Page 111 of My Pucking Crush

My father doesn’t understand, even if I don’t need Luca to protect me, I won’t send him away. I...want him. Near me. On me.

“How’s...” Mom clears her throat. “The team?”

“The hockey team that I play for? The team that’s been winning playoff games?” My anger is showing through, and I have to calm down. I’m paying these people off to keep them quiet.

Mom gives me a rare smile. “You clenched your division?”

Luca snickers.

“Clinched,” I correct her, calming down. “Yes.”

“That’s great.” Mom attempts to touch me, but I back away. “Coach Avalon was so proud of you.”

So proud of the lie of a man I’ve been all these years. “I’m going to the afternoon service.” I turn to leave, bumping into Luca.

His face is flushed, the snarl of his lips suggesting he’s thoroughly appalled. Here I am thinking about being a family with him and look at what I’d be subjecting him to.

At the door, I swing around. “Do you need anything else? Past the allowance I send?” I wired the bond money and Jimmy never called, so he isn’t getting money for a lawyer.

So much forrah rah rahhometown spirit for a coach. My lowlife brother isn’t around.

Mom and Dad trade glances and Mom, to her credit, tilts her head to Dad to speak, not taking the fall for whatever the hell they’ll ask for now.

“Car’s on its last leg,” Dad mutters.

It’s like they don’t even try to pay for large expenses. Just assume I’ll pick up the tab for everything. Last year the house needed a new roof.

“Pick a new one out and tell me the name of the dealer.” I slide on my shades and leave.

I stomp to the car, but stop midway for Luca to catch up to me. Walking side by side feels so much better.

“You could cut the tension in there with a hunting knife,” Luca says, letting go of his breath like he’d been holding it all that time.

“Mighty appealing being with me, right?” I pull out my phone, but it falls out of my hands.

Luca picks it up and gives it to me, our fingers tangling. Every fiber screams to pull away. Keep hiding, especially here, but I can’t. I need his touch. It calms me.

“I don’t care about that.” His sexy, gravelly voice is warm honey over my raw nerves.

My neck heats and I want to kiss the mouth that says such amazing things to me. But my mother is at the door watching us. I really want to kiss him in front of her. In front of the neighbors. Everyone who whispered about me and Jake, wondering if it were true.

“Get in the car,” I growl seductively to Luca.

“Yes, sir,” he says with a smirk.

SIXTY

Luca

Ifind the funeral home on my GPS and we drive there in silence. Shuddering at the crowd, I feel like a jerk for not asking Bronwin to send other agents to back me up.

“Max,” I hiss. “This...”

“I have to dothis. Coach meant the world to me. Everyone here knows I made it and that he had a lot to do with my success. I have to show my face.”

“Got it.” I park in a strip mall lot across the street when I see the lot out front of the funeral parlor is full. The line to get in wraps around the building and down a side road. “Stay here.” I push my way out of the car before he can stop me.

He won’t like what I’m about to do. But I havea jobto do.

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