Page 90 of Pucking Strong

Shae just waves him back, eyes only for me. “Tell us what’s going on, Teddy.”

“And tell us why the team flew us out here—”

“Do we get to keep these jerseys?”

“Can we get some popcorn?”

My niece, Camila, steps in, tugging on Jayla’s sleeve. “Mom, I have to go to the bathroom—”

“Alright!” I throw up both my hands. “Everyone, can you juststop? I feel like I can’t fucking breathe!”

Momtsks, finally breaking her silence. “Language, Teddy. Come on now, I know I raised you right.” Placing a hand on my shoulder, she looks in my eyes, rooting me to the spot. “Just take a breath. Then start at the beginning.”

I wrap my hand around hers, giving it a squeeze. Then I take that deep breath and let it out. Then I start at the beginning.

Well, I start atabeginning.

They don’t need to know that Henrik is the player who swept me off my feet six years ago. Like I told him after the ESPN interview, that story is just for us.

And they don’treallyneed to know about my deep and abiding, totally one-sided crush. Again, what does it really add to the narrative? They want to know why I married him, and that reason hasn’t changed. Slipping my phone from my pocket, I hold it up and press the little green camera button under Hanna’s name.

“What are you doing?” asks Jayla.

“You all want to know why I married Henrik? I’m showing you.”

Before they can respond, Hanna picks up the call. She’s in the kitchen. I can see flour dusted on her chin. “Hey, Teddy. Everything alright? We were worried before—”

“Hey, Hanna,” I say, cutting her off before she can recount for my entire family how freaked I was at finding out they were here. “Can you pass the phone to Karolina? I want her to meet my mom.”

“Of course.” The phone jostles as she moves over to Karolina’s side.

“Hej, Teddy.” Karro waves with her good arm. She’s propped up on a bar stool, sticky whisk in hand. “We’re making hallongrottor!”

“Yum. Save me some?” I have no idea what a hallongrottor is, but Hanna is an amazing baker. And it’s great therapy for Karro. Just seeing her sweet little face makes me feel so much better. Henrik may wantusto be temporary, but me and this little girl? In a few short weeks, she’s become the ketchup to my freaking mustard. “Hey, honey bun. Would you like to pause your baking for a sec and meet a real queen? She’s the most beautiful queen in all the lands.”

She practically flings the whisk aside. “Yes!”

Laughing, I wrap an arm around my mom’s shoulders and anglethe phone down, fitting us both in the frame. “Princess Karolina, fairest in all of Swedenhamshire, may I present my mother, Queen Keziah of … Atlantia.”

Mom nudges my ribs, lips pursed in annoyance, as the rest of the family chuckles. But her expression softens as soon as she takes in the little girl with the casted arm and the sad, faraway look in her eyes. “Well, look at you,” she coos, reaching up to wrap a hand around mine on the phone. “Hello, Karolina. I’m Teddy’s mama. But you can call me Miss Ziah.”

Hanna translates everything, even though I know Karro can understand just fine. Unsure of what to do, Karro holds up her stuffed purple bear, showing it to the camera.

“Isn’t that a pretty bear?” says Mom. “Does she have a name, honey?”

Letting her nerves get the best of her, Karro says something in Swedish. She’s always nervous around strangers. So different from the fireball who giggles with me on the couch.

Mom glances to me, clearly worried she’s upset her.

I just smile. “The bear is a boy, Mama. And his name is Teddy, just like me.”

Dressed in my full hockey kit, I make my way down the hallway, protective covers on my blades. Nothing about this day has conformed toanyof my typical pregame rituals. If I were a more superstitious player, I’d probably be breathing into a bag by now. Instead, I’m skipping my final equipment check to meet my new mother-in-law.

“He’s just through there,” says Brady, pointing down the hall to where an open door waits. Patting me on the padded shoulder, he disappears.

As soon as I enter the room, Teddy hurries forward. “I’m sorry. Henrik, god, I’msofucking sorry to bother you. But I was freaking out because I didn’t want you to feel ambushed or, like, throw you off your game or—”

“Where’s your mother?”

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