“No. Not today. She’s with her nanny.”
Those green eyes on mine. “You hired someone?”
“I figured it was beyond time for a more permanent solution.”
“Good.” She nods in agreement. “Chloe happy with the new arrangement?”
“Beyond ecstatic.” I laugh. “I’m old news, and Finn is the latest and greatest.”
“Good,” she says, lips curving, amusement dancing across her face. “But we like having her here too—she’s always welcome.”
A few guys murmur their agreement and my chest goes tight.
Say what you want to say about my teammates, butthisis the shit that means I will never stop working my ass off for the Eagles.
We’re family.
Chloe’s been coming around since I was first traded to the Eagles. She knows half the staff by name, and the equipment guys always sneak her candy when they think I’m not looking.
The rink has been her second home.
Which is part of the problem.
Because hockey means travel.
Travel means leaving.
And Chloe has already had moreleavingin her life than any kid should.
A whistle trills, and I slap a lid on those thoughts.
“Gather up!” Coach calls.
I join the guys in skating over, and for the next couple of hours, it’s drills and scrimmages, the sharp rhythm of passes and shots and working my ass off. It feels good to sweat, to be out here with my team.
But somewhere in the back of my mind there’s a tug I can’t ignore.
Finn.
Her laughter, her smile…
And my house feeling a little less empty now that she’s in it.
Three
Finn
“Pancakes today or waffles, Ms. Chloe?”
Chloe sits at the counter, her little legs swinging, and smiles up at me. It’s been a whirlwind of a month since that first meeting on the porch.
Ms. Chloe and I hit it off.
Rhodes was…Rhodes.
And now I’ve given up the room I was renting, packed my things, and moved into one of the spare bedrooms that Chloe helped decorate for me…that’s to say, it’s very pink.
Verypink.
