Page 2

Layken swoons. “Seriously it could be the sweetest romance story in history. Tell her you’ll give her a baby and then she falls in love with you.” She covers her heart with the palm of her hand. “So stinking sweet.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I roll my eyes. “I mean you’ve come up with some far out there ideas over the years but offering my spooge to Marlee Remington and fathering her child takes the cake.”

Not to mention I’m probably the last guy who should be fathering children .

Griffin shrugs in response. “Well, you could just hook up with her and have a one-night-stand kind of thing and give it to her the old-fashioned way. Who knows, maybe after she’s had a night with Ledger Dayne, she’ll forget all about being a single mom and beg to have your babies.”

“You guys! I am not fucking Marlee Remington,” I very nearly shout but I rein in my emotions so as not to make a scene. “I am not knocking her up and I am certainly not fathering her children,” I say, finally laying down the law.

Though I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince—them, or me.

I’ve had a thing for Marlee for way too long and now, hearing that she wants to have kids…dammit. It’s putting my mind into a tailspin.

I’m not good dad material. I’ve known that for as long as I can remember. But the thought of someone else fathering Marlee’s future baby…fuck.

I don’t like it.

That could break me.

“Okay, okay,” Layken concedes. “But you could at least go ask her to dance.”

“What?”

The DJ starts up the music and announces the happy couple’s first dance.

As Oliver and Scarlett begin spinning around the dance floor, the DJ asks the entire wedding party to join them.

That means all of us who were groomsmen, like me, who didn’t come with a date, need to find a dancing partner fast.

“Don’t worry, you guys,” Bear says, rising from his seat and fixing his tie, “I’ll ask Marlee to?—”

“The fuck you will,” I say, finally growing a pair of balls. “If anyone is asking her to dance tonight, it’ll be me.”

“Oh. Darn,” he says flatly. “Alright then.” He shrugs and gestures for me to go ahead of him, a knowing smirk on his face, and then turns to find Ada Miller, Zeke’s wife talking to a few friends. He offers a dance to Ada and she accepts with a smile.

Can’t believe I fell for that.

Making my way across the lawn where I know Marlee was sitting, all I spot is her empty chair.

My gaze darts around the yard until I find her.

Standing off to the side by herself I watch her check her phone and then send a text.

When she finishes, she lifts her hand to her cheek and swipes just under her eye.

Shit, is she crying?

I slowly maneuver around the yard, trying not to draw attention to myself, and come up behind her without her noticing me.

Leaning in from behind her, I murmur, “You okay?”

She startles and nearly spills the wine she’s holding. “Ledger. Hey. What’s up?”

Dance with me and tell me you want to date me and put me out of my fucking misery.

Want to have my babies?

Do you like soup?

Fuck.

“Uh, I just saw you over here by yourself and thought I’d come say hi.” A tear trickles down her cheek, and I reach up to swipe it away. “You’re upset.”

She shakes her head and tries to smile. “Nah. I just cry at weddings.”

“And wedding receptions?”

“Yeah,” Marlee laughs nervously. “I guess so.”

“So, these are happy tears then? Because I don’t mean to sound so stalkerish, and I swear I’m anything but, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look this melancholy before.”

“No?” she asks, catching my eye.

I shake my head. “No. You’re the organized one. The one who puts us in our place. The one who’s always telling us where to go.” I shrug. “You’re the boss, you know?”

She chuckles lightly and grins. “I’m far from the boss, Ledger, but I guess that’s a nice compliment so thank you.”

“Alright, so you’re not the boss. But seriously, in all the years I’ve known you I don’t think I’ve ever seen you looking sad. You want to talk about it?”

While we dance?

Or we could cuddle.

I’m good at cuddling.

About that baby you want to have…

Marlee dips her head and toes at the ground “If I’m being honest, I guess my stupid tears are only partially happy tears.

” She gestures to the newlywed couple spinning around the dance floor.

“Oliver and Scarlett are great together, and call me a hopeless romantic, but I love that they’re so in love. ”

“Hmm.” I narrow my eyes, studying the expression on her face. “Why do I sense a but coming on?”

She twists her mouth and huffs out a breath. “But it’s just another reminder of where my life is not, you know?” She swallows the rest of her wine. “Weddings and baby showers. They’re happy occasions that are also sad reminders, for those of us who are single, of where are lives are not.”

“I’m sorry,” I tell her, clearing my throat. “I thought you were seeing someone. At least that’s what I heard a while ago.”

Marlee scoffs. “I was a while ago. But we um…” Her nose crinkles as she thinks of what to say. “Let’s just say we had a difference of opinion and parted ways.”

“I see. I’m sorry to hear that.”

Not really.

I mean I’m sorry she seems upset but I’m glad she’s single.

If I could just work up the nerve to ask her out.

“No, I’m sorry, Ledger,” Marlee says, waving her hand dismissively. “I didn’t mean to get all sad and depressed on you. You just…showed up at the wrong time I guess.”

Any other time I’m around Marlee, I’m a nervous wreck and feel like I say the wrong thing.

But tonight, seeing her a bit emotional, my nerves dissipate and the need to help her feel better overcomes me.

Holding out my hand to her, I catch her gorgeous blue eyes with mine and offer a different perspective.

“Or maybe I showed up at exactly the right time. Dance with me?”

Her eyes brighten and her brows arch. “Really? You’re asking me? After I was just a negative Nancy right in front of you?”

I bob my head and wink at her. “I prefer to call it Mindful Marlee.” Reaching for her, I wrap my warm hand around her chilled palm. “Come on. I need a dance partner and you’re too pretty to be standing here all by yourself.”

Giggling softly, she puts down her glass of wine and I pocket her phone for her. As I lead her to the dancefloor, she teasingly asks me, “So you dance too, huh? Is there anything you can’t do?”

I can’t tell you I’ve had feelings for you for years.

I can’t ask you out because I’m afraid you’ll laugh.

I can’t offer to give you children because I’m not supposed to know you want to be a mom.

“Well, I can’t say I profess to be a great dancer, but it’s kind of my job as one of Magallan’s groomsmen so…”

She smiles at me. I could get so fucking lost in that smile. “I see. Well, we can’t have you failing at your groomsman responsibilities, can we?”

Thank God.

“No. No we cannot. In fact, it would give me some real street cred if I could look like the best dancer out here so I hope you brought you’re A-game.”

That makes her laugh. “Oh, I don’t know how well I perform under pressure so no promises. I may very well have two left feet.”

“Perfect. I have two right feet,” I say with a wink. “So, let’s do this.”

My heart beating rapidly on the inside, I inwardly pat myself on the back for being so cool, calm, and collected where Marlee is concerned.

I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into my chest. She feels comfortable in my arms. Like she was designed to fit perfectly against my body.

A sweet floral scent wafts into my nose and I know it has to be all Marlee.

Dressed in a floor-length blue dress, her dark-hued hair pulled up loosely behind her, she’s the image of an angel.

“You look beautiful tonight,” I tell her, forcing myself to make eye contact no matter how dry my mouth is or how fluttery the inside of my chest feels.

Her smile widens. “Thank you very much, Ledger. You clean up pretty well yourself.”

“Nah. You see me in suits all the time, but it’s not every day I see you in a dress.”

“Don’t sell yourself short Mr. Dayne,” she says. “And you’re not wearing your suit jacket now. You look much more comfortable than coming and going to and from the arena on a game day. The look suits you…pun unintended of course.”

My cheeks are heating.

Thank God it’s almost dusk.

“Thanks.”

“I’m sorry, I should have asked about you earlier. My manners are out the window tonight apparently. How are you enjoying your summer?” she asks as we sway back and forth in slow circles. “I’m sure it’s nice to be off the ice for a while.”

I’d like my summer a whole lot more if I had someone to share it with.

Someone like you.

“Well, I’m helping Harrison with his youth league so I’m not really off the ice for too long. But yeah, I guess the break is nice. Gives my body time to heal before I’m pushing it to the max every day.”

“What do you do for fun during the summer?”

“Pucks & Blades is fun,” I tell her, referring back to the summer youth league Harrison Meers runs. “But other than that, I try to get to a few baseball games. I guess I’m pretty boring, really.”

Fuck.

Way to sell yourself, Ledge .

Marlee’s smile widens. “Oh, I doubt very much that you’re boring. So, you like baseball?”

“Yeah. A college buddy of mine plays for the Portland Lagers. You?”

“Oh, my gosh, I graduated from Portland U! Love the Lagers and love baseball! I was just chatting with Ada Miller earlier tonight, Zeke Miller’s wife?”

“Oh yeah.” I nod, relaxing a bit at the comfortable conversation. “Her brother, Carter, plays for the Indianapolis Racers.”

“Yeah? Now I totally have to catch a game the next time they’re in Anaheim.”

“I’ve got season tickets,” I mention. “I mean, I give them away a lot when I’ve got hockey responsibilities but I’d be happy to take you some time.”

Oh fuck. Did I just ask her out?

Did I even do it right?

She beams and I smile back at her because damn, it feels good being able to make her smile. “That sounds like a blast.”

“Hey Marlee,” Layken sings as she and Griffin sway next to us.

“Hi Layken.” Marlee eyes the happy couple. “You two are the cutest.”

“Thank you.” Layken winks at her, then glances at me and says, “You know, I was thinking about what we talked about earlier, Mar. You know the little plan you talked about?”

For the first time in a while, Marlee’s cheeks redden so I have an idea what Layken is referring to. “Oh. Yeah?”

“Yeah. And I’m just saying,” Layken nods her head toward me, “Ledger could make a great dad. He’s a good guy. Not bad to look at either.”

Oh, for the love of Christ.

“Layken…” I start. I laugh nervously, finding myself stuck between wanting to tell Layken to shut the fuck up and not wanting to make Marlee any more uncomfortable than she undoubtedly is.

“Oh,” Marlee giggles nervously. “Um…” Her brows furrow as she glances at me.

Yeah. See Layken?

She thinks it’s a terrible idea.

“You know about?—”

I squeeze my eyes closed for a split second and cringe when I confess, “Layken mentioned it earlier.”

“Oh.”

“She likes to tease me because I’m single,” I lie. Well, sort of.

Layken shrugs with a knowing smirk. “I mean, I’m just saying.” She bobs her head between us. “He’s single. You’re single. You want to have a baby so…two birds, one stone, know what I mean?” She wags her brows like she’s a fucking genius.

She’s not, by the way.

“It would be like the team’s very first pure-bred Anaheim Star!” She beams at Marlee and me like we’re about to give her a fucking high five and thank her for her generous offer.

Her offer of my dick.

Because that’s what’s happening here.

Layken Ollenberg is offering the contents of my dick to Marlee Remington, the woman I’ve been crushing on for years.

Because that’s not embarrassing as hell.

Fuck my life.

“Just giving you something to think about.” Layken winks and then Griffin spins his wife in the opposite direction after heeding the look I try to give him without Marlee noticing.

“Wow that’s…” Marlee starts, looking a bit taken aback.

“Sorry about that.” I shake my head, more than a little perturbed with Layken. “You don’t have to say a word. She’s just messing around.”

“Right. Yeah.”

I spin us in the opposite direction and try to—at the very least—keep our conversation going so this doesn’t get awkward. “For what it’s worth though, I think it’s great that you want to be a mother. You’ll be a great mom.”

“Yeah. I don’t know. It was just an idea.” She shrugs her shoulder. “I mean, yeah, I want to be a mom. It’s just…I know it can be a lot. I’m still thinking about it.”

“Definitely a life-changing decision.” I nod. “I get it.”

“Yeah.”

We continue dancing through the rest of the song though admittedly now my mind is reeling. Hers must be too because an awkward silence falls between us.

I have to admit, offering to sperm it up for Marlee Remington wasn’t exactly on my life’s Bingo card, but if anyone is going to offer to help give her the baby she so badly wants, I’ll be devastated if it’s anyone but me.