Now she’s back in my life, with a kid who loves hockey as much as I do, looking at me like I’m someone she wants to avoid at all costs?
Whatever hits me, I turn around, skate off and run through the tunnel, only making it in time to watch from the doorway as Stella loads Aiden into a beat-up Chevy that looks like it’s held together with duct tape and prayers. Aiden’s talking a mile a minute. She looks exhausted.
A fierce and protective vibe rises in my chest. Clearly things haven’t turned out well for Stella after all this time. I immediately dig my phone out and scan the roster for their names.
“Stella and Aiden Branch?” Shit. She ended up marrying Jerrod Branch, that asshole football player from college?
I dial Renae.
“Sir? How’d it go?” She picks up on the first ring with her usual military precision, always punctual and there for me when I need her.
“These names on the roster… find out everything you can about Aiden Branch, more specifically about his mom, Stella,” I bark into the phone like a maniac.
“That’s fucking creepy, sir. If she’s hot, why not just ask her on a date?”
“I already dated her during my senior year of college.”
“Ohhh. And now you want her again?”
“Something like that. And find the nearest skating rink to Boulder when I can rent some ice time twice a week.” My mind races. “Make all the arrangements for a free hockey class from now until Christmas, and offer it to all the participants and other kids in the Boulder area, too, but especially Stella and Aiden. I don’t care about anyone else as long astheyare there.”
She sighs. “Why are you doing this, sir?”
I hesitate for a moment. “Do you believe in second chances with the one who got away?”
“Yes. But I don’t believe inthirdchances. If you do anything monumentally stupid and this blows up in your face?—”
“It won’t, because you’ve got my back, right?” I spend a minute sweating it out, waiting for her response. I went through two personal assistants before I found Renae and I wasn’t about to do anything to piss her off.
“Of course, sir. I’m on it.” She hangs up, and I know that by this time tomorrow she’ll have taken care of everything as I asked.
I watch Stella’s clunker leave the parking lot, the engine almost dying, and then disappear into traffic. That can’t be safe. I text Renae to also buy a car in Boulder for me to use, too, nothing flashy, but family-type and sensible, maybe a mini-van. I snort; I’ll probably end up giving it to Stella if all goes well.
But what if things don’t? What the actual fuck am I doing, jumping through hoops hoping for another chance with her? Stella turned me down once before, her excuse being our paths weren’t headed in the same direction. Well, it appears all roads lead to Denver, after all.
CHAPTER 4
THE C-WORD
STELLA
It’slike my brain short-circuited, coming face-to-face with Eli again. My knuckles appear white on the steering wheel. The old car rattles beneath us like it always does. Aiden chatters excitedly. And I’m oblivious, frozen somewhere between shock and disbelief.
Elliott Lewis?
Of all the hockey players in Denver. In Colorado. In the entire darn league. It had to be him giving out hockey gear today. Aiden buzzes in the backseat, bouncing despite the seatbelt.
“Grandma, did youseehim?” he says, voice climbing an octave. “Mr. Eli showed me how to skate without falling. Well, I fell a little. But then I didn’t. And he said I’m a natural.”
“I saw,” my mother replies from the passenger seat. “You nearly took out three cones and another small child, but you stood again.”
“Mr. Eli said falling is okay as long as I get back up.” Aiden recites proudly.
My grip tightens at the exact words I remember Eli reciting to me once long ago. But look at my son—he’s so thrilled by the events at the arena. Is this a sign that he needs more male attention? If only Jerrod would step up and be the father he needs him to be.
“Mr. Eli caught me when I tipped over,” Aiden continues. “Like this.” He flings his arms wide, reenacting the moment with dramatic flair. “Didn’t even drop me.”
“Professional hockey players are pretty steady on their feet,” Mom muses. I bite back the words ‘And they have plenty of stamina.’ Then to me—slyly—she adds, “So. That was Eli Lewis.”
