Page 36

Morgan

___________

W aking up with Lillian’s naked body pressed up against me was incredible and alien. It was just what I always wanted, what I always needed. I had to head straight to the arena so I wasn’t able to stick around for when she woke up. Fuck, I hope the girls didn’t get up and search for her.

At least I remembered to pick up our clothes before I left. I didn’t have the strength to leave the bed after she fell asleep last night. I lay awake for what felt like hours, just staring at her. Not believing that this angel is mine.

I’m skating off the ice after practice and find James and Landon talking in low murmurs in the corner of the locker room, already dressed and showered.

“Are you sure?” James asks while shaking his head, shoving his fingers through his hair. They’re both pissed and seem stressed as I stop beside them with a frown.

Landon nods and I step closer, tilting his head at me as they both glance back down at Landon’s phone. I peek over James’s shoulder and my breath leaves my lungs. There’s a photo of Drea/Alex on the screen, a mug shot. I snort and back away. Damn they finally got her.

“What happened?”

Landon smirks up at me and pockets his phone. “She was arrested in California, I can’t find her charges, but one of the officers here sent me a heads up. They’re going to contact the PD out there and try to have them move her here, depending on the severity of her charges in LA.”

I slowly blink at them and frown, “Then why are you all pissed?”

James growls and punches the wall beside him, making the lockers beside us shake. “Because Landon didn’t only receive a call from the department here. He also got one from a piece of shit shark lawyer offering a ridiculous amount of money to drop the charges against her.”

My brows furrow and I cross my arms over my chest. “She attacked a pregnant woman at a wedding, in front of several hundred guests. Didn’t she wreck your house, too?”

James nods and shares a look with Landon. “We have to call my lawyer. Fuck this shit.” I clap them on their backs and head over to my cubby so that I can get undressed before I shower. Fuck that shit. I’m staying out of it unless they need a witness statement.

I check my phone before I head into the showers and see a few messages from Lillian.

I guess Mackenzie is inquiring about the job here and said she likes the atmosphere.

I wonder when she came by. I smirk as I shoot a text to Charlie and see if she has the time to meet with her to see if she can get her a job.

I think they would get along.

I rush through my shower and get dressed, leaving my sweaty gear here to be cleaned instead of dragging it home.

There’s so much to do. I need to call some companies to inquire about building the gym in my basement. I want to be home more, I need to be there for Lillian and the girls. I need to talk to Andy to see what we can do about Lillian’s bullshit in California…

Then I need to place some calls at Avery’s school to see if they’re looking for a new elementary school teacher, I mean, if it’s what Lil wants. I’m going to try not to make decisions for everyone around me.

Try…

I lick my dry lips as I head home. It’s still strange to me not having to stop for food or groceries, or having lead fill my veins when I had to stop at jewelry stores or department stores when Brittany ‘needed’ something to make her happy.

Fuck… Maybe I should just sell my house and find something that works for the girls and Lillian. Brittany didn’t choose that house, but she made it hers.

Maybe it’s time. Time to downsize. Time for something more family-friendly.

I bought it almost fifteen years ago, when I was basically a damn rookie. Cars, women, and houses were all that mattered to me at the time.

Now? My girls, all four of them, matter more than all of the damn money in my bank accounts and investments.

It’ll all work out. I wonder what Lillian even likes in a house.

She hates shopping and she dresses for comfort. She loves children, teaching, and spreading her love. She’s nurturing and genuine. Where would she even like to live?

I turn up the music as I drive down the streets and I groan when I notice how chilly it’s becoming at night.

Won’t be long until winter hits, bringing the snow.

Which means my parents will be joining us shortly for Thanksgiving.

They’ll meet Lillian, see how much the girls have grown in the past year.

I sigh as I drive through the gates and turn into my driveway. I jump out and slam the door closed, moving faster so I can hopefully eat one of Lillian’s dinners before I collapse onto the couch. I’m exhausted. Retirement sounds better and better every day.

I hear the laughter pouring through the house from the kitchen. I let it seep into my brain for a few moments before I join them. I lean against the wall and slowly blink at Mackenzie and can’t believe the change in her already.

She’s dressed in a professional black suit with red heels and her red hair is straightened down her back. Her makeup and healed face really makes her look like a different person.

Her bruises and scrapes are barely noticeable, and her eyebrow looks almost normal. I’m glad this bullshit is all in my head so no one punches me in the balls. She’s a pretty woman, but I’m in love with her best friend.

Avery and Nessa notice me first and jump off of their stools before wrapping around my legs. “How was your day?” I ask as I kneel down and pull them into my arms.

Nessa starts babbling on about how much fun she had today with Lily and Tilly, while Avery tells me everything about her STEM project her group is working on.

It all flies over my head but I still smile and nod, corralling them back to the island so that I can eat. It smells amazing.

Mackenzie smiles at me and stands, pushing her barely eaten plate away. “I’m going to go lay down. Thank you for dinner, Lil.” She waves at me and disappears around the corner, the clacking of her heels disappears, too. I can’t stand the noise ever since Brittany stained my soul for eleven years.

Lillian sends me a small smile and turns to open up the oven. “I made pasta and grilled vegetables for dinner.”

I groan and settle down beside the girls and dig in as soon as it’s in front of me. I feel like my eyes are about to roll into the back of my head. I wish I could cook like this.

I can figure out how to make canned soup and macaroni and cheese. I can microwave chicken nuggets. Firing up a grill and cooking up steak, chicken, burgers, and hotdogs, but I burn corn.

Lillian is a fucking angel, that’s for sure.

She chuckles as she finally sits down to eat and she starts talking to Avery about everything they need to order or buy for the projects. I pull out my wallet and toss her one of my credit cards. She frowns at me and tilts her head.

“I don’t want you spending your money on this. Take the card, for anything any of you need.”

Avery squeals and tries to grab for it, but Lillian swipes it off the counter first. She smirks at my daughter before slipping the black card in her pocket. “Not so fast, little ninja. Who knows what trouble you would get into with this plastic card in your grubby fingers.”

Avery sticks her tongue out at Lillian and chugs her glass of water.

“My hands are not grubby!” She slides down off of the stool and sets her dishes in the sink.

“I’m going to go finish up my homework. Can we watch a movie tonight, dad?

” I nod and she smiles before skipping out of the room, her hair billowing behind her.

Lillian helps Tilly finish up her dinner before she wipes the little ones off and sends them to the playroom while she cleans up. I stand up with a groan after finishing off my grilled broccoli and zucchini and help her dry while she washes the dinner dishes.

“How was your day?” Her angelic voice graces my ears and makes me shiver.

I shrug and set another plate in the cabinet behind me. “Same old. Practiced on the ice for what felt like years before showering and coming home. How about you, beautiful?”

She hums and glances over at me before staring back down at her hands. “Ah, same old stuff, honestly. Do you think you’ll miss it? When you retire?”

I nod and lean up against the counter, crossing my arms over my chest. “Yes and no. I’ll probably find a league to play in every now and then, but will I miss playing and practicing for months on end? All of the traveling, being away from my family? No. But I’ll miss the money.”

She snorts and shuts off the water before drying her hands. “I’ll bet.”

I bite down on my lip and guide her down the hall before we check on the girls. “Do you like it here?”

She nods and leans her head against my shoulder before yawning. “I do. I didn’t think I’d love it here in Minnesota, but I do. Why?”

“I meant here in this house. I was thinking about finding something new, something untainted.”

She turns and glances in between my eyes. “Do you want to move? Or is it just to benefit anyone else?”

“I think it would be good for me and the girls if we moved, somewhere we can make better memories. Maybe somewhere that has thicker trees for a treehouse, better parks, and more kids. Somewhere without a lake in the backyard so that I don’t have a heart attack every time they go outside.”

She frowns and nods, “Well, whenever you have another free weekend, I wouldn’t mind helping you search.”

I wink at her and we spend the rest of the night playing in the playroom before we watch a movie in the living room.

I never imagined I would be so damn happy and content in this lifetime.

________________

The rest of the week flashed before my eyes. We played two home games and lost both. It isn’t looking too good for our team. I wanted to head off to the playoffs again for my last year.

But it seems like all of us have other shit on our minds. James and Landon with their drama with Drea/Alex. Nolan’s beef with James and him being in love with Marie.

Logan is obsessed with his wife and the others are just hazing the poor rookies. Who knows what they’re going through. Alexi never complains about his wife and kids.

I feel like I’m drifting from my teammates months before it’s time for me to separate my life from them.

Lillian is out with Mackenzie, celebrating her new job at the arena. She’ll be working in the Italian restaurant, which is the best one here. Thank fuck Charlie came through and they hit it off. Well, as much as anyone can with her. At least she’s easier to deal with than her father.

She will be safe there, not having to deal with anyone shady or off their damn rockers. Just most of the players and some rich pricks that come to the games.

I already put the girls to bed, so I’ve been pacing around or blinking at the ceiling as I lay on the couch, thinking about the meeting Lillian had with Andy yesterday.

It seems like we didn’t have to do anything aside from sign witness statements and forms, proving that she had nothing to do with the Wilders.

She’s been a ball of stress while we wait to hear back.

All three daughters are currently sitting in jail since they're all considered flight risks, awaiting their first court dates. I just hope it doesn’t take years to get to the bottom of this shit.

I groan as I roll off of the couch and head into the kitchen to grab some water. I hear the garage door opening as I finish off the bottle and stalk down the hall to wait for them. I hear whispering and giggles and I smirk as they come into view.

I can’t take my eyes off of her.

Lillian is wearing a short black sequin dress and is toddling in her sky-high heels. Her hair is tamed, curled down around her shoulders. Her dark makeup makes her gray eyes look larger, brighter.

She looks happy.

She snaps her gaze to me and sends me a wide smile before hugging her friend,making her way towards me. She wraps around me like an octopus and Mackenzie laughs lightly as she scoots around us and heads straight to her bedroom.

“Did you drive?” I ask my woman and she nods and kisses my cheek before fixing her purse on her shoulder.

“I only had one drink, and that was hours ago. We ended up running into Nolan… Mackenzie danced with him for a while.” She frowns and sends me a look, as if asking if he’s really safe.

I raise my brows and hum, ignoring her. “Did you have fun?” I guide her into the kitchen and watch her sit down to slip off her heels. They clatter against the tile and she sighs.

“I did. I’m glad she’s here. How was your night?”

I shrug and grab her a bottle of water before I lean against the island. “It was fine,” she murmurs before she chugs down the bottle and I stalk after her when she makes her way down the hall.

“Are you sleeping with me tonight?”

I chew on my lip as I await her answer. The girls have been doing just fine on the nights we share a bed, but I know that she’s worried about them waking up and searching for her.

“Sure. Let me jump in the shower and I’ll meet you in your room,” she blows me a kiss as she closes her door softly behind her and I make my way to my room. I toss my shirt on the ground and crawl up into bed, fixing the pillows and folding down the blanket.

I close my eyes and relax into my bed, shaking my head. How is this my life?

From crazy girlfriends, to puck bunnies, to Brittany. Both Lillian and I have been through hell and back on the relationship front. What have I done to deserve her?