When he looked over at Vaughn, like he had seen the heavens above, Vaughn found himself shaking his head. “I wonder about you sometimes.”

“What? It’s a good story.”

“Oh, Jenny, bang that nail,” he said, mocking Wren’s voice. “Oh, I am, with my big old hammer, Wren. Come here, baby, let me—”

“Please stop.”

“I’m just saying,” he said as he sputtered with laughter. “You’re such a nerd.”

“It’s a better story than rolling over and telling the girl you really like—” He paused to clear his throat before he said, mimicking Vaughn, ‘Oh, I don’t sleep with women, I only fuck. Ugh, ugh, ugh, I’m Vaughn Johansson, I have a big cock, and you should be lucky I fucked you.’” When Jensen started laughing, Vaughn couldn’t help it, he laughed too.

“You are by far the biggest goober I’ve ever met.”

Still laughing, Jensen slapped his thigh. “Dude, really, just be happy, let it happen all natural and shit.”

“I plan on it.”

“But remember, my dad always said, ‘You can’t be a coward and be in love. You’re not allowed. You gotta choose one before you’re a coward and alone.’”

He blinked a few times, and Vaughn found Jensen’s words rattled his soul. He wasn’t saying he loved Brie by any means. He cared for her and he’d do just about anything for her, but he wouldn’t say he loved her. But the words rang in his head. He knew it could happen, and that completely terrified him. He had already failed once at love, and here he was, trying again. But this time, it was Brie. A girl who had been through the wringer, a girl who fought for her brother, who fought for herself, kicked ass, and took names. A girl he had already hurt, not once, but twice, and he didn’t want to hurt her ever again.

He didn’t want to fail.

He had failed Nathan.

He had failed at not seeing through Hazel.

But he wouldn’t fail when it came to Brie. While he was used to going fast and not thinking, this time, he was going to take his time. He was going to do right by her, and when it came time to love her, he wouldn’t be a coward.

Failure wasn’t an option.

“Hey, JoJo, you and your girl work it out?”

Vaughn and Jensen looked toward the bench where Franklin and Reeves were coming out of the tunnel. “What are you talking about?”

Franklin scoffed as he gave Vaughn a knowing look. “You know damn well what I’m talking about. That hot-ass reporter who almost kicked your ass on the ice after you two stopped having that lovers’ quarrel.”

Vaughn rolled his eyes. “Dude, you know nothing.”

“You guys were fighting over sex. What, were you leading her on?”

“Noneya,” he answered with a shrug. “You don’t even know what was going on. Don’t worry your pretty little head about it. Go work on your backhand before you get sent down to the minors. Ask Reeves how bad that sucks.”

Reeves held his gloves up. “Hey, I didn’t say anything!”

“Guilty by association.”

Rolling his eyes, Franklin skated off with Reeves as Vaughn let out a long breath and Jensen muttered, “I told you to tuck all that in when y’all were on the ice.”

“Yes, Father, I heard you.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t say you’re doing her. When have you ever been shy?”

“The moment I don’t know how she feels about it. I’m not putting her out there like that, that’s shitty.” When he looked over at Jensen because he felt him staring, Vaughn rolled his eyes. “Stop.”

“That’s so sweet. You’re growing up. Come here, let me hug you.”

Hitting Jensen in the pad with his stick, Vaughn warned, “You come near me, I’ll tell Wren you like her.”

“Jerk.”

“Pussy.”

Laughing, Jensen started to shake out his arms as he asked, “Speaking of Wren, are you going to take the woman we are not speaking of to dinner with Wells, boyfriend guy, and Wren?”

Glancing down at his best friend who was now on the ice doing some downward dog pose, Vaughn nodded. “I haven’t asked her yet, but I wanted to.”

Clicking his tongue playfully, Jensen paused as he teased, “Aw, introducing her to the family and you don’t love her? Please.”

“Cool your jets, lover boy. Not everyone falls in love while hammering in a nail.” He paused then, pointing to his best friend, a smirk on his lips. “Hammering, though, that could happen. Especially with someone like her.”

Skating around, messing with the puck as Jensen continued to stretch like a freak, Vaughn looked up when Jensen asked, “So you think I’d fall in love with her all over again if we…hammered?”

“Whatever you do, my inexperienced friend who wants to lose his virginity, don’t say, ‘Hey, Wren, wanna hammer?”

Jensen glared. “I hate you.”

Vaughn chortled as his head fell back. “Yeah, yeah. Though, I think so, but you gotta make a move.”

“She’s being weird.”

He shrugged. “Wren’s an odd one.”

“No, something is up.”

“Yeah, but she won’t tell any of us.”

“Maybe if all three of us team up on her, she’ll crack?”

Vaughn stopped skating as he shook his head. “I’m not subjecting my beautiful woman to that.”

Jensen shrugged. “It would scare off the new guy.”

“Why do we wanna scare him off? Wells likes him. So, we like him, right?” Vaughn was confused, and then he nodded slyly. “Wait, is it really Wells you’re in love with?”

When Jensen’s goalie stick came flying at Vaughn, he hit the rink, laughing as the stick went sliding across the ice. “You’re a fucker.”

Still laughing, Vaughn made snow angels as he looked up at the rafters of the Assassins’ arena, a grin sitting on his lips that Brie had left there the night before. He couldn’t wait to see her later that night. Couldn’t wait to hold her, kiss that naughty mouth of hers, and just be with her. He hadn’t wanted that in a long time, and it felt right. But the nagging feeling of fear was there.

He worried that it wouldn’t be going anywhere for a while.