Coach smiles at me and pats my knee.

  “I do.” I nod eagerly.

  “Good. Bud is an idiot. A line like you guys comes around once in a career, and he would have blown that up for reasons I’ll never understand.” He shakes his head. “Oh, and my daughter also showed me your declaration post of that picture of the tattoo. I’ll never understand why people tattoo each other’s names on their bodies, but I think a lot of Chicago will be happy to see you so happy. Back in my day, you held your cards close to the vest. You kids just put it all out there. It’s refreshing.” He presses a button on the phone on the table next to him. “Shirley, make a reservation at that new Italian restaurant and call Glenda and tell her I’m picking her up at six for a date.”

  Shirley says okay, and his finger releases the button.

  “Now you’re making me a romantic,” he says.

  “Thank you, Mr. Gershwin. I really appreciate the opportunity to play for you.”

  “You don’t have to thank me. You earned your spot.” He looks at Coach. “Scared you, huh?”

  Coach nods. “I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

  Mr. Gershwin laughs and puts up his fingers, a little space between his pointer and thumb. “Okay, I like to scare a little bit. It’s fun.” He shrugs.

  To him maybe.

  “You said the second issue was who is going to replace Tedi?” I prod.

  “Oh yes, I wanted to mention my daughter. She’s the one up on all this social media stuff. She said she liked Tedi’s angles on your campaigns and would like to talk to her.” He takes a card out of his pocket and slides it across the table. “I just hate the idea of her being out of a job because she found love. What kind of happy ending is that? Tell her to call my daughter. She has her hands in a lot of companies. I can never keep them straight. It’s some clothing company she’s been trying to get off the ground.”

  I pick up the card. “Thank you. I feel like I need to promise you I’ll win the Cup. This is all so generous.”

  He shrugs. “You don’t have to guarantee the Cup, but it would be nice. I love a girl who gave up her dream to marry me and raise our kids. She says she’s never regretted it, but I think had she been able to have a career and be a mother, she would’ve preferred that. Her overinvolvement in my kids’ schooling and extracurriculars says she’d probably be better at running this organization than me. It was different times then, though. Anyway, I guess when you have four daughters and never want to see them sacrifice anything, it changes your way of thinking.”

  I pocket the card. “Thank you again.”

  “You’re welcome… again. Now go tell the girl.” He points toward the door.

  I stand and shake Mr. Gershwin’s hand, and when I try to say thank you again, he shoos me out of the room.

  I go back down to the locker room, grab my bag, and order my rideshare, eager to get back to tell Tedi that we have a home base. A place to start the next chapter of our life together.

  Sixty-Six

  Tedi

  I blink. Then blink again. There’s no way I’m seeing what I think I am.

  I bought the pregnancy test just to make sure since I enjoy a drink now and then. My nipples have been extra sensitive lately, and I’m late by two weeks. Regardless, I really didn’t think I was pregnant.

  But I’m pretty sure those are two pink lines.

  I bring the stick up to my face and squint just in case I’m seeing things.

  Yep, two lines.

  I bring the stick closer to the light because maybe it’s fainter than I think.

  Nope, bright pink.

  Well, shit. He knocked me up the first time I had sex with him. Go fucking figure. Only us, I swear.

  Get ready, Tweetie Sorenson. You’re gonna be a dad.

  Sixty-Seven

  Tweetie

  There’re so many choices, and the lady is growing impatient with me, but it has to be perfect. Especially since she’ll be wearing it for the rest of her life.

  All the diamonds sparkle under the overhead lights, and I ask the lady to take out another one. I inspect one closer, bringing it up to my eye, making sure there aren’t any flaws.

  Yep, it’s perfect.

  I bring it to the light to make sure it sparkles enough.

  Yep, super bright.

  It’s the one. This ring was made for her, so I tell the lady to wrap it up.

  Get ready, Tedi Douglas. You’re gonna be a wife.

  Sixty-Eight

  Tedi

  I had to get out of Tweetie’s condo, so I went to the coffee shop that everyone loves, got a tea, and people-watched for a few hours. Tweetie texted to tell me he was delayed after practice, so he wouldn’t be home for a while anyway.

  I have no worries over whether Tweetie will be happy about this baby, but I wanted to be by myself to come to grips with it and what it all means.

  What will our life be like with a baby? We don’t even know where we’re going to live at this point. And being pregnant and then a new mother is going to make it more difficult to get a new venture off the ground.

  My hand falls to my stomach, and I rub my still-flat belly. I admire the families walking by the window, some looking a little frazzled or tired.

  The longer I sit here, the more I feel ready to conquer this next step of my life. Especially with Tweetie. Sure, we haven’t had a lot of time on our own since we’ve gotten back together, but we have years behind us where we traveled and had time alone.

  My phone dings on the table, and I pick it up, seeing a text from Tweetie.

  Where are you? I’m home, and you’re not. :(

  I laugh and type out a quick response.

  Right around the corner. Do you want a coffee?

  Just you.

  My insides flutter.

  On my way.

  Hurry.

  I take one last sip of my tea, dump it in the trash, and leave the coffee shop.

  When I get to The Nest, I type in the security code, not even bothering to tear down the handwritten sign. Let those girls think they have a chance. What’s wrong with a little hope?

  I climb the stairs, wondering what this will be like with a baby carrier. Probably not ideal.

  I open the condo door and don’t see Tweetie in the main room. “For someone who says they missed me and wanted me to hurry, where are you?”

  “In here. Sorry.” Tweetie steps out of the doorway of his bedroom, and he’s wearing that mischievous smirk I love.

  My stomach drops as I wonder if he found the test. But I stashed it way in the back of the cabinet under the sink. There’s no way he found it.

  “What’s going on?” I narrow my eyes.

  “What? I can’t be excited to see my girlfriend?” He breaks the distance and hugs me, tucking his face in my neck and inhaling. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you too.”

  He kisses the hollow of my neck and tugs me by my hand into the bedroom. “So I got you a gift,” he says, and I see a wrapped box on the bed.

  “Oh, how nice.” I pick it up and sit on the bed. “Do you want me to open it now?”

  “Yes.” His blue eyes are wide and expectant.

  My head tilts. “You’re acting weird. Is this some prank or something?”

  “No. It’s just something I’m excited to give you.”

  I study him for a few seconds, then tear off the paper. “A journal.”

  He grabs a similar one from the dresser. “It’s a matching one to mine. Brand-new ones to start our brand-new life together.” He hands me his, putting it on top of the one he got me. “I got you some fancy pens too.”

  I smile. “I love them.” I go to hand his journal back, but he straightens and takes a step back from me.

  “Flip through it, make sure you like mine before you rip open the cellophane on yours.”

  “I’m sure I’m going to love it,” I say.

  “Make sure.” He nods toward his, so I do what he says.

  I thumb through it, but I notice writing on the first page, so I stop and open it fully.

  It has today’s date on the page.

  * * *

  Today, I asked her to marry me…

  * * *

  I lift my eyes off the journal and find Tweetie on bended knee, a ring box in his hands.

  “No,” I say, shaking my head.

  He draws back, hurt flashing across his face. “What?”

  “You found out?” I don’t know how he found the pregnancy test, but he doesn’t have to do this just because we’re having a baby.

  He lowers the box and sits back on his heels. “Found out what?”

  “Oh, you didn’t? You don’t know?” Excitement builds inside me, like fireflies sparking to life when it gets dark.

  He blows out a breath, forehead creased. “Know what, Tedi?”

  I wave my hand. “Nothing. Carry on.” I cross my legs and wait with a smile and joy in my heart, but Tweetie just stares at me. “Here, let’s start over.” I pick up the journal. “A journal, I love it. Oh, you want me to read yours. I’d love to.” I put my journal down and pick up his, opening it to the first page with his handwriting on it. “Oh, Tweetie, you didn’t…”

  He doesn’t move, just staring at me.

  “This is where you’re on bended knee with the ring.” I motion to him with my hand.

  “This isn’t a play, Tedi. Tell me what’s going on.”

  I rock my head back and my shoulders slump. “I just ruined your entire proposal.”

  “You’re dodging. What piece of the puzzle am I missing?”

  I cover my mouth and stand, overcome with excitement. “Hold on, let me get something.” I walk out of the room but come back and point at the bed. “You sit.”

  “So now I’m a dog. Great.”

  I go to the bathroom, and of course the pregnancy stick is still where I shoved it. He never saw it. I’m the worst girlfriend ever.

  When I walk back into the room, Tweetie is sitting with the ring box clasped in his hands, his eyebrows raised all the way to his hairline.

  “What is going on?” he asks with exasperation.

  I walk up to him, and he opens his legs, letting me slip in between them. “Are you ready?”

  “Tedi,” he seethes.

  I bring the pregnancy stick out from around my back and put it right in front of him.

  The ring box drops to the floor with a thud, and Tweetie looks from the stick to me, then back to the stick. “This is yours?”

  I nod.

  “How?”

  I shrug.

  “When?”

  “I’m pretty sure it was that first time when you came to my apartment.”

  “How long have you known?”

  “A couple hours. I took the test today.”

  He takes the stick from my hands and stares at it. “A baby?”

  “Yeah.” Tears well in my eyes. “Which explains why I’ve been so emotional lately…”

  He winds his arms around my waist and brings me toward him, hugging me hard and kissing my stomach.

  I brush his hair away from his face. “You okay with it?”

  He picks up his head and rests his chin on my stomach, those baby blues glittering with unshed tears. “Are you kidding? I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

  “Good.” I kiss his forehead.

  “You thought I knew this and that’s why I was proposing to you?”

  I shrug. “Not the entire reason, but…”

  He reaches between us, and I back up to allow him to pick up the ring box. “No reason to replay the scene.” He pats his lap, and I sit.

  “It was really cute. I loved it.”

  He shakes his head. “I had a whole speech about the first time I saw you, but honestly, I’m so thankful that you made that fuck-it bucket list because had you not, we might not be right here, together. So, please marry me because I really want to sit by your side when you tell our grandkids how you met their grandpa.”

  “Tweetie!” I smack his shoulder, and he laughs, popping open the box.

  “You still have to answer.”

  “Yes!”

  He chuckles. A beautiful cushion-cut diamond on a silver band sits in the middle of the black velvet box. “I was going to have my number engraved, but…”

  I hold out my left ring finger, and he takes it out of the box. “I wouldn’t have minded.”

  I hold up my hand and admire the way the ring sparkles under the lights.

  “One last question,” he says.

  “What?”

  “What do you think of Chicago?”

  I turn to him and tilt my head.

  “Turns out Bud Caldron got fired and they still want your boy.”

  “Really!”

  He nods, and I squeal, tackling him to the bed. My lips fall to his, and I kiss the only man I’ve ever loved.

  “Whoa, the baby.” He slides me off him.

  Oh boy. It’s going to be a long nine months.

  But I’d have it no other way.

  Epilogue

  Tweetie

  I wait for Tedi to get on the bus first.

  “You can just sit,” I tell her, and she glares at me over her shoulder.

  I’ve been getting plenty of glares and huffs and overall annoyance from her, but she’s carrying our baby. What does she expect?

  “I’m not going to sit.” She runs her hands over her small swollen belly. She’s just started showing. “I’m going to celebrate along with Chicago.”

  We get to the top of the bus with all of our closest friends.

  The four of us guys stand on top of the championship parade bus, the Stanley Cup raised high above Conor’s head. The sun reflects off the silver surface, nearly blinding me, but hell if I care. The deafening roar of the crowd fills my ears, and I lean forward, putting my hands on Tedi’s stomach. She swats me off and rolls her eyes at our friends.

  I stare at the tens of thousands of fans packed onto the streets, a sea of blue jerseys below.

  Rowan and Henry lean over, cheering with the fans and egging them on to make more noise. This moment—this feeling—is everything. Years of grinding, sacrifices, pain, and passion have given us this moment. Conor passes the Cup to me. I held it in Florida and again in Nashville, but this feeling never gets old.

  I scan the crowd of fans, all the ones who rode out this year with us. My heart swells at the look of pride beaming from their faces. Henry takes the Cup from me, and I pound my chest and point at the crowd, letting them know this is as much theirs as it is ours.

  A microphone lands in my hand. The crowd quiets slightly, waiting.

  I take a deep breath, then let it out in a victorious roar. “THIS ONE’S FOR YOU! LET’S GO!”

  I move Tedi in front of me, holding her close as the crowd erupts. The bus keeps rolling, confetti swirling in the air, and for this one perfect day, I am on top of the hockey world with my girl at my side. Life can’t get any better than this.

  * * *

  One month later…

  * * *

  We’re down at Peeper’s Alley, in our private room, for what’s probably our last time because after tonight, this room isn’t ours anymore.

  “I don’t think you have to take all of our stuff down,” I say to Ruby, who’s replacing some of the Falcons stuff with Colts paraphernalia.

  “What do you care? You’re leaving me.”

  “Ah, Rubes, we’ll be back.”

  “Nah.” She waves at Conor. “You’re not going to hang out at a bar. You’ll be meeting at some kids’ restaurant now, griping about playdates and helicopter moms.”

  I run my hand over Tedi’s stomach, and she places her hand over mine.

  We all knew it was time we left The Nest. Tedi and I wanted more room for the baby, and Kyleigh said she was growing tired of all the girls loitering around. Eloise and Conor have some bucket list items they want to check off.

  But the kicker was that the same developer Jade and Henry are working with had just bought three houses on their street.

  “You guys are really moving onto the same street?” Ruby asks.

  We all look at one another. “Yeah,” we say in unison.

  She shakes her head. “Thank God you’re leaving then, because I don’t want your crazy to rub off on me.”

  She walks out of the room, and two large bodies walk in.

  Easton holds out his hand. “Keys please.”

  Ruby walks back in and points at Easton. “This one is going to be a problem.”

  We all laugh.

  “I’m good people. I’m from Alaska.” Easton sounds legit offended.

  Ruby stares at him as though he’s crazy too. “Exactly, you’re not used to women. What’s the ratio between men and women up there? This room is sacred.”

  Easton looks from her to us. “What did you tell her about me?”

  “Tell them the rules, boys.” She shuts the door when she leaves.

  Easton and Decker sit, looking after Ruby as though maybe they’re a little afraid of her.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I ask them both.

  Conor, Henry, and Rowan all laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” Decker asks, he and Easton sharing a look.

  I stand and hold out a hand for Tedi. “Just send us an invite, okay?”

  Everyone else stands and gets ready to leave.

  “To what?” Decker looks us all over.

  “Your weddings.” I wink at them.

  The eight of us—well, ten if you include the two little ones in their mommies’ bellies—walk out the door, leaving Peeper’s Alley for the new generation.

  Hopefully, they do it right and end up where we are… living our happily ever afters.