Page 47 of Sweet Thing (Chicago Players #1)

Seven months later

Lars

In the parking lot of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, I scooped up Mabel like she was a puck on my blade and quickened my step.

“No!”

“Yes, sweetheart. I know you want to walk but we’re in a hurry.”

My daughter growled, a habit she’d picked up since the arrival of our new dog, a Yorkshire terrier called Biscuit.

At close to fifteen months old, walking was Mabel’s favorite pastime, closely followed by “singing” the Duckman song, now with more verses—though we kept the X-rated ones for after Mabel’s bedtime—and saying “No” to everything.

Want your dinner? No! (Even though she did.)

Shall we go to the park? No! (But Adeline had no problem persuading her.)

Who’s your favorite Rebel? No! (Which Rebels goalie Noah Boden had insisted meant him.)

As well as “no,” her vocabulary had broadened to a host of new words such as “Dada,” “Adda,” and “Tea” for Tilly, who was her best friend, mostly because Tilly loved dressing Mabel up in her old clothes while fondly reminiscing about each item.

For a four-and-a-half-year-old (and she insisted on that extra half), she had remarkable recall.

At the entrance to the church, the groom, Dash Carter, was huddled with Bell and a few guys I didn’t recognize. I wasn’t part of his wedding party, but like the rest of the Rebels, I’d been invited to the ceremony.

Dash nodded at me. “Hey man, you’re cutting it fine.”

“Yeah, had to run back home to get Adeline’s lucky pick.

” I held up the plastic shard. With it, she’d written one of her best tunes—The Banana Peel Song, a huge hit with the under-five set at JiggleJams—and wanted to have it on hand today.

Summer had asked her to sing “Something” by the Beatles during the ceremony.

Bell asked, “You seen Kershaw?”

“The cap’s not here yet?”

“I meant Kershaw Junior.”

I shook my head. Hatch was one of the ushers, which had surprised me because he and Carter didn’t seem all that close.

Mabel was getting antsy, and I needed to finish my errand. “Good luck today, Carter.”

“Thanks, man. Don’t think I’ll need it, but I appreciate it.”

Fair enough. Inside the church, I walked up the aisle lined with white roses, baby’s breath, and greenery until I found Elle and Theo.

Elle’s mouth dropped open on seeing Mabel. “There’s my girl!”

“Mommy …” Tilly tugged at her mom’s hand. “I’m your girl.”

“Oh, I know, honey. But Mabel’s cool, too. And look at her pretty dress!” True, Mabel looked even more adorable than usual today in a seafoam green number with a skirt made of what I called gauze, but what I’d been told by people in the know was tulle.

“Adeline’s looking for you,” Theo said. “I tried calming her down, but I guess that’s your job now.”

“On my way. Do you mind …?” But Elle was already relieving me of a very heavy Mabel and settling her in on the pew beside Tilly. “Sweetheart, can you be good for Auntie Ellie?”

I braced myself for the inevitable “no,” so I was surprised to earn a big grin. My kid loved the Kershaws, but then didn’t we all?

“Tea!” my daughter said, swiping at her friend’s curls.

“Hi, Mabel,” Tilly said with a world-weary indulgence as she fingered a silver-gilded rosette on Mabel’s chest.

Theo leaned over and booped my daughter’s nose. “Hey, Button.”

A giggling Mabel grasped his tie. “No!”

He winked at me and gestured for me to get going. As he was still my captain, I did as I was told.

Two weeks ago, we lost the Finals in the seventh against the LA Quake, throwing a vat of water on Theo’s exit in a blaze of glory.

Then the guy surprised us all by not announcing his retirement.

The Rebels had offered him a one-year extension and he was thinking it over.

After all, Theo Kershaw was good business: for the team, for the city, for hockey.

If he had one more push left in him, and his body still cooperated, then who could argue with that?

With time to reflect, I’d wondered if the craziness of the early part of the season had contributed to us not getting over that final hump.

But every day I was reminded that Theo and I were tight, that we’d had an amazing year, and our bond was as strong as ever.

Maybe stronger now that we had so much connecting us, on and off the ice.

I found Adeline wearing out the carpet in the corridor outside the church’s anteroom, where the bride and her wedding party prepared for the ceremony.

With her phone to her ear, she hadn’t seen me yet, so I took a moment to drink her in.

Her inky dark hair was piled high with one little wisp crafting an escape as it curled against her slender neck.

Her strapless sheath bridesmaid’s dress in a dark pink emphasized the delicate roundness of her shoulders and dipped in a sweetheart cut over her chest. She rarely wore heels, but when she did, her legs went on for miles. Like today.

My phone rang and Adeline turned. On spotting me, those moss-green eyes fired, and she moved toward me with purpose.

“You’re here!”

I placed my hands on her waist and pulled her close. “Now where else would I be, sweet thing?”

“I just called you.”

“I was too busy watching.”

A pale pink bloom appeared on her cheeks at my turn of phrase. Last night, I had been very busy watching as Adeline explored her body, while I did my best to follow her instructions to keep my “hands off.” That lasted all of three minutes.

Where Adeline was concerned, I’ve never been all that good about following the rules.

“Did you find it?”

“Uh huh.” I passed over the pick. “How are things in the War Room?”

“Tense. Dash’s sister and his mom are scary society types, and Summer’s gone very, very quiet.”

“I’m sure she’s just nervous.” I kissed her nose. “How about you?”

“Nervous, too. Think I’d prefer an audience of five-year-olds.”

“You’re going to be fine. Hearing you sing is one of my favorite things, so I don’t see why it shouldn’t be everybody else’s, too.”

Her gaze softened. “I couldn’t have crushed on a better man.”

“Or …” I suggested.

“Or?”

“We could just ditch the lot of them and go back to our place.” While Adeline had moved in with Rosie six months ago, she spent more time at mine.

To be honest, it only felt like home when she was in it.

I had hired a new nanny, who didn’t live in, but stayed over while I was away, a necessary arrangement now that I had full custody of Mabel.

Vicki was making another run at her ex, and had decided our daughter didn’t fit with those plans.

I continued, “We’ve already got sitters out there for Mabel, and you won’t have to worry about strumming a bum note or forgetting the words.”

“Tempting, but I couldn’t do that to Summer. However, I’ve no doubt Mabel will get fussy around the time of the first dance?—”

“Because she’ll want in on the action.”

She chuckled. “She’s got the moves. So we let her get her John Travolta on, then I’m forecasting an early night … for all of us.”

“Love that idea.”

To make sure she was primed for later, I gave her lovely ass a gentle squeeze while I kissed her deep and true.

Every day I counted my blessings, one kiss, one ass squeeze at a time.

My plan to ask her to be mine forever would have to wait until later because not even a jerk like me would upstage another couple on their wedding day.

“Sorry to break this up, folks.” A slightly pitchy voice cut in. “We’ve got a problem.”

I unlocked my lips from Adeline’s and turned to a frowning Rosie.

“What’s wrong?” Adeline asked. “Is Mrs. Carter still trying to put makeup on Summer’s tattoo?”

Rosie grimaced. “She probably would be … if we could find Summer.”

“What?” Adeline blinked and looked at me, then back at Rosie. “You can’t find the bride?”

“She went into the bathroom, the one connected to the anteroom. The only way out of there is a window and now there’s no sign of her.” Rosie shook her head. “Guys, I think she’s gone AWOL.”