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The driver I ordered texts me to let me know he’s waiting outside, so we head out to make our way to tonight’s event, a big to-do for Vegas elite to drop a lot of cash to support an important cause, which happens to be the local food bank of the greater Vegas area.

This gala is several thousand dollars per plate, and Ginny felt it was important I attend since several of my teammates will be there. Both West and Kellan are attending, neither of whom is bringing a date tonight. Which reminds me...

“Whatever happened between Ashley and West?”

She shrugs. “He ghosted her. I was hoping we might run into him tonight so I could ask him about it.”

I nod. “Definitely put him on the spot.”

She laughs. “You guys are close, huh?”

“Yeah, we are. West and Kellan are on my line, so we spend a lot of time on the ice together. They’ve become like brothers to me over the last few years. And while we tend to give each other an awful lot of shit, it’s always from a place of love.”

“So your team is kind of like your family.”

I nod. “I suppose it is. They’re the people I spend the most time with in-season. And since it’s really just my mom and me, and now you, my family’s kind of small, so they make up my extended family.”

“It’s actually really sweet,” she says.

“It’s nice when you get to pick your own family, I guess. Even if they are a couple of fuckers.”

She laughs, and she coaches me the rest of the car ride there on what to say to best reflect my new branding.

When we arrive at the event, we walk the red carpet, smiling and stopping for pictures and posing. We’re given our seat assignment at the registration table, and we’re also given a paddle for the live auction. The number on the paddle is the number we’ll use in any silent auction bids, and the number is assigned to us individually.

I play the part she casts me in, and we head into the event. I spot several of the elite members of Vegas society as we make our way to our assigned table, only to find Ivy’s brother, Dex, and his wife already at the same table as us.

Lovely.

I set my paddle down to reserve my seat as Ivy greets her friend.

“Ains!” Ivy yells, and she plows into her best friend for a hug. “I didn’t know you’d be here tonight!”

Dex and I eye each other warily, and I’m about to stick my hand out to shake his and try to force us past this weird awkwardness when Ainsley pulls out of her hug with Ivy and hugs me next.

She stands between Dex and me as she says, “Dex said like half the football team is here. I guess the owner, Jack Dalton, partnered with the food bank and purchased like a hundred plates tonight.”

“How generous of him,” Ivy says.

I feel someone clap me on the shoulder, and I immediately know who it is. I turn around and find West there, and it sort of feels like he saved the day. “Hey, man. Want to grab a drink?”

He nods, and I glance over at Ivy.

“Vodka Sprite with extra cherries?”

She grins and nods, and I spot Dex as he tilts his head at me as if he can’t quite believe that I know what my own wife likes to drink.

I take off for the bar with West, grateful for the excuse to get away from my new brother-in-law.

“Is he your new best friend? Because I’ll fight him,” West says.

I laugh. “You think you are my best friend?”

“I know I am.” He pretends to brush off his shoulders with fake modesty, and I spot Kellan standing at the bar waiting for a drink.

“Hey, so whatever happened with Ashley?”

He shrugs. “She got clingy. I ghosted her.”