Page 18 of Forever Player

“You’re a hockey player. You’ll eventually have to go back on the road,” Jacob states as he builds himself a meat sandwich. It’s only 7:00 a.m.

“I’m here the next two weeks. Just because I’ll have to get back to work does not mean I will be leaving them. Plenty of players on my team have families. Willow and I will work something out.”

“Sounds good to me, Noble,” Jacob says. Lev is preparing a sandwich beside him. “Maylee’s got some toys in that big chest there in the other room. Should be able to occupy her for a bit.”

I nod to the guys and walk over to the chest. There’s a floor gym inside so I lay it out on the ground and place Maylee on top of it. She’s clearly happy with my choice because she kicks out her legs while gnawing on her fingers and smiling. I just sit and watch her. My life has done a one-eighty in the past twenty-four hours, but as I look at my daughter with her head of dark hair and blue eyes the same shade as mine, I’m a goner. I may never have wanted to settle down, but Maylee is my game changer. I want to give her the best of everything and that means a family with parents who love her.

My phone buzzes with more texts from Maddie and then Henry, my brother, also starts to text.

I know they aren’t going to let up, so I get them both on a FaceTime call. Maddie shrieks when she sees me.

“Brett, I told you something was up over Christmas. My gut is never wrong,” Those are her first words.

“But your gut didn’t say that Brett was a father,” Henry replies.

“Do you both want to meet my daughter?” I ask my siblings. Funny how my heart turns warm when I say the word “daughter.”

“Show me, show me,” Maddie gushes excitedly.

I turn the phone on Maylee, “Maylee, meet your crazy aunt, Maddie, and your uncle, Henry.”

Maylee kicks out her feet and Maddie gushes over her while Henry tells me I did good.

When they start to ask about how I didn’t know of her existence, I cut them off. Those are not words I want her to hear. Instead, I tell my siblings that it’s a story for another day.

When Maylee’s face turns red, I’m pretty sure I know what is happening.

“Okay, I gotta go change her diaper,” I announce.

“Gotta say, Brett, those are words I never thought I’d hear you say about your own child,” Henry chuckles.

“He changed Asher’s diapers all the time,” Maddie retorts.

“Because I felt bad you didn’t have someone helping you,” I clarify. “Not like I enjoyed cleaning shit.”

Maddie and Henry fall into a fit of laughter.

“’Kay, don’t want to leave my little princess in a situation,” I inform them.

“Who are you and what have you done with my brother?” Henry jokes.

I can’t even be angry or give him a good comeback. I am just too smitten with my daughter right now.

“Bye, gotta go.”

I end the call as I watch Maddie protesting. That should hold them over for a while. I’ll have to call Mom and Will her longtime partner later too.

I pick up my little munchkin off the floor and walk her over to the couch. Willow has a bunch of diapers, wipes, and bum cream set up on a coffee table right next to where I’m seated. Maylee is a happy baby and she grins at me, still kicking her feet and chewing on her fingers. I unzip her little sleeper. I already know there’s going to be a situation from the smell and I gag a little.

“For a little bundle of cuteness, I think you made a big stink,” I ramble to her.

“Same could be said about you,” Willow’s mom’s voice startles me. I whip my head to see her standing in her robe with her hair sticking up.

“I didn’t make a big stink. I made a bundle of cuteness,” I correct her.

“For a burly looking guy, you sure are a softie.” She laughs.

“I’m not really a softie. Maylee’s just gotten under my skin,” I confess.

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