Page 36 of Delayed Penalty

Little Arms huffs, but she’s grinning while she does it. It’s the most playful I’ve ever seen my niece, and I’m almost jealous of Quinn’s ability to come in here and bond with her as she has. It’s not that I want to be building forts with a seven-year-old or anything, but it’s good to see the kid being…well, a kid.

“What about you, Hayes?” Quinn asks, bringing me into the conversation, like she’s sensing how I’m feeling. “Did you have fun today?”

“Yeah, Uncle Adam. Did you have fun today?”

I grin at her echo. “Well, it wasn’t fort building, but I did get to skate, and I always find that fun.”

Flora tips her head to the side. “What’s it like?”

“Skating?”

She nods. It’s the first time she’s ever asked me about my career. She obviously knows what I do from me taking her to the rink all the time, but she’s never been curious enough to ask more about it.

“Well, it’s fuc—fudgingmagical,” I say, stopping myself from cussing at the last second. I’m sure she’s heard worse from living with her father, but still. “It feels like you’re floating almost.”

She screws her lips up. “Like when you’re in the bathtub and you lie on your back?”

“Yes, exactly like that.” I point at her. “Only this time, you’re standing upright, and the wind is whipping against your face and it’sfun. The best feeling in the world. It’s my favorite thing.”

Her eyes widen like she can’t believe what she’s hearing. “Can I try it?”

Now it’s my turn for wide eyes. “You want to try skating?”

She nods. “I think it would be fun. And you do it…”

Pride swells through me. She wants to skate. Like me.

Skating is what kept me going when I was younger. It was the only escape I had from my parents and Aiden and all their bullshit. If I hadn’t had the local rink where I spent absolutely all my free time, I’m not sure how my life would have ended up.

“Then we’ll go skating,” I promise, sure I can figure out a way to get her out there soon.

“Wait. Is it cold?” she asks, suddenly looking a little worried, like she’s just realized we’ll be on ice.

Quinn laughs. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Uncle Adam will bundle you right up and you won’t even realize you’re on ice.”

Adam.

She hasn’t said my name before. It’s…strange. And even stranger that I don’t hate it. I always prefer to be called Hayes—have since I started playing hockey—but hearing it now…well, it’s not the worst thing ever.

“Coming in hot!” Tex warns.

We move our glasses out of the way as he sets our plates in front of us.

“You folks need anything else, you holler,” he says before leaving us to our dinner.

The second the scent of the chicken sandwich hits my nose, my stomach grumbles, and I realize just how hungry I am after my workouts today. I pick it up, taking a massive bite before it even registers that Quinn’s not touching her food.

I swallow. “What’s wrong?”

“They forgot her pickles. I’ll be right back.”

She rises from the bench seat, ready to charge after Tex in Flora’s honor.

“Wait.” I hold my hand up. “They didn’t forget them.” I point to the grilled cheese. “They’re in there.”

She wrinkles her nose. “They’re…in the sandwich?”

Flora looks up, her teeth clamped around her grilled-cheese-and-pickle sandwich, looking completely innocent as she digs into the monstrosity.

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