Two weekends following my family's inquisitive Thanksgiving dinner, the first snowfall of the year hit Boston. And it hit hard. Accumulating snow was made worse by blistering winds, and despite it all, the Knights game remained a go.

Which, coincidentally, was the first game of the season I'd agreed to go to.

Having braved the roads, Aimee and I arrived at the arena nearly half an hour before puck drop, and with tickets in hand, joined the short queue of fans waiting to get inside. Once through security, the two of us skipped the long concession lines, having eaten before we'd left the apartment, and headed straight for the stands.

Warm ups had already finished, but despite the empty ice, the seats were already starting to fill with Knights fans, creating a sea of navy, silver, and white as the countdown on the jumbotron ticked down. And while there weren't many, a few New York fans could be spotted throughout the crowd wearing their signature red jerseys.

"It always feels weird being down here," Aimee said, clad in a navy jersey with Jack's last name scrawled across the back as we took our seats.

Meanwhile, I huddled my jacket tighter around me, concealing the only navy shirt I could find. The hat Aimee loaned me was now the lone indicator for what team I was cheering for. "Don't you usually sit in the stands?"

"If Jack's family is in town, sure, but normally I'm up in the boxes when I don't drag you along." Shifting in her seat, she turned to me with mischief in her eyes. "Speaking of, how does it feel knowing you're here to cheer on Seb, not just to keep me company?"

Trying and failing to fight back a blush, I acted as though it wasn't a big deal. That the way Seb's eyes had lit up when he'd offhandedly invited me to watch the game a few nights back hadn't caused a spark of desire low in my stomach. "I don't see the difference."

"Oh, but you will."

My forehead creased with confusion, but Aimee said nothing more as we stood to allow a couple of people to pass and get to their seats.

Soon enough, the lights dimmed and a hush fell over the arena. Music began playing from the overhead speakers, pumping up the crowd, and suddenly, the spotlights turned on, circling the ice before coming to a stop right as the players rushed onto the ice. Applause rang loud throughout the building, Aimee and I joining in, though my attention was mostly focused on picking Seb out from the group.

I spotted his jersey—with the number twenty-two on the back—as he took another loop around our half of the ice, and the look of determination etched into his features was hard to miss. In fact, it was the same look every player had—one that made it clear they were going to fight their hardest to capture the win. Only when Seb stepped off the ice, moving down the player's bench, did his concentration break, and it was only for a moment as he lifted his gaze and sent a perfectly aimed wink my way. My applause faltered and I felt my cheeks heat up at the acknowledgement, but by the time the announcer began to call out the starting line-ups, he'd slipped back into game mode.

When the national anthem came to an end, the crowd cheered as the players on the ice lined up, and once the puck dropped at center ice, the game began.

In just the first ten minutes of play, I was consumed by the game. I cheered hard when any player in navy skated across the New York blue line with the puck, groaned when a shot went wide or was stopped by the goalie, and held my breath whenever New York tore down the ice, their forecheck strong and their shots on goal frequent.

"How are you so calm right now?" I asked, tearing my eyes away from the ice as the whistle blew, the New York goalie having smothered yet another puck to keep the score tied at zero.

There was a bemused smile on Aimee's lips as she lifted a shoulder. "I've been to so many games over the years, I've gotten used to the game."

Trailing off, her attention returned to the game as Jack skated out onto the ice. The action started up again, and not even a few seconds passed before he was pushed from behind into the boards.

I cringed. "You get used to that?"

Worry flooded her eyes, though it began to fade when Jack sprang back to his feet. "I mean, it's not always easy, but hockey is his life." Drawn back to the game as Jack got a hold of the puck, she cheered loudly, watching him and a winger put the pressure on a lone defenseman. As the shot went off, it seemed like the whole arena was holding their breath, only to exhale the exact moment the puck ricocheted off the post and sailed towards the corner of the rink. "If I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't have agreed to marry him."

"I'm sure there are women who would've said yes for his money alone," I pointed out, though both of us knew she wasn't one of them. Aimee believed everyone deserved a happily ever after, and it was absurd to think about her marrying someone for anything less than love.

A smirk pulled at her lips, her eyes gleaming. "Oh, Jo, there is so much more to that man than his bank account," she said suggestively, causing me to laugh and shake my head before I turned my attention back to the game.

With each play, I got sucked further into the madness. Both teams were evenly matched, and throughout the entirety of the first two periods, it was a constant back and forth. The whole arena was on the edge of their seats as the third period began in a similar matter, and it was apparent this game would come down to which team ultimately wanted it more.

But that was before the fight broke out.

With the score deadlocked at zero, tensions were running high, so it shouldn't have been a surprise when the gloves came off. Despite the whistles, Schmidt and one of the New York defensemen began throwing punches, egged on by the crowd. The referees circled them until they could get into a position to pull them apart, but it was too late. By then, every player who was still on the ice had gotten pulled into the fight. Including Seb.

I grimaced as I watched him and a New York player shove at each other, angry words flying from their lips as they both somehow managed to stay upright. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity before they were separated, the officials trying their hardest to get the game back under control.

Though when all was said and done, things ended up in our favor.

With two New York players picking up penalties, and only one of ours, the Knights went on the power play. It was 4-on-3, which meant the players had more space to move around, and when one of our defensemen launched a rocket of a shot towards the net, it sailed right between the pad and the glove of the goalie.

The arena erupted, and as the minutes dwindled away, Seb and his teammates put all they had into making sure New York didn't get a chance to retaliate. And they did their job. When the last buzzer sounded, the Knights were still on top.

The stands erupted as the team jumped onto the ice in celebration; only clearing out once the players disappeared down the tunnel. Waiting the crowd out, Aimee and I stayed seated as the Zamboni circled the ice, only heading back towards the Knights locker room when the cleaning staff began to make their rounds. Flashing our passes, the tall, buff man blocking the restricted section of the arena let us by, and with the usual after-game routine still in full swing, no one paid us much attention.

"You think they'll be out soon?"

Aimee shrugged as we rounded the corner. "It's always different, but hopefully they won't be long."

Nodding, my gaze arced down the busy hallway, only to come to a rearing stop as I spotted a familiar face. Minus the beard and the long hair, the man seated in a wheelchair a few meters in front of us appeared to be a carbon-copy of Seb, with the same eyes, same nose, and same smile.

A twin.

And standing next to him, a wide smile on her lips as she spoke, was a tall, dark-skinned woman with a head full of bouncy curls. Immediately, my mind flashed back to the first night I'd met Seb down at Apollo's. Remembering that while the lighting hadn't been good, he'd definitely been there with the same pair.

"Damn" Aimee drawled, clicking her tongue in appreciation. "Your man sure looks good in a suit."

Not having noticed Seb had appeared, I quickly flitted my gaze towards the locker room entrance, and sure enough, he was speaking to someone I had enough sense to realize wasn't a teammate. And he was dressed in a suit. It was game protocol, I knew, but paired with his damp, shoulder-length hair and easy-going smile, he looked lethal. "Yeah," I murmured in agreement, admiring how the fabric molded perfectly to every part of his body. Particularly his ass. "He does."

Having not yet noticed me, he gestured for the man he was speaking with to follow him as he made his way to where his brother was waiting, and I didn't want to intrude. Aimee however, had a different idea and grabbed my hand, pulling me forwards.

"No, wait—" I said quietly, though it was no use.

Seb turned his head, catching my gaze, and the rough lines of his features smoothed out as he waved us over.

"Hey," he said, stepping forwards to pull me into his chest. As he leaned down for a kiss, his lips grazing mine, I felt myself relax despite the number of people milling about.

When he drew back, I beamed up at him. "Congratulations on the win."

"Thanks," he replied, his hold loosening enough for me to take a step back. Gesturing to the group standing behind him, I gnawed gently on my bottom lip, noticing all three of them were particularly interested in our exchange. "Jo, this is my brother, Cameron, and his wife, Isla." Cameron smiled and Isla lifted her hand, amusement dancing across her features. "And this is Henry," he continued, motioning to the other man. Standing a few inches shorter than Seb in sharp clothes, his peppered hair slicked back, Henry was closer to my height, and looked to be in his late thirties. "My agent."

"Hi," I greeted, waving shyly. "It's nice to meet you."

"You as well," Henry replied, though despite the smile accompanying his words, there was an edge to his voice that sparked an uneasy feeling in my chest. Seb didn't seem to notice however, as Henry turned to face him, clapping him on the shoulder. "Though I've got to head off. And remember, even though the higher-ups are impressed with you now, they need to see you're willing to put in the work to stay here. So keep your head in the game. No screw-ups, keep it clean, and play your best."

All Seb could do was nod before Henry turned and walked away, as though he'd heard the exact words plenty of times already.

"Is it just me, or is your agent a bit of a hard ass?" Aimee asked once Henry was out of sight, lifting a brow.

Cameron snorted and Isla tried to hide the way her lips twitched.

Seb though, simply lifted a shoulder. "He can be, but without him in my corner, I don't think I'd have made it to the Knights."

"Fair, I guess," Aimee replied before her gaze wandered down the hallway. "I don't suppose you've seen Jack recently?"

Seb shook his head. "He was pulled away with a few others to talk to the press, but I doubt they'll be much longer."

"Did you want us to stick around and wait with you?" I asked and she shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, you guys go." She slowly began to inch away from us, a smile on her face. "And have fun tonight."

Within a few seconds she'd disappeared into the growing crowd of people and Seb lifted a brow, looking between Cameron and Isla. "Did you guys have plans? Because if not, you're both welcome to come back to my place for dinner with Jo and I."

"We'd love to," Isla smiled, meeting my gaze just long enough for me to see her thinly-veiled mirth, "though I think we'll head home." Her gaze flickered down to where our hands were intertwined and the corners of her mouth lifted knowingly. "You know, give you two some alone time."

"Are you sure?" I asked, because although I'd been looking forward to a night alone with Seb, I didn't want to come across as rude to his family. "It really wouldn't bother me."

Cameron laughed. "Trust me, she's sure."

While my cheeks heated up with a light blush, Seb rolled his eyes, nudging his brother's wheelchair with his foot. "Then I guess that's settled." Turning towards me, a mischievous glint shone in his eyes as he fought a smile. "Let's go."