Page 49 of Pucking Unhinged
“Are you still fighting about our son dating Hayden’s daughter?” she teases, her voice singsong, because deep down us girls love the little spats.
Hayden’s nostrils flare, his glare focused on Callum because he can’t argue with Lilac.
Callum doesn’t miss a beat. “No, he just can’t count, and I won the?—”
He doesn’t get to finish, because Hayden slams his chest into him, hard enough to make Callum grunt and stumble, laughter exploding from the rest of us as he tries to catch his breath.
Tristan catches my eye and winks before casually throwing gasoline on the fire. I love this playful side of him, even if Hayden’s about to lose his mind. “I wouldn’t let my son or daughter date a Lockwood.”
Hayden freezes, his jaw clenching so hard I swear I can hear his teeth grind. He doesn’t like the idea of anyone’s son dating his hypothetical daughters, but the thought that Tristan doesn’t think Hayden’s offspring isgood enoughfor his? That has him ready to combust.
“Maybe Tristan will have a daughter, and Callum will have a daughter, and we’ll have sons,” Madi says sweetly, mischief in her tone. “It’ll be the perfect match.”
I bury my face against Tristan’s arm to smother my laugh. When I finally peek out, Hayden’s still glaring, so I add lightly, “I don’t think my daughter would want to date Hayden’s son.”
I wink at Madi, and her smile says she knows exactly what I’m doing, just poking the bear. She likes when he’s riled up, it’s clear as day on her face and the way her eyes light up at his antics.
Hayden’s brows pull together, curiosity flickering despite himself.
“I just think,” I continue, fighting to keep my voice even, “if I have a daughter she’d probably want to date someone athletic… someone who can actually play a sport, and I just?—”
The laughter bursts out of everyone before I can even finish. Hayden points at me like I’ve committed treason. “Stop it, Winter! I’m not falling for that again.”
He skates off in a huff, yelling about how he is thecaptain, leaving Callum doubled over and Tristan shaking his head with that quiet smirk that always makes my stomach flutter.
Madi lifts her cup of high, hot chocolate steaming, mini marshmallows bobbing on top. “To the next generation,” she declares, her eyes soft but shining. “May they find friends who will become family like we did. And may they carry on our tradition of coming to this pond for every vacation and holiday they possibly can.”
I lift mine too, warmth seeping into my gloves, into my chest, and I know I’ll remember this moment forever.
Hayden comes to a sharp stop right in front of us, ice spraying everywhere, well, on everyone except Madi, because the asshole is very much in control when he’s on the ice. She laughs as he leans down, cupping her chin for a kiss like he hasn’t just soaked the rest of us.
“This place really is special to all of us in some way or another,” he says, his voice softer than usual for Hayden.
I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. “Yeah, you proposed by the pond. And Callum proposed right over there by the fire pit. And Tristan…” I glance toward the tree line, my chesttightening with such a special memory. “He proposed all the way up in those trees that overlook the pond.”
Hayden’s eyes widen, and then they cut straight to Tristan. I can’t believe we made it this long without him finding out that we too got engaged in his sacred place, that isn’t just his.
Tristan doesn’t waste any time and takes off across the ice, and Hayden’s about to chase him. But since the snowfall thickens, heavy flakes spill down like a curtain, Madi catches his arm, her glove small against his bulk. “You’ll have to kill Tristan another day,” she teases. “I’m starting to shiver.”
And just like that, Hayden’s fury collapses under her smile. He presses another kiss to her lips, the storm forgotten in favor of keeping her warm. Just like that, he’s quiet, diligently swapping his skates for his boots so he can get his girl back to the cabin and warmed up.
When Tristan makes it back over to me, he grabs my hand, tucking it against his chest as he leans down, his mouth brushing over mine in a kiss that feels like delicious heat against the cold night air. “Merry Christmas,” he murmurs.
It hits me then that it’s after midnight.
Christmas.
He tilts his head toward his bike, that he thankfully covered before it started snowing heavily. “I should get you back to the cabin. It’s snowing harder, and I don’t think it’s going to stop anytime soon.”
“I like it,” I whisper, tilting my face up to the sky, letting the flakes melt against my skin. The world feels quiet, muffled, like it belongs only to us.
The other two couples aren’t quiet, though, their laughter carries through the trees as they head toward the SUV, Hayden and Callum still half-arguing over who won the game tonight.
Tristan wraps his arms around and I burrow into his chest, his body heat seeping through my jacket. His hands slide lower,gripping my ass through the leggings. He squeezes hard enough to make me bite my lip. His mouth brushes my ear, voice low and amused. “How do you think Hayden would feel if he knew we christened his proposal spot?”
WINTER
Ican’t hold back my laugh, breathless and giddy. “I can’t wait to find out,” I tease.
