Page 93 of Breakaway Bet

“It is,” I confirm, and I’m honestly a little surprised she knew that. “Well, that’s when our first preseason game is. But I need to report for camp a few days before that. And in all reality, I probably should have started my workouts much sooner than now. So I guess these last few days were it as far as the honeymoon’s concerned. At least until the season’s over.”

She twists her lips. “It’s not like I can take off any more time anyway if I want to keep my job.”

“Do you want to keep your job?” I ask quietly.

She glances over at me, and she’s quiet a long time before she answers. “I mean, yeah. I can’t just be a hockey player’s wife.”

I shake my head. “I mean what we talked about before. I need someone to manage my social media, and you’ve always dreamed of being a social media manager. Seems like a good fit.”

“It does, and it’s a beautiful offer, Cash, but...” She trails off as she tries to formulate the excuse that’s coming.

“But?” I echo.

“But I’m afraid to put all of my eggs in a basket that has an end date stamped on it.”

Her voice is quiet as she admits the fear, and I don’t really blame her for being scared. Honestly, it’s something I’ve thought about as well.

But I also think that sometimes in life, we take certain risks. And there are no guarantees for any of it.

Least of all when it comes to love.

But everything is about to change as the season gets underway, and I understand her being uncertain about working with me—not just because it’s me and I’m her husband now, but because I’m a hockey player when her background is in football and baseball.

“Still, I’ll need access to your socials for the Nocturno stuff. If we’re matching your aesthetic to the branding there, we need to get started well before we launch,” she says. “And if we slowly hand me more and more of your accounts, then I will be managing your socials.”

“Yeah, but through Ever-Brand instead of on your own,” I point out.

She presses her lips together. “Yeah. Which isn’t the end goal, but it’s a start. It’s experience.”

All of this is. Isn’t that life, anyway? Experience after experience. How we handle it is what makes us all unique.

We’re both quiet and introspective on the plane ride home, neither of us really sure where any of this is going while both of us are sure it’s going somewhere. Once we’re home, it’s late, so Ivy heads to bed since she missed a couple days of work and needs to make up for that tomorrow.

I text West and Kellan to see if they’re around for workouts tomorrow.

When I pull open our text thread, I spot the last one sent to this group, which was West telling me he’s not going to pay me despite our verbal deal.

I shake my head.

As much of a dick move as that was, in the end, it didn’t really matter since it feels like I ended up exactly where I was supposed to.

Me: Either of you two assholes around for a workout and maybe a little ice time tomorrow morning?

Kellan’s reply comes quick.

Kellan: I’m in.

West takes a little longer, and I’ve been so wrapped up in my own shit that I haven’t even asked him what he’s been up to and whether he’s been hooking up with Ashley this whole time.

But I guess that’s something I can find out tomorrow because he replies next.

West: I’m in too. 8:00 for workouts and 11:00 on the ice?

Me: No. 8:00 for workouts. Lunch at noon. On the ice at 1.

Both guys thumbs-up my reply, which means it’s a deal…though with West, I’m not sure I’ll trust anything is a deal ever again.

I slip into bed next to my already sleeping wife…the woman my mother adored and who I’m starting to adore more and more with each passing day.