Page 68 of Hot for the Hockey Player (The Single Moms of San Camanez: The Vino Vixens #2)

“Welcome, students and family of San Camanez Elementary,” Otto started.

“We are so excited to have you all here today to celebrate our young scholars. For the last month, our school participated in an essay writing contest, with each grade having a winner, as well as several honorable mentions. The winners and honorable mentions have been asked to read their essays aloud for you. So please, remain quiet.” He glanced back down at my family, the look of distaste on his face more a gift for my cousins than the threat he thought it was, and Naomi and Raina both smirked and snorted. “And please, enjoy.”

I leaned forward this time around Danica and shot Naomi and Raina a warning look. They both rolled their lips inward to keep from grinning, but sobered and nodded.

Laurel was in the sixth grade, so we had to wait for the second, third, fourth, and fifth grade winners and honorable mentions to read their essays first. The kindergartener and first graders weren’t asked to read.

Among the winners and honorable mentions were several of the McEvoy kids: Griffin, Emerson, and Talia; and Naomi’s daughter, Honor.

“And now, we will hear the essay titled ‘Strength’ from Laurel Campbell,” Otto announced before leaving the stage for my daughter to have her moment in the spotlight.

My lungs expanded to their fullest with deep, satisfied breaths as I took in her confident stance and she cleared her throat.

I’d always been a proud parent, but seeing her step up to that microphone with confidence and determination in her eyes, then smile a little shyly at me before focusing out at the crowd, took me to a brand new level of mom-pride.

“Strength,” Laurel started. “I could give you a dictionary definition. I could talk about muscles, and how much someone can bench press as a sign of their strength, but that’s not what it means to me. To me, the definition of strength is my mom.”

I must have gasped louder than I thought, because several eyes and heads turned my way.

Danica gripped my hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Forced to marry a man she barely knew and didn’t love, my mom found her strength to leave.

Taking my brother and me with her, she ran away from that dangerous life, that dangerous man, and her entire dangerous family.

Some of you might call her weak for not leaving sooner, but I don’t.

A world outside the only one you know can be scary.

But she did it when the time was right. She started a new, safe life for all of us.

In a new city, not knowing a soul. She went to school, became a lawyer, and started fighting for women just like her, who needed help to escape from the people that hurt them.

She’s not a person who hugs often, but I know how much she loves us.

I can feel it every minute of every day.

In the way she fights for our safety, our happiness and our futures.

Her strength inspires me. It inspires her cousins, my cousins, and the people around her.

Just being in a room with her will give you strength and confidence you didn’t know you had.

Speaking with her will motivate you, and being loved by her will make you feel invincible.

Like you can speak in front of a gym full of people, even though your teeth are chattering you’re so nervous. ”

She met my gaze and smiled.

“She never backs down from a challenge, or says no when someone asks for help. She always has an open spot at the dinner table for anybody who might be hungry, and while some might call her cold, her smile—while infrequent sometimes—is always warm. I measure her strength not by how much she can lift, or how fast she can run, or how many sit-ups her morning Pilates helps her do,” A few chuckles drifted through the crowd.

“but by the enormous size of her heart. She cares without contingency, loves without quarter, and encourages everyone to follow their passions, their dream—even if that causes her heartache. She is the most selfless person I have ever met, and always puts others ahead of herself, often sacrificing and going without because of it. I’m sure all moms do something like this, but I only know my mom, and to me, she has the strength of a Dahomey Amazon and the heart of a lioness.

She is the true definition of a mama bear, sharpening her claws every night in order to protect her cubs with everything she has. ”

More soft sounds of amusement echoed around me.

“She is my role model, my favorite person, and the woman I want to be like when I grow up. I know this essay was supposed to be about someone who inspires me, but my mother doesn’t just inspire me, she astounds me.

She gives me hope and courage and unconditional love.

To me, she is more than an inspiration, she is a goal, she is strength and power, grace and love incarnate, and I am so grateful and proud to be her daughter.

” Laurel gave a small, sheepish smile. Or at least I think she did.

I was bawling like a baby and could barely see the stage because of the tears. “Mom?”

Swallowing, I used the sleeve of my sweater to blot my eyes and lifted my gaze.

She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “You need to go to him. He wants to come back, but only if you invite him.”

I gasped again, and the room became an indecipherable din of curious murmurs.

“She’s right,” Damon said quietly beside me.

Sniffling, I swallowed again and untangled my fingers from Danica’s hand, then stood up and climbed the stairs to the stage, enveloping my daughter in an enormous hug. I kissed her cheek and the top of her head, my body shaking with the lingering tremors of my shock.

Applause and cheers erupted in the auditorium and my sweet girl went pink in the cheeks as I held her face and kissed her forehead.

“Go to Maverick, Mom. You need to put your heart first for once. Please?”

I blinked at her. “I …”

“We’ve got lots of family to take care of us. Go to Portland. Go get Maverick and bring him home to us. To his family.”

Glancing down at Damon, and ignoring the rest of the audience, I took in his nod of agreement. “Go, Mom,” he called to me. “You deserve to be happy too.”

I released Laurel, and we both made our way off the stage, down the steps. She rejoined her classmates, and I sat back down between my son and cousin.

“What are you doing?” Naomi asked with a slight hiss as she leaned forward around Danica.

Dabbing at my eyes again, my face on fire, I glanced at her. “What?”

“Go. To. Him,” she enunciated, an almost devilish expression on her face.

“ Now? ”

“Yes, now,” all three of my cousins, Jagger, a few McEvoys in earshot, and even Damon, all said.

“I … but …”

“Stop making excuses and get your ass to Portland,” Raina added.

Damon shoved my shoulder until I stood up, giving them all a confused and shocked look.

“I …”

“Go!” This time it was nearly half the gymnasium that shouted at me.

Stunned, excited, nervous, and confused, I grabbed my jacket and purse and headed out the door.

I don’t even remember the drive home or packing a small bag of clothes and essentials.

The ferry ride over to the mainland was a blur, and after almost four hours on the I-5 South during rush hour, I landed in Portland.

Thankfully, Damon had Maverick’s address and texted it to me, because I had no idea how to find him.

It was twilight, and I contemplated finding a hotel first. What if he shoved me out the door and told me never to come back?

Then you obviously don’t know Maverick Roy very well.

I located his condo building but had to drive around the block twice to find parking since his building was on a one-way street and I couldn’t get over to the far lane in time to grab the vacant stall.

Eventually, I managed to nab a parking spot just as another vehicle was pulling out, and with my nerves making my limbs shake, I did probably the worst parallel park in my entire life.

Anybody watching had to be thinking I was legally blind and shouldn’t be driving.

“Okay,” I whispered, checking my appearance in the rearview mirror and slathering on some lip gloss, not that it would do much to hide the dark circles under my eyes or the twin stains of red on my cheeks.

“You can do this. Your daughter just read an essay to almost two hundred people about how strong you are. Don’t wimp out now. ”

I took two deep breaths, closed my eyes, and waited for my heart rate to go down a bit. Then, I opened the door and nearly killed a cyclist who zoomed past me. “Watch it!” he shouted, dressed almost entirely in black with no lights to be seen, just a small red reflector on the back.

God, I hated the city. I hated all cities.

His building was across the street. Like so many high-rise condos now, there was commercial space below the residential, and it looked like it was a hipster-style taphouse beneath this particular condo. Flannel and Beard. Yep, total hipster place.

I used the crosswalk because, with my luck, I’d get run over by another cyclist if I jaywalked. Then I had to walk past the wall of windows to the taphouse to get to the intercom for his building.

What if he wasn’t home? I really didn’t think this through.

I was running on adrenaline and peer pressure and went into this grand gesture to win back my twenty-six-year-old boyfriend with absolutely no plan.

This was so unlike me. I didn’t do this.

I didn’t leave the island. I didn’t go into anything without a plan, a pros and cons list, and maybe even a plan B and plan C.

I reached his intercom and was about to buzz the number Damon gave me, but those damn thoughts in my head were running around in circles like a deranged dog chasing its tail.

I couldn’t do this.

Nope.

I spun around, prepared to head back to the crosswalk, my car, and drive the three and a half hours home, when I happened to glance into the taphouse and see who else, but Maverick, sitting at a table chatting and laughing with a beautiful blonde woman—closer to his age.

I beat back the flames of jealousy that threatened to grow from glowing embers of worry.

He’d already moved on.

Of course he did. He was young, hot, successful. Why wouldn’t he move on with someone closer in age?

He must have felt me staring, and turned his face, his blue eyes widening in surprise when he realized it was me.

Oh shit!

I booked it to the crosswalk just as he came barreling out of the restaurant.

As if hitting the button more than once would make it change to “cross” faster, I turned my back to him and kept hitting the button. “Come on. Come on!”

“Gabrielle!”

He reached me and grabbed me gently by the upper arm, spinning me to face him.

I shook my head, unable to look at him. “This was a mistake.”

“Look at me.”

Why did this man have such a spell over me? Particularly when he got all bossy and dominating? I flicked my gaze up to his and hurt stared back at me, making my insides tighten. “What are you doing here?”

“I … you didn’t come back,” I blurted out.

He released my arm and stepped back half a step. “Because you told me to go. You told me not to come back.”

“When I thought you were going to stick with hockey.”

He shook his head and his Adam’s apple bobbed on a hard swallow. “You abandoned me. When I needed you the most, when I called you, when I needed a sounding board, you dismissed me and told me to go.”

Sucking in a shaky breath, I released it out of my mouth.

Movement behind him diverted my gaze, and the buxom blonde with long, thick lashes and big, blue eyes swayed her hips toward us.

She reached out and touched Maverick’s shoulder, sending hot pokers of jealousy stabbing through my chest. “Maverick. It was great to meet you. I’ll send you our proposal and estimates for funding by Monday.

I can’t tell you how amazing this is going to be.

You’re going to make so many kids really happy.

” She glanced at me and smiled, before returning her gaze to Maverick. “Have a great rest of your night.”

Maverick nodded. “Very nice to meet you, Taylor. Sounds good.”

Taylor took off back down the sidewalk from where she had come from, but didn’t return to the taphouse.

I’d already had enough public attention today to last me a lifetime, so I met his eyes. “Could we, um … could we go up to your condo and talk about this? Please?”

He nodded stiffly, then stepped to the side, allowing me to walk toward the door first. He punched in a code and the lock disengaged, opening up to a lavish, mirrored lobby and two side-by-side elevators.

He hit the button, and when the car arrived and we stepped inside, I could barely breathe.

What the hell was I doing here? This was such a mistake. He clearly didn’t want to see me. Didn’t want anything to do with me, and now I was on my way up to his apartment to get officially dumped by the first man I’ve ever dared to love.

The only thing worse would be if the elevator suddenly stopped between floors and we got trapped in here.

At that point, I think I would actually die from embarrassment.

I could think of worse ways to go. Not many though.