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“Maybe he just needs time to warm up. What do you think of Jordan Bryant? He was another big trade, right?”

Dean nodded. “He’s a defenseman who never stops talking. On the ice, in the locker room, on the bus. I don’t think the guy breathes. And this is coming from someone whose daughter is dating the OG big mouth, Tank Phillips.”

Vivian laughed. Tank and her brother had been friends for years, and she’d spent more than a few Christmases with him, so she knew exactly how much Tank loved the sound of his own voice. “I thought coaches liked communication.”

“Jordan narrates everything. Every. Thing,” he stressed.

“That sounds exhausting.”

Dean shrugged. “It’s not that bad. In truth, he’s hilarious. Got a wicked sense of humor. Looked at Blake the other night in the locker room after our loss and told him he skated like his stick was embarrassed to be seen with him.”

“Oh my God. Bet Blake was ready to kill him.”

Dean shook his head. “Ordinarily, maybe. But Blake had played like shit that night, and he knew it. That’s when Blake…” Dean looked around, like he was trying to see if anyone was listening. “Can you keep a secret?”

Vivian nodded enthusiastically.

“Blake apologized, then explained to all of us that he’d been distracted because his wife just told him she was pregnant.”

Vivian’s eyes widened. Since she was Victor’s sister, she always had a seat in the team’s family box when she wanted to attend home games. As such, she’d grown close to a lot of the girlfriends and wives of the players—including Erika. “No way. They just got married this summer!” Vivian had been invited to the wedding, but she wasn’t able to attend because she was in Africa at the time.

“Blake swore he wanted a honeymoon baby, and it looks like they got it.”

“That’s wonderful! And I promise, mum’s the word.” She pretended to lock her lips.

“I’m fairly certain the minute Blake announced it to the entire team, it ceased to be a serious secret, but Blake—the besotted fool—couldn’t keep it in.”

Vivian knew just how in love Blake was with his former neighbor, now wife. “I doubt Erika will be too upset with him. She’s just as gone for the guy as he is for her.”

“Lot of that going around in the Stingrays’ locker room these days.”

Vivian hadn’t considered that before, but now that Dean said it, she had to admit, he was right. Blake was the first to fall, but Coulton, Tank, and Victor hadn’t been far behind, all finding the women of their dreams and settling down.

“How’s Pip liking kindergarten?” Dean asked.

Vivian groaned dramatically. “It’s been a good start so far, but slightly chaotic as well.”

“How so?”

“Apparently they’re learning about community helpers, and they had a police officer visit the classroom.”

“Okay…” Dean drawled.

“Pip came home absolutely fascinated with the concept of emergencies.”

“That sounds potentially problematic.”

Vivian tapped the tip of her nose. “The next morning, I couldn’t find my car keys. I searched the kitchen, my purse, under the couch cushions, and in the pockets of every jacket I own.”

Dean was already grinning.

“Finally, I asked Pip if she’d seen them.”

“And?” he prompted.

“She said she’d put them in the emergency box.”

Dean frowned. “What’s the emergency box?”