Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90475 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90475 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 452(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“And do your parents know?” Prana asks.
“They do, and they’re not totally freaking out. Just partially freaking out.”
“And their parents?” Aubrey asks, pointing to the guys.
Ivy laughs and raises a hand, swiping her dark hair from her cheek. “I’ll take this one. Our mom is completely cool with it and so is Chase’s. But they also were used to those two sharing toys when they were kids,” she says with a wicked grin, like she’s been dying to make that comment for some time.
“Well played,” Aubrey says approvingly, then the conversation returns to more questions.
“Do people look at you when you all go somewhere?” Prana inquires.
I nod to the big packs of burly men several feet away. “Well, they all did. But I suppose I would too,” I admit, then my gaze snags again on that group of men.
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure Ledger’s checking us out with obvious interest in his eyes. But is he looking at Aubrey or Ivy or one of the other gals?
I’m not sure, but I see sparks in his dark eyes from a distance.
I’ll have to talk to my guys later and ask what they think, but for now, I chat more with my friends, then I join my boyfriends for a picture.
Later that night, as we’re all settled in on the couch, I prep it to post on Ryker’s social feed with the caption Two rivals and their girlfriend. But I add a heart.
I show it to him and he arches a brow. “Really? A heart emoji?”
Chase cracks up. “It’s just an emoji.”
“It’s a whole new image,” Ryker grumbles.
“It’s a whole new world,” Chase corrects.
I look from one man to the other. “Yes. Yes, it is.”
I don’t wake up to a welcome wagon on social media. There are plenty of questions, side-eyes and WTFs from hockey fans. At breakfast, Ryker’s and Chase’s notifications are blowing up with questions, and requests from the media—not even the hockey media. But from Page Six, and other celebrity sites.
It’s still so weird to me. So surreal.
I do worry about them. They’re mine after all. I can’t not worry. I set a hand on Ryker’s strong arm. “I hope this doesn’t mess things up for you with the team, and with everything we were trying to do,” I say. “Especially after the podcast thing.”
“It won’t. The team wasn’t even upset about that. They get that we can’t control the media. They just wanted me to show more of myself online,” he says, then faux shudders.
“You still hate that,” I say, laughing.
Chase laughs too. “He probably always will,” he says.
“Damn straight,” Ryker confirms. “But I’ll do it anyway. Since it matters to the people I care about. Like my team.”
And I fall a little harder for him.
Then I turn to Chase. “Is this going to distract you? What if I was the bad luck charm?”
He scoffs. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. And the thing is, you showed me there’s room in my life for hockey and love.”
My heart thumps louder for him too.
“The real issue is this,” he adds, as he shows me his phone and his social feed. Right alongside the WTFs and the freaks are comments like cool, and can I come to the wedding, and whatever works, as long as she doesn’t root for the Sea Dogs.
Ryker stares sternly at me. “See? That’s all that matters. You’re an Avengers fan now, Trina.”
Chase clears his throat. “She’s a Sea Dogs fan, and that’s that.”
“Avengers.”
“Sea Dogs.”
And I suppose that really is the biggest concern. Which means, it’s time to set our phones down, and not worry about the world, and all the things we can’t control.
I have my guys, my dog, and some books to read. The rest is just noise.
ANOTHER EPILOGUE
THE DOUBLE WAG
Trina
A year later, I’m torn.
This is seriously hard. I’m in the VIP suite, wearing my special jersey, nibbling on avocado bruschetta but feeling like I’m being ripped in half.
“Nobody in my throuple support group warned me about this,” I joke to Aubrey, but I’m not really joking.
Loving two players from two teams does a number on your sports loyalties. Mine have shot sky high in the last year since I’ve gone from hockey hater to hockey lover.
The year hasn’t been all smooth skating. Like my two men, I’ve been subjected to a fair amount of scrutiny from the media—but we take it all in stride, and most of it is behind us now. All that’s important to me is that my guys are happy, and that our families accept us—which they do.
Besides, what goes on behind closed doors isn’t anyone’s business but our own—and the stuff that does go on behind closed doors? It’s all so very worth it. Everything with them is because I love Ryker and Chase, and they love me.