Page 73 of If You Claim Me

“I think you have a new fan.”

I transfer him to one hand and pluck his water dish from his enclosure. There are woodchips in it, which happens on a regular basis. I cross over to the bathroom and stop short when I reach the threshold. The clawfoot tub is full of pink bubbles.

“What is all this?”

Dewey snuffles.

There’s a tray across the center with a stack of my favorite, well-worn books, a steaming mug of tea, and a plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries. A notecard sits on top. I set Dewey’s water dish aside so I can pick it up.

Flipping it open, I run my fingers over the pretty cursive.

Mildred,

My sisters and Meems had the most amazing time. They haven’t stopped messaging about how much they adore you.

Thank you,

Connor

Dewey nuzzles my neck, and I turn to kiss his head. “Maybe you’re not the only one with a fan.”

CHAPTER 19

CONNOR

We get our asses handed to us when we play against New York on an away game. It sucks, but they have Kodiak Bowman. Just when we think the guy is at the top of his game, he gets better.

Flip points at me. “We’re taking you out tonight.”

I glance to my right, where Quinn is shrugging into his dress shirt. The guy is a literal freckle factory.

Quinn arches a ginger brow, a sage smile curving his mouth. “He’s talking to you, not me.”

Flip does seem to be looking at me when I turn back toward him. I shake my head. “I’m good, man.”

He snorts a laugh. “You’re marrying my best friend in a week and a half. You’re not getting out of a bachelor party. We’re in New York City!” He motions to everyone. “Besides, Bowman’s already set everything up. You can’t disappoint him.”

“That’s dirty.” Of all the guys I played with at the Hockey Academy, Quinn and Kodiak were the two I stayed tight with.

His eyes light up. “Not as dirty as fucking my sandwich.”

“You fucked my shirt first,” I remind him.

“His lastcleanshirt,” Dallas chimes in.

Flip shrugs and claps me on the shoulder. “I promise it’ll be a fun time, and no one will be fucking anyone’s anything.”

Typically I avoid nights out with the team. I’m not particularly social at the best of times, and I’m used to being a problem—for my family, for my team, and now for Mildred. I don’t want my reputation to rub off on Kellan and Quinn, or any of the newer players on the team. It’ll upset my fiancée if I say no, which I can’t have, because an unhappy Mildred could lead to an unhappy Meems. In truth, I don’t mind when Mildred is annoyed with me. In fact I love it when she tips her chin up and regards me with defiant eyes. I’m thrilled anytime her attention is on me. But I’m realizing it’s even better when I earn her smile of approval.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“Bowman picked the place, so it’ll be low-key,” Quinn assures me.

Flip orders cars for the team, and we end up at a rooftop bar. It’s been rented out, so the entire space is ours for the night, which means no fans asking for pictures and no grainy photos taken out of context.

Kodiak greets me, pulling me in for a hearty back slap. “I miss having you on my team.” His smile is wry and questioning. “I must have been pretty wrapped up in my own shit not to notice you and Dred were a thing when we were in Aruba this summer.”

“I think we were all wrapped up in our own shit.” It’s not a complete lie. There was more going on in Aruba than many people realized. Especially when Tristan’s estranged mother showed up uninvited. Thankfully I was able to handle the problem without Tristan finding out she’d been there until after the wedding.