Page 39 of Rookie Season
“We can’t book a venue until I know lead times on my dress.”
I swallow my sigh at Brooke’s words. Since I proposed, I’ve been wanting to get this thing done. The conversation with the guys outside reminded me how important this is—how important she is.
The sheer difficulty of being a top athlete and maintaining a healthy relationship… It’s not fair to my girl how much I’m gone, the demands on my time, all the nights I come home beat.
“Come on. Let’s go bake something,” I say.
“Really?” Her nose scrunches up.
I lift her chin with a finger. “What did you have in mind?”
“Let’s go skating.”
Nova agrees to join, plus Chloe.
We get dressed for the weather and head outside, Waffles yipping happily at our heels.
Brooke makes a beeline for the shed, where Ryan said he found his saw. The outbuilding only has two pairs of skates, but…
“Toboggans!” Brooke exclaims as she spots the two sleds. “There’s a hill on the other side of the rink.”
“You’d rather fly down a hill than skate?” Nova asks.
“Have we met?! Obviously.”
They laugh, and I carry the toboggans that way. Fortunately, they’re both wider than children’s ones, though it’ll be a tight fit.
“Clay didn’t want to come?” Brooke teases as we walk. The fur lining the hood of her jacket sways in the wind.
“Skating isn’t his thing. There’s a limit to his whimsy,” Nova says.
“You guys know each other so well,” Chloe observes. “I never thought I’d see him find his person—well, other than himself.”
The women all laugh.
“Yeah. He’s definitely used to going it alone. I try to show him it’s more fun together.” Nova’s sweet face is bright.
“What’s up with Ryan and Sierra?” Brooke asks. “I think he has a thing for her. He always looks for her at the bar.”
“I mean… she’s the bartender,” I reply.
“Does he hook up on the road?”
I zip my lips. “Not talking. Bear code.”
Three pairs of eyes stare me down. Chloe’s unsurprised, Nova’s disappointed, and Brooke’s like, Are you fucking kidding me?
“But…” I relent a little. “I think he misses having someone to call him on his bullshit.”
We get to the top of the hill and peer down. The sun glints off the snow, and more snow is coming down.
“Well, only one thing to do now.” Brooke perches at the front of the sled, gathering Waffles into her lap. Both of them looks up at me.
I put my hands on the back of the toboggan.
Brooke twists around. “You don’t think all three of us will fit?”
“We’re damn well going to try.”
