Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“We’re going on a four-day road trip,” I mutter. “I’ll snuggle with you then.”
Aaron sidles up to me, lays his head on my shoulder, and bats his eyelashes. “Ooohhhh… I can’t wait.”
I shove him off with a chuckle.
“Actually,” Legend says. By the hesitant tone in that one word, we all go silent. His cheeks are slightly red. “I have some news of my own.”
“Pepper’s pregnant,” Erik guesses.
“No… not pregnant,” he replies with a dismissive wave. I’m not sure who knows it or not, but Pepper can’t have kids. Legend had told me when I was at his house for Christmas Eve dinner last year, although I don’t think that matters to them. They are both raising Charlie together, and they have talked about adoption in the future. “But… well… we sort of got married a few days ago.”
Dead silence.
We all stare at Legend, unsure if we heard him right, and, if so, unsure of how to respond.
Until Dax hollers, “Holy shit, dude. That’s huge!”
A few of the other guys still skating glance our way with interest, but no one approaches.
“That’s awesome,” Bishop says, holding his hand out to Legend. They shake and do a half hug, then the rest of us move in for similar congratulations.
“Why the rush?” Erik asks. “Or rather, why the distinct lack of a big fancy wedding with good food and alcohol for all of us?”
“No rush,” Legend says, starting toward the gate that will lead us off the ice toward the locker room. We all skate slowly along with him. “But as we were talking about it after we got engaged, we quickly realized we didn’t want a wedding. It wasn’t important to us.”
“Lucky,” Bishop mutters with a hint of envy. He and Brooke are having a huge, lavish destination wedding this summer as befits the only daughter of the Vengeance coach. But even as Bishop says that, I know there’s nothing he’d deny Brooke. Besides, he’s looking forward to getting shackled for life.
I distinctly remember what that felt like, although I’m not quite sure I want to go there again. That might be one of those things the bad memories keep me from.
“Well, I just wanted you dudes to know,” Legend goes on. “I’ll announce it at some point to the team, of course.”
“Fuck that,” Erik says as he reaches the gate and unlatches it. The ice has already been cleared. “We’re having a party at my house to celebrate your nuptials. You cannot do something this momentous without at least giving Pepper a grand wedding reception.”
“I don’t think—” Legend starts to say, but he’s cut off.
“You two are absolutely getting a party,” Bishop affirms with his “captain” tone—the one that says he’s not to be messed with.
“Damn right,” Aaron pipes up. “It’s bad luck not to celebrate a wedding.”
“But low key?” Legend asks with worried eyes. Erik has thrown some legendary parties since we’ve come to the Vengeance, and they can get out of control.
“I promise,” he says, even crossing his finger over his heart. I don’t believe him for a second.
“Okay, then,” Legend says with a grateful smile. “We accept.”
“This will be epic,” Erik says with a little too much glee.
“No strippers,” Bishop warns.
Erik appears genuinely hurt. “Dude… I’m a taken man. No need for strippers when I have Blue, but regardless… it will be a family affair. We’ll have Billy there, of course. Strippers were so last year for me.”
That’s probably true. Erik’s partying, playboy ways have been completely curtailed since falling in love with Blue.
Which is fine. Aaron coming to the team fills the shoes of the resident bad boy who likes to party and screw as many chicks as he can. The puck bunnies around here won’t go neglected, that’s for sure.
All of us are laughing and joking as if we don’t have a care in the world as we head back into the locker rooms. It’s just another testament to how good I’m feeling about my life lately… and how thankful I am that Nora came into it.
CHAPTER 23
Nora
My nerves have settled, and I’m actually enjoying myself at Erik and Blue’s house where we’d gathered to celebrate Pepper and Legend’s nuptials. It’s the first event Tacker and I have come to as an official couple, since I would definitely have to classify us as that now.
It’s been ten days since he fired me, and we started “dating”. In that time period, he was gone on a road trip for four days. On the other six, we saw each other. Sometimes, he’d just come out to the ranch for a few hours to help Raul out with physical labor. After, he’d join me on the porch for conversation. One night, he stayed for dinner with me and Raul. Sometimes, he took me out to dinner, giving me a chance to get prettied up for an actual date. Night before last, I went to a Vengeance game. Afterward, we went out for a private late dinner by ourselves.