Page 10 of Power Play

Red taints his cheeks, and Michael smiles. “I wanted to ask…is there a chance you can come to practice one day? To talk to the guys and maybe play with us?” He traces his index finger over the table, his ears reddening a little as he lowers his gaze. “Dad, Drake, and Roman already came to a few, so I thought…maybe you…”

“Michael.” I put my hand on his shoulder, and he meets my gaze. “Of course. I’d love to. We’ll see how many pucks you can send past me.”

A megawatt smile forms on his lips. “Thank you, Clay. You’re the best!”

I ask him about his team and what his favorite plays are. The way Michael talks about the game makes it clear to me that being on the ice brings him joy. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s a kid’s desire to play, or if it’s all about their parents’ egos and their missed opportunities. With how many times I saw fathers bring their sons to practice, hoping to fulfill their own dreams through their kids, I know it rarely ends well. So it makes me happy to see how Michael’s eyes are sparkling, how eager he is to tell me about all the goals he scored, how much determination he has to be better next season.

He is his father’s son for real.

The doorbell rings, and everything in me stills. My head snaps toward the door, and I stare at it in silence. It could easily be Roman, or maybe Xander and Bella with their kids, Isla and Ian. Why am I reacting like this?

Michael notices my bewildered look, and instead of asking me what’s wrong, he suggests we go meet the guests. This six-year-old is way more observant than I give him credit for.

“Let’s go see who’s there. Maybe it’s your best friend.” I follow him out of the room, glancing at him as we start descending the stairs. “Is Isla still your best friend?”

“Yeah, she’s really cool. Our moms are friends, so we spend a lot of time together.”

“Is she into sports too? I honestly don’t remember if I ever heard her talking about anything sports-related when it’s not about her dad.”

“Ice-skating.” Michael smiles. “She’s so fast, Clay. You need to see her on the ice. You’ll be surprised. A boy from my team lost a bet and was in charge of collecting pucks for a whole month.”

“What was the bet about?” I ask, trying to distract myself from the voices coming from downstairs.

“Cade said he was faster than Isla.” The smile on his face tells me everything I need to know.

“He wasn’t,” I state, and Michael nods. “Are you faster than her?”

Michael hides his hands in his pockets and lifts his shoulder in a shrug. “I don’t know. I don’t want to compete with her. She’s my friend.”

“And that, buddy, was the right answer.” I pat him on the back as we stop in the hallway.

My eyes instantly lock on Benson as he’s the only one who’s still standing by the door. The excited voices are coming from the living room. Drake stares at me warily, then his bearded face lights up with a broad smile. “Hey, Clay. I didn’t know you were here already.”

I walk up to him, and we hug briefly. “I came a little early. Wanted to spend some time with Michael. I needed to catch up with this little fella.”

“Hi, Drake.” Michael fist-bumps my friend. “I’ll go ask Mom if she needs me, or if I can stay in my room till Isla comes.” He smiles and then leaves us alone.

“How are you?” Drake asks. “How is Santa Clara treating you? Do you like it here?”

“I’m good. Moved, got settled in. Even met my neighbor today. It’s all working out. You? How was France?” I say, then hastily add, “Oh, and, man, congratulations on your engagement! I can’t fucking wait for your wedding.”

“Thanks.” Drake smiles brightly. “I’m also going to be a dad, so…”

“Look at you, Benson!” I haul him to me for a hug. “I’m so happy for you. Today is full of surprises, and I haven’t even had a single drink yet.”

“Wait till you see Roman. That dude has news that will blow Thompson’s mind. I almost lost mine.” He laughs, becoming serious in an instant. “Um, Clay?—”

“Drake?” A woman’s voice makes him pause, and we both turn our heads to the doorframe. “Oh, hey, Clay,” Angie greets me warmly. “It’s so nice to see you.”

“You too,” I say as she steps into the hallway and kisses me on the cheek. Her tiny baby bump is hard not to notice. “Congratulations on your big news. I was just telling your fiancé how happy I am for both of you.”

“Thank you, Clay.” Angie smiles, entwining her fingers with Drake’s. Her gaze dances between us, and she smirks. “Is it some rule on the team? Only guys with beards are allowed to join?”

Drake and I exchange a look. I can see why she made the assumption. Thompson, Benson, and I have beards, but it’s a coincidence.

“Nah, Cupcake, it’s not a requirement. Besides, haven’t you seen Roman? The guy is always clean-shaven.”

She shakes her head. “Whatever you say. Should we go in? Colton said he needs some help outside, and the girls are going to the kitchen. Ava still has some chicken in the oven.”

---