Page 70 of Going All In

All he could do was shake his head and quickly get dressed.

“Coffee?” she asked, adding water to his Keurig. “You really need a better coffee maker.”

“Why would I do that when I could go across town to have coffee at my girlfriend’s coffee shop?” He swatted her on the ass as he passed by.

She ignored him and opened a few cabinets before finding his coffee mugs. “So, what are my breakfast options?”

“Standard fare. I can offer eggs, bacon, and toast with homemade orange and lemon marmalade that my grandmother’s friend makes.”

“Do they mail you care packages?” she asked, placing her mug under the machine and turning it on.

“Maybe.”

He grabbed everything he needed and started cracking and whisking the eggs.

“You haven’t talked about your family that much. I don’t want to pry or anything. It’s probably none of my business.”

“No. It’s fine. I’ve spent time with your family. Ask me anything you want, and maybe I’ll answer.”

“How generous,” she said, rolling her eyes. She moved around the kitchen island and slid onto one of the stools as he poured the eggs into the frying pan.

“Tell me about your mom. It’s just your mom and grandmother, right? You’ve never really mentioned your dad.”

He really didn’t like talking about the man who had never been around, but Jake always wondered how similar he was to his playboy father. Gabriel Vance wasn’t the settling down type, as he’d told Jake after Jake had signed his first big NHL contract and the man wanted to gloat about his hockey star son.

“Yeah. My dad bailed before I was born. Claimed he wasn’t father material. So it was just my mom and my grandma.” He paused. “He tried to weasel his way into my life after I signed my first NHL contract, but I told him it was too late.”

“Oh, Jake. I’m so sorry about that. He’s missing out on a lot. You deserve better than that,” she said, gripping his hand.

Fuck. That felt better than it should. He never talked about his dad—the sperm donor—with anyone, but it was easy with Darcy. Though he didn’t tell her that initially he hadn’t told his father it was too late. He’d been a nineteen-year-old kid, and he wanted that father figure his teammates had. The man who would show up on father-son weekend away trips with the team and support him in the stands.

He’d quickly learned that the only thing his father wanted was the notoriety of being the father of a famous athlete and free hockey tickets, not an actual relationship with his son.

“You know, the man actually had the balls to contact me after everything that happened in New York. Said I was a chip off the old block.”

Darcy gasped. Fuck. He hadn’t told anyone that.

“What a jackass. I can’t believe he would say that to you. And to even try to reach out after all of those years. You were right to tell him to take a flying leap. Hell, I want to tell him that right now. Maybe punch him right in the nose.”

His gut tightened at her tirade and he chuckled softly. “Okay, tiger. Calm down.” He tugged her into his arms, needing her pressed against his chest. That she would react that way meant a lot.

Because part of him thought he was like his father. His track record definitely wasn’t any better than his father’s, aside from not having any kids floating around that he didn’t know about.

“Sorry. It just pissed me off.”

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Yeah, I’m getting that. And as much as I’d love to see you punch him in the nose, it’s probably best to just forget about him. I have.”

“You just let me know if he calls you again,” she said with a huff.

“Will do.” Then he tilted her head back and kissed her, needing it more than breathing after that revelation.

The kiss didn’t last nearly long enough before she pulled back. “I think something’s burning.”

“Is it your need for me?”

She laughed and shoved his chest. “No. Idiot. Like actually burning.”

He turned toward the stove. “Shit. The eggs.” He quickly cleaned up the mess and started again. “You are a distraction.”

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