Page 72 of Rowdy Hearts

But there were always unknowns with the new guys. Nineteen-year-old Wellar had earned a reputation as a hothead in one of the toughest junior leagues in Canada. Brock Mingo had beena second-round draft pick by the Philadelphia Colonials eight years ago but had never managed to make it to the NHL because of a plague of injuries. The guy was a walking accident waiting to happen, but he could stick handle like a seasoned pro.

And Denny Hollowell had been a high-ranking junior player in the American system, a shoe-in for a top draft spot, until he’d been one of the victims of the worst hazing incident in modern hockey. Not many people knew the whole story, and Denny wasn’t talking. At least, not to me or my dad or any of the other guys. And I had to respect that. But damn, it’s been hard not to want to find out who had hurt this absolute puppy dog of a kid and beat them to a pulp.

Yeah, I was aware of the contradictions in that scenario, but it didn’t make me any less willing to do violence to anyone who’d put that haunted look in that kid’s eyes.

Anyone who knew me knew that if you needed a wingman, I’d be there. If you needed a helping hand, I’d give you one. And if you deliberately hurt someone I considered mine, well, prepare to face my wrath.

“Man, we were too old for this about five years ago,” I finally responded to Brian’s comment after making sure there was nothing going on.

“I really think this is the last year for me.”

Shaking his head, his too-long hair brushing his shoulders, Brian looked out over the crowd like he was looking for someone. I had a feeling I knew who, which was proven true when his gaze stopped moving. Following his stare, I saw Rain and Tressy emerge from the hallway to the restrooms.

“You know you could just ask her out.” I leaned a little closer to Brian, so no little ears would hear. “I promise I won’t cut your balls off for touching her.”

Brian went rigid beside me. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He paused. “And if I wanted to ask her out, I would.”

Which was bullshit, because Brian?—

Tressy’s eyes met mine again, and she stared at me like she was seeing me for the first time, taking my measure. When her lips curved in a smile, my heart started to pound, and I grinned like a lunatic.

Beside me, Brian shook his head. “You’re toast, man.”

Yep, I knew that.

“Can I have some more pancakes?”

Krista’s voice drew my attention away from her mom. “Okay, if you’re sure it won’t make you sick. You must’ve had twenty already.”

Krista giggled, the sound hitting me right in the feels. “I haven’t had twenty. I only had ten. And they’re so little. May I please? And can I have whipped cream?”

I had no defense against Krista’s pleading. She was just too adorable. Those big dark eyes and dusky skin and the pug nose with those freckles. And it wasn’t because I saw Tressy in Krista’s features. As a matter of fact, I saw nothing of Tressy in Krista’s features. She must really take after her dad.

Was he was still in the picture? Neither Krista nor Tressy had mentioned him, and I knew Tressy wouldn’t be the kind of woman to screw around on a boyfriend or husband. I just knew.

“Exactly how much sugar have you fed my child already?”

The smile in Tressy’s voice made all the hair on my body stand on end. I turned to find her grinning at me. With her hair loose and shiny, and those blue eyes gleaming, I wanted to kiss her from head to toe and everywhere in between, and it was probably a good thing she couldn’t read my mind. Although the heat in her eyes made me feel like I’d been scorched.

“Obviously not enough to turn her into a sugar monster because she hasn’t started to scream yet.”

“Krista, can you come over to my house this afternoon to play? My mom said it’s okay.”

The little girl who’d run up to Krista’s side and grabbed her hand was one of the Angels’ daughters. Mandy was a carbon copyof her mom, from her head to her toes, but I still saw a little of her dad there, too, in the shape of her mouth and the way she smiled. Her dad, Derek, worked as a local firefighter and ran his own handyman business. He was on the payroll at the arena.

“Mommy, can I?”

Tressy looked at me, as if I had a say in the decision. Then I realized she was asking my opinion.

“Hey, Mandy, why don’t you ask your mom to come over and talk to Krista’s mom?”

“Okay.”

And off she ran back to her mom, Daisy, who’d been talking to Rebel and a few of the other players. Daisy smiled, waved and said something to Rebel, then took Mandy’s hand and walked back to us.

“Hey, I don’t know if you remember me from Thursday night, but I’m Daisy. You met Mandy already. She said she’d like to have Krista spend the day with us, and I’m totally fine with that if you are. My husband’s a firefighter, so he knows CPR, and Mandy’s gluten-free so we’re used to food intolerance. Mandy’s been begging to have friends over for weeks but with school and sports stuff with our older kids, we just haven’t had time. But today would be perfect. If it’s okay with you. Rowdy’ll vouch for us, won’tcha, Sheriff?”

Daisy and Derek were two of my best friends from high school. “How come you never invite me over for playdates anymore?”

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