Page 302 of Cross Check

“Don’t lie. You’ve definitely sent your girl a dick pic. I’m not talking about the barbeque or who we’re playing on Monday, by the way. I’m talking about you, G. You’ve always been an outgoing guy, but you’re fucking cheesin’ today, man. And it makes me happy.”

“That means a lot, E. It’s nice to be able to finally be open about who I’m in love with. I was seconds away from giving up hockey for Lia, and I wouldn’t have minded. Now I have the best of both worlds, and I’ll never complain.” I look out the window to the backyard where my girl is standing with Sienna and Lainey. She laughs and tips her head back, and I’ve never seen a more beautiful person. “What about you, dude? Between you and Connor, you’re the last two veterans on the team without someone important in your lives.”

“I’m offended.” Ethan smirks. “I have plenty of important ladies in my life. I’m not a one-woman kind of man, and I never will be. You’re still going to love me, right?”

“If I have to.” I give him a shove when he tries to wrap me in a tight hold. “I’m kidding! Of course I’m going to love you and all your thirst trap behavior.”

“E! G!” Murphy sprints into the kitchen with a giggle. She opens her arms and Ethan picks her up, spinning her around. “Daddy is chasing me!”

“We’re cooler than your dad, kid,” Ethan says, blowing a raspberry on Murphy’s cheek. “He’s old. You should hang out with us instead.”

“Very old,” I echo, and Murphy grins.

“It’s not very nice to talk about your distinguished elders like that,” Maverick says. “I taught you two everything you know.”

“We’re doing an okay job.” I smile when Murphy folds her fingers around my thumb. “Dude. Look at us. How did we get so lucky?”

“I ask myself that every day. If this is a dream, I never want to wake up.” Mav steals his daughter back and cradles her close to his chest. He lifts his chin in the direction of the backyard. “Everyone loves Amelia, by the way. She fits right in.”

“Good. She’s not going anywhere, but I am. I’m going to steal her for a few minutes. I’ll see you two later.”

I move through the house, waving hello to my teammates and rolling my eyes when I catch Hannah and Brody kissing in a corner. I add a coaster under someone’s lemonade, glad that Amelia suggested the idea of a barbeque for all our favorite people to spend time together. My friends get along with her friends, and I wonder what this place will look like in five years. More people, more loved ones.

I can’t wait.

“Hi.” I slide next to Amelia and kiss her cheek, ignoring Riley and Hudson’s teasing. “Can I help with anything?”

“Nope.” She leans into me, her head resting on my shoulder. “We’re chirping about who is going to win out of the East.”

“I love when your competitive side comes out. You’re doing good things in Baltimore, baby, but it’s time to bring the Cup back home to DC where it belongs.”

“It’s cute you think that’s going to happen.”

“Being delusional is one of my best qualities.” I smile when she holds my hand. “It’s how I was lucky enough to land you.”

Maverick and Liam fire up the grill to cook the food everyone brought. Piper and Emmy help with refilling drinks, and Sienna and Lainey dole out pasta salad onto everyone’s plates. By the time we all sit at the picnic tables I rented, my ears are ringing from the noise. I’m pulled in four different directions while I’m asked a dozen different questions.

Amelia sits next to me, and I pass her a napkin.

“I like that all of our friends get along,” she murmurs, adding ketchup to her cheeseburger. “I like that our lives overlap and we can do these things with the people we love.”

“Me too. Which means I need to make a toast.” I stand and clear my throat. “Sorry to interrupt, y’all, but I want to say thank you for coming and spending time with us today. I think I can speak on behalf of Lia when I say we’re so grateful you all stood by us during a shitty time in our lives. You had our backs when we needed you the most, and we’re glad we can share our relationship with the world, but more importantly with you all.” I pause to look down at Amelia and squeeze her shoulder. “You’re our favorite people, and it was hard to keep what was happening between us a secret. We’ve been through a lot together. There have been a lot of highs, but also a lot of lows.” I glance at my teammates, nodding Riley’s way. “It’s funny. People have ideas of who they think athletes are, but they’ll never fully get it right. We’re not just players who hit a puck for sixty minutes a night. We’re best friends. Fathers and mothers. Husbands and wives and partners. Brothers and sisters. We’ve all amassed a lot of successes in our careers, but this right here? Surrounded by the people I love the most in the world? This is the best and biggest milestone I could ever achieve.”

Piper bursts into tears and buries her face in Liam’s shirt. Our goalie kisses the top of her head then narrows his eyes my way.

“Wrap it up, Everett. I don’t like it when my wife is sad,” he says, and I chuckle.

“To friendship, the loves of our lives not always being romantic partners, and a bunch of other sappy shit,” I say, lifting my water bottle. “Enjoy your food, and don’t even think about recording a video in my guest room, Ethan.”

Conversations pick up around me. I sit and stretch out my legs under the table, smiling when Amelia scoots across the bench so our thighs touch.

“I was a fan of the speech,” she tells me. “You’re going to make a great captain one day.”

“I don’t know about that.” I blush and dip my chin. “Not sure I have the leadership gene in me.”

“You do.” She reaches up to touch my cheek. “It’s one of the many things I love about you.”

“Really? Forget the food. I’m ready to hear all the compliments you have for me.”