“Good idea,” Vivian muttered. “I’m not stable, and I don’t want to hurt one of you.”

  “I’ll hold your other hand,” Naese offered. “We’ll get you to safety.”

  Cormac offered me his hand. I gripped it, and he tugged me upright. “You okay?” he asked again, quietly. “That was a tumble.”

  I shifted my shoulder, wincing. “It’s bruised, and I’ll be stiff for a few days, but I think I’m fine.” I watched as Vivi stuttered her way to the edge of the rink.

  “Have the trainer look at it. Just to be sure.” Cormac, ever the team captain, worried over us all. “We need you in prime health for the playoff opener next week. We have a trophy to win.”

  “So we do.”

  Maxim glanced at Belladonna. “You fucked his moment.”

  Belladonna dropped her head back to her paws and whined.

  “Don’t shame my dog,” I said. I petted Belladonna’s head and gave her a good scratch. “You’re a good girl. Maxim’s just an ass.”

  “Blade wouldn’t behave so poorly.”

  “Need I remind you of the racoon incident?” I asked.

  Maxim’s resting pissed-off face shifted into a darker scowl.

  “I bet Naese’s balls still shrivel whenever anyone says racoon,” Cormac said with a snicker.

  “Stop talking about my d—er, package,” Naese called. “There’s a lady present.”

  I skated over to Vivi, ignoring my teammates. “Want to get those skates off?” I asked.

  Vivian surprised me. “Okay, but I’d like a lesson sometime soon, please. So that next time we skate, you don’t have to be so concerned about me.”

  I cupped her cheek and kissed her. “There’s nothing I’d rather focus on than you.”

  “Er, dude, I think you’re supposed to say a championship,” Stolly said out of the corner of his mouth. “Especially with the captain right behind you.”

  I continued to gaze down at Vivi, much more interested in the play of emotions across her face. “Cormac knows I’ll focus on the game. He knows I’m all in for the Cup. But he also knows that Keelie’s his top priority.”

  “He’s not wrong,” Cormac mused. “Except you forgot my son. My family is my top priority.”

  I kissed Vivi—just a soft buss. “Exactly.” I pulled back and looked at the crew. They’d formed a loose circle around us. “What’s up? Why are you here?”

  “Well…mostly to skate,” Cormac said. He fidgeted. That meant something else was going on.

  “Wait. Where are your wives?”

  If these guys weren’t at practice or at a game, they were with their partners.

  “You are shit at this,” Maxim rumbled.

  “It’s not easy to deliver subterfuge,” Stolly muttered.

  “It’s got, like, subtle in it, and we’re not really known for being subtle,” Naese pointed out. He winked at me.

  Cormac threw up his hands, clearly exasperated. “Why don’t you come to the locker room?”

  Stol rubbed his hands together. “We have a surprise!”

  “Way to ruin it,” Maxim said. He stomped off, grumbling.

  “He’s really bad at social interaction.” Naese shook his head.

  “And somehow he got a wife before most of us,” Stol said with a shrug.

  “You okay with heading off the ice?” I asked. “We’ll do the lesson some other time. I promise.”

  Vivi nodded. “We should ice your shoulder.”

  I’d worked hard not to wince, but she was correct. My whole side throbbed as we exited the ice and put on our regular shoes. I raised my eyebrows as I heard voices spilling out into the hall from the locker room. When we got there, they transformed into whistles and whoops.

  Hana came over and hugged Vivi, who seemed shell-shocked. “What…?”

  “This is a surprise engagement party since you surprised us by getting engaged,” Hana said, beaming.

  “We’re having it here because we found out you were already here,” Paloma, Coach Whittaker’s wife, said. “I would have preferred to have a gathering at our house, but we’ll do that soon.” She offered me her hand with a friendly smile. “Welcome to the CATS.”

  “Thank you,” Vivian said.

  “We also needed to eat a bit of crow,” Millie said. “The guys did better than we did with you two.”

  “Did you just admit—” Stol began.

  “Don’t push your luck, big guy,” Millie said, smirking at her husband.

  He chuckled as he reeled her to his chest. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Millie, my love.”

  “They really did do a good job,” Keelie said. “The doggy date was inspired.”

  Vivi looked up at me and smiled. “I like to think Lennon and I figured it out all by ourselves. Though I did enjoy meeting all those wonderful dogs and their people.”

  “Whatever helps you sleep at night—or not,” Naomi said with a wink. “Now, let’s party!”

  Chapter 34

  Chapter

  Lennon

  * * *

  The engagement party wound down early—another reason Coach had hosted it at the arena, no doubt. We knew what was at stake: our chance to win the championship. Life continued to ebb and flow around us, but we needed to stay focused on that goal.

  The next week passed quickly—even with my mom’s last round of chemo—thanks to watching film and lots of practice and weightlifting. I hated to admit it, but I could feel the bruises from my tumble to the ice more than I would have ten years ago. The weights weren’t a problem, and my overall conditioning was excellent—I could beat the rookies in sprints. But as this season pushed into the playoffs, I was feeling my age, and I wasn’t sure how many more seasons I had in me. I wasn’t sure how many more I wanted to play. What a change of mindset this year had wrought. I was starting to see what retirement could look like, what I wanted it to be—more time with my family, more time with Vivi.

  I hung up the phone as I settled back on my mom’s couch. Vivi had been getting Mom ready for bed. Mom hated that she was so weak after her treatment, but Vivian had a gentle, no-nonsense way of working through ordinary tasks that made them more palatable.

  “Hey, fiancé,” she said as she plopped on the couch next to me. She wore a pair of mid-calf leggings and a flowy tank top. She looked relaxed, and I liked her that way. She leaned closer and kissed my throat then wrapped an arm over my chest and threw her leg over my thighs. I couldn’t help but grin at having Vivian so close.

  “Who were you talking to?” she asked.

  “First, how’s Mom? Really?”

  Vivi patted my chest as she nuzzled into my neck. “She’s good, Lennon. She’s doing everything she can to get back to healthy, and it really seems to be working.”

  I blew out a breath. “So…Dr. Carmichael wasn’t overstating her current situation?”

  She shook her head. “She wasn’t. I think your mom’s going to live a healthy life for a long time.”

  “She’s been so upset since her hair fell out…”

  “I know. That’s a hard part of this process.” Vivi squeezed me. “It’ll grow back, though. And your mom won’t have any cancer cells left.”

  I took a deep breath, easing tension out of my shoulders. “You’re right. I know you are. It’s just…”

  “She’s your mother, and you’re worried about her.”

  “Exactly.”

  We were quiet for a while. I kissed her temple because I could. “I was talking to Camden Grace.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Really?” she breathed.

  I frowned, not liking how dreamy her expression had become. “Do you like him? Because he’s happily married.”

  Vivi grinned. “I think there are many women and probably quite a few men who enjoy looking at him. Plus, his voice is very pretty, too.” She flicked my lower lip, making me aware I was pouting. “Stop that. I love you, and I’m very, very happy with you. But that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t fan-girl all over Camden Grace.”

  “Now I’m not sure I want to work with him.”

  “I think you want to work with him,” Vivian countered.

  “Yes. You’re right. He called now, before we’re in the playoffs, to bounce off some ideas.”

  “So…where will you fit into all of this?” she asked.

  “Wherever I want,” I told her. “He’s building the apparatus. Then I get to decide if I want to take over a leadership role or simply be a spokesperson. Either way, I get to do something worthwhile and improve lives of dogs and people.”

  She snuggled against my side. At least it no longer hurt too much. That was key since we had a game tomorrow. “That’s so cool. Do you know what you want to do?”

  “Not yet. I figure you and I need to work that out.” I hesitated. “I have one more year on my current contract. Then I can retire.”

  She sat up and tucked her legs underneath her. “Is that something you want?”

  “Six months ago, no. Now…” I sighed as I scrubbed my hand over my face. “Practices have gotten harder. I’m taking longer to recover.”

  “Aw. Poor big man. Are those bruises bothering you?”

  “Yeah,” I grumbled.

  “I won’t say you should have iced it⁠—”

  “Thanks. I love you,” I said.

  She leaned forward and kissed my cheek. With my beard shorter, I could feel the heat and softness of her lips. I liked the sensation. A lot. There were many firsts, seconds, and fiftieth times with Vivi that I liked a lot.

  “Lie down, and I’ll give you a massage,” she said.

  “That could lead somewhere naughty,” I said even as I stood and helped her up so I could lie down on the couch. She settled her cute little butt on mine, and I smiled, liking the idea of Vivi straddling me.

  “But it won’t because we’re at your mom’s place,” she said sternly.

  I sighed because she was right. Then I moaned as she slid her hands down my back to the knotted contusion on my ribs. It didn’t hurt, exactly, but I needed a moment to breathe through to the release of tension. “Oh, I meant to tell you. That house I was interested in is definitely going up for sale.”

  Her hands stilled, resting lightly on my sides. “What?”

  “We can go look at it tomorrow morning, before I have to head in for the game. It’s in Cormac’s neighborhood, near Hana, too. The place is bigger than here with a bigger yard to get you that dog you don’t think I know you’re stalking.”

  Instead of denying it as I’d expected, she lay along my back, the heat from her body warming my muscles further. She rested her cheek on my uninjured shoulder and wrapped her arms on either side of my torso. I loved her affectionate nature, and I realized she hadn’t been able to express her love for anyone this way in a long time.

  “You think the puppy would get along with Belladonna?” she asked.

  “Of course.” I lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. She closed her fingers around it, making me smile. It was the little things, really, that made me so damn happy.

  In a quick move, I reared up, snagged her from my back and tucked her gently into the cushions before settling atop her. I shifted my hips so my erection pressed against her softness. “Now this is absolutely the best massage of my life.”

  She wound her arms around my neck. “Not going there. You were talking bigger houses and yards and fur babies.”

  I rocked against her softness. “I’ll give you any type of baby you want, Vivi.” I kissed her long and slow and sweet—the way she deserved.

  “I…just want you right now,” she said.

  I chuckled as I trailed my lips down her neck. “You’re going to be a great mom.”

  “I’ll start with a puppy. I can’t mess that up too badly because I’ll love her and feed her, and she’ll love me back.”

  “I’ll help you with anything you want.”

  She tilted my head up so I met her gaze. “I know.”

  “So…bigger house, adopting a dog together, planning our future post-retirement.”

  “Oh, we are, are we?” She rolled her hips up to tease me.

  “Damn straight we are.” I turned serious. “I want us to be set up—you doing what you love, us finding new hobbies and passions together.” I stilled because we really couldn’t take this any further right now. “I want to be involved in the day-to-day work of the foundation,” I told her.

  She smiled at me, all soft and full of love. “That’s a wonderful idea, Lennon. Just wonderful.”

  Chapter 35

  Chapter

  Lennon

  * * *

  The next morning we arrived five minutes early to the showing, but the real estate agent Cormac had suggested was already there, bustling through, turning on lights.

  “Ah! Mr. Cruz, Ms. Lee. Come in, come in,” Sherri smiled, her highlighted hair never moving as she shook our hands and led us through what she called a grand room and into the kitchen. Vivi’s hand quivered in mine as we took in the high-end range and built-in refrigerator. The place had enough granite countertops for tamale assembly, something my mother and sisters would like. There were double ovens and a built-in pantry in addition to a large eat-in nook and a good-sized formal dining room we could use to host family dinners or the guys and their wives.

  Overall, the house was a bit smaller than some of the other ones in the neighborhood with only three large, airy bedrooms—but the primary was upstairs with distressed hardwoods, a large walk-in closet, and a fireplace Vivi cooed over. As I’d been told, there was a large pool with a quaint pool house in the acre-plus backyard.

  The house was perfect for Vivi and me and even for the couple of kids I might already be fantasizing about having in the future.

  “You think Mom will like that?” I asked.

  “I do. I could live there,” Vivian answered.

  “Nope. You’re inside, in the great big bed we’re going to share.”

  Sherri smiled indulgently. “If you’re interested, Mr. Cruz, I suggest we put in an offer today, before the house officially goes on the market.”

  I looked at Vivi, and she gulped.

  “Let’s do it,” I told her. I’ll pay the asking price in cash.”

  Sherri nodded, her hair still locked in place, as she strode off to make the call.

  Vivi’s eyes widened even more. “I forget you’re rich.”

  “Not as rich as some of the guys, but I’ve led a simpler life, and I have my condo, which has appreciated well. We’ll sell it when and if we want the cash on hand.”

  Vivi shook her head. “Most people have to do a contingency contract and make sure their existing place sells before they can afford to buy a new one.”

  I scooted closer, grasping Vivi’s hips and bringing them flush against mine. “I’m not the average man.”

  She shimmied against me. “I know.”

  Sherri strode back in, a wide smile on her face. “Congratulations. You’re about to be homeowners.”

  I looked at Vivian who beamed back at me. Sherri slipped quietly back out the door. We needed to sign documents, and I had a huge sum to transfer, but all that could wait a couple of minutes. This was about Vivi and me. About us starting our lives together, building our future. Damn, it felt good. “I can do this comfortably for us,” I told her. “It’ll be nice to have you all to myself, with all of our little comforts. Plus, now we can host a barbecue.”

  Vivi wound her arms around my neck. “I love you, Lennon. I love how kind you are to your family, to your friends, to me.”

  “Now that we’re buying a house—our first house together—let’s celebrate with a win tonight.”

  She kissed me deeply, leaving us both out of breath. “For luck,” she murmured.

  We won that game and the next three, which propelled us into the second round of the playoffs. We won those games, too, increasing our winning streak and forcing the sports pundits to find loads of superlatives when it came to discussing the Wildcatter organization.

  We were able to expedite the closing, and Vivi and I moved into our place during the break after our fourth win, since we had to wait for the other two teams to duke it out in their series.

  “It’s going all seven games,” Maxim told me when he and Ida Jane stopped by with a housewarming gift. Naomi and Adam followed them in, and ten minutes later, Hana, Naese, Stol, Millie, Cormac, and Keelie were all in our grand room, enjoying a drink and some healthy snacks while I fired up the grill.

  “Good thing I went to the store while you were at Mom’s,” I told Vivi. My mother hadn’t wanted to move in with us, but Mia, my sister, was more than happy to take over Vivian’s bedroom. She was saving for her own house, and Mom’s place cut her commute in half. Plus, Mia understood that Mom might be on the road to recovery now, but she was aging. Mia hadn’t focused much on family for the past ten years, and I could tell she was trying to make up for lost time.

  “I’m glad Mia’s there, no matter the reason,” Vivi said. “Your mom came through her therapy really well, but you never know when a body will react.”

  “I think you should think about sticking with private nursing,” I said.

  She raised an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

  “Well, you seem more relaxed, happier than you were when talking about your work schedule back when I met you, and because I like knowing I get to see you when I’m home.”

  She smiled and kissed me. “All good reasons. We’ll see. Much as I love nursing, I may need to find something else to fulfill me.”

  “Whatever you want, Vivi.”

  She bit her lip. “Well…”

  I waited.

  “I was wondering about helping out with the foundation, now that that’s moving forward. Being a kind of liaison between service members and their VA doctors or whatever? Someone who could help with their prescriptions and develop tailored nutrition, exercise, and medical plans.”

  My chest warmed. “That’s a fantastic idea, and exactly what Camden and I want to do for these guys.”

  She blew out a breath as she blinked at me. “Really?”