Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 86422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86422 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“Right, yeah. Of course, that makes sense. Is that weird for you?” he asks, brow back to a furrow. “Or hard?”
My heart gets all mushy over his concern for my feelings. “At first a little. I felt guilty for loving him like a parent, but mostly I’m just thankful now. No one will ever replace mine, but my sister has done a great job of managing both roles, and Roman just has…big dad energy,” I confide. I don’t envy Callie or Ariel when they start dating. At least Callie will pave the way for little Ariel.
“How do you have it so together with everything you’ve been through?” Mac asks quietly.
“Therapy?” I joke. “I have a great family and awesome friends, which is more than a lot of people in my situation.”
“You’re fucking amazing, I hope you know that,” he says earnestly.
“So are you. Come on, I’ll introduce you to Roman and my sister.”
Mac nods and wipes his hands on his pants as we cross over to them.
He grabs my hand when we reach their row and drops his voice. “Holy sh—crap,” he adjusts his language as we pass two kids. “Is that Connor Grace?”
“Yeah, he and his wife Dred come to Callie’s games a lot, too. Callie is his number-one fan, and he adores her.”
Mac blows out a breath and turns to me, hand still wrapped around mine. “Okay, so…we’ve been friends for a while.”
“Yeah, we have.” My stomach flips as his tongue drags across his bottom lip and I inconveniently think about our good-night kiss for the millionth time since it happened.
“And I appreciate you for who you are as a person, and not who you’re related to and who you know,” he says.
“I know that, Mac.” It is nice to hear it, though, and for him to sound completely genuine.
“But honestly? I’m freaking out a little right now.”
I smile, glad to have something to focus on other than my own nerves. “I get it, but they’re just people. Roman burps like everyone else in the world. He also snores sometimes. I don’t know about Connor though. His burps probably smell like sophistication and expensive cologne.”
Mac shakes his head and chuckles. “Your brain is weird.”
“Thank you. But seriously, they’re regular guys off the ice.”
“They’re my heroes,” he admits.
“That’s totally reasonable. I won’t make fun of you for getting starry-eyed over them. It would be the same if I ever met Banksy.” I squeeze his hand. “Want me to introduce you?”
“Yeah. Please.”
I lead him to where my sister is seated, a couple of rows back from the ice.
“Big Pheels!” Lexi hops up and rushes over to hug me.
I’d be embarrassed about the nickname, but she’s been calling me that for years, and during my teens it was exceptionally accurate.
She steps back, and her eyes flare slightly as she notices Mac. “Hi, I’m Lexi, Fee’s sister.”
I panic, even though I knew this was coming. “Lexi, this is my friend, Mac!”
His head whips my way for a second, but he extends his hand. “It’s really nice to meet you, Lexi.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Mac,” Lexi glances between us like she’s trying to figure out the dynamic.
Roman appears at Lexi’s side, holding Ariel. One arm is latched to his neck, her other fingers in her mouth, her head on his shoulder. She’s wearing a puffy pink princess dress and tiara. He looks far less intimidating when he’s holding my niece. “Hey, kiddo.”
He side-hugs me as best he can while holding Ariel, who immediately decides she wants to be in my arms.
“How’s my favorite niece?”
“Fifi!” Ariel wraps her arms around my neck.
Roman turns to Mac. “Hi, I’m Roman.”
“This is my friend, Mac,” I rush to explain, again.
“I know who you are, sir. It’s an honor.”
Roman takes Mac’s hand in what I can only hope is a gentle, non-bone-crushing handshake. “You follow hockey?” His gaze shifts to me, questions in his eyes.
“Mac is on the team at Tilton,” I explain as I give him what I hope is a meaningful, don’t-torment-Mac look. “He’s friends with Chase and Brody.”
“Ah!” Roman nods as he makes the connection. “I’ve had the pleasure of coaching them. They show lots of promise,” Roman notes.
“They’re two of the best players on the team,” Mac agrees.
“Come join us.” Roman motions for us to go ahead of him, then follows behind Mac, which means he’ll be able to interrogate him.
Dred stands at my approach and hugs me, whispering so only I can hear, “He’s cute.”
“Don’t I know it,” I mutter quietly.
I’m forced into another round of introductions. “Mac goes to Tilton with me and plays on the hockey team with Brody and Chase.”
“It’s great to meet you.” Connor shakes his hand.
Mac is polite and doesn’t stammer over his words.
We take our seats and Ariel claims my lap so she can tell me all about her new princess outfit, which means Roman is free to grill Mac.