Page 58 of Delayed Penalty

“I know.” I drag my eyes through the crowd, taking it all in myself.

And fine, if I’m being honest, I’m looking for my own little cheering team—Quinn and Flora. I never noticed how much it weighed on me that I never had people in the stands just for me until I gave those tickets to that lady from the park. I hadn’t given itmuch thought before then because it never really mattered. I was alone. Who the hell was I going to invite anyway? A one-night stand or flavor of the week? Not a chance.

That’s not the case anymore. I have Flora now.

And I guess Quinn, too, though that’s a lot more complicated. I spent a lot of time avoiding her after our kiss, doing everything in my power to make sure we were never alone for more than a few seconds. I didn’t want to make the same mistake I did her first night. It was difficult at first, running away every time she was near, but the more distance I put between us, the clearer things became: she’s Flora’s nanny, and that’s it. Nothing else.

It was easier after that. Sure, I almost slipped in the grocery store when she was being a brat about paying for groceries, but I didn’t, and that’s progress. Maybe I am growing up.

I slide my eyes to where I told Quinn to bring Flora for warmups, but the space is still empty even though we’ve been on the ice for five minutes now.

Where the hell are they? Did they get lost? Are they stuck in traffic? Were they in an accident? Is Flora okay?

Lawson grabs my shoulder, jostling me and pulling me from my panic spiral.

They’re fine, I tell myself.They’re probably just shopping or getting snacks.

“I’m just so fucking jazzed,” he says. “I can’t believe I—Wednesday!” He zooms across the ice without another word, not stopping until he’s at the boards. He drops to his knees and starts stretching. It would look totally normal and not at all out of place if he wasn’t looking over his shoulder the whole time at his girlfriend with a shit-eating grin on his face. Rory stands there, rolling her eyes at him. Her twin sister, Auden, is beside her, patting her shoulder like she’s sorry Rory is dating the guy. I’m sorry for her too. I shake my head at his antics and continue my perusal.

Come on, Quinn, where are you?

I scan the rows, just in case they’re in their seats instead of up at the glass, but I still come up empty. I?—

The air is sucked from my lungs. I figured Quinn would wear something Serpents related to the game, but I certainly wasn’t expecting my breath to get caught in my throat at the sight of her in it.

It’s fucking stupid is what it is. I’ve seen thousands of fans in jerseys before. This shouldn’t affect me one bit, and I can’t even put my finger onwhyit’s affecting me. Is it Quinn specifically or is it just because Iknowher?

I tear my eyes from her before my mind really starts to wander and look to Flora, who is also wearing a Serpents jersey that’s just a little too big for her. It’s so damn adorable. They skip down the stairs. Well, it’smore like Flora pulls Quinn down them. They stop once they hit the glass, Flora’s little nose pressed against it as her eyes scan the ice. Quinn stands above her, doing the same.

They’re looking for me.

Fuck, why do I love that they’re looking for me?

I skate toward them, not missing it when Flora finally spots me and her blue eyes light up. She bangs on the glass with delight, and I can’t help the pride that swells in my chest. Just like I can’t help my gaze drifting to Quinn and her dark green, gold, and black Serpents jersey. There’s no number on the sleeve.It’s blank…and relief floods through me at the realization that she’s not wearing some random number or name on her back. It shouldn’t matter to me.

No—itdoesn’tmatter to me. I’m just her boss. A boss who knows her lips taste sweet like butterscotch, but still her boss. She doesn’t need to be wearing my number.

I push the thought aside and wave to Flora, who is beaming up at me with stars in her eyes.

“Uncle Adam! Look!” she yells, then spins around.

Quinn gathers her hair so I can read the jersey, but she doesn’t need to. I know what it says.

Uncle Adam.

18.

I blink once. Twice. Three times and then fourtimes. Fucking anything to get the sting of the tears to go away. I don’t know why it’s doing me in. I don’t know whyanyof this is doing me in. Why my chest feels tight and it’s hard to breathe and my throat feels like I’ve been drinking sand all day. I’ve never had this kind of support before, and fuck, it’s getting to me.

I skate away before I do something ridiculous like start crying, then I snatch up a puck with the end of my stick and bounce it up and down a few times before carrying it back to the glass. I point to Flora in a silent,Do you want this?

She nods, and I flip it over the glass. Quinn catches it easily, then hands it to Flora, who hugs it tightly like I’ve just given her a stuffed animal or something.

I laugh. I can’t believe how far she’s come in the last few weeks. Even though I was resistant to Quinn at first, I’m starting to think hiring her might have been one of the best things to ever happen to Flora, even if it does mean I’m having to work overtime to keep myself in check when it comes to her. To not succumb to my urges to touch her. Or kiss her again. Or look at her ass in those tiny sleep shorts she walks around in late at night when she thinks everyone else is asleep, though I can see her through the crack in my door.

I tap the glass with my stick, sending them a wave, and move on to my drills. I shoot pucks at Fox, then Dash, our other tendy, then run through my usualstretches before heading off the ice and back to the locker room.

“You boys fucking ready?” Lawson yells once we’re all back in the circular room. “We’re fucking winning this thing! No bars held or whatever the fuck the saying is.”

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