Page 144 of Playing Her Game

For a moment, he simply stares, followed by a happiness so unguarded it catches me off balance. The frustration hasn't vanished, but something else has broken through it, something that makes the distance between us feel unbearable.

I don't wait for him to reach me.

I move toward him, closing the distance between us, and when I'm finally close enough to touch, I reach for him. My hands find his chest, then his jaw, and I'm kissing him before either of us can say another word.

He tastes like my favorite flavor and as his hand slides around my waist, pulling me closer, and for a moment the arena, the game, the crowd, all of it falls away.

"Happy birthday," I murmur against his mouth.

His arms tighten around me. He holds on as if he's still catching up to the fact that I'm real and standing in front of him.

"What are you doing here?" His voice is rough, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and wonder.

"I wasn't going to miss your birthday."

"You were supposed to wait for me, and we were going to fly to Chicago tomorrow."

"I changed the plan." I pull back enough to see his face. "This matters more than an ordinary birthday celebration."

He studies me, then glances over my shoulder. "You brought the Bears.”

"They came for Anna," Aleks clarifies. "Not for the Phoenixes."

"Someone had to make sure she didn't get lost on her way to see her fiancé," Lenzin then adds, “Fucked you lost, but we were rooting for you.”

Rez looks at them, his mouth twitching despite himself. "Thanks, I know that was hard to say.”

"Gonna have to cheer you on unless it’s against us now; don’t wanna piss off Anna.” Aleks shrugs.

Before Rez can respond, Lucy breaks free from Hildy and barrels toward him.

"UNCLE FANCY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

Rez releases me just in time to catch her. He lifts her easily, and his expression changes as he looks at her. The tension remains in his shoulders, but the smile that reaches his eyes is unmistakable.

"Thank you, little fancy." He touches the Phoenix jersey she's wearing. "Nice jersey."

Lucy beams. "I cheered for you even when you lost."

"I heard you."

"You were still the best player on the ice."

Rez looks at her seriously, giving her words the weight she wants them to carry. "Thank you. That means a lot."

Lucy wraps her arms around his neck. "You're welcome."

He holds her for another moment before setting her down. She stays pressed against his side, clearly pleased with herself, and he rests a hand on her head.

The group falls into easy conversation. There are dinner plans to settle, birthday wishes to exchange, and jokes about the game that never quite pretend the loss didn't happen. Rez answers the questions put to him and gives as good as he gets when Aleks and Lenzin start teasing him, but I can still see the disappointment beneath his attempts to relax.

He doesn't need to pretend for me. I wouldn't want him to.

Eventually, the group starts coordinating logistics. Aleks and Lenzin discuss restaurant options with Hayes and Jax. Hildy persuades Lucy to stay with her rather than shadow Rez for the rest of the night, though Lucy negotiates one last hug before allowing herself to be led away.

“Group picture,” Lenzin says, holding up his phone.

“Fucking hell,” Rez grumbles.