Page 45 of In My Hockey Era (Must Love Hockey #1)

HOME IS WHERE THE PUCK IS

Bennett

I stand outside our condo, leash in one hand, dog carrier in the other, staring at the door like I’m about to walk into a battle.

I thought winning Lucy back, or maybe getting Chase to move out, and her to move in was my biggest challenge. Turns out, it might be this .

The tiny, golden furball at my feet looks up at me with big, ridiculous eyes, his little tail wagging like I just told him he’s getting an unlimited supply of treats for life.

Which, let’s be honest, he probably is.

“You better not make me regret this,” I mutter, crouching to scratch behind his ears. Waffles lets out a happy yip and immediately flops onto his back, tongue lolling out.

I take a deep breath, adjust the leash, and push open the door.

“Luce?” I call out, stepping inside. “You home?”

Before I can even set the carrier down, Lucy’s voice floats in from the kitchen. “Yeah! I just got back—wait, what is that ?”

I don’t even get a chance to answer before she appears in the doorway, still in leggings and an oversized sweatshirt, hair piled up in a messy bun. And the second she spots Waffles?

She gasps —one of those deep, dramatic gasps that immediately tell me I’ve lost every ounce of her attention.

“Are you kidding me right now?” She drops the spatula she was holding and rushes toward us, eyes wide, hands covering her mouth. “Bennett. No. You did not .”

I rub the back of my neck, feeling suddenly self-conscious. “Uh, yeah, I—”

I don’t even get the sentence out before she’s throwing herself to the floor, scooping Waffles up in her arms like he’s some long-lost treasure she’s been searching for her whole life.

“Oh, my baby ,” she coos, peppering his tiny head with kisses. “Look at you! Ben, look at this face! He’s so cute I might actually die.”

Waffles, the traitorous little shit, immediately starts licking her chin like he’s in love.

I cross my arms. “Yeah, okay, I see him.”

She ignores me completely, holding him up to look into his big, brown eyes. “Did you come home to me , little man? Did you?!”

I scowl. “He literally came home to me , Lucy.”

She still doesn’t acknowledge me.

Max trots over, and sniffs Waffles curiously. The puppy wriggles in Lucy’s arms and lets out a high-pitched bark, clearly thrilled about his new big brother. Max, being the actual angel that he is, just gives him one more sniff before wandering back to his bed like, not my problem .

I sigh. “Well, I was gonna make a big speech about how I wanted to surprise you, but clearly, you’re too busy falling in love to appreciate my grand gesture.”

She finally looks up at me, still clutching Waffles to her chest like he’s her favorite now. “Are you kidding me right now?” She’s full-on beaming . “Bennett, you adopted him. You got Waffles. For us .”

Yeah. Us .

I try to stay grumpy about the fact that I’ve been completely overshadowed by a ten-pound mutt, but then she gets to her feet, eyes still shining, and reaches for me.

And suddenly , she’s kissing me.

Like, full melting into me, fingers in my hair, pressing up on her toes because she’s still cradling the damn dog between us.

I smirk against her mouth. “Am I getting this much love, or is this still all for him?”

She pulls back just enough to shoot me a look. “You just made all my dreams come true, you can share one kiss with Waffles.”

I groan, but wrap my arms around her anyway, making sure to get my hands under her sweatshirt so I can actually feel her. “If he starts sleeping in our bed , we’re gonna have problems.”

She grins. “You jealous?”

“Of a dog ? No.”

Waffles licks my chin.

Lucy laughs .

I glare. “Okay, maybe a little.”

Lucy kisses me again, softer this time, hands sliding down my chest. “Thank you, Ben,” she murmurs. “For everything.”

Something tugs deep in my chest.

I drop my forehead against hers, inhaling the sweet, familiar scent of her shampoo, of home .

“Yeah,” I murmur. “Anytime, babe.”

Waffles lets out a happy little bark between us, completely ruining the moment.

Lucy giggles. “You’re officially a dog dad now.”

I sigh dramatically. “I blame both of you for this.” .” My gaze cuts over to Max. “You okay, buddy.”

But when she grins at me, that look in her eyes?

I know I’d do it all over again.

“We’re changing his name, by the way,” I announce.

She gives me a curious look. “To?”

“Puck.”

“Ewe. No.”

“Gordy,” I say.

“No.”

“Gretz?”

She glares at me. “Absolutely not.”

I smirk, undeterred. “Biscuit?”

Lucy folds her arms, unimpressed. “You want to rename our dog… Biscuit.”

“Well, yeah. It’s hockey-related, still kinda breakfast-adjacent. Feels like a good compromise.”

She shakes her head. “No way. Waffles is perfect.”

I huff, glancing down at the tiny, wriggling dog in her lap.

Lucy lifts him so they’re nose to nose. “You hear that, Waffles? Your dad is trying to strip you of your identity.”

Dad.

I pretend like that word doesn’t make my chest feel all warm and tight.

I sigh dramatically. “Alright, Waffles can stay.”

Lucy grins in victory. “Damn right he can.”

I nudge her knee. “But I’m calling him Hat Trick when he misbehaves.”

She rolls her eyes but pulls me in for a kiss anyway, while Waffles stays squished between us, tail wagging like he knows he just won.