Page 61 of My Husband Problem

Noted.

“Miles knows how to skate?” I ask.

“He does. He plays for a beer league in Portland.”

I did not know that. How did I not know that?

“Actually, he plans to join the team when he gets here,” she adds.

“Bullshit,” I say. “That would’ve made it on the website.”

“He’s been saving it to make a big announcement after he’s here permanently.” She smiles. “I suppose that’s really fortunate considering he might need it to pull ahead of you in the polls by the time he gets here.”

I study her, my gaze bouncing back-and-forth between her bright blue eyes. I realize what she has known since she first came up with this idea—I’m definitely going to do this.

But what she doesn’t know is that I’m a hell of a skater, and I am going to give this my all.

I turn to the table. “I’ll do it if Astrid agrees to do our famous karaoke number with me.” I look at Astrid and then back to the table. “People will love it.”

I’m gratified to hear the choking sound from the woman sitting next to me.

“You have a famous karaoke number?” Beckett asks.

I drop my hand to Astrid’s thigh under the table and squeeze. It’s a warning squeeze. A warning not to out us.

Because…we do not have a famous karaoke number.

Yet.

We have never ever done karaoke together. We’ve never so much as sung happy birthday to a mutual acquaintance together.

But Friday night is going to make us famous.

I nod. “We do. I might be exaggerating with the word ‘famous’.” I shoot them all a charming grin—hey, I can be charming if I need to be. I just don’tneedto be very often—and say, “It will be a huge crowd pleaser to get Astrid out there too, don’t you think?”

Beckett crows. “Oh, fuck yeah.”

“What’s the song?” Alex asks.

Alex definitely knows that we do not have a famous karaoke number.

“It’s a surprise,” I tell them. “But here’s how I see it.WhenI score to win the game, I skate to center ice, I start the song, and then Astrid comes out and joins me for thekillernumber.”

The rest of the table grins, and a few even applaud.

Their clapping covers Astrid saying, “But I don’t?—”

I squeeze her thigh.

“Fuck, Nora’s going to love that,” Alex says enthusiastically.

“That’s the perfect way to announce yourself to the town,” Beckett agrees. “And getting Astrid out here? Oh,yes.” He grins at Astrid.

“Has Astrid never done any numbers?” I ask.

Now I’m the one feigning innocence. I know the answer. I’ve watched every game online. And if she had been a part of any performance at all, I would have rewound that over and over.

She’s been on the ice making announcements a few times and awarding a few prizes here and there, but she’s never sung or danced.