Page 114 of Learn Your Lesson

But they didn’t care.

They tackled me, Ava flinging her arms around my neck as Chloe squeezed me in a tight hug around my waist.

I shook with a laugh that was nearly silent now, like an old wheezing man who couldn’t catch his breath. And there we were, a pile of giggles on the fucking couch as Ava and Chloe tickled me and squealed and celebrated like we’d just won the Stanley Cup.

In many ways, I knew this was even better.

“You’re laughing, Daddy! You’re laughing!” Ava squeezed me tight.

“I can’t believe it,” Chloe mused, releasing me to sit back on her heels and wipe the tears from her eyes. She stared at me for a moment longer of disbelief, and then she jumped up, thrusting her finger into the air like a superhero. “I’m baking a cake!”

“I’ll help!” Ava yelled instantly, jumping off my lap to chase after Chloe as she ran toward the kitchen.

“I think this calls for Funfetti,” Chloe said, pulling a box from the pantry. “Wouldn’t you say?”

“Andtonsof sprinkles!” Ava confirmed.

Then, she whipped around, her little eyes on me before she sprinted toward where I was still trying to gain my composure. She grabbed my hands in hers and tugged until I stood, and then she was dragging me to the kitchen.

“Come on, Daddy! We’re baking a cake!”

“It’s a school night,” I said pathetically, blinking away the tears that laughing had formed in my eyes.

Chloe and Ava both protested against my weak argument, and I threw up my hands in surrender, sliding into a barstool at the island to watch them bake.

As Ava measured out ingredients, Chloe’s gaze caught mine over her head, a sense of wonder in her brown eyes. She smirked, shaking her head, her cheeks shading the prettiest pink.

And my heart sank to my feet.

Because in that moment, on a seemingly insignificant Sunday night, I felt the power of something I thought I’d never experience in my life.

Family.

Noah Balboa

Chloe

It was a warm, sunny day about a week after Will was feeling better that we ambushed him with a barbecue at the house.

He was grumpy about it for all of ten minutes, glaring at me and Arushi for our role in it all while his teammates carried in coolers full of beer and meat. But a few kisses on the cheek from Maven, Livia, and Grace, combined with Ava beingsupremelythrilled that she had swim buddies for the day, made the frown between his brows slowly disappear.

The guys had practice earlier in the day, but had the rest of the afternoon and evening off before tomorrow’s practice. Then, they’d be on a flight to Atlanta.

I didn’t know how they did it, how I could look around the backyard and find so many seemingly calm and collected men when I knew they felt the stress of the season weighing on them. Then again, they loved hockey. This team was like their family.

And the Cup was within reach.

I knew that was driving Will, and I imagined it was the same with all the guys. Tampa hadn’t won the whole thing since early in the 2000s, even though our team had had many winning seasons.

Maybe this was the year.

Carter Fabri had flown in from New York for a few days, making the most of a break he had in his AHL season. It was my first time meeting the kid I’d heard Will refer to as the closest thing he had to an annoying little brother, and I adored him within the first ten minutes.

He was like a giant golden retriever.

He smiled wide and unapologetically. He goofed around like he didn’t have a care in the world. Where Vince and Jaxson were cocksure and Will was grumpy, Carter was kind and funny and sweet.

Presently, he and I were in the pool with Ava, playing a very intense game of Marco Polo that had her bursting into a fit of giggles every time Carter managed to evade her. She’d call outMarco, he’d call backPolo, and when she’d launch herself across the water, he’d skate away just in time for her to hear his splash.