Tripping (Iced #2) - Kristine Allen Page 0,81

too, I was anxious to get changed and get out to my wife.

Yeah, I’d bit the bullet at the end of that first season and asked Bleu to marry me. She’d said yes, and we’d gotten married by the lake in my hometown over the summer. We’d flown her family up, and they’d hit it off with my parents. Our moms were damn near best friends now.

“Fuck yeah!” I roared back at Kris. Alex, Jordan, Dmitry, Jericho, Mikko, Isak, Mikhail, and Nate slammed into us, and we celebrated as a sweaty, stinking, excited group.

After disentangling myself, I stripped out of the rest of my gear and headed to the showers. I couldn’t get to Bleu fast enough.

“Catch up with you all at the Dog!” I shouted as I grabbed my bag and hurried to the family room. Bleu spotted me as soon as I cleared the door and raced toward me. I dropped my bag and caught her as she leaped into my arms.

“Oh my God!” she squealed. “You guys did it! I’m so happy for you!”

Her family and mine were standing behind her, patiently waiting to offer their congratulations too. I looked over her shoulder and gave them an exuberant grin. Hell, I hadn’t stopped smiling since the final buzzer had sounded, with us winning by a single point.

Everyone offered their congratulations, and we drove to the Dog in several vehicles. We snuck Jett in the back door with the owner’s permission, since we’d rented the back room out for a private party. Alex had a sitter, so he and Sydney had a night out.

“Remember what I said?” I schooled Jett.

“Yeah, I get it. No alcohol. Don’t worry, I know you stuck your neck out for me by getting me in. I won’t screw you over,” he said over the noise of the crowd. We bumped fists. If anyone out in the bar saw him, they’d never guess he was only seventeen. The kid was easily six-three and built like a brick shithouse.

The night had the potential to be a shitstorm, because Dmitry was there with some chick none of us knew. Crimson was there with some doctor she worked with at the hospital. When he thought no one was looking, he was alternating between casting her puppy-dog eyes and glaring. The glaring was mostly when Crimson’s laughter rang out above the crowd as she laughed at something her date said.

No one knew what the hell was up with them. They’d happily hooked up for about nine months, then Crimson was scarce and quit going to our games. No one wanted to ask, because the one time we did, he broke his stick against the wall and wouldn’t talk to us for days.

“Hey, can we step outside where it’s quiet for a minute?” Bleu asked in my ear. Pressing a kiss to her cheek, I nodded. We let everyone know we’d be right back. Her mom gave her a worried glance, and my heart started to pound nervously.

We stopped in the outdoor seating area. There were only a few tables occupied, but Bleu took me to the back corner by the fountain. She dug in her pocket and closed her eyes before flipping a penny into the rippling water.

Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I pulled her back to my front. “What was that for?” I asked, but she didn’t answer. She placed her hands on my arms but still didn’t say anything.

“Bleu?” I prodded. “What’s going on?”

She spun in my arms, and I saw the worry in her eyes as she bit her bottom lip.

“You’re kind of scaring me,” I said with a nervous chuckle. “Are we still good?”

She inhaled deeply, then said, “God, I hope so.”

My head cocked questioningly, and I frowned in confusion. “Tell me.”

So help me God, if she said she was leaving me, I didn’t think I’d survive. She’d been by my side for the past two years, and I loved her more than anything. Our life was damn near perfect. To say I was confused by her behavior was an understatement.

“Remember when I got that really bad sinus infection?” She dropped her gaze to stare at the buttons of my shirt. Her fingers plucked absently at them as she waited for my response.

“How could I forget? You missed three days of school, and you had me worried sick.” She never missed school unless it was a special occasion, so I’d insisted she go to the doctor because it was so out of