Page 56 of Hot Puck
“I bribed them with a dip.” I nod at the twins. “They’ve been nagging all day to get in the pool and I know they don’t need supervision, but I can’t leave them out here alone.”
“What were you doing that stopped them from swimming earlier?”
“Ah, well…” I’m not sure how she’s going to take what I organized. I know she told us to make ourselves at home but it’s still her house.
“Out with it. What have you been up to?”
“I had a fully equipped gym set up in the basement.” The words rush out of me, and I wait, breath held, for her to say something.
“Hmm…”
She’s got her thinking face on. She’d probably hate to know I’ve been studying her so closely I can tell what’s going on in her head most of the time.
The silence drags so long I fidget. I’m not normally nervous around her, but for some reason this has me holding my breath and bracing.
“You look like I’m going to kick you out for doing exactly what I told you to do,” she murmurs, her gaze on the girls as they crawl out at the deep end of the pool and grab hands, ready to cannonball back in.
“I wasn’t sure if I’d overstepped. When I first had the guy out to show him the space and tell him what I wanted, I didn’t think it would look like it does,” I explain.
“You don’t like it?”
“Oh, no, I do. It’s just…” I swallow. “I didn’t realize how much space it would take up.”
“The basement isn’t big enough to put in a practice rink so a gym with all the bells and whistles seems a good use of the space there is down there.”
“Maybe you should take a look before you decide it’s okay. If it’s too much I can have it ripped out.”
“Chase.” She turns toward me, her gaze locking with mine. “This is your home now. And if we do what I suggested to give the girls the extra security you want them to have, it will be their home until they go to college, or we decide otherwise. And where they are, you are.”
“About that. You got a delivery today. It’s from a lawyer’s office.”
“Finally!” Gem shoots to her feet and takes off for the house.
How she manages to move that fast and stay upright on those heels is a miracle. I know I move around on slippery ice on razor sharp blades, but I doubt I could pull off the speed she does in those shoes if I tried.
“All right, girls,” I call. “Time to get out and shower off before dinner.”
“Aw, come on,” Cass whines. “We’re not hungry.”
The fact Stell’s head whips in her twin’s direction, a look of surprise on her face, tells me they are not in accord with Cass’s words.
“Gem’s home early. She wants to take us out for dinner.”
I’m playing dirty, I know the second I mention Gem the girls will do whatever I ask. The bond they formed with her in the first few days back at home has only strengthened since moving here.
Gem has breakfast or dinner, sometimes both, with us every day, even though she’s been back at work full-time since we arrived. Most days, it’s me and the girls in the house sorting through our things, because school hasn’t started, and I haven’t had any team commitments yet.
That changes next week.
The first of which is a meet and greet for all the Rogues players and staff.
I worried about taking the girls, but Gem assured me they’ll be fine. She’s organized activities and care for anyone who wants or needs it because the meet and greet is not only for players and coaches, it’s for everyone working for the Rogues.
Partners and children are encouraged—expected—to attend as well, to help build a support network for those who have relocated to Baton Rouge.
Which pretty much means everyone.
I’m looking forward to meeting my teammates. Speaking with my coaches. I haven’t had any kind of exercise routine since Dad died and I know I’ve lost physical strength. It remains to be seen how much.
