Page 42 of Stick Play

“You just happened to be at her place.”

I shrug like it’s nothing. “After the bad storm, I did Dad’s driveway and I figured Gina might need some help. Half the were in the Caribbean, and she was run off her feet.”

“So, you thought you’d help her get off her feet?”

Okay, I see where he’s going with this, and yes, I did help her get off her feet by wrapping her legs around my waist. “She’s a good friend of Melanie’s and Brighton’s and a few of the other WAG’s. Hell, she has Brighton and Noah’s kids while they were in the Caribbean. How could I not help another player like that?”

“We all know we can count on you, Ash. It’s just…” His words fall off as he looks at me with concern.

Fuck.

“I’m keeping my image clean, Coddy,” I tell him. I can’t even imagine how the paparazzi would spin it if they saw me with a single mom. “Just helping a friend.”

“Although,” he begins as if reading my mind. “Maybe this could help your image.”

“Help? How’s that?”

He stirs the sauce. “A wholesome family—found family, actually—it’s straight out of those romance books the girls read at book club.”

“Yeah, well this is real life, and the paparazzi aren’t looking for a love story from me, they’re looking for dirt. Especially after, well, I don’t need to spell it out for you. You saw what went down.”

He nods. “I get it, but this…” He glances toward the other room. “It looks good on you, Ash.” Before I can respond, he holds up his empty bottle. “Want another?”

With my gut tightening, I shake my head no. He pulls a beer from the fridge. Ever since getting together with Melanie, he’s a new man, and seems to carry less weight on his shoulders. It’s a good look for him, although I will say he looks tired. But a baby will do that to you. At least I’m not up through the night with the three kids. My mind goes back to my conversation with Gina, and he lifts the lid off a big pot to check on his sauce.

“Maybe someday if you have a boy, he’ll follow in your footsteps too.”

Those words did the oddest things to me. I know Dad has been hounding me for grandkids, and I can see how much he adores the three he’s been playing with today, but I can’t have a kid because my dad wants grandchildren. Hell, can you imagine the shit my coach would give me if I fathered a child and caused more scandal?

He wouldn’t if you were in a serious relationship, dude.

Ah, but I’m not.

Just then Gina walks into the room and the smile she gives me twists me up inside. With Melanie coming in behind her, and Brady looking right at me, I clear my throat and take a swig of beer, not wanting them to pick up on any of my emotions. Of course, all they’d pick up on is lust, because that’s what’s between us and I’m taking care of her kids because it’s what Noah and Brighton would have wanted.

You keep telling yourself that, dude.

“Smells good,” I say to Melanie. “Looks like you went through a lot of trouble.”

“Not me.” She walks up to Brady and puts her arms around him. “This is all Brady. I was busy with Kayce, so he made pasta sauce and meatballs.”

“Kid friendly,” he tells me with a shrug.

“No jiggs dinner?” I tease. Brady is from Newfoundland, and they have this tradition where you have to kiss a cod. Gina once had a graduation party for Mel at the café, and Mel actually kissed the cod. It was a hard no for me. But in Newfoundland on Sundays, it’s tradition to cook jiggs dinner, which is basically corned beef, and cabbage, but it’s way better than what we have here in the States. He made it for the guys before, but it’s a shit ton of work.

“Dude, I’m going on very little sleep.” He rubs his eyes. “I’m not even sure what I put in the sauce.”

We all laugh at that, and Mel gives him another hug. I’ve never been envious of any of the guys, but I’m suddenly feeling a little strange, suddenly wanting a taste of what they have.

I push up to my full height and pull myself together. “If you needed help, you could have called me.”

“Ah, three kids and your dad. Don’t you think your hands were full?”

My shoulders sag and exhaustion overtakes me. “Okay, true.”

“It’s all good, Mountain.” He puts his hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad you guys came over. We don’t need to be in the Caribbean to have fun.”

I’m having a lot more fun at home than I would have been having in the Caribbean but I’m not about to tell him that. It’s a secret. Gina doesn’t want anyone to know. Unlike my ex, who loved to put things all over social media, it’s a little strange how her wanting to hide all of this is suddenly not sitting right with me. It should but it doesn’t, and I can’t quite figure out why. It’s better for both of us that it’s a secret. Jesus, Coach would kill me.

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