Page 33

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

REECE

P lanning for the fundraiser was in full swing.

My lawyer told me to expect the timeline to pull it off by late next year, but when I told my mom about it, her eyes lit up, and I knew I couldn’t wait until next year.

We had to get this up and running now. And because I worked with the best group of men in the league, every single one of them agreed.

For my mom. And for the kids who’d have to wait another year to get treatments required to live better lives.

Amazing what six attorneys could accomplish when they worked together for a common cause and for a shit ton of money. We hired the best organizers in the game to spearhead this event.

I’d just gotten off the phone with Natalee. Yes, she spelled her name with two Es at the end, but she knew her shit when it came to organizing large events. Since this had been my idea, the guys voted me point man. That meant Natalee contacted me and I talked to my teammates.

We were about to take the ice for a final practice before we hit the road again. Our first stop, Vegas for a Saturday game against the Golden Knights.

Sweat poured down my face as shot after shot flew at me. Vegas was on fire this year and I needed to be on. Once Coach called practice, I skated over to Bishop and Bonner to tell them about my call with Natalee, but they had something else to discuss with me first.

“We chartered a plane for this weekend,” Bishop said and my chin jerked because we traveled as a team.

“Too good to travel with us peons now, Bishop?” I teased.

“Fuck you. We chartered it for the wives and girlfriends. Lexi arrived last night; the kids are staying with her parents. My mom will be in tonight to watch LJ, to give Jayce and me time away. Chesney and a few of the other team wives and girlfriends will be there. You weren’t with Bree when we planned this thing and truthfully, I’d forgotten we’d arranged this until this week and I got a call from the charter company.

With everything happening with your mom, we weren’t sure if you and Bree could make it, but we think she should come too, if you can swing it. ”

“Talk about last minute. I’ll see what Bree and Claudia say when I get home and I’ll text.”

“Well, there’s room. Jayce really wants her along.”

“Talked to Natalee. She said they’ve been working day and night to get us ready. Everything we asked for is happening. We’re good to go the Saturday after Thanksgiving.”

“This was a brilliant idea, man. We’ll be helping so many kids.”

They’d said similar stuff before, but it felt good every damn time. I still had a few good years in me, but the clock on my time in this game was winding down and I knew it. With this charity, my legacy in the league would mean more than my save record.

Once we got off the ice, I cleaned up and got dressed.

The new custodian had been starstruck that first day in the locker room, and ever since, he’d acted like a punk.

We all missed having Bree around so much that, as a team, we were quietly watching to see if we were unfairly taking out our frustration over her firing on the poor guy.

Still, we’d unofficially agreed: he had until the end of the season to get his act together before we started making noise.

He'd left his cart parked next to my locker when I walked out of the shower. “’Sup, goalie,” he said while tipping his chin up at me.

Goalie? Everything out of this guy’s mouth made me want to punch him in his pointy-nosed, beady-eyed rat face, but I kept my temper in check for the sake of the team and the charity. “You can call me Reece,” I offered, and I thought that was a fucking great offer, everything considered.

“Nah, I like goalie better.”

“And I like not talking to idiots. Turns out neither of us gets what we want.” Then I turned to Bonner, who stood nearby. “Can I? Just once?”

Bonner laughed. “I’d leave now if I were you,” he said, staring down the punk. The punk looked between me and Bonner, who cracked the joints in his neck, and decided to get the hell out.

“Good choice,” I replied to his retreating back.

“If Bree can’t go, I know some wild spots in Vegas, man. You’ll have a good time.”

“I’m not hanging out with some girl’s friend so you can get laid. Bree doesn’t need to see that shit and have people talking like I did something wrong.”

“ Whoopah !” Bonner replied, flicking his arm as if cracking a whip.

I raised an eyebrow at him. “To suggest I’m pussy-whipped implies I’m getting regular pussy. How long it been for you now, with Coach’s rules still in place?”

The man just glared at me.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought. Now I’m going home because my dick is addicted to that pussy in my bed. Catch you tomorrow.”

The drive home gave me time to think about the trip. I had to go no matter what. Bree helped take care of Mom, but if I call to get extra care workers in, then it wouldn’t be too much for Claudia.

What an epically great idea. Bree gave so much to me, my mom, Claudia, and especially Benny. She deserved time away just to have fun. And Mom had been on an upswing. No, I wasn’t naive enough to believe she’d stay that way, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Bree could really use the time away.

She had dinner waiting when I walked in the door. Salmon on bagels with avocado, tomato, and onion. My mouth watered. We all ate together tonight. It felt like the perfect time to bring up the trip.

“So I just found out that the guys chartered a plane for the wives and girlfriends to join us in Vegas. They arranged it months ago before we were together, and Bishop said he’d forgotten about it until earlier this week.

He apologized for making the invitation so last minute, but they want you to come with. ”

“Me?” Bree asked. “I have Benny and?—”

“What if I could get extra help in here for the time we’re gone?”

“I think that’s a great idea,” my mom said.

“You don’t ever do things for yourself,” said Claudia. “You’re still young. You need to live a little.”

“What about you?” she asked Claudia.

I adored that woman. She swatted her hand in the air. “Mr. Grazia and I had all kinds of adventures. Right now, I’m happy to let you have yours. Benny will be fine with me.”

“Of course he will, but it’s not fair to?—”

“Have a life? We’ve gone over this before. One day, you’ll believe me.” Then Claudia looked to me. “She won’t go unless you can get extra help in here for us. If you can, I’ll pack her bag myself.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Bree protested .

“ No! ” Claudia, my mom, and I shouted at the same time. Bree jerked her chin back and Benny jumped in his seat.

I couldn’t stop the laugh. Bree was so damn cute folding her arms over her chest, eyeing us all down, like any of that was going to stop this thing from happening.

“I’ll have everything in place. We’ll be ready to go on Friday.”

She nodded once and then went back to eating her dinner, but she didn’t say too much for the rest of the time. When we finished, she cleaned up and then got Benny into a bath before he had to go to sleep for the night.

The way she acted, what if she just didn’t want to go? I couldn’t force her into a trip. I mean, I could, but that’d be a bitch move. Before I started making calls, I pulled her into our bedroom.

“Do you really not want to go? Because I won’t force you. Honestly, I just thought it’d be a nice treat for you.”

She pressed her hand to her forehead. “We’re not a real couple. You hired me to do a job and if I’m away on some whirlwind vacation, then I’m not doing my job.” Tears glistened in her eyes and I felt like shit.

“Come ’ere.” I pulled her into my arms. “Everyone believes we’re for real.

You going with me gives this to my mom, exactly what I asked of you.

A real boyfriend would take the woman he loves away on a trip.

And, Bree, you’re my friend. There’s no one in the world I like spending time with more than you.

We’ll go. We’ll have fun. We’ll fuck in Vegas. Have you ever fucked in Vegas before?”

Shaking her head, Bree chuckled. “You’re an idiot. I’ve never been to Vegas before.”

Never been to Vegas. Never been anywhere before.

We were definitely friends now. Maybe we wouldn’t need another agreement.

If friendship and fucking were enough for her, we could travel the world.

It was selfish, I fucking knew it was selfish.

A good woman like Bree deserved a man to love her with every bit of his mind, body and soul.

I’d been that man for Elyssa and it just about destroyed me when it ended.

I’d sworn it would never happen again. But then again, she told me not to fall in love with her because she couldn’t give love back.

What was I worried about? Friendship and fucking would absolutely be enough for her. And it started this weekend.

“You’ll get to hang out with Jaycee. I know you like her, too.”

“I do. She’s a good person.”

“So, do you want to go? I want you to go. And the more I think about it, the more I like the idea of fucking you under the lights of the strip.”

“Oh, my god, is that all you ever think about?”

“Mostly—yes. You can’t judge me because you’ve never had sex with you.”

“I’ve gotten myself off.”

“Not the same. Not the same at all .”

“You’ll have people to be here around the clock? It’s that or no-go. I can’t leave Claudia to care for Benny and be a companion for your mom. It’s too much.”

“Round the clock, babe. Start packing because this is happening.”

I kissed her. Damn, that woman could kiss. I didn’t lie. I truly loved spending time with her more than anyone else. My mom and Benny being close seconds.

“I have work to do,” I said, letting go of her waist. “So do you. Suitcases are in the closet behind my suits.”

The rest of the night, I made calls to the visiting nurses service, leaving messages for them to call me back. Last minute was hard, but given the bonus I put on the table to get reliable nurses here to help, they managed to free up the people we needed. We were a go.

In the morning, I started preparing for my stint on the road.

The first of the visiting nurses showed before lunch to introduce herself while I was still home.

The second arrived before dinner. Both received the schedules and routines, met Mom, Claudia, and even Benny to make him comfortable with the new people in his place.

I wasn’t home to meet the third. Practice.

She came highly recommended and would be taking the overnight shift.

Before Bree laid him down for the night, Benny walked into the den wearing his T-Rex pajamas and holding a book, one of his favorites about tools that lived in a toolbox. He handed me the book

“You want me to read to you, bud?”

Benny stared up at me with his big eyes waiting.

“All right, bud.” I scooped him up onto my lap, getting him situated, and opened to the first cardboard page to start reading.

It was only five pages long. When I finished, he yawned and snuggled down to get comfortable before falling asleep on me.

Without thinking, I bent in to press my cheek to the top of his head.

“It’s funny how fast it happens,” Mom said from the doorway.

“What are you doing up? You need to rest.”

“I’m okay right now.” She sighed. “When I have the strength to get out of that bed, I do.”

How did I respond to that? We both knew what was coming. “What happens?”

“Huh?”

“You said, ‘It’s funny how fast it happens.’ What happens?”

A sad smile spread across her face. “Love,” she said.

“Love?”

Mom pointed to Benny sleeping. I shrugged.

“He’s my bud.”

“I wasn’t just talking about Benny. You’re different around her. I’ve loved every version of my son you’ve ever presented me, but this—this version of my Baker is the best so far. ”

“ Ma .”

She held her hand up. “I’m going to lie down for a while.” Then she turned, slowly walking away.

It looked like Bree and I were still selling this relationship enough for my mom to continue to buy it. Love. Hilarious. But having her say that reaffirmed the plan. It made her happy and that was what mattered.

Only about a minute later, Bree walked into the den. “I thought he might be tired,” she whispered. “Here, let me take him.”

I waved her off. “I got him,” I whispered back while moving him into a carrying position as I stood.

We walked him upstairs together, and I waited for her to turn down his bed.

When I laid him down, even with his eyes closed, he held on to my shirt, and even asleep wouldn’t let go.

Bree gently removed his little fingers and kissed him on the head.

She tucked the covers around him and we left him to sleep.

“Ready for tomorrow?” I asked once we were out of his room.

“I’m packed, if that’s what you mean, but it’s going to be weird going on a vacation without Benny or Claudia.”

“We’ll take them somewhere—Hawaii, maybe.

” Hawaii, sounded perfect. Bree in a string bikini.

Fucking her on the beach in the dark. Damn, that was a brilliant idea.

She stared at me, lips pursed, and I realized what I’d said.

Because my mom couldn’t go to Hawaii and per our agreement, we were only an us for her. “What? We’re staying friends, right?”

“That’s the plan,” she answered, and I hated the hesitation. I wanted a definite yes . Would she still let me fuck her on the beach? Friends with benefits still, maybe? God, please let us stay friends with benefits.

“So then we’ll still take them.”

She nodded with her eyes cast down and walked into our bedroom. Before she went to sleep, I pinned her down to the bed. “Listen,” I said. “I promised you I’d still be in Benny’s life. That means you and Claudia are a part of my life too.”

“You’re a good man, Baker Reece.” She tipped her chin up, pressing a kiss to my lips, and then she turned onto her side under me.

Something felt wrong about her response.

I lay on my back thinking about what my mom said earlier and Bree’s reaction just now. Things were starting to get complicated. We had to figure it out because I needed to keep Bree and Benny around.

On that thought, I let myself drift off to sleep.