“Either way, I planned to announce it at the end of the season. Avery is almost five. She’s starting kindergarten next fall. She needs stability and I want to give her that.”
Adeline’s shoulders rise and fall with a bewildered sigh. “I hate this.”
I press my forehead to hers. “I know. And that’s another reason I love you. You always have my back. But I’m not upset,” I promise her. “I can’t wait to cheer you on from the stands with our girl at my side. Can’t wait for you to show her what a strong woman can do. You’re such a good role model and we’re both so lucky to have you. I won’t do a thing to tarnish that. You deserve this career, Adeline. Like I told you years ago, you’re going to be a legend in the NHL and I am going to be your biggest fan.”
Eyes filling with tears, she wraps her hand around my neck and presses her lips to mine. Lost in the feel of her, I swipe my tongue into her mouth and settle my hands at her waist.
Only when a throat clears beside us do I remember we’re not alone. Jolting backward, I rough a hand down my face. Fuck.
“Sorry, Daddy,” Adeline says sweetly, but rather than release me, she turns and settles against my chest so we both face her father.
With a shake of his head, he lets out a heavy sigh. “No one is retiring.”
“Beckett, it’s what he wants,” my dad says before I can formulate a response. “We’ve been planning this. He knew he couldn’t remain her player, so as long as she was a coach, this was the plan.”
Frown deepening, Adeline turns to me.
I nod, eyes locked with hers. “I told you I was figuring it out. You and I were always the plan, baby. And I’m serious. This is what’s best for Avery.”
“Fine,” Beckett says, like he has any say in the matter. “But after the season is over. Like you said, Avery goes to kindergarten next year. You’re not retiring midseason because someone isn’t getting her way. We’ll figure it out.”
Adeline throws her arms around her father. “Thank you, Daddy.”
He hugs her tight. “I’d do anything for you,” he tells her, voice choked.
If the way his eyes mist over is any indication, he knows what happened with Dirk last night.
I don’t blame him for being emotional. For coming in here guns blazing. He only wants to protect his little girl. Even if she’s nearly taller than he is.
“But how will we deal with the press?” Adeline glances back at me.
“We go with the truth,” Beckett says matter-of-factly.
Adeline’s brows tug together. “The truth?”
Smiling, he looks from his daughter to me. “Yeah. And fortunately, we have access to a magazine article that’ll help us do it.”
“The New Romantics,” Adeline whispers, turning to me. She sighs, her body deflating. “But it’s been focused on me dating other people.”
“Yeah, but the world loves a love story,” he reminds us. “Even if it’s a messy one. Especially when it’s about two people who have been best friends all their lives. Tell them the truth,” he says. “Tell them how you fell in love. About your shared love of the game and how it brought you closer. Tell them the truth.” He puts his hands in his pockets and eyes my father. “Seemed to work for both your father and for me. We both made a mess of things before we got it right, wouldn’t you say, Hanson?”
My dad dips his chin, a hint of a smile breaking through.
Beckett nods in return. “We’ll help you get it right.”
Adeline searches my face, a thoughtful frown marring hers. “What do you think?”
“I could talk about why I love you all day long,” I tell her, grasping her hand. “It’ll be an easy story to sell.”
Face turning pink, she takes a deep breath. “Okay, let me go talk to Winnie and Hope. And I should probably call Savannah and Josie, see what they think. Maybe they’ve got ideas for how to spin for it.”
She leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek, her mind working.
I can’t help but chuckle. She’s already focusing on this next project, and I guarantee that by the end of the day, she and the girls will have a damn good plan for how to handle it.
Pretty sure our money is wasted on publicists and attorneys. That group of women is full of better schemers than any expert we could pay. And they have my girl’s back.
I don’t care how I look when it’s all said and done as long as Adeline and Avery are protected, and I have faith that Savannah will make sure of it.
