Page 10 of Hat Trick
Carter introduces himself, but Gabe seems to have disappeared. I sit Sam on the couch before grabbing beers for the three of us.
"Want one?" I ask Emily, my voice low and intimate. She smiles up at me, blushes and shakes her head 'no'.
Sam's clearly a hockey fan, so I turn on the replay from the game last night, giving us a buffer so Sam can relax and enjoy himself.
Sam quickly goes from shocked to engaged as we chat all things hockey.
Annie and Emily play quietly together, talking in hushed, sweet tones. My gaze ping-pongs between the game and Emily. Secretly, I'm hoping she notices the goal and two assists I had last night.
One of the times I sneak a peak at her she's already looking at me. 'Thank you'she mouths to me. I wink at her and give her a smile, warmth spreading through my body.
After an hour and a few beers, I make sure to exchange numbers with Sam and invite him to our next home game. Really, I want Emily there, and I feel like she'll be more likely to go if her brother and father come along. I've already texted Heather in PR to get me three on-the-glass tickets for our game Thursday.
We wave goodbye to Sam and I thank him for bringing Emily's clothes.
I close the door and turn to find Emily standing behind me. "That was very sweet of you guys. You didn't have to do that."
I give her an easy one-shoulder shrug. "We've always got time for our fans."
She narrows her eyes on me. "No, you don't. And you certainly didn't have to offer him tickets. I appreciate it. Take the 'thank you.'"
I want to wrap my arms around her, pull her into my body, bury my face in her neck. But I don't. I'm going to take it slow with Emily, woo her, date her, walk around the house shirtless, and savor every moment of it. It'll be the last time I ever fall in love.
Chapter five
Gabe
Istep out onto the rink and close my eyes. I suck in a deep breath, loving the familiar scent of ice and my gear. Overnight, things had gone to shit. I glide around aimlessly, warming up my legs before Coach Thompson sets up drills. Carter has a child. A child and a nanny that now lives with us. I understand where Carter's coming from. He can't very well single-Dad a toddler with our crazy schedules, but living with a woman is a royally bad idea. Especially one with pouty lips and indecent hips. She's a distraction. And one we don't need right now.
The last few seasons we'd really figured ourselves out as a team. We had a real chance at the Stanley cup this year if we kept ourselves focused. A few professional hockey players had families, but they were the exception to the rule. It takes a strong woman with a large network of support to weather our demanding schedules. Most of us don't even bother with women. Hockey will always come first - will always be the love of our lives. Families come second.
Then when we retire, the good ones turn their love and focus back to their families. A lot never do.
Emily. Emily and her large doe eyes a man could get lost in and her pouty lips that begged to be kissed or bit. We'd never be able to relax in our own home. Luca was already smitten and he'd known her for less than 24 hours. Carter would be the next to fall. The last thing we need is our right winger and team Captain pining over the same woman.
I groan as I set up between the posts. I scuff the ice under me the way I like it and drop to my knees to stretch.
Awareness prickles the back of my neck and I look up, my eyes finding her immediately. Fuck. Emily, in a cute green sweater, holds the little girl to her chest as she carefully navigates the stairs to the ice. Carter and Luca have already seen her and skate directly for her.
"Who's the MILF?" Jonesy asks clapping a hand over my shoulder pads. A growl low in my chest rises.
"That's not a fucking MILF, Jonesy. That's Carter's daughter and nanny." I scowl at him, hoping he takes the hint. Most of the time my scowl's bad enough to get other players off their game. Not Jonesy, though.
"Sweet. So she single?" I punch him hard in the chest. It doesn't do much besides push him backwards on his skates. My gloves and his padding are too much of a buffer.
Curiosity gets the better of me and I skate over, too. Not close enough that she thinks I want to talk but close enough to hear what they say.
"There are my two favorite girls!" Luca shouts in greeting. Annie's clinging hard to Emily's chest, a little pout on her sweet face.
"Someone's not feeling very good after her shots today." Emily frowns, running her hand down the back of Annie's head tenderly.
"Everything else go alright?" Carter asks.
"Yep. Doc said she's healthy. Top 90th percentile for height and weight and he sent in a script for an epi pen. Mrs. Washington managed to fax him her medical records, so we went ahead and did her one-year immunizations like we talked about. She took the shots really well - she's strong and brave like her daddy. But I think she'sfeeling a little under the weather because of them. I wanted to stop by to see you, but I think I'll take her home and cuddle her up. Comfort food and some snuggles on the couch, and she should be fine." She asks Carter, but then shoots a glance at Luca and blushes. Luca's grinning up at her like she hung the moon. Fuck, he's laying it on thick.
"Yeah, of course. Let me know if you need anything. I'll keep my phone on the bench so I can hear it if it rings."
"Great. What time do you think you'll be home? I'll have dinner ready for you."
