Chapter 26

I had flown on private jets for years—ever since I had become famous—but for some reason Walker had insisted that I fly on Lincoln and Ari’s jet instead of one of my own for his first away game.

Lincoln and Monroe’s private car had picked Blake and me up and we’d driven to the private airstrip to get on the plane.

And that’s when things got weird.

It was a gorgeous plane, top of the line and fitting with the fact that Lincoln had more money than God, but he had a very strange flight crew.

Everyone was female.

And not just female…they were…elderly.

Commercial airlines had rules of retirement of sixty five for pilots. I wasn’t sure that this crew was under seventy. Perhaps that was why there was a third pilot…maybe for emergencies if one of them bit the dust while in the air.

The flight attendants, Mabel and Edna, were wearing cat sweaters, and they greeted me with warm cookies as soon as I stepped onto the plane.

We settled into our seats and Blake and Monroe were being really quiet.

I glanced at both of them and they had suspiciously blank faces.

I pulled out my phone.

Me: I’m surrounded by grandmas…and I’m really confused.

Walker: Grandmas?

Me: The flight crew, the pilots…does Lincoln rent this from a retirement home or what is going on…

Walker: Aren’t they great? Did they give you cookies yet? Can you grab a couple for me?

Me: Why isn’t this weird to you? I’ve never seen this before!

Walker: Just bring me some cookies, angel face. I fucking love you.

“You’re asking Walker about ‘Grandma Airways,’ aren’t you?” Monroe asked innocently.

“Grandma Airways?”

Blake extended her arms at the plane. “Lincoln and Ari’s answer to making sure that no male or age appropriate female can get near us.”

Monroe smirked. “Jokes on Lincoln, I would marry Edna or Mabel in a heartbeat just for their cookies.”

A strange, shocked laugh burst from my mouth…right as Edna and Mabel came down the aisle rolling a cart that had a full tea service on it as well as a tray of chocolate chip cookies.

“Here dearie, these just came out of the warmer, take as many as you like.” She picked up the tray with a weathered hand and offered it to me.

I’m sure I looked a bit crazy, my gaze going from the cookies to their cat sweaters…to Blake and Monroe who were watching me with huge smiles on their faces. I just wasn’t sure if this was a joke or not.

“Thank you,” I finally said as I slowly brought the cookie to my mouth and took a hesitant bite…My taste buds immediately exploded because oh my holy cookie.

‘I”m in love,’ I exclaimed, my eyes widening in disbelief. ‘This is incredible!’ I shoved another bite into my mouth—I couldn’t help it. I was already wondering how many was too many for me to eat before I’d even finished one.

Blake and Monroe exchanged knowing glances, their lips twitching with suppressed amusement.

‘Told you,” Monroe smirked. “Mabel’s cookies are legendary.” She took a cookie for herself. “I would rather have access to these than man candy any day.”

“Same,” Blake said with a full mouth, some cookie crumbs sticking to her pink lipstick. “I dream about these babies.”

“Okay, so let me get this straight…Lincoln and Ari bought this plane…and then hired a”—I glanced at Mabel and Edna who were pouring us all tea—”mature flight crew, all so that other guys wouldn’t talk to you?”

Blake nodded. “Well, technically Lincoln started it all.”

“He was spending so much money buying out every seat in first class that eventually he decided I should fly private. And only a ‘mature’ crew would do.” Monroe giggled like what she’d just said hadn’t been crazy.

Blake snorted at the expression on my face as she pulled her gorgeous blonde hair into a clip. “You do remember your goalie boyfriend, stopping play and smacking a puck into the glass…all because a guy dared to talk to you…right?”

“Our guys are kind of…a lot,” I finally said in a bemused tone.

“‘A lot’ is one way to describe them,” agreed Monroe, stuffing another cookie into her mouth.

I picked up the phone to text Walker.

Me: Sorry, there aren’t going to be any cookies left.

Walker immediately responded.

Walker: That’s okay, I know of one thing that tastes better, and I intend to eat it soon.

My pussy. He was definitely talking about my pussy.

I sat back in my seat, trying not to blush as Mabel and Edna handed us tea and we stuffed ourselves on cookies.

As I happily munched on my food and sipped my tea, there was one thing I knew for certain…“Grandma Airlines” was the best.

The plane touched down in St. Louis, and we were met with a waiting car ready to whisk us away to the arena. The three of us chatted excitedly as we drove, Blake and Monroe telling me ridiculous stories of things that Ari and Lincoln had done to win their hearts.

I still couldn’t believe what Lincoln did to get Monroe to go on a date with him. I was understanding Walker’s adoration a little bit more now. That man was a king.

While we drove I put on my Knights cap and sunglasses, although at this point I wasn’t sure how effective a disguise was. The photographers had been relentless up until a week ago, and I didn’t know if there was anyone that followed pop culture gossip that didn’t know Walker and I were together.

Arriving at the arena, we made our way through the throngs of people to our front-row seats, eager to cheer on our guys. We made our way down the aisle, and I couldn’t help but notice the two imposing females already occupying the seats on either side of ours. Dressed in all black and exuding an aura of strength, they looked like they could bench press a small car without breaking a sweat.

Monroe exchanged a puzzled glance with Blake and me, because the women could have passed for twins. They seemed like they should’ve been seated together. Neither of them seemed to notice us staring at them though.

Before I could think about that little mystery, Walker skated up to us and took off one of his gloves, pressing his hand against the glass. I shyly pressed my hand in the same spot. “I love you,” he said, and I flushed even more as I stared at his gorgeous face.

“Love you too!” I called through the barrier. He winked at me and skated back to the net.

Lincoln passed by next and made a heart sign at Monroe, his gaze drifting to the imposing women seated on either side with a small grin on his face.

And Ari…Ari did not skate by. Instead, he sent an employee over to us with a sign that said “I’m obsessed with Mrs. Lancaster.”

Blake blushed and hid her face for a second before shaking her head in amusement at Ari who was grinning at her.

“They’re kind of crazy,” I mused, staring at the three hotties as they finished warmups.

Monroe glanced at me like I was the crazy one. “I don’t think there’s any ‘kind of’ about it,” she said. “Luckily, I love crazy.”

I thought about that for a second before acknowledging to myself…I kind of loved crazy too.

The game began, and I kind of felt like I was flanked by human fortresses on either side. I glanced at them from time to time, before realizing something strange.

They weren’t watching the game.

Instead, they were watching the crowd, their eyes scanning everyone with a careful intensity.

Odd.

Walker seemed much happier about my seat mate this time. He still looked at me constantly in between plays, but he seemed much more at ease than he had at the last game.

Halfway through the game, Blake burst into a fit of laughter. ‘I can’t believe it,’ she exclaimed between giggles. ‘Walker totally hired these women as bodyguards!’

I glanced between the two women…feeling a little dumb. They definitely fit the bill of bodyguards. The all black look they were rocking, the capability to bench four thousand men with one hand, the fact that they weren’t watching the game…the signs were definitely all there.

I started giggling too. “How do you know it was my man?”

“Because Ari keeps poking Walker and grinning every time he passes by and looks over here. He totally thinks it’s a ‘circle of trust’ move,” said Blake.

I side-eyed the woman next to me, but she kept her gaze averted, clearly not wanting to talk. There was a tiny smirk on her lips, though, that told me she was listening to every word we said.

Walker had totally hired these women.

After the game, we met the guys outside the locker room to say goodbye before we flew back on “Grandma Airlines” and they flew back on the team plane.

Ari came out first and made a beeline for Blake, scooping her into his arms and kissing her with an exaggerated smacking sound before he turned his attention to Monroe and me.

Ari was exceptionally good looking, so was Lincoln. Maybe it was a requirement for the “circle of trust” that Walker was so obsessed with getting into…they all had to be hot.

If so, Walker definitely had that going for him.

“Don’t even think about it,” said Monroe, a grin slipping onto her lips even though she was trying to be stern.

“Please,” he whined. “Just for a second.”

Monroe sighed. “Fine, but one of these days, he’s going to go crazy.” She was silent for a minute, seemingly deep in thought. “Actually, I don’t think he could get crazier than he already is. You’re probably safe.”

Before I could ask what was going on, Ari let go of Blake and slung his arms around Monroe and I’s shoulders. “Hello besties,” he purred, right as Lincoln and Walker came out of the locker room.

Lincoln literally growled. But before he could say anything, Walker had yanked me out of Ari’s grasp, and moved me against the wall, shielding me with his body before he smashed his lips against my mouth.

“Mine,” he murmured silkily, biting down on his favorite part of my neck.

“You’re acting like a caveman,” I whispered. “Or like a vampire, I’m not sure which one at the moment.”

“I’m acting like a man who literally has found the most perfect angel face sweetheart in the whole world, and I’m not about to let anyone take it.”

I wrinkled my nose at how over the top he was being, but I was definitely swooning.

“Spoiler alert. I don’t think that Ari is taking anyone. Blake and Monroe told me some of the things those two did to get them…” I huffed and lowered my voice. “I mean, they’re obsessed…”

Walker got a funny look on his face as he stared at me and studied my face.

“You’re totally right. They are crazy,” he finally said, giving me one more kiss as the guys walked us down the tunnel to where the car was waiting to take us back to the airport.

We were fifteen minutes away from touching down in Dallas when Monroe came out of the back bedroom, her beautiful face scrunched up in pain. “Ugh. My period started. I’m bleeding everywhere.”

“Oh shoot, do you need a tampon?” I asked, already reaching for my purse…only to realize…when was the last time I’d had a period?

I pulled out my phone, searching for when I’d made a note because I’d always kept track of my cycle religiously.

Panic. That’s what I was feeling as I realized that I hadn’t been keeping track for months…basically since Harley and Maddie’s wedding.

What the fuck.

Ok, think…I’d had my period…when was it?

Two months ago?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I’d been taking my birth control perfectly. I know I hadn’t fucked that up. But Walker probably had some kind of freaking super sperm. And he pushed it back inside me every single fucking time we had sex. Which was constantly.

There was a ringing sound in my ears. Monroe said something and I remembered I was supposed to be grabbing a tampon.

A useless tampon.

I handed it to her with a weak smile.

“Liv, are you alright?” Monroe asked sweetly, her gaze concerned.

“Fine,” I said in a voice that sounded strangely high pitched. “Just fine.”

Monroe looked like she wanted to say something else, but she must have decided otherwise because she went back into the bathroom with the tampon.

Blake and Monroe gave me surreptitious glances for the rest of the flight, and the drive to my house.

I did my best to keep my face blank, and I stayed quiet, inwardly freaking out.

When we got to the house, I moved to open the door and Blake softly touched my shoulder. “Did we do something?” she asked worriedly. “Because I’m sorry if we did.”

I tried to give her a smile, because these two women were the nicest girls I’d ever met. “I promise it’s not you. I just—I just realized something and I need to work through it for a little bit. You guys are the best, I promise you.”

She grinned at me, relieved, and I waved goodbye to both of them as I trudged to the door.

I couldn’t be pregnant…right?

And why didn’t that seem like the worst thing in the world?