Chapter 35

Ari: It’s time to resurrect my taco truck idea.

King Linc: What taco truck idea?

Ari: How could you forget about my best idea?

Me: A taco truck was your best idea?

Camden “Hero’ James added to the chat.

Camden: Where am I?

Ari: Welcome to the circle of trust. Actually, you’re not in the circle yet. Your sole purpose is to tell these two how awesome my taco truck idea is.

Camden: I’m kind of offended.

Me: Welcome to the club. It’s not “the circle”, but getting dick punched by Ari is a club.

King Linc: I literally thought we discussed this. No dick talk today!

Ari: Ooh, he’s using his growly voice again, Disney. I bet you’re turned on.

Me: Fuck you.

Ari:…that’s…

King Linc: Okay, your taco truck is a good idea. But please, for fuck’s sake, don’t say it, Lancaster.

Camden: I would just like to say that I haven’t officially endorsed the idea of a taco truck. I’d like entry into the circle of trust before I make that kind of commitment.

King Linc: Bribing your way into the circle…I like it.

Ari: Although blackmailing is best practice in this group.

Camden:…

King Linc:…

Ari:…

Me: Welcome to the club.

Ari: But again…not the circle.

Camden: I’ll get there.

Olivia

The NHL All-Star Weekend was in full swing, and I was cheering from the stands as Walker took to the ice for the goalie skills competition.

Ari and Lincoln were standing on the side of the rink, waiting for their respective competitions to start. Ari reached over and grabbed something from the other side of the boards, pulling out a large sign that he hoisted above his head.

“Daddy Disney is a 10.”

Blake erupted in giggles next to me, and I saw Walker shake his head before he turned his attention to the competition.

With each event, from the rapid-fire shots to the precision saves, Walker was a badass between the pipes, leaving everyone in the crowd in awe.

He was also turning me on. Pregnancy had made me a horny mess, and watching him block shot after shot like the number one goalie he was had me feeling particularly thirsty.

Lincoln lined up for his shot, he was last since he was the number one scorer in the league right now. There was a mischievous grin on his lips, and Monroe literally swooned next to me.

I snorted at her and she stuck out her tongue. “What can I say? My guy’s hot.”

It was a true statement, but not even Lincoln Daniels could live up to Walker Davis in my book.

My husband.

The thought still made me giddy.

Lincoln skated towards Walker with the confidence of someone who knew he was the best. He closed in on Walker, his stick poised and ready to strike. With a swift motion, he maneuvered the puck with finesse, aiming for the top corner of the net. I held my breath as the puck soared towards the goal, a blur of motion against the ice. In a split second, Walker dove to make the save, his body stretching to its limits as he deflected the puck away with his blocker.

The crowd erupted into cheers as Walker made the save, their applause echoing through the arena.

Walker did a little bow to Lincoln and Ari reached over the boards and grabbed another sign, this one saying.

“Disney, you’re still a simp.”

I giggled as I watched Walker skate off the ice, the clear winner of the competition.

My belly fluttered, and I softly rubbed the spot where our daughter was kicking the ever loving crap out of me. She did that, a lot.

And it happened to be Walker’s and my favorite thing to feel it.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite sister-in-law,” Cole drawled. I glanced up and saw him coming down the aisle towards us. He was performing for All Star Weekend, and I knew Walker was pumped to have most of his favorite people around for three days.

Right before he could get to me, Elaine leapt up from her seat. Walker still had two female bodyguards on me for every game—and every other time he wasn’t with me, which wasn’t often.

I thought they had a pretty easy gig since Walker’s favorite thing in life was being close to me.

“Hey,” Cole said indignantly when Elaine wouldn’t let him pass.

“Sorry sir, you’re not on the approved list,” she said, crossing her arms in front of her, a sight that would be intimidating to anyone since her biceps were the size of small busses.

“Who’s on the approved list?” Blake whispered, her gaze tracking Ari as he skated around.

“I don’t actually think anyone’s on the list except for Walker,” I mused, my gaze also on the ice as Walker skated towards us.

Blake snorted, not surprised at all since Ari was just as bad.

“Walkie-poo, tell this fine lady that I’m allowed to talk to your wife. She’s already pregnant. There’s not much I can do.”

Walker rolled his eyes at his brother. “Sorry, the last time you hugged my wife, it lasted five seconds. That should last you for the next five years.”

Cole gaped at him, before turning his attention to me. “I swear our Mama didn’t raise him like this.”

I grinned. “I happen to like him exactly as he is.”

Walker blew me a kiss and I reached out and pretended to catch it.

Cole made a gagging noise like he was about to throw up. “You guys are so sweet it makes me sick.”

Walker smiled unrepentantly and skated away. “Keep everyone away from my wife, Elaine,” he reminded her, and I swear her muscles hulked out even more as she stood there.

Thinking about Walker and Cole’s mom made my grin slip a little. She’d been officially placed in a nursing care facility a month ago, having completely given up on life. Walker had taken me to Tennessee to meet her, and she had been a sweet, if incredibly sad woman.

Walker had made peace with the fact that she probably wouldn’t get better. He’d told me that meeting me made him understand her better now.

I still held out hope for some kind of miracle for her.

I happened to be a big believer in those things nowadays.

The baby kicked again and I shifted in my seat, trying to get into a more comfortable position. Maddie leaned over from the other side of Blake, her own belly almost bursting. She was due in a month.

“Maddie Jr. giving you trouble?” she teased. Despite the fact that Maddie and Harley had a house in Dallas, we rarely saw them, so I was overjoyed she was with us this weekend since Harley had been named an All Star this year as well.

She seemed blissfully happy, and she and Harley still called me often, but Harley always had some kind of excuse for why we couldn’t actually get together in person. Maddie couldn’t explain Harley’s attitude, but we were working on him.

“That joke’s going to be funny until I accidentally say it in the hospital because you’ve said it so often,” I said snarkily, and she grinned.

“That’s obviously my plan,” she responded with a wink.

Sometimes I still couldn’t believe that this was my life. That so much sweetness could come after so much pain.

That I sang all the time now.

Of course I didn’t plan on touring or performing tons of shows again, but my fans didn’t seem to care. The album I’d just released—all love songs for Walker, might I add—had gone triple platinum.

I had nightmares sometimes, where I’d dream that nothing over the past year had happened, and I was still in that L.A. apartment…all alone.

Walker was always there though, waking me up and reminding me that I’d never be alone again, because he owned me body and soul.

If this was a dream, it was one that I never wanted to wake up from.

I would have gone through a million years of misery as long as I ended up with him.

I thought about fate alot, about how the tides could turn and change…about how one moment, one decision…could change your whole life…

Like what had happened when I’d gone to Maddie’s wedding…and I’d left with…the pucking wrong date.