Page 4 of Moms of Mayhem
“Jace is on the team this year.”
I looked over at him, but Ty’s gaze was glued on the ice where twenty kids warmed up in their black-and-green Mayhem Hockey Club jerseys. “Who’s Jace?”
“Emmy’s kid.”
“Emmy?” I frowned. “Like, your sister Emmy?”
“No, the other Emmy.”
“Is her kid like the ice boy or something?” I looked back at the teens going through pre-game stretches, trying to remember how old they were. “I remember you saying she had a kid, but he’s gotta be, what, six? Seven?”
“Fifteen.”
My jaw dropped, looking back out at the ice again. “How the fuck does yourlittlesister have a fifteen-year-old?”
Ty looked at me then, his dark eyes squinting underneath his hat. “Sometimes I forget how hard you checked out of life the moment you were called up to the NHL.”
My jaw worked. Fuck, that stung a little, but he wasn’t wrong. “We’re 37, so Emmy’s what, 35?”
Ty hummed, his hand brushing over his mustache as he looked down at the ice once more. “Glad to see that concussion wasn’t enough to knock out basic math skills. We both know you never would have made it out of Algebra 1 without cheating on my tests.”
I smirked, holding back a laugh. “Fuck you.” Elbowing his side, I said, “Alright, which one is our kid then? Who am I watching?”
Ty pointed to a right winger wearing number 61—mynumber. His face mask covered most of his features, so I couldn’t see the kid, but his footwork was great if a little choppy, and his wrist shot went right past the goalie, into the net.
“He any good?”
He grunted, but something about his stiff posture made me look back at the kid again. “Yes, unfortunately.”
Jace skated over to the bench, grabbed a water bottle, and looked out over the stands. He stared right at us, and I glanced over at the empty seats to my right. “Where are his parents? I haven’t seen Emmy since high school. Wait, do I know his dad?”
Ty chuckled, the sound ominous from a man who hardly ever laughed even as a kid.
A woman stormed toward us, fire in her stride andzero regard for how hard she was hitting my nervous system. Black puffer vest over a Mayhem hoodie, leggings clinging to strong legs that moved like she had somewhere to be and no intention of apologizing for it. Her dark brown hair curled softly beneath a green beanie with a ridiculously large pom-pom on top—adorable, infuriating, and somehow sexy as hell.
I couldn’t look away. Couldn’t stop the way my gut twisted like I’d just taken a slapshot to the stomach. Every inch of her was pure, unbothered confidence wrapped in curves and attitude.
My gaze dragged upward, slow and hungry, not because I meant to be a jackass, but because my body reacted before my brain could catch up.
Then I reached her face and froze. Honey-hazel eyes, sharp and unblinking, locked on mine with the same heat I’d felt earlier in the parking lot.
Shit.
“I should have known it was you.” She dropped into the seat next to Ty like gravity had kicked in. “Of course it was you. Like this day could get any worse.”
I froze for half a second, then leaned over Ty and a tail-thumping Rowdy to get a better look, even though I already knew it was her. That same simmering scowl. That same quick-fire presence that made the room feel smaller.
And Jesus, she was gorgeous. Even pissed off.Especiallypissed off.
“Do I know you?” I asked, unable to stop the smirk tugging at my mouth. “Aside from your wildly misplaced parking lot aggression?”
“Misplaced?”She threw her hands in the air, but her eyes were glued to the ice as the players headed back to the locker room one more time before the game. “I’d been waiting forthat spot. I had my blinker on and everything. You swooped in with your Napoleon truck that might as well have testicles dangling from a trailer hitch you’ve probably never used andstole my spot.”
“Funny, because I didn’t see your name on it. Maybe you should give it to me.”
She cackled. Head thrown back,cackled,and I couldn’t help but grin in response.
Ty crossed his arms over his chest, a hint of a smile showing beneath his mustache. “It’s been a long time since I’ve heard you two bicker.”
