Page 5 of Icy Pucking Play

Always cheerful. Always efficient. Always somehow managing to anticipate what everyone needed before they asked.

The players loved her. The coaching staff adored her. Even I had to admit she made my job easier, always having stats and schedules ready, never getting flustered by my grumpier moods.

And okay, maybe I noticed other things too.

Like how her face lit up when she talked about hockey. Or how she'd sing under her breath when she thought no one was listening. Or the way she looked when she wore her large assortment of Blades hoodies with those tight jeans…

Nope. Not going there. I’m old enough to be her father. Well, not really, but she’s definitely too young for me.

My phone buzzes again. This time it's Ryland.

Ryland:Hey old man. Got news. You free?

Me:Practice at 7. Call me on the drive?

Ryland:Will do. And try not to scare any interns today.

"Very funny," I mutter, pocketing my phone just as Natalia thunders back downstairs.

"Ta-da! I’m ready!" she announces, her backpack slung over one shoulder. "And I triple-checked for my math homework."

"That's my girl." I ruffle her hair, earning an indignant squawk. "Let's get the rest of your stuff before Aunt Julia…"

The doorbell rings.

"…gets here."

Julia had dropped her car off at the garage this morning and grabbed a ride over to my place so she could drive in to work with me. She works in marketing part-time for the Blades and picks up Natalia in the afternoon while I’m in practice.

Swinging a curtain of auburn hair over her shoulder, Julia breezes in like she owns the place, which, given how often she's here, she might as well. "Morning, favorite niece!"

"I'm your only niece," Natalia points out, but runs to hug her anyway.

"Morning, favorite brother!"

"I'm your only brother," I deadpan, but accept the coffee she thrusts at me. "What's this for?"

"Can't a sister bring her overworked sibling a bit of caffeine?" At my raised eyebrow, she relents. "Fine. I wanted to hear about yesterday's bathroom incident in person…with all the gory details." She begins giggling out of control.

"Not happening." I grab Natalia's hockey bag. "And not in front of the kid."

"Please," Natalia rolls her eyes with all the attitude a nine-year-old can muster, "I already know all the details. Sophie walked in on you peeing and then fell down."

Julia snorts into her coffee. I close my eyes and count to ten.

"Car. Now. Both of you."

They file out, giggling together like the traitors they are. I follow, locking up behind us and trying to figure out when exactly I lost control of my life.

Probably around the time Chelsea decided sleeping with my teammate was more important than our marriage. Or maybe when I became a single dad at thirty. Or possibly yesterday,when Sophie Bennett crashed back into my carefully ordered world with all the grace of a drunken giraffe.

My phone rings just as I'm closing Natalia's door. It’s Ryland.

"Hey, kid. What's going on?"

"So, you know how prospect camp starts next week?"

"Considering I've been helping you train for it nonstop? Yeah, I'm aware."

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