Page 35 of The Puck Daddy

Between the fun and silly poses in our selfies, I must say, we make a stunning couple. Or hell, it’s probably just Adrian. He’s the stunning one. Unable to decide on a favorite, I send all the photos to Mom.

“I was going to make you waffles with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. I also have some sausage I can cook up for protein. How does that sound?”

Adrian’s mouth hangs open. “Wow. That sounds really good.”

After breakfast, I pour each of us a cup of coffee.

“Daddy?”

My eyes jerk up to his, that word filling me with happiness I can’t even begin to explain. It’s not just a word, it’s a title. And, by the way my boy is looking at me, all guilty and shy, he knows it’s a title too.

“Yes, sweet boy? What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t mean to spy, but I overheard you talking about your ex.”

I nod. With the timing of when he wrapped his arms around me, I assumed he must have heard some of it, if not most. “His name is Grant. You asked me what happened over the last five years… he was the main reason I got off social media.”

Adrian flexes his jaw, and his eyes narrow. Is my boy angry? For me? I chuckle to myself. God, why do I find it hot? No one has ever expressed these feelings for me before. At least not when I can plainly see them in front of me. I lift his knuckles to my lips. “You can ask me anything, sweet boy. I want to tell you.”

“Okay,” he says slowly. “How did you meet Grant?”

“My mother.” I laugh. “The sneaky woman was always trying to set me up on blind dates, but when I came out to her, Grant was the first man she introduced me to.”

I start from the beginning. I tell Adrian everything, from our introduction to how I became his Daddy to the secrecy, andeventually, to my heartbreak. I explain how I kept my sexuality a secret. I stayed in the closet out of fear, and now I never want to live like that again—I want the world to know how much I care about my boy. A part of me holds my breath as soon as the words slip past my lips. Even though Adrian is out and proud, he might not want an actual relationship when he gets into the NHL.

When he stands up, walks around the table, and sits in my lap, I know I have nothing to worry about. And when he pulls out his phone and takes another selfie with the two of us beaming into the camera, I know, without a doubt, this photo will be my favorite.

“There,” he says after typing into his phone. “Now the world will know I put a claim on you. No more hiding.” Adrian places a sweet kiss on my cheek. He flips his phone around, and right there in front of me is a social media post of the two of us.

We look so happy that deep down, I know nothing between us is fake. No matter what we keep telling ourselves.

Chapter 17

We’ll both be here when you’re ready.

Adrian

“We look good together. Don’t we, Daddy?” I ask as I stare at the photo for a moment longer. I didn’t miss the tender look that crossed his face when I showed it to him. Nor did I miss the way he seems to melt every time I called him Daddy.

I’m about to get off his lap when he hugs me tighter. “Where do you think you’re going?”

I laugh. “I guess I’m staying put.” Even though I’m bulkier than Theo, I decide that if he doesn’t want me to leave, I’ll justtake advantage of it and cuddle up against him. Why are things between us so easy?

After a few more minutes of laughing and awkward cuddling, I squirm in his lap. “Daddy, I have to get ready for practice.”

He checks the time on his phone. “Let me give you a tour of the house real quick. Then I can give you your surprise.”

“A surprise?” I ask, voice embarrassingly cheerful.

He chuckles. “Since you’re in a hurry, let me skip my bedroom. Wanna see the backyard, or will that cut into your time?”

“I want to see it. Let’s go there first.” I bounce on my toes. “It might seem ridiculous, but the backyard is my favorite part about living in a house. Mom, Felix, and I had so many memories in our backyard and in our pool.”

He slips into his sexy leather jacket and guides me outside.

I’m already wearing my thick V-neck sweater with the Ice Dragon colors on it, so I’m not cold when we step outside.

“I don’t have a pool, but I’ve always wanted one.”

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