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Chapter Fourteen

Adeline

“Oh. My. Ovaries!” My ears almost burst at the screech. “Look at that gorgeous bundle!”

Tara Fitzpatrick, mom to my friend Esme, came bounding over on gravity-defying heels and gave me a hug.

“Hi, Tara!”

“Hey, cutie! I’m so glad to see you. Want a haircut?” As usual, she gave me the critical once-over that told me my wants were irrelevant: I needed a haircut, and she was right. She ran the player salon and cut the hair of everyone Rebel-adjacent. I’d dropped by her digs at Rebels HQ to say hello.

“Maybe later? I’m here to take Hatch to lunch.”

“Oh, how fun. But they’re still in practice, so have a seat there and tell me all about your travels while I hold this little one.”

I took a seat in the big leather chair and chatted about my favorite places—Ubud, Chiang Mai, Split, and Siena, to name a few—while Tara tickled Mabel, who loved the attention.

“And now you’re on the hook as nanny? You okay with that?”

“Why does everyone think I’ve been hoodwinked into this gig?”

“Oh, no reason.” That knowing smirk said differently.

“Has Esme said something?” I hadn’t seen my friend for ages—she was at NYU—but she had been privy to my embarrassing crush back in the day.

Tara stood upright and placed a hand on her hip. The salon apron she wore dipped below her blue leather mini but did little to hide her killer legs. “Honey, I just don’t want you to get hurt. Take it from me who has chased after the wrong guy far too many times.”

Tara’s shenanigans as a hockey husband hunter back in the day were fabled, but after a few wrong turns and a crazy fake dating scheme with Dex O’Malley (wild!), she’d eventually found her happily-ever-after with Hale Fitzpatrick, a former Rebels GM.

No doubt she meant well, but I refused to be lumped in with sad and pathetic hockey bunnies like Mabel’s mom.

Besides, Lars and I had talked it out and we were being totally professional. Lines had been drawn!

“I didn’t take this on so I could get closer to Lars. That was schoolgirl stuff, just a crush that’s history. I did it because I’m a team player and I didn’t want my mom to be landed with all the work. Because that’s what happens, Tara. Women are expected to take on all the unpaid labor.”

Tara blinked at my outburst. “Well, aren’t you an absolute star?”

“Certainly sounds like it.”

We both turned to the sound of a deep-voiced rumble.

Rowan MacFarlane, one of the Rebels D-men, stood at the salon’s entrance.

Not really on my radar, he’d been acquired by the franchise about six months ago.

(Rosie said he was big on social media, which always made me suspicious.) He was good-looking, that was for sure. Blonde, square-jawed, and clean-shaven.

Had he overheard me talking about my crush on Lars? I really needed to keep my mouth zipped.

“Hi, Rowan,” Tara said breezily. “Have a seat, I’ll be with you in a sec.” Her phone buzzed. “Oh, that’s the General.”

Tara moved away to talk to her husband while Rowan sidled closer and studied Mabel, his nose twitching like he’d encountered something particularly noxious. “Nyquist’s kid? She doesn’t look like him.”

“I wouldn’t say that. She has his eyes.”

“My sister just had one and he already looks like her husband. Bit of a potato head.” He held out a hand, weirdly formal. “I’m Rowan.”

“Adeline.” I stood and shook his hand, matching his formality, which made him smile. “Good to meet you.”

“Yeah, about that.” He was still holding my hand and used the leverage to draw me in as he bent close to my ear. “How come we haven’t met yet?”

Was he flirting with me? I wish Rosie was here to tell me.

“I’ve been away. Traveling.”

“Right, your brother said. Thailand or somewhere.”

“Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos. We did Europe, too.”

He nodded. “Cool. And now you’re looking after Nyquist’s kid?”

“Just temporarily while he works on getting a permanent nanny.” Something occurred to me. “Shouldn’t you be in practice?”

“I have a wrist injury, so I was in rehab instead of on the ice. But they’re finishing up any minute now.”

“Oh, okay. I should probably get going then.”

He was still holding my hand, using his non-injured one, I supposed. It wasn’t … terrible.

“So what do you do for fun?” I must have looked surprised because he laughed. “You’re not hanging with a baby and Nyquist all the time, are you?”

Lately, yes. Just listening to my crush jerking off and engaging in small talk with a seven-month-old. A real party animal.

“I haven’t had much time since I got back.”

“Maybe we should hang sometime.”

“Okay, sorry about that!” Tara came bustling over. “Rowan, chair, please.”

Finally, he released my hand. It felt clammy but then that was likely me, because clammy was my brand.

“Nice to meet you, Adeline.”

Lars

I knew that cry.

Weird that it took barely a week for me to develop the ability to recognize my daughter’s voice. I looked up into the stands and there they were: my girls.

I couldn’t help that thought nor the way it snaked inside my brain. Neither of them was mine, not really. Mabel had my genetic material, that was all. As for Adeline? I needed to nix those dangerous thoughts.

It sure was nice to see her here all the same, even if we were in this weird spot.

I skated over to the wall. “Is everything okay?”

“Of course. I’m having lunch with Hatch. Thought I’d show Mabel what Daddy does for a living.”

That made me warm. Daddy. “I would hold her but?—”

“On the ice, no. Dad dropped me once. I haven’t recovered.”

“What?” Theo, with that innate instinct for knowing when he was the hot topic, skated over. “Are you still holding that against me? For the fiftieth time, O’Malley bumped me and?—”

“Not how it happened.” O’Malley launched into a spirited defense of this decades-old incident. “You were skating backwards while carrying your kid, showing off as usual, and you crashed into me. I saved Adeline’s life! Hey, Addy, you’re looking well.”

He kissed her cheek, and while I knew it meant nothing, I still wanted to punch his throat.

“Hi, Dex. You played great the other night. Your PPG is already stellar this season. And your Corsi score is looking good, too. Close to 58%!”

“I don’t pay much attention to the stats, but if you say so.”

“Addy loves her stats.” Hatch leaned on the wall. “Hey, sis.”

“Hey, Dino Boy.”

O’Malley’s face lit up. “Dino Boy! Remind me again?”

Unfortunately, I knew this origin story. “Something about the dinosaur-themed underwear Kershaw wore the night he conceived the kid.”

“Shit, really?” O’Malley clearly wished he’d never asked.

Hatch shook his head. “ Not my preferred nickname.”

Theo chortled. “As we say in the biz, you don’t get to choose, H-man!” He leaned over the wall and chucked Mabel under the chin. “Now, how’s my goddaughter? Mabel, May-belle, Belle of the Ball, Jelly Belly? We’ll work on it. Baby’s gotta have a nickname.”

“Oh, that’d make a good photo for the socials.” Adeline snapped a few with her phone while Theo mugged it up.

He peered up at her. “Did you take those photos on NyQuil’s Insta?”

I answered for her. “Yep. She really knows her stuff.”

“That she does. Glad to see you coming up with some counterprogramming to the narrative.”

I was pissed that I had to, but Adeline’s taking charge of the situation was a blessing.

“We should probably mix it with hockey stuff, too,” Adeline said. “Just a few clips. Keep it light.”

“You can take complete control of it.” I didn’t care about that kind of thing, but I’d already had a call from Natalie congratulating me on my social reach and innovative strategizing . Owning my shit had apparently worked.

Theo was making Mabel giggle with nose boops, two shameless flirts instantly drawn to each other. A couple more players skated over.

“Aw, look at those cheeks.” Jacobs leaned over and stroked Mabel’s head. “As soon as Zara saw photos of Mabel, she started hinting about another kid. I wouldn’t mind a boy this time.” He nodded at me. “You should bring her over for a playdate. Z’s got a mommy-baby group she hangs with.”

“Maybe.” I wasn’t sure about her establishing bonds with other kids only to have them broken when she went back to Vicki.

“She can make her debut at the party,” Theo said. “Have you figured out her costume yet?”

“The party?”

“Halloween party at Chez Kershaw?” Straightening, he gripped the wall and addressed Adeline. “You haven’t told him?”

“We’ve had other things on our minds, Dad.” She caught my eye and bit her lip. We certainly had.

No one seemed to notice the awkward pause, probably because Theo plowed right through it as usual. His tactlessness was so often a gift.

“But no one misses our Halloween party! It’s legendary. Just wait until you see what I’m doing.”

“Saturday night?” That was five days away and we had a game the night before. I shared a quick glance with my nanny. “Adeline needs a night off. I can’t expect her to mind Mabel at a party.” In other news, I was looking forward to sleeping. A Halloween party was not on my radar.

“We can probably find a costume for the little ’un,” Theo said, oblivious to my objections. “Tilly’s outgrown tons of stuff.”

“I’ll make her costume.” Apparently, I was going to the party.

“Make it?” Jakey went wide-eyed. “Like on a sewing machine?”

Jesus, no. “I’ll figure it out. I can actually buy stuff for my kid.”

Theo’s lips twitched. “Yeah, I know. Just trying to make it easier.” He leaned over and kissed his daughter. “Sorry you have to put up with this grouch.”

“It’s okay. I’m an expert on grouches.” She put her tongue out at Hatch, who made a face and told her he’d see her at the exit.

The rest of them skated off, the locker room their goal.

“Looks like I’m on the hook for a Halloween costume then. Any ideas?”

“Oh, you didn’t want anyone’s help a minute ago.”

I shook my head, feeling foolish, and not just because of how I’d snapped at my teammate. “I hate appearing helpless, like everyone needs to pitch in for sad old Lars.”

“Dad’s just trying to help. We all are. And on that topic, I’ve been thinking we probably should take her to the doctor for a check-up?” She looked like she was planning her next words carefully. “Mom will have a recommendation. That okay?”

“Of course. I don’t mean to sound like a total asshole who wants to do it all his way.” Especially when my way was meandering and clueless.

“You’re just proud. It’s not a bad thing, but Mabel comes first.” She spoke with that soft strength I so admired. “I’ll ask Mom and try to get a doctor’s appointment for when you’re available.”

What would I do without this angel in my life? Probably get a good night’s sleep.

“Also, that’s not a bad idea about setting up playdates with other kids,” she continued. “Socialization can’t start too early, and Jane is a sweetheart.”

“Jane?”

“Cody and Zara’s little one. She’s almost two.”

Right, I’d sent a gift when she was born and thanked my lucky stars I didn’t have to worry about constantly checking in with the missus and worrying about a kid. No, not me, not ever. How the mighty had fallen.

“You know best.”

Her brow wrinkled. “So, just wanted to say hi. I should go because Hatch, lunch, and all that.”

“I can take her home.”

“No, you should stick to your routine. That’s why I’m here. We’ll see you later!”