Page 37 of One Good Puck (Denver Bashers #5)

Gavin

I stand at the Bashers bench during our home game against Minneapolis, watching the ice.

Two minutes are left in the third period, and we’re one point ahead. If we can manage to hold off Minneapolis, then we’ll close out the month of October with a win.

Currently on the ice are Ryker, Del, Theo, Sam, and Camden.

Del has possession of the puck and is heading toward the Minneapolis net.

One of their players goes to check him, but Del braces himself, then shoulder-checks him.

The Minneapolis player is thrown off balance, allowing Del to zero in on the net.

He takes a shot, but their goalie blocks it. There’s a scuffle between one of their defensemen and Sam, but Sam manages to take the puck from him. He doesn’t have a clear shot, so he sends it back to Ryker.

Ryker winds up and slaps the puck hard into the back of the Minneapolis net. A slap shot—his signature shot when he was a young player. He doesn’t do them much anymore. This is the first time I’ve seen him attempt it since he’s played for the Bashers.

The goal buzzer blares, and the arena goes wild. The guys on the bench jump up and cheer. Xander is on his feet, bumping his fist against Ryker’s when he skates by the bench.

“My man! Patron saint of slap shots! Hell yeah!” Xander hollers.

Ryker’s normally serious expression eases slightly as he celebrates with his teammates. He doesn’t smile much, even when he scores. He’s a grumpy fucker who wears a serious frown on his face constantly.

“Nice goal,” I say to Ryker.

“Thanks, Coach.”

The guys manage to hold off Minneapolis for the rest of the game. We head to the locker room, and I address the guys, congratulating them on the win.

“St. George and Williams, you’re up for post-game press,” I tell them.

After the guys get cleaned up, they head to the media room. I trail behind them.

“You’re up tonight too, Coach?” Xander asks.

“Yeah.” I sigh.

“Aww come on. You love post-game press,” Xander jokes.

“About as much as a punch to the face,” I deadpan. He laughs.

When we make it into the room, I stand off to the side as the reporters ask Xander and Ryker questions.

I check my phone and see a text from Abby.

Hey! Congrats on the win tonight : )

Excitement swoops through me just seeing her name on my screen. It’s been a couple of days since that insanely hot night I spent with her, and I can’t stop thinking about her. Or fantasizing about her.

I’ve jerked off a total of five times to the memory of that night and the morning after.

It was the single hottest twelve hours of my life, and I can’t stop thinking about every filthy thing we did. I can’t stop thinking about her.

I think back to what I said to her after we fucked that morning.

I know this was a one-time thing. But if you change your mind and wanna make it happen again, Abby, you know where to find me.

She hasn’t taken me up on that, and that’s okay.

I meant it when I told her that I was cool with staying friends and nothing more.

And it’s been surprisingly easy to slide back into friends mode.

We’re back to chatting and joking around and texting each other like normal.

It’s been nice, honestly, to know that we both haven’t let things get weird.

But if she ever wanted a repeat of that night, I’d jump at the chance.

I type a reply.

Me: Thanks. Did you watch the highlights?

Abby: Nope. Emma and I watched the whole game on TV :)

I smile down at my phone screen.

Me: When she’s feeling better, you two should come to a game. I’d be happy to get you both tickets if you think she’d like that.

Abby: She’d love that! And I’d love it too, seeing you in action ;)

Me: Oh yeah?

Abby: Definitely. I have a thing for handsome men in suits.

I’m pleasantly surprised at how flirty she’s being right now. I wonder what’s prompted it.

I think about asking her, but then I stop myself. That would be such a mood killer. Maybe I should just go with the flow and flirt back a little.

Me: And this whole time, I thought you watched hockey because you loved the sport, but it was actually a ruse to fulfill your suit fetish. Naughty girl.

Abby: I’m a very naughty girl, you know that ;)

Well, damn. I can’t help but grin harder at how teasing and playful Abby is being.

“Coach Porter, you look pretty happy. Are you smiling like that because you won tonight?”

I look up and notice the entire room full of reporters is focused on me.

My smile fades. I frown and put my phone away. “Uh, yeah.”

I notice Xander scrunches his lips, like he’s trying not to laugh. I glare at him.

“I don’t think you’ve ever smiled like that during post-game press,” another reporter comments.

I bite back an annoyed sigh. The last thing I need is a bunch of reporters to know that I’m flirting with Abby over text.

“I’m very pleased with my team’s performance tonight,” I say gruffly. I glance up at Ryker, who’s standing a few feet from me. “I was impressed with St. George’s slapshot.”

Ryker raises an eyebrow at me, clearly not buying it. Neither do most of the reporters in the room, judging by their confused expressions.

“You were smiling at your phone screen because you were excited about your player’s slapshot?” one reporter asks.

I start to sweat, feeling the heat of their disbelief. But I try to play it off with a frown and a no-nonsense response.

“Yeah. I was. Any other questions?”

I answer a couple more questions about the game. Post-game press ends, and I walk out of the media room with Ryker and Xander.

“Way to play that off, Coach,” Xander teases as we head down the hallway.

“Watch it, Williams.”

He grins and adjusts the Bashers baseball cap he’s wearing backwards on his head. “You were texting Abby, weren’t you?”

I huff out a sharp breath, annoyed at how quickly he figured that out. Ryker gives me a curious look.

I think about lying, but it’s no use. Xander knows me. He’s played for me for three years. He’s engaged to my daughter. He’s figured me out by now.

“Am I that obvious?” I say, loosening my tie.

Xander laughs. “Yeah. You only smile like that around her.”

He and Ryker walk off toward the locker room. I head to my office, silently acknowledging that Xander is right. No one makes me smile quite like Abby.

When I arrive home and walk into the living room, I see Abby on the couch with Emma. She’s sleeping with her head on Abby’s lap.

I smile at the cute scene. “How’s she feeling?” I ask softly.

“A lot better. She should be fine to go back to school the day after tomorrow,” Abby says.

“Glad to hear that.”

She aims a warm smile at me. “Thank you for doing our laundry earlier today. You didn’t have to.”

“It was no problem.” I strip off my suit jacket and hang it over the back of the armchair next to the couch, then sit down.

Abby shakes her head. “I’m sorry I left her dirty bedsheets and clothes in a pile in the hallway,” she says. “I meant to get a load started, but she woke up earlier than I thought she would and wanted a snack, and I got sidetracked and forgot all about the laundry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Abby. It wasn’t a big deal at all. I remember what it’s like to have a sick kid. It drains all your energy.”

She lets out a tired chuckle. “You’re right about that. Oh, and thank you for stocking all those different flavors of Gatorade. Emma was so sick of drinking ginger ale.”

I smile at Emma sleeping soundly on the couch. “Chicken soup and Gatorade were the only things that Sophie could keep down whenever she had a stomach bug as a little kid. Glad that they worked for Emma too. ”

“You’re so thoughtful,” she says, her voice quiet. “I’m not used to having so much help.”

“I’m not helping all that much. You’re the one sitting with her and checking on her in the middle of the night.”

She tilts her head at me. “Gavin. You’re absolutely helping me. You took care of the laundry and you fed my sick kid and you fed me. That’s made things so much easier on me.”

“I wish I could have done more honestly, I’ve just been so busy with work.”

“You’ve done so much. Seriously.”

I smile at her, and then remember the gift I got for her. Nerves fire off inside of me. I hope she doesn’t think this is weird.

I dig the small envelope out of my suit jacket pocket and reach over to hand it to her.

“What’s this?” she asks.

“Just something I thought you might like.”

When she opens the envelope and skims the gift certificate, her eyes go wide. “You got me a spa day?”

When I see the massive grin on her face, I’m relieved.

“This is the most luxurious spa in Denver,” she says, still looking at the gift card.

I run a hand through my hair. “Sophie and Bella have been there, and they both really liked it. I, uh, thought you might like to go too. You’ve been going nonstop these past few days, taking care of Emma.

You deserve to relax and take some time for yourself,” I say.

“And hey, I’d be happy to babysit her whenever you want to go for your spa day.

That way, you don’t have to worry about childcare. ”

A tender look flashes in her eyes. She opens her mouth to speak, but then quickly closes it. She shakes her head like she’s overwhelmed. Then she looks at me .

“No one’s ever gotten me a gift like this. This is so thoughtful, Gavin. Thank you.”

My chest aches hearing her say that. She’s an incredible mom and teacher. I see every day just how hard she works and how she takes care of her daughter—the sacrifices she’s made as a single parent to give her daughter a good life. She deserves to be spoiled every single day.

“It’s my pleasure,” I say softly.

For a moment, we just look at each other. She smiles softly, then glances down at Emma. “I’m going to carry her to her bed, and then I’m making you girl dinner.”

I chuckle. “Okay.”

She joins me in the kitchen a few minutes later. She grabs everything to make a grilled cheese while I grab a bottle of white wine from the fridge.

“Feel like a glass?” I ask.

She smiles and nods. Ten minutes later, we’re sharing a grilled cheese and a small charcuterie board while standing at the kitchen island.

She plays with the end of her ponytail, her eyes shy as she looks at me. “I’ve been thinking about you a lot.”

I can’t help but smile. “Yeah?”

She steps closer to me. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you ever since the other night. And morning.”

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you either.”

She sets down her wine glass and comes up to me. She’s so close I can feel the heat from her body skimming over mine.

And then she looks up at me, a hungry look in her eyes, and says, “I want you, Gavin.”