Page 49 of Forecasting the Forward

“Is not here,” she interrupts. “Go find the car. I see my bag, and I’m sure yours is right behind it. I’ll be fine.”

I warily let go of her hand and trudge outside, immediately finding the car service Coach told me to look for. Honestly, he’s been incredibly accommodating this week. It probably also helps that I haven’t so much as missed a game, or practice, in his entire tenure as head coach, and he knows it won’t be repeated. I honor my obligations.

“See? I told you it would be fine. Look at me, I’m being a grown up,” Becca says, huffing as she drags our suitcases behind her. “What the hell is in this thing? It weighs a ton.”

“I’m an over-packer,” I tell her with a grin. I like shoes, and I know I travel with too many. I make a mental note to message the pet sitter who checks in on my girls while I’m on away trips, to see if she wants to make some extra cash. I’ve spread out in my walk-in closet, and I’ll need to make room for Becca. I’m sure she’s going to fight me on moving in, but this is one area where Iwill not make concessions. I don’t trust her brother … and I want to be close to her.

After throwing the bags in the trunk, I open the back door with a flourish. Gesturing to her to get in first, I say, “after you, my lady.”

Once settled, Becca turns to me. “Are we going to the game, or a hotel?”

“Game. I’d rather not piss off Coach.”

“Is it bad that you weren’t here earlier?”

“Yes and no. He knew we’d be late, and it’s unusual for me to be off schedule in any way. But I also don’t like to deviate from things, especially on a game day.”

“I’m nervous,” she admits.

“Why?”

She gives me a shy smile. “They’re your family.”

I love that she recognizes how important my hockey family is to me. Levi already told me he got a good first impression after our failed double date, and he’s rarely wrong about people. But Becca doesn’t know that yet. “They’re going to love you.”

“Are there any other wives or girlfriends there? Do any others travel with the team?”

“Sometimes. It’s more likely when they’re from that city. I don’t think anyone from the team is from Cleveland, though. Had I traveled from Indianapolis, I’d know more. I’m nosy when I’m bored,” I tell her.

Becca giggles lightly. “I don’t find that hard to believe at all.”

I do the old move of stretching my arms up, then sliding one around her shoulders. “Just wait until I start sending you tons of memes and videos.”

“Oh, you’rethatguy?” she laughs.

“Only for my wife.”

I don’t miss the subtle shiver that dances down her spine. Yes, wife. I like calling you that as well.

Becca hasan absolute death grip on my hand as we walk through the halls of the Cleveland arena. She’s been completely silent since we pulled into downtown, and I haven’t forced her to talk. I’m a pretty patient guy, and something tells me I need to let Becca work through things in her own time.

“Why are there pictures of basketball guys on the wall?” she whispers, making me chuckle quietly. “Are we in the right place?”

“They share the facility with the professional basketball team, just like we do in Denver,” I explain. When she doesn’t respond, I say, “I’m guessing you didn’t know that either.”

“It didn’t occur to me, but now I feel like a dummy, because I’ve been to both kinds of games, and I never realized they were at the same place,” she admits, her cheeks turning pink.

“You’re not a dummy. I think at least half the population assumes every sports team has their own space, but in reality, most hockey and basketball teams share the same arena.”

“I should know more about Denver, I guess,” she says somewhat sullenly.

“Why?” I ask as we’re led past the locker rooms. A dull roar begins to increase the closer we get to the ice, and even out of uniform, I can feel my blood begin to pump. If Coach let me dress, I’d get on the ice right now.

Becca shrugs. “I’m an introvert, and I don’t do the nightlife scene. My idea of a fun night is reading on the couch. I love my job, but I think I live in my own bubble while there. I shouldknow more about what my co-workers report on, for crying out loud.”

“Well, I don’t think you should feel forced to learn about things you have no interest in just because you think it’s expected of you. If you don’t like sports, why would you know about the teams, or where they play?” A Wolves employee sees me, and I tip my chin to him. “Let me go talk to this guy and see where we need to go. Stay right here.”

“Wait, uh, Jacob?” Becca says, tugging me back to her as I begin to walk away. “Is my makeup okay?”

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