“But I gave him pancakes, apparently,” Markus said, and she scowled up at him.

“Don’t follow me, don’t talk to me, and don’t touch my cat!” Turning on her heel, she knew she sounded ridiculous, but she wasn’t acting like herself. All because of him.

“Anything else?”

“No! That’s all,” she said, going to her door, but before she could slam it, he stopped her.

“Okay, can I say something before you slam the door?”

“Can you be quick?”

Why did she ask that? Slam the door, you idiot!

“You can talk to me, you can follow me, and if I had a cat, you could touch him. But above all that, I’d really like to talk to you. Just me and you, if you wouldn’t mind.”

She could only blink. What in the world? “Why in the hell would I talk to you?”

“Because I think we both need to discuss some things.”

“Well, I think you’re an idiot, and I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Well, I think you’re beautiful, and I want to talk to you. So let me know when you’re ready.”

Again, all she could do was blink as he looked back at her, yearning in his eyes.

“I don’t know.”

“Okay, well, I’m patient.”

She scoffed. “I know for a fact that isn’t true since you wouldn’t wait for me.”

“Which is why I want to talk to you.”

He was so quick on his feet, so sure of himself, and she was standing there, unsure about everything. One second, she wanted to throw something at him. The next, she wanted to sit down and listen to everything he had on his mind. She wanted to nuzzle into his chest, ask him questions, talk about TV shows they had loved and books they had read together. She wanted to know why he wasn’t in the NHL yet and how it was going with the Assassins. But then, she wanted to wish him into the deep depths of hell. She was insane, and she couldn’t trust herself.

She didn’t know what she would do.

So instead of answering him, she slammed the door.

As she stood there sucking in deep breaths, she expected to feel invigorated, strong. But instead, as the wood grains of the door went fuzzy, she felt…awful.

Mekena was positively the biggest idiot on the face of the earth.

Looking down at the pair of ice skates adorning her feet, she shook her head. How in the hell did she get into this position? Oh, that’s right, she was too proud to give Markus the satisfaction of knowing the truth about her and her horrible skating abilities. Dumb Mekena. She saw the ice rink was full of the families of the Assassins. Everyone was skating with ease, laughing and having a great time. Meanwhile, Mekena was trying to get feeling back into her toes while trying to look like her phone had the most important email known to man on it.

“When will Audrey be back?”

Looking up, she saw Lucy standing with two women she didn’t recognize. They were gorgeous, like most of the damn Assassins wives were. And really, that was a bit sickening. Like, why were all these people so damn beautiful? Weren’t hockey players supposed to be a little busted?

“She told me she’d be back Friday morning to do the cake, and then she delivers it on Saturday morning, right?” one of them asked, and Lucy nodded.

“That’s what she told me.”

“Yeah, Piper told me she was staying with all the kids while Audrey flew back, but I wasn’t sure when that was. And I feel like she needs more than one day to do a cake,” the other lady said.

“Don’t underestimate my sister. She’s a genius when it comes to sweets,” the second woman said, and Lucy grinned.

“You got that right, Fallon. I can’t wait. I’m so excited,” she said, leaning her hip into the boards. Fallon. Mekena knew that name. Ah! Lucas Brooks’s wife.

“You look so happy.”

“I am,” Lucy said, her eyes so bright and so full of love. “I really am, Reese, thanks for noticing.” And Mekena knew that name, Phillip Anderson’s wife. Man, she was good.

“Are you hiding?”

Startled, she looked up to see Libby standing above her, her camera in her hand, right as she snapped a picture. Laughing, she said, “Ha! I’m framing that one.”

“I will cut you,” Mekena warned, and Libby eyed her.

“Why aren’t you out there having fun?”

“Yeah! Mekena, come on. It’s a great sheet of ice. It’s new just for us. Even I can skate on this,” Lucy gushed, and while Mekena loved Lucy, she did, at that moment she wanted to cut her too. She was way too giddy. But then, if Mekena were marrying her happily ever after and had her initials painted in the middle of the ice, she’d be giddy too. “Not well, but I can skate. Somewhat.”

“I’ll be out in a few,” Mekena said as happily as she could.

“Oh, crap. Is that my kid trying to ride Shea like a horse? Shit, it is,” Fallon said, skating off in a hurry with Reese, and thank God, Lucy was behind her. Sighing heavily because she was pretty sure Lucy was going to try to bring her out there, Mekena looked to Libby.

“Shouldn’t you be taking pictures or something?”

Libby grinned. “And miss picking on you? Nah, I’m good.” Sitting down beside her niece, she crossed her legs and leaned into her. “Have I mentioned before that Avery and her love toy make me sick?”

Glancing to where Libby was looking, Mekena laughed as Avery and Jace skated together in a very sugary sweet way. Avery was holding Ashlyn as she skated, and Jace was holding both of them, looking like an image from a poster for family skate night.

“You’ve said it a few times. But man, she is so happy, and she needs that.”

“I know, I know,” Libby said, waving her off. “I’m a hater.”

“You are.”

Grinning, they leaned into each other as they looked around, and Libby took pictures here and there. Everyone was having a blast, and Mekena couldn’t help but smile as she watched all the families and friends interact. She felt a little out of place since she wasn’t a part of any of this, but it was nice to watch everyone. An outsider looking into the awesomeness that was the Assassins team.

When her eyes fell on Markus, though, her lips pressed together. He hadn’t been at the cabin when she had woken up that morning. She’d figured he had practice or something, but he didn’t look the least bit tired. Instead, he looked fresh and happy, so damn happy. There was a pile of kids around him asking for rides, and he was in heaven. His eyes were bright and joyful as he skated each kid around, lying on the ice with them, and chasing them. She could watch him for hours; he was so good with kids. He always said he loved them because he’d wanted a little brother or sister. Growing up alone, he craved a younger sibling, which was why he clicked with children so well.