Page 43 of The Sweet Spot

“Nah, man. Max and I are good. You’ll like working with him. He’s a great GM. But as someone who’s played the game, I didn’t want to go to the GM. I wanted to go to the coach. I know I was a damn good player. But I’ve never coached. I’ll be low man on the totem pole. I don’t want your job. But I want a job. I don’t like not being part of the team. And it’s your team now.”

“Good answer. I can respect that.”

Jace’s grin grows. “Well, I’ll let you get back to it. I promised my wife, Indy, I wouldn’t be long. She and my daughter, Saylor, made the cookies. The boys wanted to come and meet you too. They weren’t thrilled when I said not this time.”

“Oh yeah? Little hockey players?” I ask, my curiosity piqued.

“Cohen isn’t so little anymore. He turned seventeen last month, and fuck if he’s not giving me a run for my money. He was pushing for the draft last year, and his mother and I want him to go to college. Max is loving my pain because he and I had the same fight at his age.” He laughs with a shrug. “Saylor’s twelve, and the twins are nine. How old’s your daughter, Deacon?”

“Same age as your twins. She just turned nine. Looks like she’s actually going to be moving in with me soon,” I tell him, thinking maybe she could make a few friends. Maybe that will help her with the transition.

“We’ll have to do a BBQ. A welcome to the neighborhood. Prepare for the shit show party,” he tells me as he moves around the kitchen and throws out his beer. “I’m sure Indy will be all over it. She loves parties. Any reason to throw one makes her happy.”

My doorbell rings, and we both look up.

Fuck. I doubt Brynlee wants her uncle to know she’s here.

Not yet.

“Well, I took up enough of your time. We’ll talk soon.” He shakes my hand.

“Yeah. Sounds good. Thanks for stopping by.”

I wait until Jace lets himself out the back door before moving to the front door and letting Brynlee in. “Hey, beautiful.”

She blushes sweetly and walks through the door, then drops her purse on the floor, and we both move.

BRYNLEE

Book the trip. Kiss the boy. Eat the chocolate. Dance in the rain. Make the memories. Stop being scared. Before you know it, your life will be over. You don’t want to be filled with nothing but regrets.

—Brynlee’s Secret Thoughts

I’m lifted in his arms, and my breath catches while my mind whirls.

Lord, I missed this man. This connection.

It’s wild. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever felt before.

The kiss is hot and heavy and somehow safe in a way I wasn’t expecting.

Who am I kidding? I wasn’t expecting any of this, but I’m desperate for more.

I’d say it’s as easy as breathing, but this man takes my breath away.

And when I’m slowly lowered back down on suddenly unsteady feet, I cling to Deacon’s waist for balance and rest my forehead against his chest. “Hi,” I whisper.

“Hi,” he answers with lips pressed against the top of my head. “You just missed your uncle.”

“Max?” I wonder aloud, without letting go of my hold just yet.

“No. Jace.”

“What?” My head pops up and nails Deacon in the chin.

Shit.

“Sorry.” I press a kiss to his chin as my cheeks heat with embarrassment, then grab my bag from the floor.

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