“You’re sweet,” she says with a smile. “I’ll take you up on that. Besides, that’s what we do. The Cold Fury is a family.”

Those words cause me to jerk in my seat because they pack quite a punch. Am I part of the Cold Fury family? I mean . . . I’m not married to Max, and we’ve only known each other about five weeks now, but still . . . he seemed like it was no big deal for him to ask Kate and Zack to watch my kids. Is that because he’s thinking because we’re together I’m automatically brought into the fold?

“So listen,” Kate says as she leans toward me a bit more. “I was in Fleurish the other day and Stevie and Olivia showed me your paintings, and Jules . . . they are stunning. I mean, Max told me they were amazing but when I saw them . . . I was just blown away.”

My face flushes red but I try to maintain some semblance of grace. “Well, thanks . . . that’s really nice of you to say, Kate.”

She nods. “And, I was wondering if I could commission you to paint something for me to give to Zack for Christmas. I swear he’s so hard to buy for but I was thinking of having a portrait done of Ben, but not like just a regular portrait. I’d want it done in all those fantastic bold colors . . . make it slightly abstract.”

A zap of pure happiness runs through me and I eagerly nod at Kate. I’ve never been asked to paint something for someone before, and it’s beyond flattering. “I’d love to. But no way are you paying for it. I’d be happy to just give it to you.”

Kate rolls her eyes at me and then leans over farther and pats me on the knee. “You’re really cute, Jules, but seriously . . . wise the hell up. This is your business. It’s how you make a living. You charge for your talent.”

“But, I couldn’t—”

“You can,” she rolls right over me, and then in a voice that does not mess around, she says, “If it bothers you that much, cut me a five percent deal or something, but I’m paying you or I’m not going to let you do it.”

My jaw drops slightly from her fierce attitude, but then I snap it shut. Cheeks still red, I give her a nod. “Okay, if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure I’m sure,” she says with a grin. “Now turn back around and watch your man’s ass while he’s in goal.”

My head snaps toward the ice and I immediately lock eyes on Max, the puck having been dropped and action commenced. And damn . . . even in those big, bulky goalie pads, he still looks phenomenal.

It really didn’t hit me until I walked into this arena tonight with the kids.

My boyfriend plays professional hockey.

My boyfriend is Max Fournier . . . the starting goalie for the Carolina Cold Fury.

Not once in the past five weeks have I really had that sink in, and that’s probably because Max and I haven’t really spent that much time together, but our developing relationship was never about something like that. It was about a man seeing a woman who he wanted to help and lift up, and a woman taking a chance on a man who believed in her.

But here . . . listening to the fans chant his name or scream at the top of their lungs when he makes a great save . . . it’s a heady feeling knowing that he’s mine.

Kate brings me and the kids to the family gathering room that’s just down from the locker room after the game. We wait with a host of other wives and kids, waiting for the guys to have a quick team meeting and get showered. Kate introduces me to Olivia Case who works at Fleurish. She’s waiting for her boyfriend, Garrett Samuelson, and she spends five minutes gushing about my art. It embarrasses me, but I end up kind of falling a little for Olivia. She’s got such a sunny personality and a hippie vibe, it’s hard not to be drawn to her. In the few evenings Max had eaten dinner at my place this week, he filled me in on his other teammates and their significant others. I knew about Olivia’s cancer and that she’s in remission right now.

I also get to meet Sutton, who’s married to the team captain, Alex Crossman, and also happens to be Olivia’s cousin. She’s just as awesome and it truly feels like I’m being welcomed into the fold. By the time Max walks into the room, looking amazing in a dark gray suit with a pink dress shirt, hair still wet from his shower, I’d made tentative plans to get together with the three women standing around me. When I would do that was beyond me as I had almost no free time, and what little I did have, I wanted Max to have it all. But we exchanged phone numbers and we’d figure something out I’m sure.

Max spends a few more minutes introducing me to a few other people and then I give hugs and kisses to Annabelle, Levy, and Rocco with promises I’ll see them first thing in the morning. It’s not lost on me when Annabelle holds on a little longer than normal, and just before she lets go, she whispers, “Love you, Mommy.”

My voice quavers as I whisper back, “Love you too, Annabelle.”

Max watches quietly, and when I stand up, his hand goes to my lower back where his thumb rubs against me in acknowledgment of that emotional moment.

Then he takes me out through the back exit that leads to the players’ parking lot. He opens the passenger door and I climb in. After Max gets into the driver’s seat I give out a little cry of surprise when grabs me behind the neck, pulls me halfway across into his seat and kisses me hard.

When he pulls away, he puts his forehead against mine and murmurs, “I missed you and I cannot wait to get my mouth on you tonight when we get back to my place.”

“We could bypass Houlihan’s and head right to your place,” I suggest with a grin, although I really kind of want to go to Houlihan’s. I’m curious as to what Max is like when he’s out in public and has to play the role of star goalie.

“We could do that,” he agrees. “But I really want you to meet Hawke and Vale and they agreed to meet us there for a few beers. But we won’t stay long.”

“Deal,” I agree readily, because honestly . . . I don’t care what we do as long as I can be in his presence.

So Max starts his car, puts it in gear, and drives the less than one mile to Houlihan’s so I can meet more of his friends.

Chapter 13

Max

I walk into Houlihan’s holding tight onto Jules’ hand. I’ve been here hundreds of times, many of those times after a game such as tonight. It’s where the Cold Fury hangs out and it’s always packed shoulder-to-shoulder on game night, mostly with fans who hope to get a picture or an autograph. That’s usually what these visits are about. Hanging out and giving back to the fans.