Page 52 of Dirty Puck

“Well, to you it’s just eggs. To me, it’s a feast that someone took the time to make for me. You cared enough to make my life just that much easier this morning.” Then she popped another bite into her mouth.

That hit me right in the chest. Bullseye. Dead center. She appreciated something as small as eggs on a bagel. I’d fallen so hard for Elyssa, but she never appreciated jack shit. Always wanting more. Bigger. Better. A polar opposite. Why did my fake relationship feel more real than my real one ever had?

Once I’d finished eating, I asked, “Mind if I hop in the shower real quick?”

“Go for it.” It appeared she’d showered while I’d been cooking.

By the time I finished cleaning myself and dressing, she and Benny waited by the door with their shoes on. He had his little backpack on again.

“Mornings are usually harried for us. We get lazy and then it’s a mad rush to get ready and out the door on time. He thinks it’s funny, so I haven’t tried to change it. This—this was a nice change. Thank you.” She pressed her hand to one of my cheeks then pushed up to kiss the other.

She locked up and we headed out to the truck, but she walked Benny to her car. “Babe, I drive, remember?”

“When we are in the same car, yes. But I have to get Benny to school and then I go to work.”

“We work at the same place.”

“Right. But my employer is Bennigan. I have to stop there every morning before heading to the arena. Plus, I have to have my car accessible in case I have to get to Benny, if he gets sick or something happens.”

“Something happens?”

“If he falls, if someone hurts him, or he’s just having a bad day.”

I whipped my head to look down at Benny then back at her. “Someone hurts him? Who the fuck is hurting him?”

She smiled at me. “It doesn’t happen often, but kids are kids.”

“He’s started at the new school, right?”

“Before you and I ever started this. I got him started, then I needed to pay for it.”

“But the school is full of kids like Benny. He’s so sweet.”

She laughed, but not unkindly. “Even autistic kids can be aggressive, Reece.”

“Baker.”

Bree patted my chest. “Not happening.”

That smirk she shot me. Damn, that was the cutest thing and it defused my temper regarding Benny. It still didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone hurting that kid.

“Fine.” I grabbed a fistful of her sweatshirt to drag her closer to me and kissed her. Then I bent down to open my arms for Benny. He hugged me again.

“Okay, bud. I’ll see you after school,” I said and he smiled like he wanted that. After helping Bree get Benny hooked into his seat, I kissed her once more before heading to my truck.

It’d been a long time since I’d felt this content…happyon a Monday morning.

When I got to the arena, things started feeling weird from the moment I stepped foot inside the building. Concession workers smiling at me. The men shooting me chin lifts as I passed. The women—some of their smiles looked genuine and some looked as if they were ready to sink their claws in me. What the hell was going on? I saw these people all the time. Then when I reached the locker room, Bishop patted me on the back and made some kind of comment like, “Welcome to the club.”

The club? What club? I’d been a Copperhead longer than him.

Jones said, “It’s about time someone take the spotlight off of Bishop or Bonner.”

Take the spotlight? Before I could ask, Coach punched open the locker room door and bellowed, “Reece, in my office.”

Shit. Why now? I’d been keeping my head down, doing exactly what I was told—no parties, no hookups, no reckless moves. I’d been clean. Careful. It lit a fire in my gut to think I was being blindsided like this. My job depended on never being caught off guard. I’d let it happen once in my life—just once—and I’d promised myself never again. So what the hell had slipped through the cracks?

Squaring my shoulders, I prepared for a fight if need be and made my way to Coach’s office. I knocked once.

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