Coach Barnett split them up on different lines and the excitement building inside of Dani was almost more than she could stand. No, this wasn’t the real thing and it was all for fun and charity, but the Sidewinders were real. They were professional hockey players and for today Dani was one of them. And she was actually playing a real game on the same team as her brother. Brad had them on a line together and she listened intently as he drew up a few plays on a dry-erase board.

She was excited to be playing with Anton as well. He’d been drafted by the Sidewinders this past summer and would be playing for the Boston College team in the fall, which was also Sergei’s alma mater. Coach Barnett had been Sergei’s coach back then and they all had a special bond. Sergei had gone to college with two other Sidewinders, Dom Gianni and Cody Armstrong, and the friend in college who’d died had been Coach Barnett’s son, Brian, so they were a lot closer than other players and coaches. Even Sergei, who didn’t play for them. Anton was the next generation and they were all so excited that he intended to play here after graduation.

“Mom and Dad are here,” Zakk whispered as they walked down the hall to the tunnel leading to the ice.

“They are?” Her eyes widened. “Aw, Zakk, this is amazing. Thank you so much. I love you.” She hugged him again.

“Love you, too, kiddo.” He gave her a nudge. “You’re the birthday girl, so you lead the team out onto the ice.”

“Isn’t it always the goalie?” she asked, frowning.

“Not today.” He winked. “Go on.”

She skated out onto the ice and was shocked to see a fairly large crowd filling almost all the lower level seats. Her parents were against the glass holding a big sign that said, “Happy Birthday, Danielle!” and next to them were Tiff, the twins and Savannah. On the other side were Tessa, Rachel and a few of the other wives and children. Everyone was waving and cheering, while music blasted through the loud speakers.

She skated out to warm up, waving to her parents and friends. Glancing over at the other side of the ice where the “visiting” team was warming up, she couldn’t help but smile. Toli and Vlad weren’t really warming up but were standing by the bench talking to Sergei. Anton skated over to them and said something that made them all laugh, before skating back to his side of the ice.

“Sorry you’re not with your dad,” she called to him.

He waved her off. “It’ll be more fun to play against him.”

Sergei watched the game through the eyes of a stranger. Though he was right there, coaching from the bench, laughing and goofing off with his team, his eyes never really left Dani. Not only was she strong and beautiful on the ice, she was in her element. Though she hadn’t played in about a month, she was leaner, stronger, and tougher than she’d been five or six weeks ago. Seeing her skate alongside Zakk was eerie because they played with such a similar style. They were both tall and fast, and when he passed a backhand shot to her that she promptly put in the net over the right shoulder of one of the best goalies in the NHL, Sergei’s heart swelled with pride. Damn, she amazed him every time she was on the ice and for the first time he understood her reality as a female hockey player. She would never have what he had, or what she was experiencing right now. She could play professionally, but the women’s league wasn’t big, wasn’t widespread and no one could afford to live on the salaries they paid.

It was a serious issue. Making an average of ten grand a year, with all the teams located in the northeast where the cost of living was astronomical, who could afford to play? With a master’s degree under her belt, Dani deserved to make a good living and the Sidewinders were offering her that opportunity after the Olympics. Watching her with her friends and future coworkers, Sergei realized this was exactly where she needed to be. This was her future and it would be good for her. Not only would it pay well, it would keep her around the game she loved so much and close to her brother and friends to boot.

“She’s amazing, eh?” Toli stood beside him as they watched Dani score yet again.

“She is.”

“I can’t wait to see her in the Olympics.”

Sergei’s chest tightened painfully but he nodded. “She’s going to kick ass.”

“Do you think she’s happy? With her birthday present?”

Sergei forced a smile. “She’s ecstatic. Look at her out there. She’s played almost every shift and doesn’t get tired.”

Toli followed his gaze. “She makes you happy, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah.” Sergei turned away and tapped Vlad on the shoulder. “Get out there, lazy!”

Vlad laughed and lumbered to his feet. “Relax, Coach. I’m going.”

---

The home Sidewinders team beat the visitors 6-4 and Dani was thrilled as she skated off the ice, Zakk’s arm around her shoulder and Sara on her other side; she’d never had so much fun. Even playing against guys who were bigger and faster than she was, she was exhilarated and excited. If the Olympics was half this much fun, it would rock her world. She was so ready for Colorado Springs she could taste it. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed a competitive level of hockey until now.

“Today rocked,” Sara was saying as she pulled off her jersey.

“It did.”

“I think you’re supposed to go to lunch with your parents and Zakk and Tiff. Are you going to invite Sergei?”

Dani hesitated. She’d been prepared to tell her brother about Sergei, but she hadn’t known her parents would be here and that added a level of complexity to the situation.

“You don’t want your parents to meet him?” Sara looked puzzled.

“It’s just… My dad isn’t as overprotective as Zakk, but he’ll be more focused on the future, like wanting to know what Sergei’s intentions are. Zakk mostly understands keeping things casual, but I don’t think my parents will. They’ll think it’s serious.”

“It’s not?” Sara was frowning at her.

“It’s complicated,” Dani muttered, tugging on a T-shirt. She desperately needed a shower but she hadn’t brought clean clothes since she hadn’t known about this.

Dani hurriedly gathered her things and went to find her parents since most of the Sidewinders were signing autographs now. She ran into Sergei in the hallway and instead of the usual warmth at seeing him, all she felt was frustration.

“You were incredible out there,” he said softly, pulling her against him. “I’m so proud of you, baby. No one watching would ever know you aren’t actually a member of the Sidewinders.”

She flushed with pride. “Thank you. It felt really good to play at that level.”

“Zakk and Tiff planned a big family lunch for you guys, so we should get going. I’m sure you want to shower. I’ll drop you off at home and then come back to hang out.”

“Aren’t you coming to lunch?” she faltered, feeling a little confused and foolish. Why was this suddenly so hard? In Alaska it had been stupidly easy.

“I wasn’t invited,” he said simply.

“Of course you’re invited.” She took a breath. “But I don’t know what we’ll tell my parents.”

“The truth, honey. We’re dating but it’s not that serious because you’re leaving. If we need to say more than that, you’ll have to guide me because I don’t want to lie to your parents but I also don’t want to cheapen what we have by insinuating it’s a friends-with-benefits arrangement.”

She wanted to ask him what, exactly, they had but this was neither the time nor the place.

“Okay,” she said. “Let me say goodbye to Sara and the others and we’ll get going.”

---

Dani was nervous. After all the time they’d spent together over the last few months, he knew every nuance of her body language, every expression that crossed her face, and she was nervous as hell. Introductions had been easy, though he’d seen the curiosity on both her parents’ faces when she’d introduced him once they’d arrived at the restaurant, since they’d taken two cars. Tiff’s sons, Derek and Duncan, had thrown fits about being the one to sit next to Dani, so they were on either side of her and Sergei was across from her. Zakk and Tiff were on either side of him, Savannah was in a high chair at the head of the table and Dani’s parents, Joe and Jennifer, were across from each other at the other end. It was large but intimate, and once they were settled, her parents eyed Sergei with obvious interest.

“Is there something you want to tell us, dear?” Her mother’s eyes gleamed with both curiosity and mischief.

Dani rolled her eyes, something Sergei rarely saw her do unless she was goofing around with Niko.

“Actually, no,” she responded. “But since you’re about to jump out of your skin trying to find out, yes, Sergei and I are dating.”

“It’s about time,” Jennifer said smoothly. “I thought you were going to be single forever. Tell us about yourself, Sergei.”

Dani opened her mouth but nothing came out and Sergei opted to spare her as much discomfort as he could. “You probably already know I’m widowed and have a three-year-old son, Nikolai. I was born and raised in Moscow, but I came to the U.S. to attend Boston College fifteen years ago and have mostly played in the NHL since graduating, though I did go back to Russia for a few years. I play for the team in Anchorage now so Dani and I have been taking everything slow since she’s going to be gone for the next six months.”

“Long-distance relationships are hard,” her father said thoughtfully. “Do you plan to be faithful while she’s gone?”

“Dad.” Dani scowled.

“It’s a fair question,” Sergei interjected. “And the answer is I don’t know. We haven’t talked about the next step for us. Once we do, we’ll make that decision.”

There was an awkward silence but Zakk spoke up. “Well, Tiff and I have news.”

“You’re finally getting married!” his mother gushed.

Zakk sighed. “No, Ma. We’re expecting another baby.”

“Yay!” Dani grinned, jumping up to run around the table and hug both of them.

“I’m just finishing the first trimester,” Tiff said softly. “We’re expecting another little girl in February.”

“That’s wonderful.” There was more hugging and kissing before they went back to their seats.

“I still want to know when you’re getting married,” Jennifer said firmly. “It’s been long enough and now there will be four children to think about.”

“Mom, the kids are fine,” Zakk said as patiently as he could. “Tiff doesn’t want to get married and I don’t think a piece of paper makes a difference.”

“But why?”

His mother obviously wasn’t going to let it go and though Sergei felt bad for Zakk and Tiff, he was grateful the focus was no longer on him and Dani.

“Mom.” Zakk gave her a dirty look.

“It’s okay.” Tiff squeezed his hand and turned to her future mother-in-law. “Mom, I do want to marry Zakk, I just…” She hesitated, obviously trying to determine how to convey what she wanted to say. “I want it to be special, something different. And I definitely don’t want to be pregnant. Maybe in another year. I don’t know exactly, and I’m sorry if that’s not a good answer. I want to, and we will, but not until the timing is right for me. Right now, I’m overwhelmed with the kids and trying to get my new practice off the ground… And now another baby. Please, can you forgive me for needing a little more time?”

“Oh, sweet girl, you’re Zakk’s wife and another daughter to us regardless of a piece of paper, but it feels unfinished somehow…” Jennifer flushed. “I realize I’m probably a little old-fashioned, but I can’t help it.”

“It’s okay.” Tiff smiled. “I love your son and there is absolutely no one else for me, forever. I would do anything for him—even marry him today if he said it was important to him.”

“I can wait,” Zakk said softly, kissing her cheek.

Conversation moved back to the upcoming baby and Sergei had the strangest pang of…envy? Jealousy? He couldn’t quite articulate what he was feeling but watching the way Zakk looked at his fiancée made him miss being in a couple. It had taken him a little while to warm up to the idea of Tatiana being pregnant since she’d been three months along before she’d told him, but then he’d been beyond excited. Those had been good times, some of the happiest in his life, and he’d never expected to be that happy again. Yet he was. Dani made him that happy.

“Why didn’t you bring Niko?” Jennifer was asking him.

Sergei smiled. “I figured three kids was enough and he tends to dominate Dani’s time when he’s with her. I know she wanted to spend some time with the twins and Savannah.”

“There’s plenty of love and attention to go around in this family,” Jennifer said lightly. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

Sergei tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Niko didn’t really have grandparents. Tatiana’s parents were dead and he wouldn’t have wanted Niko to have a relationship with her father anyway. His parents were alive, of course, and he sent pictures and videos regularly, but he didn’t plan to ever go back to Russia and his father suspected the government would never let him and his wife come to the U.S. together. His mother, Anastasia, wasn’t comfortable traveling alone, so he’d resigned himself to the fact Niko wouldn’t have grandparents who were an active part of his life. With Dani, not only would he have a woman who truly made him happy, his son would also have grandparents, an extra aunt and uncle, and more cousins. How the fuck was he going to walk away from Dani three weeks from now?