Page 172 of Slapshot Bride

The realization sets into him.

“Oh Ri…” He stands and covers the distance between us. He hugs me. “In my need to protect you, I’ve turned into another Preston. I didn’t see it happening. I’m so sorry.”

Tears leak from my eyes, and I smile through them.

God. I’m crying a lot these days. Is it pregnancy hormones already kicking in? Or have I just been really emotional?

“It’s okay, Mase.” I sniff. “You’re a good brother. You always have my back, and I love you.”

He pulls back.

“Go, Riley.” He takes my hand. “Go get him.”

I don’t wait for another word. I’m already running towards the house.

Mason laughs behind me. I know I left my camera on the bench, but I also know he’ll get it for me.

I find my mother inside and tell her I have to go. She takes one look at my face and doesn’t ask anything. She only tells me to drive carefully.

I grab my bag, with the test results in it. I don’t have a plan for that part, or how I’ll tell him.

But right now, all I need him to know is that I love him, and I want him now. Not later.

39

EASTON

It Was Never Fake

It’s a bad day.

They’ve all been bad, but this one is worse. I slept maybe two hours. I made two coffees again and poured one out.

I've got my first skate back with the team tomorrow, and I should be doing just about anything other than standing in my kitchen at two in the afternoon, staring out the window at absolutely nothing. But that's exactly what I'm doing.

I should be in the gym. I should do some form of exercise. To warm up. Get ready for practice tomorrow. But my body isn't willing to be anywhere but back in bed.

My stomach growls, and I stare at the coffee machine again.

One more cup wouldn’t hurt. But even that seems to be too much work. I stay in place.

Three weeks. That’s how long it’s been since she left. And one week. One week since Mason asked me to wait. It’s been the longest one week of my entire fucking life.

The doorbell rings, jolting me out of my thoughts.

I glance toward the living room.

Nobody rings my bell. The team texts. My mother has the code.

For half a second I think it’s a delivery, but I don’t recall ordering anything. I almost don’t go, but then it rings again.

I push my annoyance aside and head for it. I open the door.

Riley is standing on my step.

Everything in me stops. My hand’s still on the door, and my brain has gone completely white, because she’s here, on my step, wearing a red sundress, with her hair down, and a small bag hanging on her shoulder.

I look at her without blinking because it’s too good to be true. I’ve imagined this so many times in three weeks that for a second I’m sure I’ve finally lost it and started seeing things.