Under Fire: A Florida Glaze Hockey Romance, page 10
“When in the world did this conversation happen?”
“When she called to thank me for paying for Kody to go to daycare when Sutton was sick.”
Lacy rolls her head, eventually dropping it into her hand. “No wonder she wasn’t worried about rent. She was working the whole time.”
“So yeah. That’s how the conversation came up.” I quickly try to get back on track. I haven’t been kicked out yet, so that’s a good sign, but who knows how long this will last. “So anyway, if you’re in, she’s in.”
God love the roach that takes that exact moment to stick his head out of the sink drain and prove my point.
Lacy grimaces and turns on the water, effectively flushing him back down to the hell where he came from.
“Fucking hell,” Lacy says with a deep, resigned sigh. “I guess we’re moving in together.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
LACY
As soon as we hear the key in the lock, the kids go running for the door.
“Mommy!” Kody yells and latches onto Ellie’s leg. Sutton grabs the other one, now that Tucker has taught them the art of hanging on as he walks. Ellie, however, isn’t quite as strong and ends up rooted to her spot.
“Oh you guys are so big!” she says with a smile and rubs their little backs as they giggle. “Can you hop off for one second so I can shut the door?”
“Carry us like a monster, Mommy!” Kody shouts.
“I am not strong enough for that.” Ellie laughs. “But I can give good hugs and kisses if you let me walk to the couch.”
That seems agreeable to both kids as they clamber off and anxiously wait for her to drop her purse and sit on the couch so she can get down to their level. And then they climb all over her, telling Ellie all about their very exciting day of wrestling with Tucker.
“He came over, huh?” she asks me, more than them.
“He had a proposition for me.”
She looks over Kody’s shoulder as she holds him tight to her and cocks an eyebrow at me. “Really.”
I purse my lips in response. “Don’t look so surprised. You know exactly what he came over to discuss.”
With a loud smack on the cheek, Kody gives his mom one last kiss and wiggles off her lap, ready to play with Sutton again. For the last half hour or so, Sutton’s been building some blocks and Kody’s been knocking them over. I’m honestly surprised it’s kept them both delightfully entertained for this long, but I refuse to say it out loud for fear of jinxing it.
“I knew he was considering discussing the house with you, but I didn’t know he had the balls to do it yet.”
“Well he did. And why the hell didn’t you tell me he paid for Kody to go to daycare while Sutton was sick?”
Ellie points her finger at me and moves it around to circle my face. “Because of this reaction right here. Seriously, Lacy, you’re too predictable.”
I roll my eyes and toss the brochure in her lap. Yes, brochure. Because a house this fancy doesn’t come with just a single sheet of paper telling the sale price and a picture of the master bathroom. Nope. Almost every room is pictured in high gloss color with every amenity listed.
Ellie whistles low as she glances at the pictures. “Wow. This is fancy.”
“Yep.”
“Great location to raise kids.”
“Yep.”
“So why don’t you sound happy about this?”
I watch the kids squeal as they knock over another tower. The joy on their faces is the only thing that should concern me. Their happiness—and yes I include Kody in that because he’s basically my bonus child—is my second priority after their health and well-being. Moving into a great neighborhood with great schools and a backyard they can play in should be a no brainer. But it’s not. It feels…dangerous.
Ellie nudges me with her shoulder. “Do you remember when we first met?”
I puff a humorless laugh. “How can I forget. We were living in my car, for god’s sake.”
“And working at that horrific gas station that always smelled like sewage had backed up.”
I grimace. “It usually had. And you’re the lucky asshole that always got to leave before the toilet had to be plunged. I swear I got stuck doing that every single night.”
I watch as she tries to hold back a giggle but can’t. My eyes widen as realization sets in two years too late.
“You did it on purpose, didn’t you, you bitch?”
She nods as she continues to laugh. “I wasn’t about to get near that toilet after that weird, creepy dude would clog it up every night.”
“Ellie!” I yell, which makes her laugh even harder. “Why didn’t you tell him he couldn’t use that bathroom!”
“He creeped me out. I wasn’t going to talk to him if I didn’t have to.”
“You are the worst friend ever.”
My quip makes her laugh even harder.
When she’s finally calmed down enough to speak again, her tone turns serious.
“Answer me a question, why did you move in with me when I first offered?”
“What do you mean? We were homeless. You were a godsend.”
“I know that part. But what I mean is, why did you trust me?”
I think for a second, pulling back the ugly memories I’ve suppressed for a very long time. “I don’t know that I did, to be honest. I was just so desperate to give Sutton a better life.”
“Aren’t you still hoping for better than—”
The kids begin squealing as a roach runs out from behind the television, and quickly changes his mind when he notices the kids. The infestation seems to have gotten bigger lately. We’re seeing too many of them.
Ellie looks at me. “Better than a roach-infested apartment?”
I know what she’s trying to say, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear it.
I lower my voice, partly hoping she doesn’t hear me and my irrational fears. “What if he turns out to be a serial killer, Ellie?”
“What if I had?”
“Well what if he turns out to be a pedophile?”
“What if I had?”
“Well what if—”
She grabs my hands, cutting off my fears. “What if he turns out to be exactly who he presents himself to be? Kind, generous, loving, and the kind of dad he keeps saying he wants to be? What if he turns out to be everything you never dreamed of because dreaming it was too scary?”
I sniff as my eyes fill with tears. I hate crying. Despise it. It’s probably why I’ve held onto my anger for so long. It’s easier to be pissed off than feel devastated by the hurt of being alone. Yes, I have Ellie and Kody, but everyone else has ditched me. Ditched us. I can’t let that happen again. I won’t let that happen to my daughter. She won’t feel that kind of pain if I can help it. And things going south with Tucker means more than just Sutton getting hurt. I would, too. He’s too good. Too kind. Too good to be true.
“What if he leaves us again, Ellie?” I whisper.
She leans down a bit, forcing me to make eye contact. “He didn’t leave you the first time, Lace.”
I know she’s right. But these wounds run deep. Logically I know they weren’t made by Tucker. I’m sure they were made by my parents throughout my extremely strict childhood, where nothing less than perfection was acceptable. That was long before they abandon their sinfully pregnant unmarried daughter. But that doesn’t mean those wounds don’t still break open sometimes and bleed.
“You promise you’ll come with us?”
She nods, giving me a compassionate smile. “We wouldn’t let you go alone. What if he turns out to be a serial killer or something?”
I puff out a laugh and wipe my eyes with my sleeves. “And what if it doesn’t work out?”
“Then we take your new monthly child support check and find us the best apartment it can rent!”
I nod again, still feeling nervous, but knowing I have my support system coming with me, which means I don’t have to do this alone.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
TUCKER
We slowly make our way into the locker room, tired from tonight’s game in Seattle, but also just tired. We’ve been on a nine-day road trip and this is the last leg. Tomorrow, we’ll finally head home and I can’t wait.
Weird. I never thought of the end of a road trip as the best part before. But I guess I never had anything waiting for me at home either.
Once again, Lacy has been amazing while I’ve been gone, letting me video chat with the kids every day. And yes, it’s both of them. I recognize that my vested interest in Sutton is because she’s my daughter, but Kody is a great little kid, and I can’t deny that he’s just fun to be with. Besides, Sutton thinks of him as her brother so it’s important that I treat him as such.
The calls have also given Lacy and I a chance to get to know each other a little better. I know the idea of moving in with me has her a bit wigged out, so leaving for a short amount of time is probably what she needed. It’s like I was able to give her space without abandoning her or Sutton.
It also means we’ve been connecting more for a purpose and not just because I like her. Which I do. Like her. A lot.
She’s unlike any woman I’ve ever met before. She’s got this strength and resilience about her, and yet she’s still so gentle and loving with the kids. And her humor matches mine which is a big thing for me. I know I can come across as a little immature or too sarcastic. But Lacy and I just…fit. We get each other. For the most part our conversations are easy, and it makes hanging out with her that much more enjoyable. And let’s not even think about how much my body wants hers. Especially in a locker room full of my teammates.
Stripping my gear off, I wonder if there are any plans for tonight. Might as well make the most of my last night on the road. I don’t have to wonder for long, though. Leave it to Maksim to always have a party planned.
“Ready to go hunting for a little tail, Hayes?”
Maks walks by butt naked, already heading to the showers.
I shake my head at his absolute lack of concern about the media starting to enter the locker room for a few post-game interviews. If a uniform wasn’t mandatory, it wouldn’t shock me to see him naked on the ice, too.
“I don’t need to find any tail,” I say, knowing I’m much too into Lacy to think about another woman. “But I could go for a few drinks. I’ll have to meet you there, though. I’ve got plans.”
Tossing my sweaty jersey into the giant laundry basket, I slide out of my skates and wiggle my toes in relief.
“Plans? What is more important than finding a lovely lady or two to spend the evening with?” Maks looks shocked that I might need things other than women in my life. You know, like food or a nap. If I hadn’t seen him eating dinner once or twice, I’d think he got his nourishment from a singular diet of dirty sex.
“Who said my plans weren’t with a cute young thing?”
He considers me for a moment, then nods once, seemingly satisfied with my response, then continues his nude trek across the room.
“Now I’m curious.” Nick puts his finger in the book he’s reading to mark his page. We’ve roomed together a couple times on this trip so I’ve gotten to know him more and he’s a really solid dude. “Who do you have plans with?”
I flash him an amused smile as I continue to strip down, although unlike some people, I’ll be staying in my skivvies while the reporters are here. “It’s still early enough I can video chat with my daughter.”
“I thought that’s what you meant,” he says with a chuckle. “How’s that going anyway?”
“So good, man.” I can’t stop the grin that overtakes me. “She’s just amazing. And her little friend she lives with is awesome, too. Kids are a hoot.”
“That’s what I hear.”
“Now that they know I play hockey on TV, apparently they’ve made it a game trying to find my number. Lacy says it’s hilarious watching them try to keep up with all the movement and most of the time they get it wrong. But hey, at least she’s interested in what her daddy’s doing, right?”
“Do you get to spend a lot of time with her?”
“Actually,” I twist around and grab my phone out of my locker, hoping I’ll have finally heard some news. “Fingers crossed I’ll be spending a lot more time with her soon. Hang on.”
Swiping it open, I see the text I’ve been waiting for from my realtor.
They accepted your offer. Closing date is roughly four weeks from today.
“Yes,” I shout and pump my fist. “I got the house.”
“You bought a house?” Nick looks confused.
“Yeah. Check it out.”
I pull up the link and open to the pictures of the place I’m officially buying for my new family. Handing him my phone, I can’t help but gush about how excited I am.
“See the backyard? That was the selling point for me. There’s so much room for the kids to play. And that outdoor kitchen is going to be awesome for team parties.”
“Nice pool.”
“I know. And the fence around it has one of those adult height locks and an alarm so the kids won’t be able to break into that area without someone knowing. Of course that means Maks probably won’t be able to get back out of there.” I shrug. “Maybe I should hire a lifeguard for him. Who knows. And see the pool house?”
Nick whistles low. “Wow. That place is sweet. Planning on having long-term guests?”
“Actually yeah.”
He furrows his brows in a question but doesn’t tear his eyes away from the pictures, too interested in my new digs. I don’t blame him. The place is amazing.
“Lacy’s roommate and her son are going to live there. They’ve all been together since the kids were babies, so I don’t really feel right about them having to separate when this seems like a good solution. Plus, she’s not much better off than Lacy financially and after all she did to get my girls off the street, it’s the least I can do to reciprocate the favor.”
I immediately know I’ve said too much when Nick looks up, interested by that little tidbit I accidentally dropped. “They were living on the street?”
“Shh…” I gesture for him to lower his voice as I lower mine. The last thing I need is for a reporter to overhear Lacy’s business. “I didn’t mean to say that. I don’t think Lacy would appreciate me telling people so keep it under wraps. But yeah. I guess when I wasn’t around they hit a really rough patch. Lacy doesn’t like to talk about it so I don’t know a lot of details.” I blow out a breath, trying to shake off the guilty feelings I have from not being around for them during that time. I know it’s not my fault, but it doesn’t change how badly I wish I could have a redo. Fucking Morty. I could kill the guy. “I don’t actually like to think too hard about it, either. But that’s basically why I’m so excited about the house. I can see my daughter daily now and still help Lacy get some of her dreams back.”
Nick finally hands my phone back to me. “That’s really cool, man. And really generous.”
“Nah. It’s just the right thing to do.”
I put my phone back in my locker and finish pulling all my gear off. I’m tired and ready to get back to the hotel for my video date.
“You heading to the showers?” I ask as I wrap a towel around my waist.
Nick leans over and looks into the tiled area before shaking his head. “I’m going to wait a few more minutes. You know how I am.”
I clap him on the shoulder before walking away because yeah, I do know how he is. He’s a great teammate and fantastic goalie. He also likes to keep to himself, and crowds of people aren’t his thing. He prefers to read poetry or some shit that bores me to tears than watching the boob tube. I learned that when he pulled out some noise cancelling headphones in our room while I got caught up in the latest binge-worthy dramedy. Nick also waits until everyone else is done in the showers before using them himself. I suspect he knows Maks’s issues with personal space and it’s his way of avoiding. Most of the time after practice he doesn’t even shower at the arena at all. I don’t really get it, but if it helps keep him focused on stopping those pucks, more power to him.
“You just missed all the hot water.” Maksim laughs a little too hard at his lie. He uses that line regularly, thinking he’s hilarious. Wiping the remaining droplets off himself, he stands a little too close to my shower as I drop my towel. I honestly don’t know if his lack of personal space when we’re naked is a cultural thing, but he seems to have no sense of boundaries. “You sure you don’t wanna go now? Shuto said there’s a good strip joint just a few miles from the hotel and I could go for some titties in my face to relax.”
Six months ago, I would have jumped at the chance. But for some reason, even the idea of a stripper grinding all over me has me turning up my nose. I’m not sure when that happened. I’ve always been up for a good time. But for some reason, the thought of Lacy in the bedroom down the hall from mine has more appeal than paying for a lap dance.
That’s when my thoughts drift to the thought of Lacy giving me a lap dance. Her tall, lithe body swiveling in front of me. Her full breasts just a breath away from my mouth.
I’m assaulted with a memory of creamy skin in front of me, dark hair pushed over one shoulder as we move to the beat of the music. Our bodies fitting together like a puzzle. Her fruity, floral scent tickling my nose…
And just like that, it’s gone. This time, I’m kind of glad. No one needs me to sport a hard on in the public shower. I think that’s a boundary even Maks would like to hold.
“I’m good, man,” I say from under the warm spray as I come back to my senses. “Call me when you hit up a real bar.” I pull back and shake my head, water flying everywhere.
“Hey watch it!” Maks yells. “I just dried off.”
“Learn some personal boundaries in the showers, dude, and you won’t have that problem.”
He grunts and leaves me to my shower, my thoughts straying as I wonder about that memory. Where was that? And was it Lacy I was dancing with? I try to draw out the memory again to no avail. I’m frustrated by it but decide to let it go for now. If I try too hard to remember, it’ll just lock up my memories anyway.
