Page 12 of Best Man
“Seems like just yesterday I was a rookie. Now I’ve got six seasons under my belt. Point is?” Jax snapped his fingers. “It goesfast, man.”
Niko grinned. “Listen to you. Only one day away from getting married, and you’re already talking like it’s all over. You sure you wanna do this?”
“You’re such an ass.” Smiling, Jax retaliated with a backhand to the Russian’s chest. “You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m just kidding.”
The gravel road rounded a bend and something briefly caught Niko’s eye. Tucked away in a clearing surrounded by trees were two conical structures with fabric roofs. The small buildings disappeared from view, lost in the trees, just as quickly as Niko had spotted them.
“Hey, what were those funny buildings back there?” Niko asked.
“Yurts. Piper actually grew up in those. Wild, eh?”
“They look like tents.”
“Sort of, yeah. The roof is fabric but the walls are solid. They really made the most of it, but I don’t knowhowthey lived there for so long.”
“How long did they live there?” Niko asked.
“Well, right up until”—Jax pointed ahead, where glimpses of a white house flashed through the trees—“we built the ol’ dream house on the new property.”
The tree line cleared and the two-story farmhouse came into full view. Standing two stories, the brick and simple white siding house was accented by black frame windows and a metal roof. A similarly styled guest house stood nearby, tagging along like a little brother.
“Wow! Look at this place—what an upgrade!” Niko pounded Jax’s shoulder. “Her parents must really love you. Best son-in-law ever.”
Jax laughed. “Hey, don’t forget, Piper made a ton of money with her app. She’s put even more cash into this project than I have, believe it or not.” He grinned. “But yeah, I’d say they like me alright.”
“I bet,” Niko snickered.
They drove past a giant wood barn, which was also clearly new, too. “And that’s where we’re holding the reception tomorrow.”
“Nice.”
Jax pulled into the driveway outside the house and killed the engine. The shuttle pulled to a stop next to them. The party bus was already living up to its name, with rowdy shouts and dance music blaring out its open windows. The passengers scurried off the bus, laughing and talking with drinks in hand. One of the Devils players whistled. “Nice pad, Big Rig.”
Everyone congregated, standing around and making small talk. Two older people came walking up to the group. Jax introduced them to Niko first. “Kevin, Laurie, I want you to meet Niko. He’s my best man. Niko, these are Piper’s parents.”
Niko shook Laurie’s hand first. “Pleasure to meet you, Laurie.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Niko,” she said, smiling. “We were just talking about you, actually.”
Niko shot Jax a look. “Uh-oh. Sounds like I’m in trouble already.”
Something about the way Laurie laughed said he wasn’t far off the mark. Niko reached to shake Kevin’s hand next. “Nice to meet you, Kevin.”
“Mr. Eaglestorm,” the graying farmer growled. Both men had giant hands, but the farmer’s grip continued to tighten like a vise, as if he were trying to crush the hockey player’s hand.
The hell?Niko wondered, and he began to squeeze Kevin’s hand back just as hard.
Laurie noticed, put an end to their bizarre standoff, and quickly ushered Kev—sorry,Mr. Eaglestorm—away.
“The hell is his problem?” Niko wondered, inspecting his smarting hand.
Jax laughed. “Ah, I wouldn’t worry about it. He’s all bent out of shape because of the wedding, but really, that’s because he’s a big ol’ softie at heart.”
Niko tutted. “Softie? The old man almost broke my hand.”
The girls suddenly broke into a note of elation.
