Page 51

FIFTY-ONE

TYLER

“Don’t you dare,” Aiden hollers as Brooks leaves the goal wide open.

I throw my head back and laugh when my center falls to his knees, dramatically pouting over Brayden’s goal. We’re on the pond, playing the Langfield brothers—minus Beckett—versus Bray, Hall, and me.

If we win this game, then Aiden can’t sing during practice for a week. We’re not crazy enough to stop him before games—hockey players are superstitious as fuck.

Brooks, clearly on board with less singing, has been diving from the goal each time we get close. Hall is playing goalie for our team, but thanks to Gavin passing the puck to me instead of Aiden every time he gets it, Hall hasn’t had to do much work.

From the snowy sidelines, the girls cheer, Josie and Sara being the loudest. We picked the kids up after court and came straight home. Millie ordered pizzas, and Beckett and Ava’s mother stopped to pick up drinks on the way here, giving us a few minutes alone before we checked the kids out of school early.

I’ve never seen a smile as big as the one Josie broke into when she spotted Ava. My wife tried to keep her emotions in check, but as our girl hugged her like she thought she’d never see her again, we were both blinking back tears.

Josie knows that the adoption isn’t finalized yet, but that’s the extent of her knowledge. And I’d like to keep it that way. Until it’s a done deal, I don’t want her to worry or get her hopes up. But on days like today, I have to fight the urge to hold her tight and tell her we’ll never let her go.

Ava appears with a bundled-up Scarlett in her arms. Her mother follows, and Millie and Vivi trail behind.

“Best of three games?” Aiden says, drawing my attention.

Gavin shakes his head. “No. We’re going to eat pizza, then head home. We’ve got a game tomorrow. I don’t need my stars getting hurt during a game of pick-up because you’re a sore loser.”

“I wouldn’t be if you two weren’t throwing the game,” he whines.

Brayden barrels into me and gives me a good squeeze. “That was awesome!”

I hold him tight and choke back the emotion threatening to overwhelm me. This might be the first time he’s initiated affection since he moved in. There’s no way I’ll let him go too quickly. “Let’s eat. After everyone is gone, maybe we can get Ava and Josie out here later. Sound good?”

When we make it over to the fire where our crew is all keeping warm, “Belong Together” by Mark Amber is playing on the speaker and the atmosphere is light. Ava’s mom is holding Scarlett, which means my wife is seated in one of the Adirondack chairs all by herself. I stalk toward her, and without a word, I lift her up, then sit and pull her onto my lap.

With a contented sigh, she snuggles against my chest. Then she tips her head up and smiles. “Hi, husband.”

“Hi, wifey.”

“You know, that’s a really great idea,” Sara is saying.

“What is?” I ask.

“In April, the Bolts and the Revs will both be playing in Arizona,” Hannah says. “We could rent a house and hang out for the weekend.”

“I’m in,” Daniel says as he settles into an empty chair, beer in his hand.

Hannah eyes him. “Who said you’re invited? ”

He grins. “I’m always invited. Besides, you couldn’t possibly want to go away with all these couples alone. You need me.”

Head thrown back, Hannah guffaws. “Oh, Baby Hall, you have so much to learn. I don’t need anyone.”

“I don’t know if we could make it work,” Ava says as she watches Josie and Bray head for the house.

I squeeze my wife. “Maybe Maria could stay with the kids for the weekend. Have a few nights to ourselves for once.”

Lip caught between her teeth, Ava eyes me, unsure.

“I could help,” her mother says from where she’s cuddling with Scarlett on the other side of the fire. “If you’re comfortable with that. Your father and I could come down a few more times before that and get to know the kids. I’d like to be here as much as you’ll let me,” she says quietly.

With wide eyes, my wife looks from her mother to me, her every thought written on her face. She wants this. She wants a relationship with her parents, a fresh start. But she’s afraid to say so without checking in with me. I press a kiss to her forehead. “I trust you, Vicious. If you’re comfortable, that works for me.”

Those gorgeous green eyes that sucked me in two years ago search my face like she can’t quite believe all that’s transpired between us in that time. Or maybe just in the last twenty-four hours. Then her lips lift into a smile. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

“Yay! Family vacation,” Lennox cheers.

Chuckling, I look around the fire at the guys who started as teammates and have become my closest friends. I may not have been born a Langfield, but this group of guys, including Hall and Fitz, are the best brothers a guy could ask for.

This group of people—my wife’s best friends, her family, my guys, and our kids—are the only family I’ll ever truly need.