Page 247 of Pucking Around

“Oh god,” Harrison says behind me.

“Cover your ears, Mama Price,” says Tess as the others laugh.

“Hey—and my sister is here!” Jake calls, pointing at Amy. “I brought her all the way from Japan, so I win first dibs tonight.”

“Shut up and go skate!” Caleb barks.

Everyone around us laughs as Jake blows Caleb and I a kiss and skates off, shamelessly sporting my name on his back.

Ilmari drops his hand away from the glass, replacing his blocker as he lowers his mask down over his face. With a nod, he turns and skates away. Seeing the name Price on his back settles everything home for me. This is the second time he’s remade himself, claiming the family he wants, choosing his life. I have a choice too.

I lean in closer, both hands pressed against the plexiglass. “Ilmari Price!” I call, my warm breath fogging the chilled glass.

He pauses, glancing over his shoulder.

“Win this game, and I’ll marry you!”

All around me, our friends and family shriek with surprise.

Ilmari skates back over to me, flipping his mask up, his eyes on fire. “Say it again,” he growls.

“No way in hell am I waiting five years to make that name change legal,” I say, pointing at his jersey. “You wanna be a Price?”

Glancing to Caleb, he gives a curt nod.

“Then you’re going to be a Price,” I say. “Win this game, and I’ll marry you. Make it a shutout, and we’ll do it tonight.”

“And if we lose?” he says.

“You won’t,” I reply, giving him a knowing look.

His face is set in determination as he lowers his mask and skates off again to the cheer of the crowd.

“Jake is gonna lose his fucking mind when he finds out,” Caleb says next to me.

“He’ll be fine,” I murmur, taking his hand and bringing it to my lips.

“Oh, you think so?”

“I know so,” I reply.

“How?”

Turning to face him, I smile. “Because if I marry Ilmari, that meansyouget to marry Jake. And he truly couldn’t find a better man.”

His eyes go wide as he gazes down at me, a smile tipping the corner of his lips.

“Yeah, I thought you’d like that,” I tease. “But they win first. We don’t cave unless they win. Stay strong with me.”

“Fuck,” he mutters under his breath, watching as Jake skates past looking like our every dream.

“Oh, and there’s one more surprise left tonight!” Harrison calls from behind us.

I glance over my shoulder with a groan. I’m honestly not sure how many more surprises I can take. “What is it?”

Harrison points down to the rink where a team of people are rolling out a carpet onto center ice. A pair of men hurry onto the ice wheeling an amp and a microphone. Then a third man brings out an electric guitar on a stand.

“Oh my god,” I gasp, eyes wide. “You didnotrope him into this,” I say, turning to gape at Caleb.