Page 135 of A Major Puck Up

My focus settles on her face again. On the beautiful, trusting eyes that watch me, that have let me in, despite how undeserving I am. “I want to listen to you play music every day, Peaches. And whether you want to play for just us, maybe teach our girl to play when she’s old enough, or if you want to write music or sell out stadiums, I’ll be here beside you, in awe.” I cup her cheek, brushing my thumb across her smooth, freckled skin. “Your dreams are my dreams. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to discover what those dreams are. I guess I just thought if the piano was here—I don’t know—maybe you’d come back to me one day.”

“Gavin.”

“It was a mistake walking away. Letting you believe that you alone aren’t enough. Because you are everything, Millie.”

A tear slips down her cheek. “I still don’t know exactly what I want. Outside of you and Vivi, my life feels so up in the air. Is it weird that I’m nervous?”

I brush the tear away, then pull her close. “Not at all.” I lean my head on top of hers. “You are going to do great. And like you told your father, if Lake’s not interested, there are thousands of other musicians out there. Someone will be. This isn’t a one-shot deal.”

Millie tilts her head up and presses a kiss to my lips. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being here. For believing in me when I didn’t.” Her freckles get lost among a pretty pink blush. “For caring.”

Care doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of what I feel for her, but now isn’t the time to say it. I have a hockey practice to get to, and when I finally tell her exactly how I feel, it won’t be as I’m running out the door.

I kiss her softly and remind her that I’ll always be here. Then I drop a kiss on Vivi’s head as I pass her highchair and head out the door.

“Aw, no Vivi today?” Aiden whines as he skates up to the bench, lip pushed out in a pout.

I laugh. “No. She’s with Millie.”

Camden and Daniel are just past him, stretching on the ice. War and Brooks are close by too, locked in a friendly competition to see who can do more push-ups. My idiot brother has continued his “tradition” of doing push-ups before home games with Sara on his back. If the guy can do that in his full game day goalie gear, I don’t know why the Canadian bothers trying to keep up.

“Did someone say Baby Hall?” War is off the ice and on his skates in one fluid motion.

I fold my arms across my chest and affect my coach voice, ensuring all the guys are paying attention. “This is the last time I’m going to say this. Her name is Millie. Next person to call her Baby Hall,” I say with an irritated growl, “will be doing suicides for a week.”

Daniel claps. “Yes, Coach. Thank you.”

I hold back my wince. The guy wouldn’t be thanking me if he knew what I did to his sister last night on my piano.

“And if any one of you goes near her…” he adds, holding out a gloved hand and moving it slowly, from one guy to another.

Camden nudges him in the arm. “Except for me, since you gave me the okay to ask her out.”

That sends my blood pressure skyrocketing. I grind my teeth to keep myself from doing anything rash, like knocking the kid out.

“As friends,” Daniel adds. “I told you it was okay to go to the movie as friends so she had someone to spend time with other than me.”

“We gonna actually practice hockey, or is this an episode of Sex and the City?” Brooks chimes in.

Aiden spins around. “Is that what you’re watching with Sara this week?” He skates up to Brooks. “I wanna watch. Can I come over?”

“No,” Brooks says quickly.

I chuckle despite the annoyance that has a stranglehold on me. “If you guys are done talking women and television, maybe we can play some hockey?”

“Right.” Aiden nods, affecting an expression that on anyone else would be jovial but is about as serious as he gets. “No one mention Peaches, and no Sex and the City marathon with Sara. Got it.” With that, he takes off for center ice.

My stomach bottoms out, and Brooks’s eyes are wide as he looks from our little brother to me.

“Who’s Peaches?” Daniel asks, frowning.

Fuck.

Aiden whips around, mouth dropped open and eyes filled with shock.

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