Page 23 of Rule 5: Never Crush on the Captain

She nods absentmindedly. She clearly hadn’t expected a different answer. After all, who doesn’t like movies?

“Let’s go to the family room,” Evan says.

“Lead the way, Stella,” I say.

Stella skips ahead.

“Warning, the movies are all G-rated,” Evan says.

“Think I can’t handle that?” I ask.

“They might have music in them. And animation. And make you smile.”

I throw back my head and laugh. I find Evan staring at me, a soft expression on his face.

“What is it?”

“I haven’t heard you laugh in a while.”

“Don’t tell the other teams.”

“I’ll keep your secret,” he says lightly.

We come to the family room. Comfortable couches fill the room.

“You could fit the whole team in here.”

Evan’s smile wobbles. “Do you think I should host more parties? Sometimes I feel bad. I’m the captain, but...”

“Nah. The puck bunnies like entertaining. You can’t take away their fun.”

He gives me a relieved nod.

I sit on one of the couches. Evan sits on the far side of it. Stella busies herself with one of the remote controls, then a screen slides down from the ceiling. This wasn’t here last time I visited.

“Fancy,” I say.

Evan blushes. “Maybe it’s over the top.”

“I think it’s cool.” I give an authoritative nod. “What are you we watching, Stella?”

“Five bucks she saysFrozen,” Evan whispers.

“Parent Trap!” she squeals.

Evan blinks. “Really?”

“Yeah!”

I smirk. “Way to keep your dad on your toes, Stella.”

She beams, and I high-five her.

Evan’s expression is worried.Parent Trapis about a child who tries to get her two parents back together. I wonder how often he sees his ex. Does Stella want them to get back together? Is that why Stella was musing about him being lonely?

This single dad thing can’t be easy.

I wonder just how often Evan sees Valentina.