needed sniffing salts. But we wouldn’t be friends if we didn’t make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m asking,” Lavoie says.
“And then I’m asking how things went with Muffy.” Klein wiggles his brows.
I almost throw a punch.
But for what?
“I kidnapped Muffy and made her move into my apartment when we got back, and now I don’t know if she’s staying, or if we’re dating, or if she’s gonna take my car and drive to Kansas or Vermont or somewhere that’s basically anywhere but here and never talk to me again.”
I wait for my body to recoil in horror that I put it all out there, but instead, mild relief settles into my bones.
I can’t talk to my sisters about this without drama—and yes, I’m ignoring a billion texts that have my phone regularly buzzing in my hand, none of which are Athena or Cassadee texting me back with answers—and while I could talk to West, he’s still in his honeymoon phase with Daisy and everything in his world is all women and children are the best thing to ever grace this earth.
Or possibly I’m afraid if I tell my brother that I might be falling for Muffy, it’ll be more real than if I tell my teammates and the bunnies that my relationship status is currently it’s complicated.
Duncan sighs. He grabs me by one arm. Rooster gets me by the other. Klein leaps ahead to open the team lounge door.
“When you say kidnap…” Lavoie mutters as they march me inside.
“I didn’t shove a bag over her head and stuff her in my trunk. I ordered her to get back in the car and then packed a few bags full of her stuff, got her cat, and took her to my place instead of letting her live with her mother one more day.”
Klein snorts. “Dude, that’s not kidnapping. That’s saving.”
“Muffy’s the one with the hot mom, right?”
All of us glare at Rooster, but Lavoie’s the only one to speak. “Say that again, and I’m calling Zeus Berger myself for ideas on making your life hell.”
“ZB! I love that guy.” Rooster whips a Sharpie out of his back pocket. “Started carrying this to sign the fans’ foreheads like he used to.”
Lavoie stops, but Rooster keeps going, which makes them yank me like the rope in tug of war.
Connor’s gaping at Rooster. “Dude. That’s not… You don’t… Fuck, man. I heard a rumor Zeus and his wife are thinking about moving back here—don’t tell Murphy, it’s a surprise—and you can’t take his thing. He’ll kill you. And not like easy kill you, but like, master of torture kill you. You can’t steal his signature move.”
He’s right.
Ares’s twin brother is devious. Both of them are. Ares just hides it better.
And if you pick on one Berger twin, you’re going after both of them.
Rooster Applebottom clearly knows no fear, because he merely grins wider under his cowboy hat. “Dude retired. He’s old news.”
“Been nice knowing you,” I tell him.
“Yeah, back to a problem we can solve.” Klein looks at my crotch. “Still having performance issues?”
“No.” Maybe. Shit.
“Muffy know?” Lavoie asks.
He’s all business with a hint of sympathy, and suddenly everything’s okay.
My teammates have my back. They’re asking about my dick because they care. And if I tell them to have Muffy’s back too, they will.
“She has her own problems,” I reply.
The team captain nods once. He’s divorced. I don’t know details. Happened before I got called up. But I know it means he had in-laws and there was a time in his life when he put someone else as number one above hockey.
Klein pulls us through the foyer and fully into the lounge. Frey and Murphy are already there, both with their families. Frey’s daughter is toddling around between the well-loved couches. Murphy’s burping his little guy while the women laugh about something.
But they all stop when we walk in.
“Tyler!” Kami gives me the universal look of are you okay? “I knew something was weird about Muffy’s date request, but I swear, I had no idea it was for a funeral. I probably should’ve known it was something bigger than a ceremony thing.”
My phone buzzes six more times in my hand, all my sisters.
Guilt creeps over my skin, heating my scalp and face.
I have two awesome families. My sisters might drive me nuts, but they’re there. All married to great guys I could call for backup on anything in an instant. Not that I’d need to. West would have my back first, if Daisy didn’t beat him to