“Of course. We’re a package deal. Your shit is my shit and vice versa. You’re lucky I’m so incredibly low-maintenance that you won’t have to support me through anything.”
I grin. “Including meeting my parents?”
“Ah …”
“And I wanna meet yours one day.”
Ezra cringes. “Have you been listening to any of my stories about them?”
I drop a kiss on his nose. “I have. Package deal, remember? You don’t need to deal with that alone.”
“Careful. You’re dangerously close to being too perfect, and I don’t think I can compete with that.”
“Don’t worry. There was never any competition anyway.” Because he’ll always have me beat.
He pulls back to take my hand as we make our way back to the locker room.
I’m not expecting our whole team to still be there waiting.
Close to twenty guys look up when we enter.
Ezra bows. “I know, you do have me to thank for the epic win. Tonight was all on my shoulders, you’re welcome.”
Kosik throws a towel at him. “You two are dating?”
“Oh, that.” Ezra waves him off. “That doesn’t seem anywhere near as exciting as the two goals I scored tonight.”
“Are you forgetting who got a hat trick?” I ask.
“Yeah, but you’re supposed to get those. Honestly, it’s sort of embarrassing how few of those you have.”
“Talk to me at the end of the season when we’re taking out the Stanley Cup, and we’ll see if you still think that.”
I’m met by groans from nearly everyone in the room, and Ezra slaps a hand over my mouth. “It’s like you want us to fail.”
“Early vacation?” Luckily, my reply is muffled by his hand. He lets me go when he thinks I can be trusted. “I’ll let you punish me later.”
Larsen throws his hands up. “There are two of them. This is going to be unbearable.”
Diedrich points at me. “Remember the rules. No kissing and telling. And this time, it’s not even because you’re talking about a dude. It’s because you’d be talking about Ezra, and—” He shudders.
“No one needs to hear that,” Kosik finishes.
“But I’m cool to give details?” Ezra asks innocently. “Since it’d be about Anton, that makes it totally fine.”
“Same rules for you,” Diedrich says. “Always same rules, especially for you. None of us need the types of visuals you’re capable of coming up with.”
I cross my arms. “I’m beginning to think they’re under the impression that I’m innocent.”
“With the things you did to me last night, you have nothing to worry about.”
Kosik covers his ears, while Larsen points at Ezra with a solid “No.”
We both laugh, and I hold up a hand. “Promise that’s it. From both of us.”
“I don’t promise,” Ezra says.
“That ball gag is still an option. You don’t need your mouth to play hockey.”
“No, but I do need it for other things.”
Good argument. “You know what, I can’t be held responsible for what Ezra says.”
A few of the guys grab their bags to head out. They pat us on the back as they pass and say they’ll see us later.
A handful hang back, and Diedrich smiles.
“I knew there was something going on.”
“I figured you did,” Ezra says.
“What?” It’s the first I’m hearing of that.
“The pranks. Suddenly getting along …”
Kosik jumps in again. “Ezra spooning me to send you the photo. It all makes sense.”
“You knew too?” I ask.
“Nah, but now I do, I’m seriously concerned for your guys’ mating ritual.”
Ezra slings an arm around my waist. “Trust me when I say that’s not something you need to worry about.”
Diedrich’s teasing expression turns serious. “I’m not saying this to be a dick, but I am worried.”
“Yeah, I get it,” I say. “We have … history. That makes it hard. But if it helps, I’m prepared to stick it out for as long as he’ll have me.”
“In that case, you better not die first, because I won’t be done with you, and then things will get dark,” Ezra says.
“Maybe I should have said for as long as he’ll have me or I die. Whichever comes first.”
“It’s an important distinction to make.”
Diedrich shakes his head with amusement. “I’m guessing you feel the same, Palaszczuk?”
He looks at me. “Eh.”
“Eh?” I echo.
“I mean, you have a nice butt.”
“A nice butt?”
“And I suppose it’s sorta cute when you get those frown lines when you’re thinking.”
“Did you just … say I have wrinkles?”
“Don’t be stupid.”
“Okay …”
“The wrinkles are around your mouth.”
I rub my temple. “Amendment number two is as long as he’ll have me, I die, or he gets so annoying I spontaneously combust.”
Ezra nods sagely. “That’s fair.”
“You guys have the old married couple thing down pat,” Kosik says.
Marriage?
Ezra and I look at each other. Our eyes lock, and somehow I know we’re both on the same page when it comes to our future.
We burst out laughing.
“Ah, maybe in theory, but I don’t think marriage is for me.”
“Or me,” Ezra says.