Page 24 of Almost Ours
There was a pause, and then Shane spoke up, his voice lower yet just as commanding. “Coach is right. The Wolves are tough. They don’t play with the kind of grit you’ve been building out here, though. Stick to what we’ve practised, keep your heads up, and don’t let them push you around.”
From the group, a small voice called out–Tommy, I think. “We’re totally gonna win now that we’ve got Connor on our team!”
The response was immediate. A chorus of “Yeah!” and “He’s awesome!” filled the air, and my heart caught in my throat. Connor’s face turned red, though he was beaming, trying to stay cool and failing completely.
Ryan clapped a hand on Connor’s shoulder, grinning. “Connor’s a great addition, no doubt. But remember–hockey’s a team sport. One player doesn’t win games.Wedo. Together.”
The boys nodded in unison, their excitement practically vibrating off the ice.
I took a slow sip of my coffee, trying to quiet the tightness in my chest. My conversation with Nina faded in and out as my attention kept drifting toward the bench. Toward him. Ryan.
Not because I was checking him out–God, no. I barely knew the man. Still, there was something about the way he carried himself. Calm. Steady. He didn’t bark or command attention. He didn’t need to. The kids listened to him like he was the eye of the storm–quiet, yet powerful.
And when Connor had nailed a shot earlier in practice, I’d caught a glimpse of Ryan’s reaction. Not over-the-top. Just a quiet nod, a flicker of pride that made something in my chest twist.
It wasn’t attraction. It was… curiosity. Confusion. A cautious part of me noticing that he hadn’t raised his voice once. That his smile, when it appeared, seemed real.
Nina’s sudden laugh snapped me out of my thoughts. She was looking down at her phone, thumbs flying.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, sipping my coffee.
“Jaxxon just sent me a photo of an author’s ‘inspiration board’,” she said, grinning. “It’s literally three Post-its, a picture of a beach, and a coffee stain. He wants to know if we should frame it for the office.”
“Jaxxon?”
“My assistant,” Nina said, sliding her phone into her bag. “Well, technically. But somewhere along the way, he became part-time nanny, part-time personal organizer, and full-time chaos wrangler. He keeps my life from imploding when I’m knee deep in manuscripts.”
I already knew Nina’s world was a whirlwind–she was a senior manager for one of the most prestigious publishing houses in the country. Her days were filled with tight deadlines, opinionated authors, and manuscripts that needed serious surgery. She seemed to handle it all with a mix of sharp wit and zero tolerance for nonsense, the same way she handled everything else in life, I’ve come to learn.
Before I could say anything, her gaze flicked past me.
“Brace yourself,” she muttered under her breath.
I glanced behind me, toward the lobby entrance.
There they were.
The hockey moms.
I’d noticed them at the first practice–hard not to, with their matching rhinestone-studded jackets and an energy that could only be described as… organized chaos. But thanks to Nina’s strategic seating and expertly timed commentary, they’d never actually approached me.
Until now.
A pack of five glided toward us, all perfect hair and oversize tumblers, like a caffeinated wolf pack on a mission.
“Here we go,” Nina murmured, sitting back like she was preparing to be entertained.
“Hi!” A blonde woman in her late thirties stepped forward, her voice bright and cheery. “You must be Connor’s mom. I’m Miranda.”
Her handshake was firm, practised. Before I could even respond, the others fell in around her like backup dancers.
“I’m Rachel,” said a tall redhead with a bold laugh. “That’s Heather, Vanessa, and Kelly.”
“Hi,” I said, trying to keep up.
They all smiled, expectant.
I opened my mouth, then faltered. My name caught in my throat for a moment too long.
