Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 141425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 707(@200wpm)___ 566(@250wpm)___ 471(@300wpm)
Parker and Luna’s mom is pretty busy with med school—and I’m seriously proud of my ex-wife for pursuing her lifelong dream to become a doctor—so the kids are with me a lot of the time. Or their nanny, Agatha. Or my mom.
Today though? Agatha’s off, and Parker asked Asher to come over and build, so my buddy showed up for my son. I fucking love my teammates.
“I bet I can finish it faster than you,” Parker says, glancing at the star winger on our team.
“No way,” Asher replies with a smirk.
“Way.”
“Dude, we’re building this together.”
Parker huffs, then smiles like the little devil he sometimes is. “I was just kidding. I’m not that competitive. Like my dad and you.”
I smile. “It’s our job to be competitive.”
Asher laughs, ruffling Parker’s hair. “But right now, we’re a team, little dude.”
“I know,” Parker says, then grabs a yellow piece, squinting as he studies where it goes.
They both turn toward me, and Asher’s smirk deepens. “Wow. Did you just turn into a dad in a fun fact shirt or what?”
I give him a side-eye. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s charming, man. You’re pulling it off. Own it.”
I arch a skeptical brow, then pluck at the tee. “Should I—” Nope. Not going to second-guess. I made a deal with myself, and I stick to my deals. I’ve never once broken a New Year’s resolution. Not going to break this either.
“Keep it on, man,” Asher says, reading into my unfinished sentence anyway.
“Thanks, Asher.”
“Anytime, man. Anytime.”
“Dad, are you ready?” Luna calls from the kitchen. “I have to show Sabrina what I’ve been working on.”
Luna bounces into the room, her brown hair pulled tight into a sleek ponytail, exactly the kind Sabrina wears to every lesson. Exactly the kind Luna fashions when my mom takes her to the rink, which she does every chance she gets, indulging Luna’s love for figure skating. It makes my heart squeeze, the love this kid has for the ice.
“Let’s do it,” I say, waving goodbye to Parker and Asher, then trying to fight off the annoying nerves twisting in my stomach as we load into the car.
Seeing Sabrina again…I don’t know what to expect, or what expectation I could even have. We haven’t talked about all the things she said. All the tempting, sexy, sinful, inviting things that crossed those glossy pink lips. Not to mention all the things I wanted, and still do want to ask her, like, Did you really mean it that you want me to take you apart with my tongue? Do you truly fantasize about me running my beard across your thighs? Are you thinking about me late at night?
Like I fucking am about her.
But I push those down, focusing instead on Luna’s grin and Parker’s laughter back in the house. They’re doing so well in San Francisco after we moved here nearly a year ago when Los Angeles traded me to no better place than where my family lives. Mom’s here. My stepdad, my sister, my brother, and my grandma Birdie. Life is good. The only thing in my life that’s not great? My stats. Last year was an okay year—not bad, but not great. And okay is never acceptable in hockey. I’m thirty-two, I’ve logged ten good years in the pros. A couple of them were great, but not last year. When the season starts again in a few months, I need to get back in the great zone. If I do that, I can play a few more years and make good money, put plenty aside, and be all set when it comes to taking care of the two loves of my life. Something my own dad never did for my siblings and me, considering he walked out the door with barely a word when I was ten. I never heard from him again. He died when I was fifteen, and I’m not even sure I cried when I heard the news. What would I have mourned? The loss of a ghost? That’s what he’d become to me in those five years. Absent. A man who wasn’t there for his family.
I won’t be like him. Not a chance.
Which means…now is not the time for romance. My kids are young, still adjusting to a new city. I really should set aside any thoughts of asking Sabrina out for real. The timing is all wrong for so many reasons. There will be space for romance later. And, really, what am I even missing? It’s not like I had a great, passionate romance with Elle that I’m longing to replace. My ex and I were friends before; we’re still friends now. I’m not missing anything.
As I drive through the city toward the rink on the edge of the Marina District, Luna’s voice breaks into my thoughts. “Dad, did you watch the video I sent you last night?”