Page 27 of The Winning Hat Trick (The Steel City Knights #1)

Heading towards the locker room, I'm feeling a hell of a lot better than when I arrived this morning.

I shoot Cel a text, asking her about setting up a PR meeting, then head to shower off the sweat and stench of my morning skate.

When I check my phone, I find her response agreeing that a press release would be a great idea.

She informs me that she already has Jessa's information, so I send her my agent, Della's, then tell her to keep me in the loop.

I have to watch film for the game tomorrow, but then I'm free for the rest of the day. I grab some food from the cafeteria then make my way to the film room, where Thor is already waiting. We talk about the next few games while we wait for the rest of the guys and the coaches.

Once we're done for the day, I decide to surprise Celeste and the kids by making them dinner.

"Mom, are you sure this recipe is easy? It seems like a lot of ingredients." I double-check the list in my hand to make sure I have everything checked off before leaving the grocery store.

"Yes, Macky. You can make chicken parm. It's really not that hard. Especially since you found the thinly sliced chicken breast. Honestly, that's half the work when it comes to making this dish. She has an air fryer, right?"

"I think so. Why?" I push my cart towards the self-checkout in hopes to avoid any fans. Not that I mind seeing my fans, but I just don't have the time today.

"Well, the recipe I sent you calls to fry the breaded chicken breast in extra virgin olive oil, but you could pop your pieces in the air fryer to make it a little healthier, to go with that special protein pasta you like."

"Hmm, I could probably do that for all of it, right? Cel tries to keep the kids' meals on the healthier side."

"Absolutely, honey. You just might have to google how long to cook them in the air fryer."

"Okay. I got to go, Mom. I'm at the checkout."

"Sounds good. You'll do great with dinner, but call me if you need any help, and I can talk you through it."

"Thanks. You're the best."

"Damn straight. Don't you forget it," she teases as I laugh.

I hustle through the checkout then rush to Cel's house.

Once I get there, I take a few minutes to clean up the kitchen, then move into the living room.

Before I know it, I've spent almost an hour cleaning up Celeste's house.

It's not that it was messy, just everyday things that needed to be done: dishes, laundry, vacuuming.

When I look at the clock and see it's almost four, panic sets in.

I rush out to the kitchen and pull up the recipe from my mom. Dumping the grocery bags out on the counter, I organize all of the ingredients then search for all of the cooking utensils I will need. I find an air fryer in the pantry and punch the air in victory at having a healthier alternative.

Making chicken parmesan is messy business, but there's something to be said about getting lost in the task at hand.

I've got water boiling for the spaghetti, chicken in the air fryer, and bread toasting in the oven.

Music is blaring from my phone as I clean up the mess I made in Celeste's kitchen, which is starting to smell like heaven.

"What's going on here?"

I startle at Celeste's voice.

I'm so lost in what I'm doing that I didn't hear them come home. I pause mid hip thrust, spoon in hand from using it as a microphone to sing along to Jordan Davis. The kids are giggling as Celeste full-out laughs at my ridiculousness.

"Umm, welcome home?" I try not to blush as I rub the back of my neck. "Sorry for taking over your house. I wanted to surprise you with dinner, but I got a little distracted."

"I can see that." Celeste looks pointedly at her now tidy living room as she makes her way towards me with a squirming Layla in her arms. "You know you didn't have to do this, right?"

"Of course I don't have to, but I like taking care of you guys. Thanks for not being mad that I broke into your house." I smile sheepishly at her as I tug her into my arms.

"If it means I come home to a clean house and dinner that I don't have to cook, you can break in any time you want." Celeste loops her free arm around my neck as I lean down to seal my lips to hers.

The kiss is over sooner than I'd like, but with an overexcited Layla in her arms demanding my attention, that's to be expected.

"Hey, Layla Bug. Did you have fun with your grandparents today while Mama did some work?"

Layla reaches her little arms up to me as she babbles away.

I carry her with me to the stove so I can pour the noodles in.

Holding her on my hip as far from the hot surface as possible, I get the pasta in the boiling water and give it a stir.

I pull the bread out of the oven then check on the last batch of chicken in the air fryer.

When I turn to my pan with the sauce waiting for the chicken, I catch Celeste sitting on a stool at the island, her chin in her hand as she watches.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing." Her cheeks flush as she sits up straight.

I raise a brow at her.

"Fine. I didn't think there could be anything hotter than you toting my baby around at the pool, but coming home to a clean house with you cooking and caring for my baby girl takes the cake."

I kiss Layla on her head then wink at Celeste.

I'm glad she likes what she sees because I plan on having many more nights like this.

Needing both hands, I grab the strawberries I cut up earlier from the fridge and put Layla in her highchair with her snack. Once Layla is situated, I snag the bottle of red wine I opened and pour a glass to Celeste, slide it to her, then get back to dinner.

"Where'd the other two go?" I look around the kitchen but don't see Calla or Talon.

"They're at Ezra's. He should be bringing them home soon. They wanted to spend a little time with him."

"Ah, gotcha."

"If I had known you were here…" Her eyes heat.

"Gorgeous, don't tease me like that." My cock responds to the heat in her eyes, and I have to adjust it before tending to our dinner.

"Can't help it. You've made me insatiable, Mac."

"Cel." I groan as I fumble the piece of chicken I was putting in the pan. "Enough, woman, or this dinner is going to be a disaster, and I'd like to enjoy it since I'm going to be gone for a bit."

The reminder of my away games puts a damper on our playful mood, but Celeste shrugs it off as she drinks her wine.

"How long will you be gone?"

"It's a five-day stretch. I'd like to tell the kids about us before I leave if that's okay with you. I know they're pretty little and won't really get it, but I don't want to hide anything from them."

"No, I think that's a good idea. I talked to Gabriella, Jessa, and Della today. They're working on a joint press release, not that the kids will understand that. But Talon did ask if you were my boyfriend, and I wasn't sure how to handle that this morning."

Setting down what I'm working on, I give Celeste my full attention. "You should have told him yes. I'm all in, remember?"

Celeste blushes as her eyes dart away. "I remember. And you’re mine. Boyfriend just sounds so"—she scrunches her nose—"middle school."

A laugh bursts from my lips. "Fine, then we're partners. Is that more grown-up for you?" I pull the chicken from the oven as the pasta finishes cooking.

"Yes, that sounds much better."

"Good. Then we'll tell the kids once they get here."

Not a moment later, the front door burst open as the tiny humans come racing in. The next few minutes are a blur as we say hi to the kids and I attempt to not burn dinner. Ezra heads out once he realizes we're trying to get food on the table, which leaves just the us and the kids.

Sitting at the table, I feel as if my heart is about to burst out of my chest. I wait anxiously for them to take their first bites and am pleasantly surprised when the food isn't half bad.

I'm not a horrible cook; I just don't do it often since I hate cooking just for myself, and I'm usually exhausted after work.

But cooking for Celeste and the kids, I could definitely get used to nights like these.