Page 53 of One Good Puck (Denver Bashers #5)

Gavin

I walk over to the couch where Abby is sitting, wrapped in a plush blanket, staring at the Christmas tree.

I hand her a mug of tea and kiss her forehead. She offers a small smile and a quiet “thanks.”

I sit next to her and pull her legs onto my lap so she can stretch out and relax. After coming home from the Christmas tree farm, we set up the tree in the living room, decorated it, and ordered pizza for dinner.

Abby put on a happy face for Emma the whole time, and luckily, Emma was too excited about decorating and pizza to notice the sadness lingering in her mom’s eyes. I know Abby wanted it that way. She didn’t want to upset her.

But now that Emma is sleeping and it’s just Abby and me, I don’t want her to feel like she has to put on a brave face anymore.

She sips her tea, then sets it on the coffee table. I grab her by the waist and pull her onto my lap. She wraps her arms and legs around me, hugging me tight .

“Thank you for everything you did today,” she says. “I would have been a mess without you.”

“I’m here for you, Abby. Always.”

She’s quiet for a long second. Then she leans back and looks off to the side. “It’s just…when Levi said he suddenly wanted to be part of Emma’s life, I got so scared and mad. I couldn’t believe it. He abandons her, and then one day out of the blue, he wants to pop back into her life?”

She shakes her head and crosses her arms over her chest. “He doesn’t even realize how confusing and upsetting that would be for Emma.

Her whole life, she lived without her dad.

And now she’s supposed to just welcome him back with open arms?

This total stranger she doesn’t even know?

That would freak her out. I’m not putting her through that. ”

She closes her eyes and takes a breath. “I don’t want to be a jerk and keep my daughter from seeing her father.

But he can’t be like this, coming into her life whenever he feels like it.

That’s so hard on a child. What if he starts seeing her and she forms an attachment to him, but then he disappears like he did before?

She’d be heartbroken. I’m not going to let him hurt her like that… ”

Her voice trembles as she trails off.

I wrap my arms around her and hug her against me. “You’re not a jerk, Abby. Not even close. You’re a mom who loves her daughter and is doing whatever it takes to protect her.”

“I’m trying, Gavin. I’m really trying.”

Her voice is so soft and weak, it breaks me.

When I think about the way Levi tried to push himself back into Emma’s life today, after ignoring her for her whole life, it makes me want to rage. What kind of father thinks that’s okay? That he can just act like a dad whenever it’s convenient to him after abandoning his own child ?

As much as I wanted to go off on him, I held it all back and focused on Abby. She was so shocked and distraught at seeing him, so I did what I could to keep things calm and protect her and Emma.

I wish I could do more. I wish I could make Abby’s pain and worry go away. I wish I could talk some sense into that loser ex of hers.

But instead, I just squeeze my arms around her and hope it’s enough comfort for her in this moment.

Just then, Abby’s phone rings. She slides off my lap, grabs her phone from the coffee table, and answers it.

“Hello?”

A second later, her expression falls. “Why are you calling me, Levi?”

I tense up, that mix of anger and protectiveness from earlier resurfacing.

“Are you kidding me?” Abby’s voice hitches up. “You think you have a right to see Emma?…Levi, for seven years, you didn’t even acknowledge her existence…No, I’m not trying to control her life, I’m trying to protect her….No way is she going to be okay with seeing a complete stranger every weekend…”

I clench my jaw so hard that my head starts to ache. Is he seriously trying to convince Abby to give him visitation rights to see Emma?

I watch as her eyes water and all the color drains from her face. “Don’t you dare threaten me,” she says in a shaky voice.

The anger simmering inside of me turns to a full-blown bonfire of rage. No way this asshole is going to get away with threatening Abby.

Levi’s voice booms from her phone, and she winces, holding it away from her ear .

Gently, I touch her arm, then take the phone from her.

“Levi.”

He’s quiet for a second. “Who’s this?” he asks, clearly annoyed. “Wait, are you that guy from earlier today?”

“Yeah. That’s the first and last time you ever raise your voice to her. Understand?”

He scoffs. “Dude, I don’t have anything to say to you. Put Abby back on.”

I glance at Abby, who’s wiping her tears on the sleeves of her sweater.

“Do you want to talk to him again?” I ask in a soft voice. She shakes her head “no.”

“She’s done talking to you.”

He exhales sharply. “Fucking ridiculous,” he mutters. “Look, I know you’re her boyfriend or whatever. And I know who you are. You’re the head coach of the Bashers.”

“I am.”

“You think you’re hot shit and can take over the conversation I was having with my daughter’s mother,” he says. “I bet you convinced her to keep me from seeing Emma.”

“You’re wrong,” I say curtly. “I don’t tell her to do anything. Abby is capable of making her own decisions about her daughter. What I am going to do is tell you to leave her alone. She’s made it clear that she doesn’t want you contacting her or Emma. You need to respect her wishes and back off.”

“You fucking prick,” he shouts. “This isn’t over. She’s my daughter, and I have a right to see her.”

I hang up the phone and set it back on the counter, then pull Abby back into my lap. She’s shaking when I wrap my arms around her.

“He threatened to get a lawyer involved so he can get custody of Emma,” Abby says, her voice watery. “I…I don’t kn ow what I’m going to do, Gavin. Legally, I have full custody of her, but he can still take me to court. He’s going to try and take her from me.”

Her voice breaks. My chest cracks in half hearing the fear in her voice.

Protectiveness soars through me. For her and Emma.

I kiss her temple. “No way that’s happening.” I lean back and look at her. “Jason’s wife is a lawyer who handles complicated custody situations. I’ll reach out to her so she can help you navigate all this. Levi isn’t taking Emma from you, ever. I’ll make sure of it.”

She blinks at me, and a small bit of the worry in her eyes fades. “I don’t have the money for an expensive lawyer.”

“I’ll pay for it.”

Her mouth falls open. “Gavin, no. This isn’t your problem.”

“Your problems are my problems, sweetness.”

She’s quiet for a second. “I can’t believe you’d do that for me.”

“I would do anything for you, Abby. I love you.”

The words fall from my mouth without hesitation. Like I’ve never been more certain about anything, ever.

Because it’s true.

Her lips part, and her sparkling hazel eyes widen. “Y-You love me?”

I nod. She’s quiet for a long moment. Nerves kick up inside of me. I know it’s too soon to tell her. I know she’s probably freaking out. But I can’t hold it in anymore.

I clear my throat. “I’ve been in love twice in my life. Once was with Nicole, and after I lost her, I never thought I’d love again.”

I swallow hard, my nerves going haywire, hoping I’m making sense .

“But then I met you, and I couldn’t get you out of my head,” I say. “I got to know you, and I fell so damn hard for you, Abby.”

I let out a shaky breath. “You don’t have to say it back. I know it’s probably really jarring to hear me say all that. We’ve only been officially a couple for less than a month, but?—”

She kisses me, cutting me off.

“I love you too,” she says against my mouth.