Page 47 of The Hockey Contract

"You look happy," he observed, pausing the video.

"The Seattle Children's Hospital charity gala selected my bakery to provide desserts!" I couldn't contain my excitement. "It's the biggest event of the season—over four hundred guests, including the mayor, local celebrities, and major donors. And guess who else will be there?"

A smile tugged at his lips. "Who?"

"The entire Seattle Kraken team," I declared triumphantly. "Which means my professional world and your professional world are officially colliding."

Jax leaned back in his chair, looking genuinely pleased. "That's fantastic, Sienna. The gala's a huge deal—televised locally, major press coverage."

"I know! It's an incredible opportunity for the bakery." I perched on the edge of his desk, my excitement making it impossible to stand still. "I'm thinking of creating a signature dessert just for the event—something with the Kraken colors, maybe. Though blue food isn't particularly appetizing..."

"What about those blue macarons you made last week? They were good."

I blinked in surprise. "You remember those?"

"Of course." He looked slightly offended. "I ate six of them."

"I thought that was Sprinkles being sneaky."

"Sprinkles doesn't have that refined a palate." His eyes crinkled slightly at the corners, the closest he usually came to smiling. "When's the gala?"

"Three weeks from Saturday." I felt a flutter of anxiety mixed with my excitement. "That doesn't give me much time to plan and test recipes."

"I could help," Jax offered, then immediately looked as surprised by the offer as I felt. "I mean, with tasting. Not actual baking. Though I did master chocolate chip cookies."

"One midnight baking session doesn't make you a master," I laughed, touched by his offer nonetheless. "But I'll take you up on the tasting part."

The conversation might have continued in this comfortable vein if Jax's phone hadn't rung, his mother's name flashing on the screen. He excused himself to answer, and I busied myself organizing the stack of mail on his desk, not intending to eavesdrop but unable to avoid hearing his side of the conversation.

"Yes, Mom... No, that's not... Wait, what? When?" His voice sharpened with what sounded like panic. "Next week? But I have games... No, of course, I want to see you both..." He looked at me with an expression of pure alarm. "Yes, Sienna will be here... No, you don't need to... Fine. Yes. Email me the flight details." He hung up, looking shell-shocked.

"Everything okay?" I asked cautiously.

"My parents are coming to visit. Next week." He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I'd learned indicated stress. "They want to meet you properly. My mother says a courthouse ceremony without family present was 'barbaric' and they need to make up for lost time."

"Oh." The full implications hit me. "Oh."

"Yeah."

We stared at each other, both realizing simultaneously how unprepared we were for this level of scrutiny. Knowing basic facts about each other for a photoshoot was one thing; convincing loving, observant parents we were genuinely married was entirely another.

"We need a crash course," I said, moving into problem-solving mode. "Everything couples normally learn during dating—favorite colors, foods, movies, childhood stories, embarrassing moments, family dynamics... all of it."

Jax nodded grimly. "Exactly. We don't have nearly enough information to pull this off."

"When do they arrive?"

"Wednesday. Six days from now."

I took a deep breath. "Okay. We can do this. We just need to... get to know each other. Properly."

Jax stood, suddenly decisive. "Dinner first. I'll think better on a full stomach. Then we'll tackle this."

An hour later, with takeout containers scattered across the coffee table, we sat cross-legged on the living room floor with notepads like students cramming for an exam.

"Favorite color?" I asked, starting with basics.

"Blue. Dark blue, specifically. You?"

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