Page 31 of Going All In

“You looked like you forgot that you weren’t single for a minute,” Harty said.

“Seriously? You got that how? I hadn’t even responded before you jumped in.” It fucking grated on his nerves. “I get that Darcy is family and you want to protect her, but I know who I’m dating and who I want to be with, so cool it.”

“Fine,” Harty grumbled. “I just don’t want Darcy to get hurt.”

“I’m not going to hurt her,” Jake bit out.

“Okay, boys, let’s relax. What’s going on?” Cheesy asked.

“Harty’s protective of my girlfriend,” Jake replied.

“It’s fine, Cheesy. How about we go hang out with the kids?” Harty said.

“You two good?” their captain asked.

“Yep. Never better.” Harty replied, but Jake heard the tightness in his voice. He understood where Harty was coming from, but it didn’t make it sting any less.

“Look, I’m sorry, man, but you have a history. It’s no secret,” Harty said, a bit sheepishly.

“You really don’t need to throw it in my face. I told you I wasn’t going to hurt her, and I meant it, so let it go. We’re supposed to be here for the kids today,” Jake said harshly.

“Yeah. You’re right. I am sorry.”

“Some people change,” Jake said, then headed toward Westie and a few of the guys, hating that he was so frustrated by his friend’s accusations and how on the mark they were. Yeah, he had a history, but that didn’t matter because what he had with Darcy wasn’t a real relationship.

Not that he’d ever cheated on anyone since he’d never really dated anyone to begin with. It was safer when everyone knew the score up front.

***

An hour later,he’d pushed his frustration aside and focused on the kids. Sam, a little boy with a rare bone cancer, smiled up at Baz’s antics. The guy was telling Sam a story about how he’d misplaced his teeth a day before he had to go to the NHL Awards so he skipped wearing them. Jake remembered seeing Baz hamming it up on the red carpet—or blue carpet or whatever color it’d been that year—missing his front teeth and decked out in a three-piece suit.

The man was ridiculous. Everyone else always put their teeth in for events like that.

Sam’s little giggle wormed its way into the center of Jake’s chest. He hoped the kid would be laughing for years.

Sam yawned and his mother stepped forward, beaming at Baz. “Okay, Sam, I think it’s time for a nap.”

“I’m not tired,” the kid said between another yawn.

“Naps are important. I take one every day before a big game. All hockey players do,” Baz said.

“Fine. It was really nice meeting you guys,” Sam said. “Thanks for this.” He held up the bag of goodies that Jake and his teammates had made for all the kids on the floor, including an extra soft Strikers blanket, Strikers t-shirt, and a few Valentine-themed items.

The entire team had signed all of the shirts before they’d assembled the bags.

“You’re welcome. Now take that important nap and build up your strength. You got this,” Baz said.

Jake never knew what to say to these kids. He felt so fucking helpless, but he wouldn’t stop showing up to hear their laughs, their stories, and hopefully coax a smile or two out of them.

They met up with Cheesy, Harty, and Timmy in the next room and spent some time with Audrianna. She was heading home tomorrow and her excitement was palpable.

“You guys look so silly,” she said with a laugh, and Jake bobbed his head, making the bouncy hearts sway back and forth.

“I wear this every day. You don’t think it suits me?” he asked.

***

They spent thenext two hours making the rounds and greeting every kid they could.

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