Page 34 of Defensive Zone

“No.” Connor gasped. “You’re the best skater.”

Max leaned over and ruffled the little boy’s hair. “Thanks, buddy.”

“Aunt Gabi, you’re coming tomorrow, too, right?” Amelia asked.

“Um. It’s for family,” she said.

“Please. You’re family,” Ava said as she fed Elise some baby oatmeal mixed with breast milk. She’d started Elise on it last week and the little girl made such a mess.

“I’m terrible on skates,” Gabi said.

“But we’ll all be there and it’s going to be so much fun,” Amelia said.

“I don’t skate,” Gabi said apprehensively.

“What do you mean, you don’t skate?” he asked.

“I don’t skate.”

“But you grew up in Montreal,” he said.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

He didn’t miss Ava’s quirked brow at the back and forth, but he kept going.

“It’s Canada. Canadians play hockey. We skate. We were born and bred on the ice,” he said, boasting.

She scoffed. “Are you for real right now? I didn’t spend my entire childhood in Canada.”

“Yeah, but you spent a lot of it. Do you hate the ice?”

“Really, Max,” Ava chimed in, reminding Max that he wasn’t alone with Gabi.

He probably should tone it down.

“I’m just not good at skating, okay?” She paused. “I have weak ankles and always roll them.”

“We can help you learn,” Connor piped in, breaking the tension.

“Yes, and it’s okay to fall. We all do,” Amelia repeated.

“It wouldn’t be much fun with me falling and hanging on everyone,” Gabi said.

Max felt the overwhelming need to have her there tomorrow. If anyone was going to teach her to skate and catch her when she fell, it was going to be him.

He’d be lying to himself if he thought he didn’t itch to have her in his arms again, even if it was just due to her clumsiness on the ice.

That wasn’t pathetic at all.

“You’ll be on the ice with a bunch of pros. Everyone is there to have fun and help each other out. I promise you’ll have a great time,” Max said, trying not to think murderous thoughts toward any of his teammates that tried to catch her tomorrow.

“I’ll think about it,” she grumbled, and he almost pumped his fist.

He loved winning. Especially when it came to Gabi.

“Everyone ready?” Max asked the following morning as they gathered in the kitchen. Breakfast was done, and they were all dressed to go skating. He was thrilled to take them to his arena, hang out with them on the ice, and have some fun.

“Yep,” Connor and Amelia chorused.

---