Page 64 of Golden Goal

“Such a gentleman.”

She clips Hazel’s car seat into the stroller while I grab the diaper bag and stash it underneath.

I pull her into my arms. “I am.”

I lean down and give her a quick kiss before letting her go. I can’t get enough of this woman.

She slides her hand into mine, and we walk toward the entrance. We spend the next few hours wandering around, looking at all the displays and occasionally quoting movie lines to each other.

Hazel slept for most of it, and when she was awake, she was the happiest baby ever. Every chance she could get, Becca was holding my daughter. She doted on her.

Seeing them together cracked a piece of the wall around my heart. It might only be our first official date, but today, I felt as if I was getting a glimpse of what my future—what our future—could be. That thought is equally terrifying and exciting.

I adjust my goalie mask before walking down the tunnel that leads to the ice. We’re playing the Mockingbirds tonight, and I am locked in. I’m feeling the best I’ve felt in a long time. I know this is going to be a good game, a brutal game, because the Mockingbirds are a team that likes to make a lot of hits and start fights any chance they get, but a good game nonetheless.

The guys yell and hype each other up, but I stand stoically at the end of the tunnel, barely blinking, waiting for the signal to head out for warm-ups.

Craig tips his chin toward the ice, the signal that I should lead the team out. I skate around our side of the rink, starting my warm-up routine, which consists of skating five laps and then finding my spot in front of our bench where I drop to the ice and stretch. Hadley said she was bringing Hazel to the game tonight, and I wonder where they’re sitting.

“They’re behind the net,” Hunter says, skating over to me, a cheeky grin on his face.

I peer in the direction he mentioned, and my heart stutters in my chest. Hadley is standing against the glass in a Storm jersey. Next to her is Becca, also wearing a jersey, holding my daughter in her arms.

My girls.

The thought should have me panicking, but it doesn’t. It feels right. Hadley raises a hand and waves. Wes skates over to the glass and taps on it with his stick. A growl escapes me as I watch him chat with them, my girls.

I don’t know why I’m jealous. It’s just Wes. He dotes on my daughter, so of course he’d be over there.

Hunter chuckles, and I shoot a glare his way. He shakes his head and skates off. I force myself to focus on my stretching. A few minutes later, I finish my routine and skate over to them.

“Here,” Hunter says from behind me, and I turn, catching the puck he throws me.

I pull off my mask, tuck it under my arm, and tap on the glass. Holding up the puck, I gesture for Hadley to catch it. I toss it over the glass for her.

Becca beams at me, and holds Hazel so she can see me. Hazel’s eyes light up when she recognizes me. My lips tip up into a grin.

I probably shouldn’t be doing this. There are cameras everywhere. But it’s my daughter and my sister. Everyone will assume Becca and my sister are friends, and that’s why she’s sitting with Hadley, holding Hazel. I mean, they kind of are. Becca and I haven’t talked about telling HR that we’re dating, or telling the rest of the team. Although based on the looks Hunter and Wes are giving me, I’m guessing they already figured it out. Honestly, I’m not sure I care who knows, because I’m happy.

She makes me happy.

With one last wave, I turn and put my mask back on, getting back into the zone and trying not to think about the woman behind me. I need to get a jersey for Becca with my name on it. I don’t know if she’d wear it. It’s quite a statement. But I’d love to see her wearing my name on her back.

Her, wearing nothing but my jersey.

I take a few breaths. Now is not the time or place to be fantasizing about the woman I’m dating, naked in my bed with nothing but my jersey on. I do a few more stretches, hoping that’ll help center me back on the game, and it does.

Soon, the buzzer sounds, signaling that warm-ups are over. I peek over my shoulder one more time. A zing races through my body when my eyes collide with Becca’s. She winks at me before focusing on whatever my sister is saying next to her.

I turn off all thoughts of her for the next two and a half hours, blocking thirty shots the Mockingbirds send my way. I only let in two goals—one was a tip-in I didn’t see, and the other was scored on the power play after Wes got into a fight with one of their players, and got sent to the sin bin.

I feel on top of my game tonight, for the first time in a very long time. Like the goalie I used to be last season. The one who was a force to be reckoned with.

The team is on fire tonight for once, and we get four goals. They give us the win and the two points we desperately need.

I can’t help but think I played so well tonight because Becca and I started dating. Call me crazy, but I am a hockey player, and we’re known for being superstitious. Nothing else has changed for me except for her.

Chapter twenty-six