I push off the boards and do a quick lap, offering tips as the kids scrimmage.
“You guys good?” I ask Lucas and Josh.
“We’re good, Captain,” Lucas says with a grin.
I might be the captain of the Bucks, but out here with the kids, I’m just Tuck. Or Uncle Tuck, and sometimes that hits me right in the chest, because yeah, I don’t have kids of my own, and that’s not something that’s going to ever happen.
Josh takes a hard shot, clearly trying to impress me. I study his stance.
“Nice, Josh. But leave the wrist-breaking clappers for the NHL, yeah?”
He grins, then rubs his hand. “It was good though, right?”
“Yeah, it was good, but your mother would kill me if you go home in a cast. Here, try this.” I bend beside him. “Eyes on your target, not the goalie. Bend your knees, like you’re sneaking one of your mom’s cinnamon rolls off the bottom rack.”
His eyes go wide.
I laugh. “Relax. Your secret’s safe. Now keep the puck on your stick. Quick snap of the wrists. Pop.” I demonstrate. The puck slaps clean into the net. “Fast. Controlled. Aim small, miss small. Got it?”
Before he can answer, Stella appears at my elbow like a very fast, very judgmental litigator. I brace for an attack.
“Uncle Tuck, why are you here if you don’t have kids?”
Dear God. Has she not brutalized me enough today?
“Because I’m part of the team,” I tell her.
“He’s the captain, Stella,” Josh says proudly.
She studies me for a long moment. Then nods once. “Okay. You can stay.”
And just like that, the tiny tyrant—clearly on a mission to figure out my purpose in life—has granted me permission to stay. “So kind of you.”
She turns her attention to Lucas and Josh. “He’s not in…love,” she nonchalantly chants, putting a weird spin on the word love. “That’s why he’s not married.” The boys turn questioning eyes my way.
“Don’t ask.” I put my hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Okay, Josh, you got that.”
I’m about to ask Stella if she’d like a shot on net, but she looks like she’s headed toward Nicklas, who also isn’t married. But no worries, she’ll let him know why. She stops first and whispers something to Everly, one of Conner and Dani’s twins. They both glance my way. Crap. Then Everly skates off to say something to Zoe, who then skates to her mother Gina, and I can only imagine what’s churning in the rumor mill.
I glance back at Josh, and he gives a curt nod. “Got it, Cap.” Then his eyes stray…to Camryn. Noah and Brighton’s daughter. Do I see love blossoming there?
“Stella,” Tanner calls out and she skates away. After helping them with a few more shots, I make my way to the gate and plop down into a seat next to Jaxon, who’d just been chatting with Gina.
With his eyes still on the kids playing he says, “Heard you were ugly.”
I laugh. “Wow, word gets around fast, huh?” Words also get twisted, clearly.
He laughs with me. “Man, they sure have their hands full with that little girl.”
I begin to untie my skates. “She’s going to be a heartbreaker.”
“Poor Tate,” he shoots back and shakes his head. “He has no idea what’s in store for him.”
“No idea at all.” I can relate. Sometimes life hits you in the face harder than a hockey puck, but fortunately most times those scars are hidden.
Jaxon leans in and bumps his shoulder against mine, the way he’s done since we were rookies and he needed something.
“Come for dinner tonight?” he asks casually. Too casually. “I could use a hand putting the crib together.”
