gave me the soft, goofy smile that always wrecked me. “Youareworthy of it, and I love you more every single day.”

He kissed me again—a real one this time—and I sank into it, remembering all the ways I was different now than before we met. I was better, calmer, and exponentially happier. So much of that was because of him.

When we pulled back, he looked into my eyes. “It was still a generous thing to do, building a place for her. Thank you.”

As wonderful as the moment had been, things were getting a little heavy, considering a bunch of our loveable asshole teammates were due soon. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, even if the cottage did take up half the garden.”

Chuck rolled his eyes. “I know how much you love working out here, but we still have the biggest garden around. There’ll be ten of us tonight, and we’ll have room for ten more.”

I held out a hand, tipping it back and forth. “Maybe seven.”

He snorted. “Whatever. Let’s finish this and check if Nana needs anything else. I don’t want her giving the leftovers to Riley.”

* * *

The grill was hot, the air was balmy, and the backyard buzzed with the laughter that came from too many hockey players trying to out-chirp each other over the sound of old-school hip-hop. Party lights sparkled overhead and threaded through the lower branches of the red maples, making the garden glow. The table was loaded with Nana’s masterpieces, and the beer tub was half-empty. This was summer’s last stand before training camp started next week.

Chuck had manned the grill with Gabe and Harpy flanking him like sous-chefs, and everyone cheered when they brought the last round of burgers to the table. Nana had been holding court, armed with her razor-sharp humor and lack of tolerance for anyone sneaking seconds before the three chefs made their first plates.

“Aidan Riley, if you so much as look at that potato salad again before the grillers get some, I’ll send you home with no dessert.”

Riley put both hands in the air, grinning. “Sorry, Nana. I was just admiring it. That paprika looks real fine tonight.”

“You’re not fooling anyone with that pretty smile,” she said, making the whole table roar.

Logan elbowed Brody. “I told you, she’s immune to his charm. Only person on Earth.”

“Besides me,” Gabe said, dropping into the seat on the other side of Brody.

Logan pointed his beer bottle toward Chuck and me. “Are we not going to talk about how fucking domestic these two are? They’ve got matching guest towels in the bathrooms, twinkle lights strung up everywhere, and an herb garden that smells like a spa. It makes me think of a gay Hallmark movie.”

“I amnotin a Hallmark movie,” I said. “There’s way too much swearing around here for that.”

Chuck grinned as he put a perfectly charred patty on a sesame bun. “And not enough reindeer.”

“I don’t know,” Luca said. “I caught you humming along to Sinatra when we got here. That’s dangerously close to a 1950s housewife.”

“Excuse you.” Chuck didn’t look up. “I am so far from being Nate’s housewife.”

Logan snorted. “I can guess what that means.”

“What’s wrong with being a housewife, anyway?” Nana asked. “The world used to be different, and I was a housewife for a while.”

“Sorry,” Luca said. “I guess that was out of line.”

“You bet your ass it was,” Nana said.

Riley grinned. “Nana, who’s the bigger pain in your butt, Dog or Holky?”

She didn’t hesitate. “Depends. Today Chuck’s ahead, but it’s still early evening.”

Chuck gasped. “Traitor.”

“Don’t sass me. You still haven’t brought out the iced tea.”

“You hear that?” Harper asked, elbowing Luca. “Nana’s keeping score.”

Luca swallowed a sip of beer. “Someone has to.”

---