Tacker (Arizona Vengeance #5)(54)

“Why the rush?” Erik asks. “Or rather, why the distinct lack of a big fancy wedding with good food and alcohol for all of us?”

“No rush,” Legend says, starting toward the gate that will lead us off the ice toward the locker room. We all skate slowly along with him. “But as we were talking about it after we got engaged, we quickly realized we didn’t want a wedding. It wasn’t important to us.”

“Lucky,” Bishop mutters with a hint of envy. He and Brooke are having a huge, lavish destination wedding this summer as befits the only daughter of the Vengeance coach. But even as Bishop says that, I know there’s nothing he’d deny Brooke. Besides, he’s looking forward to getting shackled for life.

I distinctly remember what that felt like, although I’m not quite sure I want to go there again. That might be one of those things the bad memories keep me from.

“Well, I just wanted you dudes to know,” Legend goes on. “I’ll announce it at some point to the team, of course.”

“Fuck that,” Erik says as he reaches the gate and unlatches it. The ice has already been cleared. “We’re having a party at my house to celebrate your nuptials. You cannot do something this momentous without at least giving Pepper a grand wedding reception.”

“I don’t think—” Legend starts to say, but he’s cut off.

“You two are absolutely getting a party,” Bishop affirms with his “captain” tone—the one that says he’s not to be messed with.

“Damn right,” Aaron pipes up. “It’s bad luck not to celebrate a wedding.”

“But low key?” Legend asks with worried eyes. Erik has thrown some legendary parties since we’ve come to the Vengeance, and they can get out of control.

“I promise,” he says, even crossing his finger over his heart. I don’t believe him for a second.

“Okay, then,” Legend says with a grateful smile. “We accept.”

“This will be epic,” Erik says with a little too much glee.

“No strippers,” Bishop warns.

Erik appears genuinely hurt. “Dude… I’m a taken man. No need for strippers when I have Blue, but regardless… it will be a family affair. We’ll have Billy there, of course. Strippers were so last year for me.”

That’s probably true. Erik’s partying, playboy ways have been completely curtailed since falling in love with Blue.

Which is fine. Aaron coming to the team fills the shoes of the resident bad boy who likes to party and screw as many chicks as he can. The puck bunnies around here won’t go neglected, that’s for sure.

All of us are laughing and joking as if we don’t have a care in the world as we head back into the locker rooms. It’s just another testament to how good I’m feeling about my life lately… and how thankful I am that Nora came into it.





CHAPTER 23




Nora


My nerves have settled, and I’m actually enjoying myself at Erik and Blue’s house where we’d gathered to celebrate Pepper and Legend’s nuptials. It’s the first event Tacker and I have come to as an official couple, since I would definitely have to classify us as that now.

It’s been ten days since he fired me, and we started “dating”. In that time period, he was gone on a road trip for four days. On the other six, we saw each other. Sometimes, he’d just come out to the ranch for a few hours to help Raul out with physical labor. After, he’d join me on the porch for conversation. One night, he stayed for dinner with me and Raul. Sometimes, he took me out to dinner, giving me a chance to get prettied up for an actual date. Night before last, I went to a Vengeance game. Afterward, we went out for a private late dinner by ourselves.

He hasn’t brought more flowers, but one of the days he worked on the ranch with Raul, he brought me a Snickers bar and gourmet coffee beans, along with a case of Raul’s favorite beer. Tacker is a genuinely thoughtful man, and he’s not trying to be flashy with his attentions.

It’s just who he is.

When we weren’t together, there was texting and calls. It seems the floodgates of conversation have been opened, and it’s a two-way street. Like any normal couple, we are in the beginning stages of a relationship where we are parched to learn all we can about the other person because we find them so fascinating.

Conversations started naturally moving away from MJ’s death and my family’s massacre toward the good things in our lives. The one thing that gave me true peace of mind was that, true to his word, Tacker continued counseling with Dr. Dumfries, which meant he was still getting professional help to deal with his issues.

And make no mistake… Tacker still has them. As one could imagine, there are still insecurities and lingering doubts. Guilt. I know from personal experience that just doesn’t melt away without continued hard work. Thankfully, Tacker has remained transparent with me when he’s having a tough time. He doesn’t try to hide his sadness, nor does he try to temper his frustration if he’s having a bad moment.

But we talk it out. I’m not his therapist anymore, but that doesn’t stop me from listening and advising. Being there for him.

Yes, in ten days, the relationship has progressed.

Deepened for sure.

So when Tacker asked me to come to this party with him, there shouldn’t have been any hesitation on my part. It was a natural step… him bringing me into his Vengeance fold and showing his team that we were a couple.