“Yeah. But don’t worry, I told him no.” I add in a wink and she feigns relief.

“Oh, thank God!” she gasps before leaning into me, her hand pressed to her forehead. “I was nervous for a second there,” she jokes and I laugh.

“Sure, you were.”

“Eh, maybe not. I would have chased you down.”

“I wouldn’t get far,” I say with another wink, and when I glance at her parents, they are smiling too.

“He’s great, really,” Avery says and I kiss her temple as her mom nods.

“We are seeing that,” her dad admits.

“Yeah, maybe I was wrong,” Thea says.

Looking up at me, Avery widens her eyes as she hooks a thumb at her mother. “My mom just admitted she might be wrong for thinking you’re a rookie punk.”

My eyes widen too, faking hurt and shock as I look over at my mother-in-law. “You called me a rookie punk?”

“I did.”

“Eh, now I gotta keep proving her wrong.”

That pleases her parents, and when I look at my wife, her face is bright and happy.

I feel good about this.

I feel good about them.

And maybe, just maybe, this will work out.

“My parents should be here in a second. I think they are gonna sit with us instead of on the visitors’ side,” I say to Autumn and Lucy. I’m met with concerned stares.

Eyeing me, Lucy asks, “They’re invited to sit with us?”

I shrug, a grin pulling at my lips. “Yeah.”

“So we like them?” Autumn asks, and it’s so weird calling her that. I feel like I should still be calling her Mrs. Sinclair, but she gets on me when I do. She really wants me to call her Mom, but I’m working up to it.

I laugh. “They’ve actually been really great the last two days,” I say and they both smile. I didn’t think I’d ever say that, but it’s true. Dinner was good, and Jace said my dad wasn’t even a dick to him. Only spoke with him about his concerns, and Jace promised it went well. Yesterday, they took us shopping for our baby, which again was really nice. I know they don’t like it and probably wish I were older, but they are trying to be supportive. Something else I thought would never happen.

While everything seems good, I’m still dreading Jace being on the ice with Matty. I haven’t seen him, but my mom said they went out to dinner with him last night. They invited us, but I said no. For obvious reasons.

“That’s wonderful, honey,” Autumn says, hugging my neck. “I know that means a lot to you.”

I smile as I nod. “They are being supportive.”

“Good, that’s what they are supposed to do. No matter how much we want something different, we are to love our children, no matter what.”

Lucy grins. “She loves me more, though.”

I laugh as Autumn shakes her head. “I love you all the same.”

I love that each of her children thinks they are her favorite. It’s funny and sweet and speaks volumes of Autumn, too. She loves big, and I love her for it. Grinning at her, I say, “It’s okay, Autumn. It’s just us two. You can admit I’m your favorite daughter-in-law.”

She laughs before squeezing me tightly. “Of course, my love.”

Lucy laughs and shakes her head. “She told Baylor that last week, and I think Claire this morning.”

Smacking Lucy, Autumn laughs. “She’s a liar.”

That has us all laughing just as someone calls my name. Looking in the direction it’s coming from, I see my dad waving at me as they climb the many stairs to the top. It’s where Autumn and Lucy always sit, right under Jace’s banner.

“Hey!” I call, and I can’t believe I’m excited to see them. It’s odd, but also something I truly need. I want them in my life, I do, as long as they keep acting like this. It does worry me that I’m being too forgiving and dismissing the years I was ignored, but I’d hate to push them away when they really want to change things between us.

They reach us, and Autumn stands. I smile as I introduce them. She’s all smiles, hugging my mom and dad tightly before scooting over so they can sit down. We chat about their drive in from Nashville, where they have been staying, and then how great the campus is.

“Yes, all my boys went here. Lucy went to school online, but we love this school,” Autumn gushes with a grin. “They have been very successful going here. The coaching staff is awesome.”

“Yeah, I’m noticing that. Seth went to Wisconsin and Laurence is there now. Matty goes to Boston, obviously. We had heard of this school because of how great Coach Moore is, but it didn’t fit for our boys,” my mom says, but she isn’t being snotty. She’s being nice. “And I have to tell you, I’m very impressed with your son.”

Autumn’s eyes light up as she leans on her knees, grinning over at my mom. “Tell me more.”

My mom laughs along with all of us as she nods. “He is so polite, so sweet. I expected something entirely different when I came, but Jace is very mature for his age.”

Lucy scoffs at that and I laugh. “He is,” Autumn says with a nod. “That’s probably my fault, though. He had to grow up quick when I went through my divorce.”

“Ah, that can do it,” Mom agrees with a nod and I smile. They are getting along. It’s awesome and I can’t stop grinning. I’ve wanted this my whole life. For my parents to love me, and then to love the man I chose and his family. It’s just so great.

Letting out a long breath, my dad squeezes my shoulder. “It’s hard to trust someone with your child, but Jace really showed us we could in the last couple days. This could have gone a whole different way. She could be alone.”

“Jace wouldn’t have done that,” Lucy says, running her hands through her hair. “He’s been wrapped around her finger since the moment he met her.”

That has us all smiling as my dad gives me a sideways hug. Leaning into him, I crave his attention and I try to tell myself not to get attached, that this could all change once they leave. But then, why shouldn’t I enjoy it now? Kissing the top of my head, he says, “Can I talk to you?”

Looking up at him, I nod. “Sure.”

He stands then, looking back at Mom and Autumn. “You guys want anything from concessions?”