Page 55 of Center Ice

“They have to train on Sundays?” Did they ever have time off?

“Only because more than half the team took a week off,” Sydney clarified. “Usually these are optional during the offseason too, but the guys felt like they needed to cleanse after straying all week.”

“Last year when we went on vacation, Erik and Reese had the guys running drills since Hartman threatened them.”

“I could definitely see that. So why was he so relaxed this time?” I asked.

“Wedding bliss,” Sydney said with a smile. “He was more focused on Kendall than staying in shape.”

“Very true,” Chloe agreed. It only took about twenty minutes to get to Sydney and Brandon’s house. Mansion? Estate? I should have expected something grand by their casual reference to a pool house, but this was insane.

“Your home is beautiful,” I said as I got out.

“Thank you.” Sydney looked up at it. “I thought the same thing the first time I saw it too.”

“And there’s the car.” Chloe pointed to a black sedan that looked just as nice as her SUV. I wasn’t sure why, but I’d been expecting something older and more modest as their extra car.

“It’s my old car, but it's easier to get a baby seat in and out of this.” She pointed over her shoulder, and I nodded like I understood.

I couldn’t believe this was really my life.

19

Jake

I wasn’t sure how much space to give her. I texted her to let her know I got home, but since then we hadn’t talked at all. It was strange, even a bit uncomfortable, to go from seeing her every day to nothing.

I wanted to know if she’d made a decision. She had to be out of her room by eleven, so it wasn’t like she could sit on it for very much longer. She only had two hours left. What was she going to do? It took all my self-control not to call her. If she hadn’t reached out yet, it was likely because she hadn’t decided, but she was running out of time. Unless … no. I wouldn’t let my mind go there. She wasn’t going to just disappear from my life. Not after what we’d said to each other. She’d said we were together. She basically called herself my girlfriend. Why do that if she wasn’t serious?

The only thing I could do was wait. At least we had training to keep my mind occupied. The trainers had a circuit set up. Elena claimed it would be easy, but she lied. She was comfortably sitting in the corner, talking to the other trainers, while we were dripping sweat.

I was on the third leg cycle, and my quads were on fire when the back door opened. Everyone stopped and a few guys started clapping. I set the bar down and turned. Chloe and Sydney were walking in, which was weird but not worth cheering about.

Then I saw her.

Dani was here. In Salt Lake. In the arena. My arena!

“Dani?” I barely got her name out when she ran toward me. I caught her in my arms and squeezed her.

“You're suffocating me.” She laughed, and I loosened my grip just enough for her to look up at me. She didn’t seem to care that I was sweaty and probably not smelling my best. She looked so happy, and her arms were wrapped around my waist, and she was holding me like she couldn’t quite believe this was happening either.

“You’re here.”

She nodded. “I’m here.”

“As a layover?” I was really hoping the answer was no.

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” She grinned.

“So you’re really here? You chose here?”

She bit her lip and nodded. “I did. I want to start the next chapter of my life here.”

I couldn’t believe it. “I’m so happy.”

“Me too.”

Jason walked by and bumped my arm. “I told you, you were next.”