Page 12 of What if It's Us

Nah. That’s not cute or funny.

It just sounds creepy.

Hmm…

There once was a dick filled with semen…

No.

A few more rhyming words float through my head so I take a deep breath and send the text to Ledger before I can stop myself.

Me

Hey Ledger, I've got quite a plea. Like a slapshot, it’s quick and carefree. I don’t need a loan, just some sperm of your own. Would you donate your orgasm to me?

CHAPTER THREE

LEDGER

“That’s it, bud! Keep it going. Just a flick of the wrist and then let the force of the hit against the puck do the work for you.”

Eleven-year-old Evan takes his turn trying to hit his puck into the net as the line continues behind him. Each of the boys here this morning are members of Harrison Meers’ summer youth hockey league, Pucks & Blades, practicing maneuvers to strengthen their scoring ability. Evan heeds every word I tell him and then punches the air with his fist when his puck slides effortlessly into the net.

“Yeah!”

A proud smile unfolds across my face and I reach my fisted hand out to bump his when he skates toward me. The happy little grin on his face tells me he’s pretty damn proud of himself too. “That’s how it’s done, champ. Way to go!”

“Better than you, right, Mr. Dayne?”

I raise a brow. “I mean, let’s not go too far, kid.”

He laughs. “Okay, okay. But can I do it again?”

I gesture to the line with my chin. “Of course. Get yourself back in that line and give it another go.”

He skates off to join his peers and my chest does this uncomfortable flutter as I watch him. He reminds me a lot of myself when I played hockey for the first time. The feeling almost has me bringing a hand to my chest but then Harrison skates over after cheering on a few of the other boys and distracts me from my thoughts.

“He’s a cute kid, huh?” he says with a nudge.

I turn his direction. “Evan?”

“Yeah.”

I let out a soft chuckle. “Yeah. Don’t let him fool you though. He’s ornery as fuck, but I like the kid. And he’s got some skill too.”

“Agreed. He’s got some potential. Hopefully he doesn’t get thrown around the system so hard that he stops coming.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” My brows furrow as his words sink in. “What?”

“I’m just saying, if he gets moved through the system and he’s out of the area, it’ll suck if he doesn’t get to come back.”

“Wait. The system…do you mean foster care? Are you saying Evan is a foster kid?”

Harrison nods. “Yeah. He’s with his third or fourth family in two years if I remember correctly.”

I turn back to watch Evan just as he lines himself up in front of the net and flicks his wrist like a goddamn pro, cheering with his teammates when his puck slides into the net once again.

“There ya go, Evan! Great job!”

---