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Chapter Twenty-Seven

STEVIE

“A re you excited to see Daddy play?”

Caleb looks up at me with big brown eyes. Tiny headphones are secured around his ears, protecting him. He doesn’t understand a word I’m saying, but his face is happy.

He definitely takes after his father.

Going in through a separate entrance, I follow the path I took the last time I was here.

I adjust Caleb’s jersey, one that says “Daddy,” as we take the elevator up. Bode bought him one with his last name on the back, but Eve thought it would be a fun surprise for Bode after the game.

“Good afternoon. Can I help you find where you’re going?”

I smile at the older gentleman. “Hi. I’m headed to suite seventeen, but is there any place we can store his stroller?”

He beams at me. “Ahh, yes. Right this way.”

I push the stroller after him.

“There’s some space back here,” he starts, pointing to the small entryway I didn’t notice the first time I was here. “You can leave it here so it’s out of the way.”

“Thank you so much.”

Voices filter out of the suite into the hall.

Before too long, I won’t be able to hold him. He’s growing like a weed and is getting heavy.

“Stevie,” Harper greets me, “I’m so happy you could make it tonight.”

“Thanks.” I adjust Caleb on my hip, who now has a fistful of my hair in his mouth. “It’s nice to see you again.”

Having a familiar face here makes it less awkward. Having walked in by myself the last time I was here, it feels different taking Caleb.

I’m not his mom, but I feel protective of him.

Harper gives me a one-armed hug, thanks to the screaming toddler on her arm. “Sorry about him.”

“Is he okay?”

Harper waves me off. “He’s fine. The girls went to the bathroom with their Gigi and he got mad that he couldn’t go.”

“Ahh. Well, at least we don’t have to worry about that with this one.”

Harper smiles at him. “How’s he doing?”

“You mean how is Bode doing with him?”

She shrugs and leads me farther into the suite. “I mean, you said it, not me.”

Food of all kinds is spread out across the counter. Pasta salad. Sliders. Mac and cheese. Hot dogs. All of it smells delicious. Tubs of ice hold soda and various drinks.

“Pretty sure that Bode is Caleb’s favorite person.”

Harper eyes me. “From the looks of it, you’re also right up there.”

“Stop it.”

“What? I’m only telling you what I see with my own eyes.” Harper piles some veggies onto a plate and bites down on a carrot with a hearty crunch. “He’s never invited anyone to a game, and now this is your second time here.”

I hide the blush on my face by getting a few things out of my bag for Caleb to eat.

“Grab a plate and come sit with me.”

I do as Harper says and get both of us settled as the players come onto the ice. It’s nice being in the suite with additional chairs.

Caleb can’t sit still with Jamie running around, so I set him down so the two of them can play.

“It’ll be nice when Caleb gets bigger so these two can have playdates,” Harper says.

I take a bite of one of the sliders and wipe my hands on my napkin. I’m sporting my own Adams jersey and can’t wait for Bode to see me in it.

Another surprise for today.

“Maybe we can have you guys over for dinner one night. The kids can all play together.”

Harper beams. “I would love that. It’s hard to find people that know what this life is like.”

“I’m still learning the ropes.”

She reaches over and clutches my hand. “You’re doing great. Don’t let anyone scare you off.”

Sam and Sadie come running inside, and the minute they spot Caleb, they start cooing over him.

“Can we play with him?” Sam asks.

“Of course,” I tell her.

Harper nods toward the seats out front, and we leave the kids to entertain themselves as the pregame festivities start.

“Aren’t the girls going to come watch the game?”

She shrugs. “They might, but now that you brought Caleb, I think they’ll play with him. They love babies.”

I laugh, sipping on the hard seltzer I grabbed for myself. “Does that mean it’s time for another baby for the two of you?”

“Marcus wants one, but we had Jamie so fast after we renewed our vows, that I want to enjoy a little more time with my husband.”

“I can completely understand that.”

She elbows me in the side. “Does that mean you’re enjoying your time with Bode?”

“Very much so.”

“We are going to need to have a girls’ night so I can get the scoop.”

Harper gives me a knowing smile as others start to take their seats.

Girls’ night and a couples’ date night with Harper?

I feel like I belong here now.

As the anthems start, I grab Caleb so he can watch the puck drop. His eyes are wide as he takes in the flashing lights. Bode’s face flashes across the screen and I start cheering.

“Go, Daddy!” I hold up his little fist.

“Wait, do that again. Bode will want a picture,” Harper tells me.

I let her take a picture as the puck drops.

We take our seats and chat throughout the game. We cheer on the team as they score, and the girls take Caleb back with them to play. They are more interested in him than the game.

Marcus scores with an assist from Bode, and the two of us yell and cheer. Pittsburgh matches our goal easily, but after that, it’s all Knights.

Bode ends the first period with a goal, and then starts the second period with another.

“Maybe he’s trying to impress someone.” Harper winks at me.

My cheeks heat at watching Bode. The camera cuts to him and wow . I don’t think I’ve ever seen Bode look so sexy. He exudes happiness as he skates to the bench.

I did not fully appreciate Bode skating last time. Or maybe I was paying more attention to the game.

It has heat swirling through me. I can see the appeal of falling for a hockey player. The strength and skill they have out there is unmatched.

I grab Caleb for the third period, and I’m glad I did. Because right as I’m snapping a photo of him watching the game, Bode scores.

His third of the night.

The crowd goes wild as hats start landing on the ice.

“Why is everyone throwing their hats on the ice?” I ask Harper.

“He got a hat trick. Three goals.”

“Oh, I knew that. I didn’t know they threw hats. Good to know.”

“It’s okay. I wasn’t a hockey fan until Marcus.”

“I can honestly say I agree. Well, Bode. Not Marcus.”

She smiles at me. “They’d turn anyone into fans.”

I laugh as someone from the team skates onto the ice to collect all the hats. Pittsburgh scores once more, but it’s too little, too late.

Nashville gets the easy 6-2 win.

“Want to come see the guys?” Harper asks, gathering up her purse and jacket. Her jean jacket has Marcus’s number on the back with a few patches of the Knights sewn on.

“Sure. Cute jacket, by the way.”

“Maybe I’ll help you make one if you want.”

Grabbing our things, I smile as I put Caleb in the stroller. “Maybe our next girls’ night.”

The two of us exchange numbers as we take the elevators down to the family suite. Guys from the team start to come out, and when I see Bode, I know the minute he spots us.

Having lifted Caleb into my arms, he sees the jersey he’s wearing. His face lights up as he jogs over to us.

“How in the world did you get this?” he asks, taking Caleb from me and pressing a chaste kiss to my lips.

“Eve helped me with it. Thought it would be a fun surprise.”

He smooths it over Caleb’s belly and takes the headphones off his ears.

“Did you have fun, Caleb? It was your first hockey game.” Caleb smacks him in the face, loving the attention. “How’d he do?”

“Great. Sam and Sadie played with him throughout the game. Jamie kept taking his toy, but he thought it was hilarious. He’s going to sleep well tonight.”

“You know what that means?” Bode waggles his eyebrows at me.

I slap a hand over his mouth. “You cannot say that around the baby.”

“I said nothing,” Bode mumbles against my hand. “You’re the one that made it dirty.”

“Oh, and that wasn’t your intention?” I cock an eyebrow at him.

“I was going to say we could go home, put this little guy to bed, and then play a mean game of Sorry.”

Crossing my arms, I stare up at him. His brown eyes are playful. “That’s what you had in mind? Sorry?”

Bode leans down and gives me a sweet kiss, but not before a tiny fist smacks my cheek. “See? Even Caleb is calling your bluff.”

Bode laughs before wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me in close. “C’mon. Let’s get out of here. I’m ready to get home with my two favorite people.”

A blush heats my face at his words.

His two favorite people?

Things are going well, but I didn’t think they were going this well. Something I’m learning about Bode is that he plays it close to the chest. But inside that chest is a heart of gold. Something he doesn’t show to just anyone.

I consider myself lucky that I get to see this side of him.

Playful.

Sweet.

Kind.

Caring.

And oh so sexy.

I only hope I’m the only person that gets to see this side of him.

Because I want Bode Adams all to myself.