Page 97 of Power Play

thirty-eight

. . .

Riley

The little townhouse is packed full. When Al’s team captain texted to find out the results of the hearing, that somehow turned into the entire team descending on the place for a party. Not to mention Al’s family. Two aunts and five cousins have joined us, plus Cari, Tony, Viv, and Chuck.

It was a fortuitous twist of fate that Colorado is playing in Boston tomorrow night, so although he’s technically breaking curfew by hanging out with the Grizzlies rather than his team, his coach was fine with it as long as he doesn’t get wasted. With the rest of the guys playing tomorrow, there’s a lot less alcohol flowing than I anticipated.

Vanessa, Audrey, and Mel have all brought their kids, and Tyler’s around here somewhere with his husband and Ainsley. Rachel’s newborn is strapped to her husband Jake’s chest in a wrap, separating only to feed.

It’s a loud, crazy, chaotic group, packed into too-tight quarters, given the icy weather outside, but somehow… it’s right.

When I knocked on his door a few months ago, I was prepared to do anything to keep Emmy in my life. I didn’t expect that marrying Al would give me a family. And I definitely didn’t plan on the extended Grizzlies family adopting me either. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

My mother-in-law—call me Luz, she said—has monopolized Emmy, only sharing her with Tony, her favorite person. Being dethroned as the number one or two person in my daughter’s world doesn’t upset me too much; I know that when it’s three o’clock in the morning, Al and I are the only ones she wants to take care of her. Besides, I love to see the extended family doting on her. It’s something I never had, and I never want to take it away.

Cari steps up next to me, offering me a smile. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m good.”

She side-eyes me. “Okay, but for real.”

“I’m overstimulated and overwhelmed, but I’m so freaking happy that the custody issue is resolved, so I can hang out for a little while longer.”

Once everyone is gone and Emmy is in bed, I’ll take a long soak in Al’s Jacuzzi tub and light a candle. Maybe I can even convince him to join me in the bath.

“My mother isn’t driving you crazy?”

“Not at all.” Luz has given me about ten thousand hugs since the hearing. She introduced me to her sisters and the cousins as her daughter. Not daughter-in-law. Daughter.

Anyone else might be turned off by how quickly she’s drawn me into her circle, but it’s been almost twenty years since I’ve had a mother. I didn’t know how much I wanted one until she accepted me unconditionally.

Even if it means having to put on an elaborate wedding and wear a poofy white princess dress next summer.

“If she crosses a line, you have to tell her,” Cari says. “She’s not great with boundaries, but she’s getting better. As long as you tell her what you’re not okay with, she will usually listen.”

“Any chance we have of getting out of this wedding?” I’m half joking. I’ve never been comfortable in churches, and Al isn’t exactly religious. Plus, I wouldn’t have anyone there to support me; they’d all be his friends and family.

She laughs. “Yeah, not a chance in hell. You’re out of luck.”

Although, at the end of the day, I still get to be married to Al. So maybe I am the lucky one after all.

An arm slides around my waist, and I breathe in the cedar and firewood of his cologne, the scent as comforting as the first day we met. Maybe that was a sign it would all work out, even then.

Al kisses my temple. “Can I borrow you for a moment?”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I just want to talk to you without an audience.” He offers his hand, and I take it as he leads me up the stairs to our bedroom.

“What’s going on?”

His hands land on my shoulders, gently guiding me to sit on the edge of the bed. Then he starts pacing.

“Is something wrong?”

Just tell me. Don’t make me worry.