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Chapter Two

Levi – Six Years Later

The sun shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my condo’s living room.

I took a sip of my coffee, quickly checking the time on my phone.

It was five thirty; I had to be at the arena in an hour, which meant if we didn’t get a move on, I’d be late for practice for the second time in the past week.

“Come on, Mia, get your things. We’re going to be late,” I called.

I scrolled through the email Lucas sent me from Pamela, our head of PR, as I took another mouthful of coffee, and then shoved the last of my hard-boiled egg into my mouth. Tonight, after the game, we were going to be interviewed by Scarlett Green, or I should say the team.

I’d been in a state of shock ever since the night of the barbeque when Lucas asked the guys if they’d heard of her.

I knew I’d probably let it slip when my head shot up, but I was certain I’d done a good job of recovery.

While I still kept in touch with her brother Scott on a weekly basis, he’d done a good job of not mentioning her to me ever again, just like I’d asked.

“Mia, let’s go,” I called again, annoyance in my voice.

I was just about to shove my phone in my pocket when it vibrated. I looked at the screen to see new messages from the guys.

Lucas: You dicks ready for tonight’s interview with Ice Insiders….

Knox: Sure am, Lorelai has been grilling me with potential questions asked at other interviews. I should be golden.

Lucas: Why are you this way?

Knox: What? Prepared? Because I don’t want to look like an idiot on camera…

Clay: You don’t need to worry, you always look like an idiot.

Dylan: Whoa, those are some big words coming from a guy who’s probably lying in bed with his sister right now.

Clay: Nope, in the car getting coffee. She’s home laying in post coital bliss and those were her words, by the way.

Knox: I need to bleach my eyes now and you must need your teeth rearranged, again.

Dylan: Okay, this had better end before we get to practice. Can’t have you two all bloody and bruised for pictures afterward. We’ll talk more at practice, but we’d better be on game tonight.

Colton: Don’t worry Dylan, Levi and I will help hold them back from one another should need be.

Levi: Speak for yourself…I’m not on the interview list for tonight

I tapped the edge of my phone and shut my screen off before shoving it into my pocket.

I didn’t want to face questions from the guys about why I wouldn’t be there.

The moment I heard that Scarlett was the one interviewing, I’d set up a private meeting with Pamela and requested I be excluded from tonight’s interview.

I had my reasons for the request, which I was told would be better if I disclosed, but I kept them private.

Pamela didn’t need to know about my past, or about the fact that Scarlett had been the first and last person to break my heart into a million pieces, with zero chance of putting it back together the day she walked away from us because Mia had been dropped at my door.

That was why, to this day, I remained single, only having an occasional date here and there.

I couldn’t allow Mia to get hurt, and allowing women in and out of my life and hers would lead to exactly that.

Scarlett also didn’t know I was playing for the Dominators. At least, I hoped she didn’t. I’d told her brother not to mention it, but I was certain, with her being in the sports circles, she got notifications of every trade out there. I could only hope she missed the news about mine.

I grabbed my mug and plate and carried it to the kitchen where I was just about to yell down the hall again, when Mia came out of her room carrying her hairbrush.

“Can you brush my hair?” she questioned, shoving her messy hair out of her face. “Gramma did all summer.”

“Mia, honey, we don’t have a lot of time,” I said, feeling my frustration levels rising.

I’d been in Vancouver for almost eight months.

During that time, Mom and Dad had taken Mia for me, which made it easier for me to find a place, a nanny, and get settled in with the team.

I’d gone to pick her up last weekend right before the season started, and while we’d had to get used to a new routine again, I was glad to have her back with me, even if it meant being a few minutes late for practice.

This morning I’d planned to introduce my little nugget to the guys on the team for the first time.

“I can’t go out like this!” she cried while I picked her up and placed her on the stool at the breakfast bar.

“Okay, okay. Let me have the brush.”

I took the brush from her and carefully ran it through her long hair, doing my best not to hurt her as I brushed out the tangles. Then, like my mother had taught me, I braided her hair and lifted her down off the stool she was sitting on.

“Thanks, Dad,” she said, running off toward her room.

“Okay, get your bag. We’ve got to go,” I called, glancing at my watch again.

She came running out of her room, her little pink backpack on her back. She came right over to the door, where she slipped on her matching pink running shoes.

“Got everything?” I asked. “Snacks, juice box, crayons, and coloring book?”

“Yep, but I thought there was a playground where we’re going.”

“There is, don’t you worry, you will have a blast. Daddy will be right down on the ice while you’re at daycare. If you want, you can even watch me skate around the rink from where you’ll be.”

“Why can’t I come skate with you?”

“You will one day, but not this morning. I have practice. Alright?”

She nodded her head and slipped her small hand into mine while I opened the door. I waited for her to walk out before I hoisted my hockey bag up off the floor, threw it over my shoulder, and pulled the door shut behind me.

Mia stood beside me while I emptied my gear out of my bag and into my locker.

By some miracle we were early, and since the daycare area wasn’t open yet, we’d come down to the locker room to unpack my bag before taking her back there and dropping her off.

She sat on the bench in front of me, swinging her legs as she sang along to some song she was making up.

I looked over at her and chuckled to myself as she hummed along, pausing and glancing over her shoulder as she heard a roar of laughter coming down the hall. She glanced up at me with worried eyes as the door opened and the guys poured into the locker room.

“Then I swear I just about died as she got down on her fucking knees and—”

“Hey, whoa!” I yelled, quickly covering Mia’s ears as I looked over at Colton, who was probably halfway through telling the guys about his escapades over the weekend.

The guys all stopped in their tracks, questioning looks on their faces as they looked over at me with my hands covering Mia’s ears.

“Younger sister?” Colton questioned, dropping his bag, a sly smile on his face.

I hadn’t told the guys about Mia. The fact I’d kept her hidden from them wasn’t something I was proud of.

I’d just needed a break from being a dad for those eight months that my parents had her, so I could be reminded what it was like to not have such an immense responsibility hanging over my head every single second.

It probably would have been easier had they kept her during game time instead of off-season, but this was just as well. It gave me time to seek someone to watch her while I was at practice and game time, and for when I was on the road.

I cleared my throat and removed my hands from her ears.

“Mia, I’d like you to meet some of my teammates,” I said, kneeling so I could see her face. “That’s Dylan, Knox, Lucas, Clay, and the big guy over there is Colton.”

She eyed each one of them with a curious expression, then raised her little hand in a wave, smiling over at Colton.

“Hey, Mia,” they all said in unison and then looked at me, questions in their eyes.

“This is my daughter, and we are late for daycare. Come on, sweetie, let’s go,” I added, not giving one of them a chance to ask me anything while she was with me.

Purple lights shone all around the arena as we crashed into one another on our first win of the season. The crowd screamed as music blared over the speakers. It had been a tense game, especially playing against my old team, the New York Predators.

We moved to do our post-game handshake, and when I got to Connor Bailey, he leaned into me.

“Hey, Anderson! How are you doing? You know Scottie is here, right?”

I looked over at him. Connor had been there for me after Scarlett tore my heart into pieces. He also knew I was still very close to Scottie. Scarlett not so much.

“No, he never mentioned he was coming out here,” I said, slowing down as the other players moved off the ice.

“She’s here too,” he whispered and nodded toward the crowd. “Somewhere up there.”

“I know, but thanks for the warning,” I said, slapping him on his back as I looked up into the area of the crowd above our bench that he’d gestured at.

I moved off the ice without looking up. If she was right there, I didn’t want to make eye contact. It was bad enough she’d know who I was playing for now, even though she probably already did.

“I heard you were giving her an interview tonight?” he questioned, stopping before heading toward the away team’s dressing room.

“No, I uh, I asked not to be interviewed. Besides I need to get home to Mia. Listen, we’ll catch up soon. I have to run.”

“Sure thing, man, give her a little peck for me. Miss that kid. See you later!”

“Later!” I called after him as I made my way down toward our locker room.

Most of the guys on the team had taken off right after they had changed so they could get to the interview on time. I’d taken my time, took a hot shower and, once I was dressed, I grabbed my jacket and keys.