Pucking Strong: An MM Workplace Hockey Romance (Jacksonville Rays Book 4)

Twenty Minutes Earlier

“And down that hallway is where they keep the Zamboni,” I say, holding up my phone as I walk. Hanna and Karolina watch through the video chat. Karro wanted to see the arena where Morbror Henrik plays. So far, she’s only been allowed to visit the practice arena. We’re waiting until we get the all clear about her cracked ribs before we even consider bringing her to the chaos and bustle of a live game day.

“Through there is where we do PT with the players,” I go on, pointing out the double doors of the PT suite. “Morbror Henrik likes to get a leg massage before and after each game.”

“Do you give him massages?” asks Karro in her cute little button accent.

I chuckle. “No, honey. I’m Morbror Henrik’s partner, remember? I’m not allowed to treat him while we’re at work.”

Off work is a different story. But I imagine hell will freeze over before Henrik asks me for a sexy oil massage. His loss. I really am magic.

“Hey, you wanna watch Mr. Caleb sharpen some skate blades?” I walk down the hall, following the telltale sound of the blade sharpener.

I don’t know if I’m technically supposed to be back here right now. But I never come to games unless I’m working them. It feels too weird to just wander around up on the concourse with all the normal fans. What am I gonna do, buy a foam finger?

Fine, maybe I’m hiding out. The moment I go up to my seat, the cameras will be on me. That’s what we’re here for, right? This isn’t fun. It’s work. I’m walking around in this damn WAG jacket, my hair is done, my jeans are pressed, the shoes are fly, and I’m wearing one of Henrik’s gorgeous European watches … and his cologne.

This is all armor. Because any minute now, Poppy is going to text me to meet her at section 102, and then I’ll be on stage. Lights, camera, action. Until that moment, I’m gonna stay down in these tunnels like a groundhog and pretend I’m not afraid of my own shadow.

“Can I see Morbror?”

“Not right now, honey. He’s getting ready for the game, remember? But I’ll take so many pictures and videos for you once he’s on the ice, okay?”

“Will you bring me candy?”

I laugh. “Girl, I will bring home so much candy. When this game is over, we’re gonna sit on that couch together and rot our teeth eating Milk Duds and Swedish Fish and German roasted pecans. Morbror Henrik is gonna have to fire Nurse Hanna and hire a live-in dentist.”

Hanna rolls her eyes with a patient smile. I swear, I do like her. The jealous diva in me just aches to think of her as competition. Me and pretty, perfect Hanna? Yeah, that’s a contest Teddy wouldn’t win.

Before I can turn the corner to show Karro the blade sharpener, I hear a shout of “Teddy!”

Poppy marches my way in her sky-high heels. She’s sporting a navy-blue pantsuit, her silky blouse stretched tight over her basketball of a baby bump.

“Hey, Pop, what’s up?”

She huffs, her Barbie-blonde curls bouncing around her shoulders. “Well, I see you have your phone, so that’s clearly not the reason you haven’t answered a single one of my calls. Good. I’ll mark that off the list and circle ‘he’s just ignoring me.’ Mystery solved!”

“Pop, what—”

“I’ve been trying to reach you for two freaking hours! And, apparently, mine aren’t the only calls you dodge. Your own mother, Teddy? Unless she’s anything like my mother, she doesn’t deserve this cold shoulder!”

“Whoa, whoa.” I hold up my free hand, still holding up the phone with Hanna and Karro on video chat with my other. “Poppy, what the heck are you talking about? I haven’t missed any calls—”

She holds out her own phone, showing me the call log screen, including four outgoing call attempts to me.

I check my phone and groan, ignoring the confused looks of Karro and Hanna. “Sorry, Pop. I guess I don’t have any service down here. I used Wi-Fi to do this video call.”

“Well, have you been using Wi-Fi all dang week? ’Cause that’s how long your mom has been trying to get ahold of you. Your sisters too.”

“My—” I gasp, all the pieces clicking together in my head. “Ohmygod, Poppy, you didn’t!”

Her cheeks bloom pink. “Don’t you dare blame this on me. You said you were close with your family. You talk about your sisters and your little niblets all the time! And you tell me when you get indigestion. How was I supposed to know you wouldn’t tell your own family that you got married?!”

Oh my fucking fuck. There’s a reason my sisters each tried to call me five times last night! I turn to Hanna and Karro in the phone. “Girls, I gotta go.” I don’t wait for their response before I hang up. Then I stare down Poppy, who’s standing with her hands on hips. “You invited my family to the game tonight.”

“Yes.”

I close my eyes tight, stifling a groan. Oh, this is bad. I open my eyes. “Who came?”

“Teddy, I didn’t think—”

“Who came!”noveldrama

She crosses her arms over her belly. “All of them, okay? I asked them all, and they all said yes. I flew them out first class and put them up in a hotel last night. I reserved you a room in their block too. They asked to be the ones to surprise you, but you never answered their many, many calls. So, well … surprise,” she finishes, doing jazz hands.

“My mom is here? Now?”

Poppy nods. “She’s waiting for you. They all are.”

I sigh, tucking my phone in my pocket. “Well, the media loves a good dramatic moment, right? I hope they’ve got their cameras ready because I’m about to go cry on national freaking television.”