Page 25 of One Good Puck (Denver Bashers #5)

Gavin

W e continue skating. When we’ve made our way around the rink once more, she looks over at me.

“Thank you for the pep talk,” she says. “I really needed that.”

I wink at her. “Always here to build you up when you need it.”

We skate past Dakota, Sam, and Emma, who are sitting on a bench, drinking cocoa and eating popcorn. We wave at each other.

“Dakota and Sophie gave me a pep talk about what a good mom I am the other night. It was so sweet, but I think I still doubted myself because they’re not parents.”

“It’s different when another parent tells you that you’re doing a good job. They know what it’s like. The good and the bad, the stress, the self-doubt, feeling like you’re never doing enough. I’ve felt it all. Especially when Sophie’s mom died. I was so lost.”

I think back to that awful time. How it felt like I was living in a grief fog, how hard it was to even get out of bed every single day and function. But I had to. For Sophie.

Abby touches my arm. The warmth of her hand on mine is an instant comfort.

“I’m so sorry for how you lost her,” she says softly.

“Thank you.”

We’re quiet for a moment before Abby speaks again.

“I really admire your relationship with Sophie. I can tell just how much she loves you and how close you two are. You have the perfect father-daughter relationship.”

I laugh. “Far from perfect. Especially when she and Xander first started dating.”

Guilt throttles me when I think about how upset I was. How I lashed out at Xander and how strained things were between Sophie and me at the beginning of their relationship.

“Sophie mentioned that you were pretty overprotective of her.”

I exhale sharply. “I definitely was. I’m not proud of the things I said and did when I found out about their relationship.”

“What did you do?” she asks.

“I was upset Sophie was dating a guy who had a reputation of being a manwhore, and I made that very clear to both of them. I was awful, and I regret it. I’d take it back if I could.”

“Have you said that to Xander and Sophie?” Abby asks.

“Yeah, I apologized to them both. It’s all good now. It’s just when I think about it, I still feel bad.”

Abby lets a small smile break free. “But the important thing is that you made it right. That’s all that matters. You’re a great dad, Gavin.”

Comfort settles in my chest at hearing her say that. This woman who is loving and kind and the most amazing parent, thinks I’m a good parent too.

“Look at us single parents hyping each other up,” she says. I chuckle.

When we finish our lap around the rink, we go over to Emma, Dakota, and Sam, who are sitting on a bench and watching the skaters.

“Mom, I saved you some popcorn,” Emma says, handing the half-full bag to Abby.

She kisses the top of her head and sits next to her on the bench. “Thanks, honey. That’s so sweet of you.”

Sophie and Xander walk over and join us. “Check out this cotton candy I just got from the concession stand. It’s massive!” Xander holds up a giant bag of hot pink cotton candy.

“You want some, Emma?” he asks.

She nods excitedly. He opens the bag and hands her a huge chunk. She stuffs a handful of it into her mouth, and we all laugh.

Emma’s eyes go wide as she gazes out at the ice. “Wow…”

We all look over and see Camden spinning like a figure skater in the middle of the rink.

“He’s spinning so fast,” Emma says.

“He used to be a figure skater before he played hockey,” Dakota says to her.

Camden finishes spinning, and half the people on the ice clap for him.

He blows them kisses and skates off, winking at a young twenty-something woman who’s smiling at him.

He walks over to her, and the two start talking.

A minute later, she hands him her phone, and he taps at the screen.

Saving his number in her phone, I’m guessing.

Camden skates off the ice with Ryker following behind him, shaking his head. They both head over to us. Emma asks to use the bathroom, so Abby takes her.

“Aww, you jealous that I’ve gotten more numbers than you so far today, Georgie?” Camden jokes, flashing a smug smile.

Ryker’s stern expression doesn’t budge. “This is a family skating event. Not a nightclub, Connors. You shouldn’t be trying to pick up anyone.”

“You’re lucky Ryker’s not picking up anyone,” Dakota says to Camden, her smile teasing. “Ladies love him, and they’d be all over him instead of you if he turned on the charm.”

The corner of Ryker’s mouth quirks up in a reluctant smile when he looks at Dakota. Camden’s smile drops. He looks mildly offended.

“I bet I have more dating app DMs than you,” Camden says to Ryker.

Ryker sits down on the bench, his posture relaxed and his expression unbothered. “I’m sure you do, since I’m not on any dating apps.”

“But if he were on a dating app, his DMs would give you a run for your money, Camden,” Dakota teases.

Everyone chuckles when Camden makes a huffy sound like he’s pissed. I shake my head. The ego on some of these young players is fragile as fuck, and it’s amusing as hell to watch sometimes.

Abby and Emma join us again.

“Let’s shelve the dating app talk, okay? There are kids around.” I nod at Emma.

A second later, she hops up and waves to someone. “Mom, Evie and Charlie from school are here. Can I go say hi?”

“Yeah, of course, honey. ”

Emma runs off, and Abby takes a seat at the bench.

“Sounds like I missed a riveting discussion about dating apps while we were in the ladies’ room,” she says.

“Just Camden being weirdly competitive with Ryker about how many DM sliders they each get on dating apps,” I say.

“Oh god, DM sliders. Fun.” Abby chuckles.

Dakota shakes her head. “A woman’s dating app DMs are where all the creeps flock to.” Abby nods her head in agreement.

Camden frowns like he’s confused. “Really?”

Ryker rolls his eyes. Sam tilts his head at him. Xander just laughs.

“Come on, dude,” Xander says to him. “You have to know that women on dating apps get flooded with DMs from creeps constantly.”

“I mean, yeah, I’ve heard about it. But is it really that many? And is it really all women?” Camden asks, his eyes wide.

“Every woman I know,” Dakota says.

Sophie nods. “All my female friends who have ever been on a dating app have gotten at least one creepy, unwanted DM from a guy.”

Camden shakes his head, a bewildered look on his face. “Wow, really?”

Abby chuckles again. “I forget how young and naive you are sometimes,” she says. She grabs her phone from the side pocket of the yoga pants she’s wearing and pulls up something on her screen. “Take a look.”

She hands Camden her phone.

“I haven’t been active on that app in a year, and I still get gross messages from guys.”

A protective feeling swoops through me at the thought of some weirdo sending Abby an unwanted suggestive message. Or dick pic.

Camden squints at the phone screen. A second later, he gasps, his expression horrified as he swipes his index finger along the screen.

“Holy…oh god…so many dicks…”

Everyone bursts out laughing. I grit my teeth.

“Told you,” Abby says.

He looks up at her, Sophie, and Dakota. “On behalf of all guys, I’m so, so sorry.”

Dakota pats his shoulder. “Thanks, Camden.”

He frowns at Abby’s phone screen. “Wait, this guy’s not a creep. He seems pretty nice from his message to you.”

Abby looks surprised. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Camden says, still looking at her phone screen. “He sounds really cool, actually.”

Ryker, who’s standing next to Camden, nudges his arm. “Quit snooping. Give her back her phone.”

Camden’s cheeks turn red, and he mutters, “Sorry.”

Abby just chuckles. She reads the message on her phone screen.

Dakota leans over and peers at the screen. “Aww! You should reply. He sounds sweet.”

Abby chuckles like she’s nervous. “Oh, I don’t know.”

A pang of jealousy lands at the center of my chest at the thought of Abby chatting with this guy.

You have no right to be jealous. She’s your friend and housemate, nothing more. She can chat with this dating app guy if she wants.

“It’s just talking,” Camden says. “Not like it needs to lead to anything.”

Abby bites her bottom lip and keeps staring at her phone, like she’s debating with herself what she should do .

I look up and catch Xander and Sam staring at me, curious looks on their faces. Like they’re waiting to see how I’m going to react while I watch Abby, who they know I like, flirt with some other a guy on a dating app.

I exhale sharply. This is ridiculous. I don’t want to be the focus of my players’ curious glances and whatever they’re gossiping about behind my back.

I glare at them, and they both look away.

“You should message him back,” I say to Abby. I have to order my jaw muscles to relax for me to get the words out because the thought of Abby flirting with another guy makes me want to crawl out of my skin.

But she has every right to do that, if she wants. Because we’re just friends. That’s all she’s interested in being. And I need to be okay with that.

Her brow lifts like she’s surprised. “Really?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

She flashes a shy smile and starts tapping on her phone while I stand there and pretend that I’m fine with it.