Down and Dirty (Hot Jocks #5)(62)

“I was taught by the best.”

He shakes his head before stealing the puck from me and skating toward Justin.

Bastard.

A minute later, I skate back to the bench, ready to give our second line a shift and to catch my breath. When I step over the wall, my gaze finds Aubree in the stands. She’s smiling huge and chatting with Arvi’s wife and their six-year-old son.

That’s when everything becomes crystal clear to me.

It doesn’t matter what color jersey I’m wearing, or what team I’m playing on, or where I’m living, because wherever Aubree is, that will always be my home. And just because they’re not my teammates anymore doesn’t make these guys any less my friends. It’s hard to wipe the smile from my face after that.

After the game and a quick shower, I give an interview to the waiting media before rushing to my car. I haven’t been able to stop smiling, and I’m feeling really damn good about our win tonight.

After climbing into my car, I dial Aubree.

“Hey, baby,” I say as soon as she answers.

She squeals into the phone. “I’m so freaking proud of you!”

I laugh and wave at the security guard Len as I pull out of the arena’s parking garage and then out onto the streets of Vancouver. “I’m not going to lie, that goal in the first felt really fucking good.”

“You’re incredible, babe,” she says, her voice soft and sultry. “I can’t wait for you to get home, because I have a surprise for you.”

As if I needed any more incentive to get home. “Be there in ten.”

We’d looked into buying a house in the suburbs where a couple of my married teammates live, but ended up buying a condo in the heart of the city instead. It’s only a ten-minute drive to the arena, fifteen from our training facility, and Aubree can walk to her office from our building.

Plus, since I travel so much during the season and have to leave Aubree for chunks of time, I like the extra security we have at our building with the doorman, and secure access to our floor. Knowing she’ll be safe when I’m not home makes it a tiny bit easier to leave for away games.

Our place isn’t extravagant, but we have two bedrooms, so if and when our family of two expands, we have the space. And it’s something we’ve been talking about more lately.

When I arrive home, I toss my bag onto the entryway floor and go off in search of Aubree. “Bree?”

There’s a lamp on in the living room, but otherwise the only light is courtesy of the city itself—twinkling headlights on the cars zipping down Highway 1A in the distance, and glittering lights from the nearby high-rises. It’s a pretty city, and I haven’t tired of the view.

“I’m starving, babe. Where are you?” I call out.

“Back here. In the bedroom,” she says.

I turn down the hall just as Aubree emerges from the master bedroom. She’s dressed in a pair of gray boxer shorts, tall fuzzy socks, and a red Rebels sweatshirt.

“Sorry, I wanted to get comfortable. You made it home quick.”

“Absolutely no need to be sorry; you look sexy as hell. Now, get over here. Your husband needs a kiss.”

With a giggle, she steps toward me, and I pull her into my chest. She lifts up on her toes to treat me to a warm kiss.

“I’m hungry,” I murmur against her mouth. “Is my surprise food? Please say it’s food.”

She laughs. “I got you a double serving of ramen. You didn’t see the takeout bag on the counter?”

“Nope. I focused on finding you.”

She shakes her head as her cheeks flush pink. “Come on, let’s feed you. But, no, it’s not the surprise.”

“Hmm, now I’m intrigued.” I follow her into the kitchen, still wondering about what her surprise could be.

“It’s a shame the guys were traveling back to Seattle right after the game,” she says as I help myself to a pair of chopsticks and dig into a gigantic bite of noodles and broth.

“Yeah, I know. It would have been fun to have them over.”

She nods. “Speaking of having people over . . .”

“What?” I give her a questioning look.

“My parents RSVP’d for Thanksgiving. They can come.”

I nod. “That’s great, right?”

She tilts her chin. “And so did your dad.”

“Oh.”

“Yup.” She laughs.

“So we’re doing this? Hosting, I mean?” I say around another mouthful of food.

Shrugging, she steals a shrimp from my steaming bowl of noodles. “It appears so.”

“It’ll be a good thing,” I say, smiling at her.

We’ve been wanting our families to meet for a while now, and have been trying to find a way to make that happen—while also coordinating an international move, the start of the hockey season, and Aubree starting a new job. My mom came up to Vancouver the weekend we moved to meet Aubree for the first time and help us unpack. As I expected, she immediately bonded and fell in love with Aubree. I couldn’t wait for Dad to meet her in person, although they regularly chat on the phone when he calls.

I finish my dinner while Aubree fills me in on her plan for the Thanksgiving meal. Apparently, she’s already recruited Arvi’s wife to help her prep, and there’s something about needing to order new sheets for the guest room.