Page 180 of Goaltender Interference

“Because I already knew,” Kelly said smugly.

That prompted outraged squawks from Connor’s brothers and Connor laughed aloud. God, theyhatedbeing the last to know anything.

It wasn’t until the furor died down that Connor glanced at his father. “Do you have anything to say about this, Dad?”

Declan chuckled. “Just congratulations.”

Connor’s nerves ebbed a little. Few things meant more to him than his father’s praise and approval.

“Yeah?” he asked, hopeful.

“Yeah.” Declan clapped him on the shoulder. “I know the past few seasons have been a disappointment for you and the divorce was hard, so it’s great to see you bouncing back. You’ve got a good team this year and I’m optimistic about what you and Jesse can do together.”

“Me too,” Connor admitted. “On and off the ice.”

His father drew him in for a hug and then his brothers piled on. In the background, Kelly called out, “I’m hugging you virtually!”

And if there were some wet eyes when they all drew back, no one but the O’Shea men had to know.

EPILOGUE

CHRISTMAS DAY

“Ducky, Ducky!”

Someone shook Jesse and he blinked awake to see Maura sitting on the bed beside him, staring intently.

“Wake up. It’sChristmas!”

“Noooooooo,” Jesse said, mashing his face into the pillow. “Ducky wants to sleeeeeeeeeep.”

He couldn’t remember exactly how the girls calling him Ducky had started. Maybe when they overheard someone from the team calling him Webby a few weeks ago?

Maura had been talking about a book with ducks in it and that they had webbed feet and it had somehow become his nickname at home.

He’d had worse.

Honestly, it was cute. He just wasn’t excited about hearing it at this hour of the morning.

“Daddy!” Evie whispered urgently from the other side of the bed. “You have to wake Ducky up.”

“Do I?” Connor asked, not sounding a hell of a lot more awake than Jesse felt. He let out a growly noise and Jesse felt someone land on the bed between them.

“My glasses!” Evie started giggling and Jesse smiled.

“Hi, Evie,” he mumbled without lifting his head.

“Ducky!” She wiggled in between him and Connor, tugging at his arm. “Get up! There’spresents.”

“Five more minutes,” Jesse begged.

“Noooo.” Evie tugged on his arm again.

Jesse flopped against the bed dramatically, muttering, “I’m surprised Nolan’s not here too.”

“Oh, I’m here. The girls made me promise if you weren’t up in the next ten minutes, I’d dump snow on you.”

Jesse rolled on his back, finding Nolan standing at the foot of the bed and squinting at him. “Cruel. And since when do teenagers get up this early?Inever did.”

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