Page 39 of Twin Babies for the Pucking Billionaires

That worked to get him off his ass and running to his bedroom to put on clothes.

We head out to the rink together. As we’re driving, my phone buzzes with a text. It’s Millie. She says she got my number from Lily and wants to know if Lily has any allergies.

I quickly text back, “Nope, she’s good.”

Millie replies with a simple, “Perfect.” I can’t help but smile. She’s so thoughtful. How is a girl like that single?

Practice is intense, as always. Coach is barking orders, making sure we’re ready for our first friendly match against theMinnesota Frostbites next week. We run drills, practice plays and work on our conditioning. It’s grueling, but it feels good to be back in the groove.

After practice, I check my phone and see a picture message from Millie. It’s Lily playing with Peanut and my heart melts a little. I heart the photo and save it as my screensaver.

“Let’s hit the ice bath before we head back,” Finn suggests, clapping me on the back.

“Good idea,” I say, following him to the locker room.

We settle into the ice baths, the cold water shocking our muscles. “So, you gonna tell me more about Millie?” Finn asks, smirking.

“She’s just helping out with Lily,” I say, trying to downplay it.

“Yeah, sure,” he laughs. “I saw the way you were smiling at her text.”

I roll my eyes. “Just shut up and enjoy the ice bath.”

Chapter Twelve

Millie

Lily and I are in the kitchen and I’ve just finished making a stack of crepes. “These are amazing!” she exclaims, devouring them like she hasn’t eaten in days. Peanut is bouncing around, hoping for some scraps.

“Want to play with Peanut for a bit?” I ask Lily and her eyes light up. “Yes, please!”

I let her play while I try to come up with some content ideas. My mind’s been a blank slate lately and it’s starting to stress me out. Around noon, I ask Lily, “Are you hungry?”

“Yes!” she says, jumping up.

“Wanna make some pizzas with me?” I suggest.

Lily’s eyes widen with excitement. “Yes!”

“All right, come here,” I say, helping her wash her hands. We gather the ingredients and start the process of making pizzafrom scratch. Flour is everywhere, sauce is smeared on little fingers and there is a lot of giggling.

“These look beautiful!” Lily exclaims, staring at the pizzas.

Her words hit me with an idea. I quickly grab my phone and snap a few photos of the pizzas with Peanut in the background. A short, funny piece forBake Your Blues Awayforms in my mind. Without overthinking it, I post it.

Minutes later, notifications start trickling in. I smile, turning the phone upside down and focusing on eating.

Lily’s inquisitive as always. “Do you know how to play hockey?”

“No,” I admit.

“My daddy can teach you,” she says confidently.

“Okay, I’ll tell him that.” I laugh.

“What sports do you play?” she asks.

“None, but I can do a cartwheel,” I say. “I’ll teach you after we eat.”

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