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Circling around, he skates over to me. Whatever he or Coach has to say at this point makes no difference to me. I just want back on the team plane and back to my fiancée.

“Your head has been in the toilet this whole away series, man. We can’t do this without you.”

“Yeah, well, there are bigger things in life than just hockey,” I respond.

Fire swarms his eyes. “Not when we’re on the ice.”

He skates away, ready for the re-start, and I know we'll probably concede again between now and the final five minutes of this game.

“Fucking slow down, will you?”Jessie races up to me, his carry-on trailing behind him as I make for the parking lot in the private airport.

“Your little legs struggling to carry you?” I jest, looking over my shoulder.

He scoffs. “I’m six-two and hardly small!”

Picking up the pace, he finally catches up to me as I pop the trunk on my Range Rover, a new car I bought to get ready for the twins’ arrival, and throw my case inside.

“She’ll be okay, you know. She’s a big girl.”

“Something’s bothering her, and she won’t tell me. It's freaking me out, to be honest.”

“You think she’s…”

“Getting cold feet?” I finish for him.

This is exactly how Lauren was in the weeks leading up to our wedding. I told myself she was just nervous. In reality, she was fucking my best friend. Not for a second do I think Kate’s cheating on me, but something’s off.

“I don’t think that’s the case.” Jessie leans against my car, the streetlamps our only source of light at ten p.m. on a cold December night.

“Something’s eating at her.” I squeeze my car key in my hand. “Fuck me, man, if she says she can’t marry me, I’ll…she’s fucking everything to me.”

He rests a palm on my shoulder and squeezes. “Get back to her.”

I look at him. I’ve been so out of it this past week that I haven’t spent much time with him, but he hasn’t been around much, either. “Where were you last night anyway? I didn’t see you at the bar.”

He flushes slightly, and I notice, even in the dim lighting. “Out.”

“With…”

“Yeah.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. “But for fuck’s sake, keep it to yourself.”

I nod. “Are you two?”

“Sleeping together?” He laughs. “No. But I did take her out.”

“And?” Jesus, it’s like pulling teeth.

He runs a hand through his dark blond hair. “And…I want her, and I think she wants me.”

I hold out my fist to bump him, but he leaves me hanging.

“Yeah, I don’t feel like celebrating right now. Just head back to your girl and let me know you’re okay.” He taps the hood of my car on his way over to his.

“You’re all set for Banff, right?” I shout.

He waves over his shoulder. “Yeah, your mom texted me last night to confirm my measurements.”

When I get home,Kate is asleep on the couch, the soft blue blanket she brought from her apartment half draped over her ever-growing stomach. Even when she snores, which she absolutely does, she looks stunning.