Page 19 of One Pucking Surprise
“Exactly,” I reply, keeping my tone even.
He smirks. “Sounds simple enough. But what about you? What do I need to know about your family?”
“My family isn’t part of this equation,” I say quickly. “We’re only focusing on your reunion and Chloe and Wyatt’s wedding.”
“Fair enough,” he says, though his curiosity is clear.
I flip the contract closed, satisfied. “Alright. Do we have a deal?”
Zach holds out his hand, his grin widening. “Deal.”
I shake his hand, feeling a strange mix of relief and nervous anticipation. This is just pretend, I remind myself. Nothing more.
But as Zach’s eyes linger on mine, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve just agreed to something far more complicated than I expected.
Chapter 7
Zach
Thegymisalivetoday. We’re off the ice, focusing on conditioning, but the energy is just as intense. Blake Saunders, our left wing and team jokester, is shouting encouragement—or trash talk, depending on how you hear it—while Mason Cooper, our no-nonsense right wing, powers through a brutal set of sled pushes. Levi Walsh, our defenseman and the team’s toughest competitor, is firing a medicine ball back and forth with Max, one of our rookies, who’s doing his best to keep up.
“Come on, Max!” Levi’s voice booms across the gym. “Put some muscle into it. This isn’t a knitting circle!”
I shake my head, setting up for my next deadlift. “Ease up on the kid, Walsh. He’s barely old enough to grow a decent beard.”
Max grins, wiping sweat from his brow. “I’ll take whatever advice I can get, Captain.”
“That’sthe attitude,” I say, racking my weights. “But don’t let Walsh fool you. All that barking? He’s a teddy bear under there.”
Levi shoots me a glare, but there’s a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Keep it up, Darling, and I’ll have you running sprints till you puke next practice.”
“Relax, Levi. You’re going to scare Max into early retirement,” Blake chimes in, tossing a towel over his shoulder with his signature grin.
Wyatt steps up beside me, chuckling. “You’ve got them all wrapped around your finger, Captain Charming. Too bad you’re not as smooth on the ice.”
“Funny,” I reply, grabbing my water bottle. “Let me know when you’re done auditioning for open mic night.”
Wyatt leans against the rack, watching the guys finish their sets. “Seriously, though, this is good. Keeping everyone sharp, motivated. It’s what we need.”
I nod, the weight of my captaincy settling comfortably on my shoulders. “We’ve got to keep the momentum going. No excuses this season.”
The session winds down eventually, and most of the guys head for the locker room, leaving just me and Wyatt on the mats. He stretches outon the floor, arms behind his head, while I start rolling out my legs.
“You figure out the reunion thing yet?” he asks casually, his voice low enough not to carry.
“Got it covered,” I say, keeping my tone light.
Wyatt props himself up on one elbow, his eyebrows lifting. “Oh yeah? What’s your plan?”
“I’m bringing a date,” I reply, smirking.
Wyatt lets out a low whistle. “Well, that’s one way to shut your dad up. Who’s the lucky lady?”
“Lainey,” I say, lowering my voice and leaning in slightly.
His reaction is immediate. His jaw drops, and he sits up fully, staring at me like I’ve just sprouted a second head. “You seriously asked Lainey?”
“Yup.”
