Neutral Zone (Carolina Comets)

Winning the Cup was easily one of the best days of my life, but every time I look over at the woman beside me, I know one day it’s going to pale in comparison to when I officially make her my wife.

I stroke my finger over the ring that’s adorning her hand. I proposed a week ago, our first night in Spain before all the other Comets filtered in for our group vacation. We decided we needed a break after winning the Cup and settled on a trip to a place none of us have been before.

“Babe, can you get my back?” Rosie hands me a bottle of sunscreen, then turns around in her chair.

“Babe, can you get my back?” Miller mocks from across the way.

“Shut up, Miller,” just about everyone says to him, including me.

Some things never change, like my love for Rosie. We moved in together just before the Playoffs, and Carl has been having a blast in the new place. I’m having a blast not being worried about her getting locked in the pantry and not worrying about seeing my eighty-year-old neighbor naked.

It’s a win-win for us.

I uncap the sunscreen, squirt some into my hand, and begin rubbing down my gorgeous fiancée. I fiddle with the strings on her orange bikini, wishing so badly we were alone so I could pull her top off and show her just how much I love her in the midday sun.

Who the hell thought a group vacation was a good idea again?

“Man, I’m so glad we could all do this together,” Miller says.

Oh, right. Him.

“I’m here with my favorite people and my favorite girl.” He winks at Scout. “And I’m the proud owner of a new title: Stanley Cup Champion.”

“You already had that title,” I remind him, rubbing the lotion into Rosie’s soft skin.

“You’re right. Two-time Stanley Cup Champion.” He takes a sip of his beer, then smacks his lips obnoxiously. “What a fucking life, huh?”

“It’s pretty nice,” Lowell agrees. “And as much as I love my kids, I’m so glad to have a break.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Hollis clinks her drink against Lowell’s beer. “Though I do miss them.”

“I miss Macie,” Greer complains, frowning down at his phone like he’s trying to convince himself not to check in on her. “She’d love this. We could be building sandcastles right now.”

“No way. She’s too cool for us now.” Stevie rolls her eyes. “If she were here, she’d probably be at the pool with those boys we saw earlier.”

“Boys? Fuck no!” Greer gets up like he’s going to go beat some kids up, and Stevie tugs him back down into his chair, patting his back.

“Chill out. She’s safe at home with her grandpa. There is no way he or Ernesto would let any boys near her.”

“Um, you’re both nuts. If anyone is going to chase boys away, it’s Macie herself. My niece can handle things just fine,” Scout says.

“Quit whining about your kids. I miss my dogs.” Collin juts his lip out. “They’re probably doing awful without me.”

“Um, based on the photo Grams sent me, I doubt that,” Ryan says. “They’re living their best life with Frodo and Poe.”

“I really don’t know how my mother is handling all those animals and the kids and still has time to hang out with your grandmother.” Harper shakes her head.

“Because Mom is a badass,” Hollis tells her sister. “Duh.”

“Yeah, duh, Harper,” Miller says.

“Shut up, Miller.”

I don’t even know who says it this time, but it still makes me laugh.

“Um, Fitz?”

“Hmm?”

“I don’t think I need sunscreen on my ass.”

“Huh?” I look down and—yep, my hand is totally inside her bikini bottoms. “Oops.”

She giggles, then swings back around, settling back into her chair. I toss the sunscreen aside, then reach over and drag her closer to me because the foot of space between us is entirely too much.

I’m addicted to this woman, and it’s an addiction I’ll gladly let rule my life. There’s no way I’ll ever get enough of her, no matter how much time we spend together. I’m going to soak it all in now while I can before we get back to North Carolina and reality, where I’ll be busy with hockey and she’ll be busy with her second year of college.

She’s kicking ass, and I’m not surprised. Scout’s even been helping her as she tries to find a location for her bakery. It’s still a few years off, but she says there’s no harm in starting to plan now. Rosie no longer streams, and all the sexy pictures she takes are sent directly to me. I wouldn’t have an issue if she still wanted to do it, but she says I’m giving her everything she ever wanted.

“Hey, Ro,” I whisper to her.

“Yes, Ivan?”

“I love you, future wife.”

She grins. “I love you more, future husband.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet I could—”

“SHUT UP, MILLER!”

Everyone laughs, shaking their heads at him. He’s as exhausting as ever and we had to physically restrain him from packing his karaoke machine, but we still love him.

“Hayes, what’s up, man? Why the long face?” Smith asks while casually playing with Emilia’s hair as she sits in his lap. “Strike out on Tinder again?”

Hayes, the only single one here, is staring down at the phone in his hand, looking completely dejected. It’s several more seconds before he looks up, and I’m not at all expecting the next words that leave him.

“I just got off the phone with my agent. I’m not playing for the Comets next season.”

“What? Where are you going?”

“Seattle.” He swallows roughly. “I’m going to be playing for the Seattle Serpents.”