Page 10 of Puck After Puck

ten

Anders

With a sigh, Iglance at Heidi, who is still holding that adorable baby in her arms, and I wonder what our child would look like. Would he have sable-brown hair like his mother? Or would he have dirty blond hair like me? Or dark hair like Riggs? Or maybe strawberry blond hair like Bodie? The possibilities are endless, but not our reality.

I catch Heidi's eye, and she gives me a huge smile. She picks up the baby's tiny little arm and waves it at us, and my heart almost stops. Is this what it would be like if Heidi was the mother of our children? At the age of thirty-six, I'd pretty much given up on finding the one to settle down with and spend my whole life with. But then Heidi popped into our lives, and that's all I can think of. She's all I can think of. Unfortunately, she's way too young for us, and it's not fair for her to continue with a relationship that isn't going anywhere.

It's time we man up and let her live her life and experience the world until she's ready to settle down with her special someone. I choke down the bile that's rising in my throat just thinking about her with someone else.

How did one woman come to mean so much to us so quickly that we would give up our own happiness for her to find the happiness she deserves?

I attempt to smile back, but it feels forced. She must realize we have something important to talk to her about. Her smile fades as she hands the baby back to its mother, whom I assume is its mother, before skating over to where the three of us stand on the ice.

"You guys look so serious. Is everything okay?"

"We, um, wanted to let you know that our time with you is over." I stumble over the words, hating each one as they fall from my lips.

"What Anders is trying to say is that it's been fun, but it's time we all moved on." Bodie jumps into the conversation, his voice holding a little enthusiasm at the words hurting our Baby Girl, something any good Daddy Dom would never do.

That's the catch: we aren't good, Daddy Doms. If we were, we would do everything in our power to make her happy and not break her heart like I can tell we are doing now by the devastation in her eyes.

"But we just…I mean, I thought this meant something to the three of you because it meant something to me." Her dark chocolate brown eyes fill with tears but I know I have to end any hope she is clinging to with my next words.

"It's over Heidi."

eleven

Heidi

"This is over? Isthat what you're telling me?" I hate that my voice cracks, making me sound as vulnerable as I feel.

"You're a sweet girl, but that's exactly what you are—a girl. We need a woman by our side." It wouldn't hurt as bad if Anders could actually look me in the eyes when he's lying to my face.

I don't understand what happened. One moment, we were in the referee's lounge having the most amazing moment, and the next, they were telling me they didn't want me anymore. It doesn't make sense unless I'm right; this was all a game to them from the beginning.

"It's just that we want different things. You're still young and have your whole life before you while we're set in our ways." Riggs says.

"It's for the best, Baby Girl," Bodie adds, and before I can yell at him and tell him he lost the right to call me his baby girl when they told me it was over, I hear someone call my name.

"Heidi!" I glance over to where Cassi is running down the hall, yelling my name, only to have Anders step in front of me like he's my personal bodyguard or something. But he doesn't get it. If they're dumping me, they have no control over who I talk to or go out with.

"Ms. Masterson, I didn't realize that was you." Anders backs down when he realizes it's just Cassi running toward me and not some crazy lady, even though she's acting pretty crazy right now.

"I need to go to the locker room and talk to my guys." Cassi stops in front of the four of us with a pleading look in her eyes I've never seen before, and I realize I was right. She is in love withDalton, Ace, and Maverick, three of the newest and youngest players on the team, as well as her latest clients.

"They're not in the locker room. They're already on the ice. Coach Davis is trying something new for pre-game warm-ups." I shrug. I wish I could do something to help her talk to her guys.

"But…"

An idea hits me, and I snap my fingers, "We wear the same shoe size."

"And…"

"Take my skates and skate out there to your men and tell them you love them." I can't help but look from Anders to Bodie, then to Riggs. Why are they being so stubborn?

"That's brilliant!" Cassi kicks off her shoes and slips on my discarded skate, just like the rest of me—discarded by the three men I thought cared about me.

I watch as Cassi laces up her borrowed skates. With the assistance of Anders, Riggs, and Bodie, she makes her way to the ice and out to claim her men. I turn away, unable to watch the happiness in their eyes as they see her.

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