Page 27 of Moms of Mayhem
“Alright.” Another sigh, one I could practically see as him pinching the bridge of his nose. “Sit tight. I’ll be in touch with next steps. And Beckett?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Answer your damn phone.”
A laugh slipped out despite everything. “Will do.”
The line went dead, and I sat there a minute longer before pulling back onto the road. Each mile forward felt just a little lighter. Maybe I wasn’t done yet.
Getting Mom settled at the rehab center didn’t take as long as I’d planned, so I’d gone home. Before I even made it inside, I noticed Jace’s bike still parked by the garage. Without much thought, I’d carefully loaded it into the bed of my truck, ready to hunt down the kid to return it.
My first stop was the hardware store, but Ty’s SUV Emmy had been driving wasn’t parked on the street anymore. I didn’t know where she lived, but my first guess was one of the little row houses she’d always loved as a kid.
Trying not to be a total creeper, I cruised down River Street looking for her car and a Mayhem Hockey Club sign in the yard—she seemed that type of mom—but struck out. I’d forgotten just how many kids in this community played for the Mayhem, so that didn’t narrow it down at all.
Next stop, the rink. My phone rang again, and I rolled my eyes at the sight of Gavin’s name.
“It’s bad,” he said as soon as I answered.
“Could be worse,” I replied, mostly to annoy him. “Just hung up with Coach.”
“Oh, good. He’s still speaking to you, then. Management isn’t on the same page.”
I bit the insides of my cheeks, turning into the rink’s crowded parking lot. “Make it work, Gavin. This is what I pay you for.”
“Not enough. Not fucking enough, Beck.” Gavin sighed, and I waited him out. “You can’t argue any of their plans. You understand? This was the only ask they’re going to allow.”
Snow crunched under my tires sounding an awful lot like my back teeth dissolving with this tension. “I get it.”
“Alright. Going to go get you not-fired.”
I turned into a new row just as a car began backing out, right next to Emmy’s SUV. Even from a distance, I could see her glaring at me through the windshield, her blinker ticking an irritated rhythm.
Remembering how mad she’d been Friday night, I flipped on my own blinker, a grin tugging at my lips for the first time all day.
The Subaru slowly began to angle out, its bumper swinging in my direction. From this side, I had the advantage. Emmy gave a sharp honk, then pointed two fingers at her eyes and one directly at me.
I laughed and waved, enjoying her attention more than I probably should. I’d been thinking about her all day—about our conversation this morning, how close I’d come to kissing her. That wasn’t like me. I wasn’t exactly celibate, but I’d quitchasing women years ago. Hockey had always come first, second, and third. Hell, I hadn’t even noticed my own mom’s health slipping, let alone had time for a relationship. Especially not with my best friend’s little sister.
She crept her SUV forward and I matched her, both of us crowding the poor Subaru like wolves circling prey. The driver looked terrified, his head swiveling between mirrors as he eased out at a glacial pace.
The second he cleared the space, I slid forward and blocked the spot.
Emmy’s window rolled down. Her eyes were slits of pure fury. “That wasmyspot.”
I glanced at the empty space, then back at her. “Weird. I didn’t see your name on it.”
Her nostrils flared. I grinned and then pulled forward just enough to let her have it.
She pulled in and parked, then hopped out of the car, stomping through the slush toward my truck. Her brown hair was pulled back in a little ponytail, bouncing with each step she took, and damn, I liked it too much.
Without hesitation, she yanked the door open, shivered once, and climbed in.
The second it shut behind her, her eyes widened, like she was just now realizing how close we were. Barely a foot between us. Her mouth opened, then closed again, and all I could do was stare at it like it held the answer to every question that had been rattling around my head all day.
Seconds stretched. I tried not to look at the way her chest rose and fell behind that white cropped top—tight and ribbed and clinging in all the right ways. The layers she'd worn outside had kept her curves a secret, but now? Now, Iwas screwed. Pink cheeks. Heaving chest. Eyes locked on mine like she was daring me to do something stupid. My brain short-circuited into territory it had no business being in.
“You can’t just steal parking spots like that.”
