“Jana”—Saige stands and hugs me—“so good to see you. It’s been a while.”

  I hug each one of them and look at Imogen, who’s sans baby. “Where’s Jalen?”

  “Grandparents. Six weeks, baby.” She grins.

  I tilt my head, not understanding what she means.

  “I can have sex again. Got the all clear this morning.”

  “I’m surprised you’re here,” Paisley says. “You didn’t have to come.”

  “Oh yeah, I did. You can’t tease me with a big announcement and expect me to hear about it secondhand. I had to drag Warner here with promises of lingerie and whipped cream.”

  They all laugh, and I smile, realizing I’m the odd one out in this group. The one without anyone special in her life. That ache hits me again, because one thing here isn’t like the others and that thing is me.

  Why can’t I have a relationship? Even the small voice that tells me I don’t want one second-guesses itself these days. I quickly brush it off as just being horny. Since I called it quits with Kane, I’ve yet to find anyone else.

  Paisley brings me a glass of wine and I’m sipping it when I spot Kane outside with a hot brunette. They’re laughing at something, and she puts her hand on his bicep as though he’s a Saturday Night Live comedian. Kane has a lot of great attributes, but being funny isn’t one of them.

  “Jana?” Paisley questions, sitting on the couch next to me.

  “I’m just going to head outside and say hi to the guys.” I rise from the couch.

  “Oh wait,” Paisley says, but she just doesn’t want me to make a scene. As I walk away, I hear her whisper, “Oh jeez.”

  “It’s not what you think,” Imogen calls after me, and I circle around.

  “What are you guys talking about? I’m just going outside to see the guys and get some fresh air. Plus, I’m starving, and I see the table of food.”

  Lies. All lies, because I can’t believe he brought a date. I guess I can’t really fault him, but Kane has never brought a date to anything. Is this his way of trying to make me jealous to get me in his bed again? Not going to happen.

  “Hey, guys,” I say, waving when I step out onto the patio.

  They’re all sitting around the table with beers in hand. A few of them straighten up. The ones who don’t know me very well.

  Maksim stays slouched in his chair. “Jana,” he says in his Russian accent. “Glad you came.”

  “Thanks for ditching game night last week,” Ford says.

  “Sorry, but I didn’t have a partner.”

  “Kane came by himself.” He raises his eyebrows.

  Maksim rises from his chair to give it to me. “I have to go check on Paisley anyway.”

  I sit down and glance over my shoulder. Annabelle is with a few of the other kids from the team, playing in the grass just off the big patio. Now that she’s two, you can see her and Ford’s resemblance that much more. Those blue eyes are going to be heartbreakers.

  “I saw that, Demetri!” Ford yells. “Jesus, Train, teach your damn kid to respect ladies.”

  Train shakes his head. “She took the watering can first,” he sticks up for his son. He and his wife divorced a couple years back and share custody of their son.

  I glance at Kane, growing angrier the more I see him smile and watch the woman touch him.

  “Whatcha staring at?” Warner leans in and whispers.

  I lean in too. “Nothing.”

  “I don’t believe you. Maybe you should go introduce yourself.”

  I’m afraid if I do, my anger will get the best of me. Kane always seems to bring my anger to the surface. Then again, the longer I sit here, the madder I become. Like he’s playing some game a high school boy would.

  After zoning out for a bit, I rejoin the conversation. “Tell me how everyone’s feeling about the season so far?”

  Everyone puts a smile on their face, but no one actually says anything.

  “The new uniforms?” I ask. Kane gave me an earful about those and how we didn’t need them. But I wanted to go retro, and we can auction them off for charity as game-worn jerseys.

  “Honestly, they’re stiff,” Ford says, the only truthful one here. Probably because if he loses his position, he has enough money for the entire team to live off of.

  Speaking as someone with an equal amount of money, not much scares you because you know in the end, you’ll be okay. But I appreciate his honesty.

  “A few washes and they’ll soften,” I say.

  But he gives me a half smile and carries on with Train about his kid taking another toy from Annabelle.

  Damn Kane. He probably shared his view about the jerseys with the team. I can just imagine him being all, “Lady Boss wants us to wear these, I tried to give my opinion, but she won’t listen.”

  For the past month, Kane and I have fought over every single thing from hotels to team dinners to the fucking water pressure in the showers. But I don’t voice my opinion on what happens on the ice. My parents are still away and hopefully one hasn’t killed the other because I haven’t heard from either of them for a week. That’s unusual, but I haven’t been in the mood to seek them out.

  I hear the woman’s cackle again and I slide my chair out, my eyes on her and Kane. They stand on the far side of the patio, away from everyone else.

  “Wait. Jana.” Warner holds up his hand to stop me.

  “Hey, hold up,” Cory tries too.

  Do they think I’m going to make a scene? I don’t make scenes.

  My heels click on the cement surrounding the pool that has a safety fence around it, which surprises me since Paisley and Maksim don’t have kids.

  Kane spots me first, glancing at me from the corner of his eye, and sips his beer, unbothered. The woman who has her back to me is clueless.

  “Coach Burrows,” I say, interjecting myself into their twosome. “I just wanted to come over and say hello.”

  “Miss Gerhardt, glad you could fit this get-together into your schedule. Seems you’ve been busy the past month, eh?”

  The woman looks me up and down in the familiar way one does when they’re sizing up the competition. A small part of me wants to tell her she should see me as her competition, and another wants to tell her I had him first. But I shake my head because aren’t I the one who threw him back in the pond?

  Sure I am, but he doesn’t have to go throwing it in my face. My anger rises to the surface again. I could’ve brought a date tonight, but I didn’t out of respect for Kane. Never mind the fact I don’t have anyone right now.

  “Yes, but Paisley’s my best friend so…” I stick out my hand in the woman’s direction. “I’m Jana Gerhardt, owner of the Florida Fury.”

  Her eyes bulge and a megawatt smile creases her lips. “Oh wow, I wanted to meet you.”

  “You did?” I tilt my head.

  Kane snickers, and I shoot him a bored look.

  “Of course. Kane told me about you, and I really wanted to thank you personally.”

  Is this woman serious? She wants to thank me because I’m not sleeping with the man anymore? And what exactly has Kane told her about me?

  “What did Kane say?” I find myself asking.

  “All great things. Just how you’ve been busy and didn’t have much time—”

  I block out the woman and turn to Kane. “Seriously?”

  He sputters with his beer, barely able to swallow it. The guys at the table laugh, but I don’t turn around to see what they’re finding amusing. My gaze darts to Paisley inside the house. She looks ready to get up off the couch, her eyes on me.

  “What?” Kane asks.

  “You told her about me and why we’re not sleeping together anymore? And then you bring her here for what? To make me jealous? I don’t believe you.”

  He smirks and I want to slap it off his face. “Jana, this is Jennifer.”

  “I don’t need to know her name. What’s wrong with you? Our relationship was supposed to be private,” I whisper, because he’s the one who’s outing us right now.

  “Jana? Sweetie?” Paisley comes out onto the patio, shutting the door behind her.

  I put up my hand to stop her. Paisley and I are different. She’d sit back and let this play out, but I’m not her, I’m calling Kane out on his shit whether it’s right or wrong. Maybe I am making a scene, but only with this man who makes me crazy.

  “Maksim! Get the stuff!” Paisley shouts.

  “I didn’t tell anyone anything,” Kane says through clenched teeth.

  “I should give you two a moment,” Jennifer says, about to walk away.

  “No. Don’t worry about it, Jennifer. Let me fill you in on Kane’s favorite kinks though, to give you a head start for tonight. He loves ropes and blindfolds—”

  “Jana!” Paisley says. “Maksim!”

  He rushes out from the side of the house with two canister-looking things in his hands.

  “Shut up, Jana,” Kane says. “You have no idea what you’re talking about right now.”

  “One. Two. Three.” Paisley does a countdown for some reason, but I ignore her.

  “I don’t, huh?” I put my hands on my hips. “Want me to tell her more specifics of what to expect tonight?”

  “Go!” Paisley yells, and two big bursts of pink dust land on the three of us. “It’s a girl!”

  “Wait. What?” I turn to my best friend and see her and Maksim hugging.

  “A girl,” he coos, touching her stomach.

  “You’re pregnant?” I ask Paisley, who’s looking at me over Maksim’s shoulder.

  She nods. “And that’s Jennifer Mitchel. Her son had the Make-A-Wish to meet Aiden Drake.”

  “What did we miss?” Aiden walks back on the patio from the beach, hand in hand with a kid about five or six years old. “Sorry, Jennifer, he got a little wet.”

  Jennifer lowers to her haunches. “It’s okay. Did you have fun, buddy?”

  My mouth hangs open, and I want the earth to swallow me whole. “Ms. Mitchel, I’m—”

  She picks up her son and rests him on her hip. “It’s fine. Honestly.”

  “No. It isn’t fine at all. What must you think of me? I swear…”

  “Just let it go, Jana,” Kane says in a soft voice, as though I’m the only one who can hear him bossing me around.

  “It’s okay, but you two should really talk this out.” She directs her attention back to her son. “We’ve overstayed our visit anyway. Aiden, you’ve been so sweet to Ollie. I can’t thank you enough.” She steps over to talk some to Aiden while I stare at the ground.

  “How did I not know we had Make-A-Wish set up?” I say the words to myself, but Kane answers.

  “That’s something you need to ask yourself.” He shrugs.

  There’s absolutely no way I could’ve forgotten this. Clearly someone didn’t inform me. I grab my phone out of my purse to check my schedule, and one of Barbara’s handwritten notes floats to the cement.

  Kane beats me to picking it up. “Look here.”

  He hands it over, and sure enough, it reads… Make-A-Wish family coming this afternoon for Aiden Drake.

  My shoulders sink. I’m really starting to think maybe I’m not cut out for this job.

  I shove my phone and the note in my purse, unable to even look at Kane. But Paisley is staring at me, so I walk over to her.

  “I’m sorry. Congratulations! I can’t believe you’re pregnant. I’m going to be an aunt!” I hug her and squeeze a little tighter than I normally would. We’re not related, but we’ve always said since we were young that if we ever had kids they’d call the other aunt.

  She pulls away and smiles. “You’re going to be the best aunt.”

  “So… baby before marriage, huh?” I smile.

  She bites her lip.

  “Pais?”

  She cringes. “We had a minister come to the house and marry us as soon as we found out I was pregnant.” She holds up her hand, showing off her wedding band. “I wanted to tell you so badly, but Maksim really wanted it to be a surprise and do this whole reveal thing today.”

  I realize in that moment how much things are changing and how out of touch I really am with all my friends.

  Another month passes and our points have us as contenders, but I’ll be honest, I had hoped we’d be better positioned at this point in the season. But it’s still early days and we have plenty of time to make up ground.

  The loss tonight was a tough one though, especially since Nashville is the worst team in the league.

  I’m more than pissed off when I hear the razzing in the locker room after the game, so I walk out of my office to find Ford and Warner arguing about who fucked up the most plays tonight.

  “What the fuck is going on out here?” I put my hands on my hips and stare at them.

  They all freeze and look at me. I guess I can have that “pissed-off dad” tone sometimes.

  “Nothing,” Ford says.

  “You guys think by deciding who was the worst player tonight, it’s somehow gonna change the outcome? I’m not sure what the hell was going on out there tonight, but it wasn’t professional hockey.” I point in the direction of the rink.

  Ford sits on the bench. “No.”

  “No, it’s not. You guys have been playing half-assed all season. Do you think the Cup is just magically ours? Because guess what? Oregon’s beating down our damn doors and pretty soon everything…” I stop myself from repeating what all those analysts have said about Jana and me not being good enough to see this team through to the end. “We have to leave everything out there on the ice. Every game. I know you all have lives, wives, kids, and maybe you’d rather be home with them sometimes than here, but let me remind you, hockey is what gave you the life you enjoy. With the exception of Ford, you have the houses, the cars, the lifestyles because of hockey.”

  They all hang their heads. I’ve always tried to be an uplifting, inspiring coach, but not tonight. These guys need a reality check and a swift kick in the ass, and it’s my job to give it to them.

  “Now excuse me while I go attend another press conference where I give lame excuses for why we can’t win against the worst team in the league.” I swipe a water bottle off the shelf and storm out.

  My night only gets shittier when I come face-to-face with Jana in the hallway.

  I put up my hand. “Not now.”

  “We need to talk. How could we lose to Nashville? My dad’s back from vacation. He was at the game tonight.”

  I stop before I open the door to the pressroom. Turning around to face her, I shove my hands in the pockets of my slacks. “So what? He’s not my boss anymore.”

  “We both know that’s not entirely true. He’ll swipe this team out of my hands if he thinks I’m doing a shit job, which according to him, our record says I am. You have no idea how much lecturing I got up there.”

  I throw my hands in the air. “And what do you want me to do about it?”

  “I want you to tell me what the hell is going on. We’re supposed to have the best team. How are we sitting where we are in points?”

  “Let me get my crystal ball and see.” I throw my hands in the air again. “I have no fucking clue.”

  “But we have the talent.”

  “Yes, we do.”

  “So is it the coaching?”

  I jut out my jaw and stare at her. “Seriously?”

  “I’m just saying we’re the ones everyone should be chasing in points.”

  I shake my head. “I can’t give you a specific reason we’re not doing better. Let me have this press conference, calm down, and I can talk to you tomorrow.” I twist the doorknob and start to open the door.

  “I’m going with you.” She steps up to the door and I let it close.

  I sharply turn back and she’s right there, her breasts pressed to my chest. After a night like the one I’ve had, the only thing I want is a beer and her. Preferably licking my beer off her naked skin.

  “You’re not going with me.”

  She scowls. “Why not?”

  “Because those are vultures in there. Let me handle it.”

  She guffaws. “You think I can’t handle myself?” She puts her hands on her hips in a “I am woman, hear me roar” gesture.

  “I think you’ve kept yourself so far removed from the team these past couple of months that they’re going to ask you questions you have no idea how to answer.”

  “Ugh!” She stomps a foot. I’m surprised her expensive stiletto doesn’t snap. “You drive me absolutely crazy. I have not removed myself from this team.”

  “Fine.” I twist the knob, opening the door, and gesture in front of me. “Have at it.”

  She smugly walks up to the table and chairs, positioning herself in front of the microphone. I sit next to her, and when our thighs touch, she’s quick to scoot away. I spot Mr. Gerhardt coming in from the side of the room and hanging back to watch us.

  A bunch of reporters’ hands rise, but I signal for Jana to go first.

  “Yes, Ahmed,” she says, pointing at him.

  “Nobody could score tonight. Would you say it’s a fluke or is this something you’re going to have to work on in practice?”

  I move up to the microphone, but Jana twists it her way. “We’ll be addressing it in practice for sure.”

  I exhale and she glares at me.

  “Ted.” She points at another reporter, and he stands.

  “You guys are slipping every week in the standings. Do you think some of the opinions floating around out there are correct? That you two might just be in over your heads?”

  Again, I shift my weight to answer, but Jana beats me to the microphone. “Neither one of us are in over our heads. Adjustments need to be made. That’s all. Sometimes the best teams go through things like this. It will only make winning the Cup that much better.” She’s all smiles as if that can mask our problems.

  Ted sits down looking unconvinced.

  “Sasha,” she says.

  “Rumors say that the two of you barely talk. That Coach Burrows does his thing, and you do your own. Is that true? Are there problems on the inside?”

  Jana looks at me sweetly but smugly at the same time, and I have no idea what’s going to come out of her mouth. “We don’t always agree, but we’re definitely a team on this.”