Page 33 of Pucking My Grumpy Accidental Husband

Perfect.

I look up to find Jamie watching me with raised eyebrows.

"Your mom again?" he asks dryly.

"Team stuff," I say, which is technically not a lie.

"Uh-huh. Well, just so you know, I’m going to go visit my sister Sofia today and I’ll be back tomorrow."

Practice ends without any more incidents, mostly because I manage to keep my phone in my bag and my head somewhat in the game. But as I'm heading to the locker room, my phone rings with a number I recognize immediately.

"Hey, Em."

"Don't 'hey Em' me," my sister's voice comes through the speaker, and I can picture her sitting in her dorm room with that determined expression she gets when she's on a mission. "I'm coming home this weekend, and we're going to have a conversation."

"About what?"

"About whoever this mystery woman is that's got you acting weird. Mom says you've been different on the phone, happier but secretive. Jamie says you're humming during practice. And I know for a fact that you don't hum unless you're either really drunk or really smitten."

"I don't hum," I protest.

"You absolutely do. You hummed the entire morning after prom when you thought Sarah Miller might actually like you back."

"That was high school, Em."

"And you hummed for three days straight when you thought you were going to get drafted first overall."

"I was nervous."

"Exactly. You hum when you're nervous about something good. So who is she?"

I close my eyes, knowing I'm about to lie to my favorite person in the world. "There's no she, Em. I'm just... I don't know. In a good place with hockey."

"Bullshit."

"Why are you like this?"

"Don't deflect. I know you, big brother. And I know when you're hiding something. So either you tell me now, or I show up this weekend and interrogate you until you crack."

"There's nothing to tell."

"Fine. But just so you know, I've already booked my train ticket. And I'm bringing Mom's chocolate chip cookies as bribes for Jamie in case I need him to spy on you."

"You're evil."

"I'm thorough. See you Friday night."

She hangs up before I can protest further, leaving me staring at my phone and wondering how the hell I'm going to survive a weekend with my sister's detective skills while keeping my secret wife under wraps.

This is so much more complicated than I thought it would be.

Change of plans. Can we meet at my place instead? I'll cook.

Tessa

Your place?

Jamie's visiting his sister overnight. We'll have complete privacy.