Page 114 of Of Pucking Course

Dakota

Ifollow Sam up through the front door of his sister’s house.

“We’re here,” he hollers. Before we can even kick our shoes off, two adorable blonde-haired kids come running up to him.

“Uncle Sammy!” His niece yells as she hugs the front of his legs. His nephew hugs the back of his legs.

He leans down and picks both of them up. They giggle as he kisses their cheeks.

“How are my favorite niece and nephew in the whole wide world?” he asks.

“Good,” they both say while giggling.

“Have you been good for your mom and dad?” Sam asks.

His niece nods yes while his nephew shakes his head no. I can’t help but laugh.

He sets them down. “Guys, this is my friend Dakota. She met you guys when you were babies.”

They both look up at me. I crouch down and smile at them. “It’s so nice to see you, Layla and Liam.”

“My friend has a puppy named Dakota,” Liam says excitedly.

I chuckle. “How cool. I love your shirt.” I look at the bright green T Rex on the front.

Liam smiles wide, revealing a missing front tooth. “Uncle Sammy got me this shirt. He likes dinosaurs too.”

“T-rex rules,” Sam says.

“And princesses,” Layla says. “You said you liked princesses too.” She’s wearing a pink princess costume.

He leans down and straightens out the glittery tiara she’s wearing. “Absolutely. I love princesses. I was gonna wear my princess gown to dinner, but it was dirty.”

Layla giggles. She turns to me. “You’re pretty like a princess.”

“Aww thank you. So are you. I love your gown.”

“Mommy said I can wear my princess dress to dinner.”

“How fun.”

Liam walks up to his sister and makes a roaring sound. “T-rex wants to chase the princess!”

“You’ll never catch me! I’m too fast!” Layla runs down the hall, her brother chasing after her. Both of them scream and giggle. They turn the corner right as Sam’s sister appears, almost running into her.

“Whoa, careful,” she says. She looks over at us and laughs. “Welcome to the madhouse.”

“I’m a kindergarten teacher, so I’m used to this,” I say to her.

She beams at me and pulls me into a hug. “It’s been so long!”

She squeezes me tight. She’s blond like Sam and tall at almost five-foot-ten-inches.

“I was trying to think of the last time I saw you,” I say when we break apart. “I think it was a few years ago. Samwas playing for Seattle, and they were playing Denver. I sat with you and your parents.”

I’ve met Caitlin a bunch of times over the years that I’ve been friends with Sam. We haven’t spent much time together other than seeing each other at hockey games, but I’ve always liked her. She’s funny and warm and easy to talk to.

Caitlin shakes her head like she can’t believe it. “Wow. That long?” She sighs and lets out a tired laugh. “Time flies when you’re a mom of twins.”

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