Chapter 46

Forty-Six

EMORY

"What's gotten into you?" Malaki flings a puck at me during warm-ups, and I get fancy with it. I catch the biscuit and do a spin on the ice like I'm seven years old instead of twenty-six.

It's more like what I've gotten into instead of something getting into me, but sharing anything about this morning with anyone feels like I'm betraying Scottie's trust in some way.

I've never really been private before when it came to hooking up with someone. Locker-room talk is as old as time, but this is different. I don't want anyone to know how obsessed I am with my wife, because when it's all said and done, who's to say they won't try to wine and dine her into their bed?

I fire another puck down the ice, and Kane whips around, skating toward me. "Did that puck do something to you? Jesus."

Nope. Just the thought of anyone touching my perfect wife did.

"Oh, got the whole fam watchin' today, eh?" Malaki points with his stick to my parents and Scottie sitting in between them with her hair in a high ponytail, showing off her bright eyes and laser focus on the ice.

"Not the whole family." Kane smirks beneath his mask. "His sister and best friend aren't here."

"Don't even start." I sound bored because the whole Olson's-best-friend-fucked-his-sister bit is overused. It doesn't bother me anymore, even if Ford disagrees.

The Falcons enter the rink, and we turn our attention to their position on the ice. They start flinging pucks and stare at us from across the ice with a look of intimidation.

"You guys ready for River?" I eye their top winger, who used to play for the Blue Devils. He got traded around the same time I did, and although he is skilled on the ice, his attitude and behavior do not outweigh it, according to what my teammates said during practice yesterday.

As the goalie, stuck between the pipes, I don't have a lot of evidence to back up my claims other than word of mouth, so who knows if it's true. I know better than anyone that the truth can be skewed.

Warm-ups are coming to an end, and the crowd is beginning to get settled with their beers. My teammates are loose and focused, and when I look over at Scottie, I know I will be too.

Except, she isn't there. I jerk my attention elsewhere and almost skate over to my parents to ask where she went, as if she isn't allowed to even use the restroom without my permission.

Fuck, chill out.

I bounce my attention all over the stadium one more time, looking for a blonde-haired beauty with my name on her back. I glance at the box seats where the rest of the wives are, but I see no one. That's when Rhodes skates out onto the ice with his shoulders tense and his face angrier than usual. He does a lap before heading to the bench, which just so happens to be close to where my parents are sitting.

That's when I see her.

She's standing behind the sin bin, and Rhodes is angrily talking to her. The more he talks to her, the closer she gets. When her hand lands on his arm, jealousy chokes me. Knowing we have a couple of minutes until the game starts, I skate over with my gaze set directly on them.

The crowd roars, and I hear my name. It's not often that the goalie leaves his post, but I can't stay there without knowing what has my wife and teammate in such close quarters.

The closer I get, the more I realize how insane I am.

Why the fuck am I jealous?

My lungs scream for oxygen when I finally make it over to them. I lean against the rink side, and when Scottie turns to look at me, I can finally breathe again.

Her eyebrows were furrowed when talking to Rhodes, but the moment she sees me, her tight features smooth. I don't know if she's playing the game of being my wife or if it's genuine. Either way, I'm obsessed with it.

"What's going on, baby?"

Surprise moves over her features, but she recovers quickly.

You like that?

"Ellie is refusing to sit with the new nanny." Scottie looks back at Rhodes. "Just have her come sit with me. It's fine."

Rhodes grumbles. "Why is it so fucking hard to find a nanny to help me with her?"

Rhodes and his nanny chronicles exhaust me.

"Go get her," I say to Scottie.

I turn to Rhodes. "My wife can handle it. Get on the ice and focus."

He doesn't take orders from other teammates often, but surprisingly, after a few seconds of debating, he hops onto the ice and rushes to fling a few pucks into the net.

Before Scottie can turn and head for Ellie, I act impulsively.

"Wait."

She turns, and her pretty lips part with a breath. "Yeah?"

I switch my stick into my other hand and reach out to swoop an arm around her waist. There are a couple of ‘awws' from fans in rows nearby, but they fade the second she's pressed against me.

"I like seeing you in my jersey," I whisper. "Almost as much as I like seeing that ring on your finger."

Scottie squints at me incredulously before glancing at the bystanders. She comes in closer. "Did you take acting lessons? You're acting very husband-like." She giggles through her whisper, and I suddenly can't breathe again. "I almost believed you."

She has me in the palm of her hand and literally has no fucking idea.

I don't know if I had any idea either.

My grip around her waist tightens, and I bend down farther. My mouth falls to hers, and it's enough to wake me up so I can play another good game. When I pull back, she's gazing up at me. "I wasn't acting."

I leave her with a wink and move to get into my position on the ice. I follow her movements until she disappears into the crowd to get Rhodes's daughter. When I glance at my parents, they're both looking at one another with confusion and a little bit of wonder.

I may be just as surprised as they are.

Acting like I'm in love with Scottie is becoming easier and easier, and with the way my heart beats through my chest until I see her settle in between my parents again with Rhodes's daughter sitting on her lap, I'm pretty certain the acting part is nonexistent.