Page 121 of Heart Taker

“Wow, you two are insanely hot together,” Selwin remarked.

This time, both Silas and I offered up our favorite finger.

“Ew, stop,” Jo muttered. “You’re talking about my brother.”

Selwin chuckled and clapped his hands. “Come on, guys, I’ve ordered dinner. You look like you need it.”

I nodded and passed over my keys. “Make yourself at home. We’ll be right there.”

Jo followed Selwin, helping him with the bags, the two of them talking over each other.

“So, our life is crazy right now.” I sighed.

I was scared that I’d fucked up, but also, deliriously happy that I’d chosen Silas, and best of all, that he’d chosen me.

“Are you still in?” I whispered.

“Baby, don’t even ask me that.”

Silas pulled me in tight, until our foreheads touched and we shared the same breath.

“I’m sorry, my head’s spinning in a million different directions right now,” I admitted. “First, I’ve got to deal with all these messages. Can’t wait to see how the school administration is going to deal with us as a couple. I’m probably going to get fired. Selwin has a point about the championship, but the optics aren’t in my favor.”

“I think life will be a bit of a shit show when word gets out, but eventually the news will die down,” Silas replied and squeezed me tighter. “And no, I don’t think they’ll fire you. But a lot will depend on the team’s reaction. I’d say you better call Dave and Nora back and figure out a plan to tell the guys before they hear about it online.”

His voice was steady, and I gazed into my husband’s beautiful eyes.

“How are you so calm?” I asked.

“I don’t fucking know,” he blurted out, and his blunt confession made me chuckle. “No, that’s not true. I do know. I know me, and I know you. This is our life, no one else’s. If other people don’t like it, fuck them.”

“I hope you feel that way a month from now when I’m climbing the walls from boredom.”

Silas grinned. “Baby, my gut instinct tells me that the team will have our backs. Don’t ask me how I know, I just do. The guys respect and admire the hell out of you.”

“They did?—”

He kissed me again and silenced my worries. “Have some faith, all right?”

“That’s my line.”

“We can share it.” Silas cupped my face. “Let’s go make those calls.”

I nodded. “I’m on it.”

“We’reon it. You and me. Teammates for life.”

Silas

Damien and I held off on dinner, and settled into his office, replying to Nora’s message with a video conference call that included Dave. The reaction of the school’s president was muchlike Dave’s, shock at first, until her media training kicked into high gear.

“We need to get our PR people on this now,” Nora insisted. “I want photos, interviews, you name it. The two of you need to sell this HEA and sell it hard. You’re a winning hockey duo, champions in sport and in love. We keep the focus on the fact that you’re happily married, and we’re good.”

The shocks kept on coming…

“Nora, what are you—” Dave interrupted.

“This doesn’t mean that I’m pleased about this turn of events,” she interrupted and gave us an icy glare. “A heads up would’ve been appropriate given the seriousness of this situation.”

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