“Don’t do anything,” she said, looking up at him. “Except get the computer so we can look at houses.”

His face didn’t change like she thought it would. His eyes were still trained on hers, his breathing hard. “Really?”

“Yeah, I just never thought I’d have you, and I’m still waiting to wake up,” she admitted, and his lips curved up at the side before his arms wrapped around her.

“You’re not dreaming, baby,” he whispered against her lips. “This is real. This is our life.”

Our life.

He was so invested, so sure, and she knew she was too, but still, she worried.

And she wasn’t sure if it was a survival tactic to prepare for the worst.

Or if it was really her subconscious telling her they weren’t going to last.

Either way, she wrapped her arms tighter around his waist and decided that she wouldn’t make him worry. Her fears would buff out and everything would be fine.

She hoped.

Squaring off in front of Jordie, Kacey set her stick to the ice and grinned.

“The name of the game is I win, you lose,” he teased and she laughed.

“Other way around, buddy,” she called out around her mouthguard as she stretched out her neck. “You’re going down.”

He gave her a dismissive look and shook his head. “Don’t hurt yourself, sweetie,” he called, moving the puck back and forth. “Now, when I win, we go to the three houses I like first. You win, we go to yours.”

They had spent the last couple of nights looking at different houses and talking to a Realtor. Kacey was excited to see what they had picked out in person but really excited to know that they’d be staying in Karson and Lacey’s neighborhood. Especially since her parents had just bought the house next door to them, despite Karson’s protests. She was glad that they bought before she and Jordie did. Knowing her dad, he’d pick her to move next door to, and there was no way in hell she could deal with her father on a daily basis. She loved her daddy, very much so, but he was loud and liked to tell her what she should be doing.

First, it would be the lawn, then what color the shutters should be, then he’d be redecorating their house. And the next thing you knew, he’d be naming their children. Then, Lord, her mother would be over every day cleaning and teaching her how to cook, while making them both fat with all the food she prepared. Nope, Karl and Regina King could stay right next to her big brother and his wife. Then again, physical distance couldn’t keep them out of her way before, so she doubted a few streets over would keep them at bay. Might as well get used to the idea of them poking their noses into their business. Thankfully, Jordie loved them as much as she did.

But that didn’t matter today. No, this morning, Jordie was going down.

When he shot her a grin, she glared, placing her hand on her hip as she held her stick loosely in her hand. “Stop talking so much and let’s do this. Post shots?”

He nodded. “Take it back to the line if you get possession,” he reminded her and she nodded. “First to three, wins.”

“Fine, drop it,” she said, moving her mouthguard back in her mouth. He looked deep into her eyes and when he puckered a kiss at her, she was seconds from smacking him with her stick. Finally, he dropped the puck. Taking it off the draw, she sailed past him, hitting the brakes when she heard him behind her. Like she wanted, he hit her hip, going headfirst into the ice. Not letting that faze her, she took the shot, hitting it off the crossbar.

“One for me!” she cheered before getting the puck to pass to him. But he was still lying on the ice.

“That was cheap,” he said, getting up, and she shrugged.

“I don’t play fair. I play to win.”

He nodded. “I see how this is going to go,” he said before taking the puck from her and then to the line. Toeing the ice, he took off, but she knew what he was going to do before he did and cut left as he did, spinning the puck away and going back to the line. Glaring at her, he shook his head.

“Bullshit, I’m still healing,” he tried and she laughed, moving the puck between her legs and back out.

“Bullshit, don’t get all pissy ’cause I’m gonna beat you,” she teased and his glare deepened. When she went left, he followed and she sent the puck through his legs, going around him to pick it up. She didn’t have the shot, so she went wide of the net, and when he barreled after her, she watched as it hit off the boards before coming to the slot. Lifting the puck, she hit the side of the post and grinned back at him.

“First to three right?”

He set her with a serious look, breathing hard. “I said five.”

She giggled. “Sure ya did.”

“It isn’t fair. You’re fast as shit, and it isn’t like I can slam you against the boards to stop you,” he complained, and she looked over her shoulder at him as she got in place before he took the puck out.

“Are you crying like a little bitch, Thomas?”

“Did you just call me a bitch?” he asked, shocked, and she nodded.

“I did. Now hush, girlie girl, and let’s do this.”

“Oh no, you didn’t,” he said in the same Valley girl voice that Karson liked to use. Taking off, she thought he was going to go left, so she deked, ready to cut him off. But he threw the puck over her, and then to her surprise, batted the puck into the net. Throwing his hands up, he said, “Boom!”