Page 48 of Moms of Mayhem
His dark eyebrows rose until they were hiding beneath the brim of his hat. “Yousureyou know?”
I met his eyes, then nodded. “Yeah. I’m not going to screw it up, especially now that we’re probably working together on my PT too. But damn, the way she pushes my buttons.”
Ty sighed, loud and theatrical, then slapped a hand against my shoulder. “Well, hell. If you’re going to fall, at least try not to face plant in the process.”
“No promises.” I chuckled, then waved down at my hip brace. “Bum hip and all.”
“In all seriousness, brother, be careful. She’s tough as hell, but if you’re going to make me choose sides, I’m choosing her every time.”
I swallowed, then met his gaze. “Got it, loud and clear.”
With a quick jerk of his head, he went into the locker room. “Good.”
15
By the time Stevie and Harper had left, Shannon was on cloud nine, and I was right there with her.
“It went so well, don’t you think?” I clasped my hands in front of my chest, a huge smile on my face as Stevie backed her minivan out into traffic.
“She slept through the entire class,” Shannon said, a hint of laughter in her voice. “You have weird standards.”
I dropped my hands down at my sides, turning away from the window. “You can’t rain on my parade today. She’s coming back next Tuesday.”
“For naptime, sure.”
I chuckled, then went behind the desk, finishing out the last of the closing tasks for the night. “Are you going to stand there and tell me you don’t want her to bring Harper back for another hour?”
“I mean, I’m a bitch, not a liar.”
The drawer snapped closed as I pulled my purse out, shaking my head. “So, I’ll keep you on the schedule for next Tuesday night, then.”
Shannon pulled on her black puffer jacket, then tugged a burgundy beanie down over her brow, her long black hair hanging down beneath it in a chic way I could never figure out. “Absolutely, you will. Harper and I are best friends now.”
I flicked off the lights, grabbing my coat too. “I’m going to choose not to be insulted thatwe’renot friends, but a toddler who can’t talkisyour friend.”
We walked outside together, the evening air carrying a bite to it despite the sunny day we’d had. Shannon shoved her hands in her coat, then turned to me with a hint of a smile. “She’s way cuter than you, and I get little kids. Life is simple, in the best way.” She shrugged. “Sometimes you’re pissed because your sock is turned wrong, and that’s worth being pissed over. She doesn’t know yet that society is going to tamp her down until she’s just a remnant of who she once was, and throwing a fit over a sock is frowned upon.”
“Geez, Shannon.” I locked the door, then turned back to her with a shiver, my coat still slung over my arm. “You’re just a ray of pitch black.”
She smiled, the dimples on both of her cheeks popping outright, making her look every day of the ten years younger than me she was. “Someone needs to balance out your sunshine.”
“Right, because that’s what friends are for,” I called as she moved toward her car down the street.
She turned, walking backward as her little car’s front headlights blinked when she unlocked it. “Except we’re not friends.”
I pointed a finger at my nose, then at her. Shannon shook her head, then climbed in her car. I waited until the engine turned over, always worried about how her old hatchbackwould handle the cold weather and snow up here. She seemed more worried about getting through college with as little debt as possible, so a better, more appropriate car was not on her list of concerns. I couldn’t help the motherly instincts that kicked in as I watched her pull out onto the road, back tires slipping before catching and propelling her forward.
Once she was gone, I climbed into Ty’s SUV, enveloped in warmth and luxury I couldn’t help but soak in. With a quick glance at Jace’s location, I headed to the rink, hoping I could catch the last of the practice.
The parking lot wasn’t nearly as full tonight, so I found a spot quickly, then grabbed Beckett’s hoodie off the front seat where it had sat all day, reminding me to return it.
Not until I got inside the building and it wasn’t any warmer than outside did I realize that once again, I’d forgotten my coat in the car. I waved to Tate as I walked down the hallway toward the rink, spotting Beckett on the bench across the ice. He stood with his arms braced on the boards, and I saw the wince as he shifted feet, taking the pressure off his hip.
A shiver raced down my spine as my breath fogged in front of me, and I slipped on Beckett’s hoodie for an extra layer. Like his gaze was magnetized to the movement, Iknewhis eyes would be trained on me when I settled the hood over my head. I looked across the rink, and just as I predicted, that blue gaze was staring right back, one eyebrow hitched high on his face.
“Ty.” He still looked at me as he called to my brother out on the ice with the players. “What’s the goalie’s name?”
“Miles?” the kid in question answered, pointing at hischest where he stood between the posts with his helmet up on the top of his head. “Miles Claussen. You mean me?”
