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“H ow did you get away with him not knowing you were coming here?” Poppy says, eating her nacho and cheese with absolutely zero shame.

Then again, if and when I ever get pregnant, I’d be the same way.

“I told him I had to work tonight, and he’s been busy. Seeing as it’s game day, he didn’t really have time to ask me any more questions.” I shrug, grabbing one of her nachos and dunking it in the cheese.

“I hope you didn’t double-dip.”

She scowls.

“So what if I did? They are my nachos. I can triple-dip if I want.”

I laugh because even if I can be a tad feisty, I have nothing on Poppy.

She’d scare me if she wasn’t so cute.

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Ryder mentioned you have this bucket-list thing.” She gives me an odd look.

“Which is kind of weird because you’re not old enough to be concerned about kicking the bucket.”

“Wait, is that why it’s called a bucket list?” Gemma says, her eyes wide.

“How did I never know that?”

“What does it mean to kick the bucket?” Amelia says, frowning.

“Why would anyone kick a bucket?”

I cringe, and Maci gives us both a look that says, Shut your mouths , before distracting her with candy.

“Anyway, moving on,” Poppy says, grinning proudly.

“One of the things on it, I heard—because your boyfriend told my husband, and my husband has a huge mouth and told me —is to see Wicked on Broadway. And guess who worked on Broadway and still has connections there.” She nods quickly, eyes wide.

“You guessed it—little ol’ me. And my friend Sutton choreographs some of their shows. So, my point is, I can get you amaaaazing tickets.” She shoots me a warning look.

“And trust me, there are some seats that are literally to die for. You’ll feel like you’re smack dab in the middle of the show.”

“Aww, Poppy.” I pat her leg.

“You’re so sweet. Sometimes anyway,” I tease her.

“I would love that. Actually, we should make it a girls’ trip!”

“Ooh, yes,” Maci chimes in.

“I’ve never been to a Broadway show.”

“I went to one once, but I’ve always wanted to see the Wicked show!” Paige says, clearly excited.

“Count me in!”

“Same! I’ve never even been to New York City,” Gemma adds in.

“First thing I want to do is try a hot dog from a stand though.”

“Oh, yes.” I nod.

“I love a good hot dog.”

“Bet you’ll get a good hot dog tonight,” Poppy utters, nudging my side.

“You know, from what I’ve heard, it’s more like one of those huge sausages you get at the fair.”

My head snaps toward Amelia, and I sigh in relief when Maci’s hands are over her ears.

“You guys are the biggest perverts,” Maci utters.

“Thank God the game is back on. Can we stop comparing Ryder’s … body parts to fair food? Please. ”

Poppy and I both cringe before we burst into laughter.

I turn my attention back to the game, my eyes landing on my man.

And, oh … how I can’t wait till this game is over and I can jump his bones.

FaceTime is fun and all, but his sausage?

So much better than my toys or fingers.

This team has been tough as nails since the second they stepped onto the ice.

If we weren’t tied with them, they were up by one goal.

But now, it’s three to three with a few measly seconds left on the clock.

I’d consider the game over, except we have something that Vermont doesn’t have.

We have a center named Logan Sterns, who is a complete fucking animal on skates.

He also happens to have the puck, flying toward their goal like a flash across the ice.

With just a few seconds remaining, Logan scores, sending the entire arena into pure chaos.

The cheering is so loud in here, but these are the moments in hockey I love.

Where two teams battle it out till the very end and the better one—or the better one on this particular day—comes out on top.

This season has been trying.

Losing Rowan—thank fuck—and then Kolt, too, wasn’t ideal.

Yet somehow, we’ve made it through and continued to push ourselves harder than ever before and keep going.

I crash into Logan, gripping the shield on his helmet.

“Damn it, Sterns, I’d kiss your handsome face, but Maci might come down here and murder me,” I say, grinning before pounding his back with my glove.

“You’re the real MVP, brother.”

He flashes me his signature smirk, smacking my back.

“Aw shucks, Ry. You’re making me blush.” He turns his body to undoubtedly wave at his daughter and Maci.

Grinning back at me, he jerks his chin toward the stands.

“I mean, you’re handsome and all, but I don’t think Maci would be the only one who was pissed.”

I frown, following his stare.

My eyes widen, and I can’t believe it when my eyes lock with those of my hot-as-sin girlfriend.

She waves and blows me a kiss as she stands with Maci and Amelia on one side and Paige, Poppy, and Gemma on the other.

She’s wearing my jersey—as are a lot of other motherfuckers in this building.

Yet, on her, it makes my cock twitch because it means she’s mine.

Her hair isn’t as light as it was before she dyed it brown, but it’s back to being blonde.

I’d love her with any color hair, but now she looks more like herself, and I like that.

Slowly, I hold my hand up and wave.

I smile like a freshman in high school who just talked to a senior, throwing every ounce of cool out the window.

“I thought she was working tonight,” I murmur, thinking out loud.

I haven’t seen her in weeks.

I mean, we’ve talked on the phone a lot, texted a ton, and had a likely unusual amount of FaceTime sex, but in person?

Not since North Carolina.

Fuck going out tonight.

The only place I’m going to be is between her legs.

Leaving Sterns in the center of the ice, I skate toward the plexiglass and wait for her to run down the stairs toward me.

Her curled hair bounces as she takes each step until she reaches the bottom and presses her hands against the glass.

“You’re here,” I say, putting my gloved hand against hers.

“I thought you had to work. How are you in Maine and not South Carolina?”

“I lied,” she answers with a small shrug.

“I actually don’t work in Charleston anymore, so it might be weird if I went into work there.”

Her eyes twinkle, and her smile broadens as she waits for the words to register with me.

“You don’t work in Charleston?” I murmur so low that I’m sure she barely hears me.

“Not anymore.” She shakes her head.

“Starting next week, I’ll be back at Casco Bay General Hospital.”

I stare at her, my head spinning because last I knew, she still had months left on her contract.

“How?” I ask. “I thought …”

“I’ll tell you all about it later,” she says, narrowing her eyes slightly.

“After I get you naked, of course.”

She says the words loud enough that I’m sure the people around her can hear her, but I don’t give a fuck.

I might have to tell Coach I’m not feeling well just to get out of dealing with interviews tonight.

I need to bury myself inside of Saylor before I lose my mind.

“Nice jersey.” I wink.

“I hope you don’t plan on changing out of it tonight.”

Even through plexiglass, in a loud-as-fuck arena with thousands of people surrounding us, I can practically feel her heart beating.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Pretty Boy,” she coos, tilting her chin up.

“Now, hurry up, would you?”

Skating backward, I keep my eyes on her as I head toward the exit.

When it comes to getting my hands on that woman, I definitely don’t need to be told twice to hurry my ass up.