Page 32 of Knot Only His

Oliver’s certainly attractive. Dark hair, and hazel eyes that have a touch of gold shimmering in them. And the man is tatted up to his neck. Not that I know how much of his body is inked. It’s normally covered up with hockey armor.

As team captain, Oliver’s got that natural leadership quality that’s hard to ignore.

But then I remember my vow to avoid hockey players, especially alphas. I shake off the momentary connection and turn my attention back to the adorable little boy beside me.

“Well, Jagger,” I say, leaning in conspiratorially, “I think Oliver might have some competition. You seem pretty determined to me.”

“He’s called Olly.” Jagger puffs out his chest proudly. “And I practice every day! Uncle Parker says I’m getting really good at skating backwards.”

“Wow, that’s impressive!” I exclaim, genuinely charmed by his enthusiasm. “Skating backwards is tricky. I bet you’ll be zooming around on the ice in no time.”

“Yeah!” Jagger nods vigorously. “And I can almost do a hockey stop now. Wanna see?”

I glance at Coach Parker, silently asking permission. He gives a small nod, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

“I’d love to see it,” I tell Jagger. “But be careful, okay?”

“I’m always careful,” Jagger assures me with all the seriousness a small child can muster. He hops onto the ice, his little legs working hard as he skates a short distance away.

As I watch Jagger attempt his hockey stop, which is more of a wobbly slide than a true stop, but impressive for his age, I can’t help but smile. There’s something so pure about his joy and determination. It reminds me why I love this sport, despite my complicated history with it.

“He’s getting better every day,” Coach Parker says softly beside me, pride clear in his voice.

I turn to him, our eyes meeting, and for a moment, I think I recognize him as more than the hockey coach, but I accept it’s just thewarmth in Coach Parker’s gaze. But before I can say anything, Jagger comes sliding back towards us, his face split in a wide grin.

“Did you see? Did you see?” he asks excitedly.

I force myself to look away from Coach Parker, focusing on Jagger instead. “I sure did! That was amazing, Jagger. You’re going to be stopping on a dime before you know it.”

As Jagger chatters excitedly about his progress, I notice movement from the corner of my eye. Oliver is gliding towards us, his powerful strokes eating up the ice effortlessly.

He comes to a smooth stop at the boards, removing his helmet and running a hand through his sweat-dampened dark hair.

“Hey there, little man,” Oliver greets Jagger with a grin before turning his attention to me. “Harlow, right? Colton Sinclair’s ex. It's been a long time.” He holds out his sweaty palm.

I laugh. "A few months." Our eyes lock as I take it, and I feel an immediate spark of electricity. His intense gaze holds mine, and I find myself momentarily tongue-tied.

"You remember?"

“Y-yeah, I remember.” I finally manage, inwardly cursing my lack of manners. “Nice to meet you, Oliver.”

“And you.” He grins as he leans against the boards, his body angled towards me. “So, what brings you here today?”

Before I can answer, Coach Parker clears his throat. I glance at him, surprised to see a slight frown on his face.

“Bradley,” he says, his tone professional, but with an edge I can’t quite place. “Why don’t you take Jagger for a few laps? I need to go over some paperwork with Harlow.”

Oliver’s eyes flick between Coach Parker and me, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. “Sure thing, Coach,” he says, reaching out to ruffle Jagger’s hair. “Come on, buddy. Let’s show everyone how it’s done.”

As Oliver skates away with an eager Jagger in tow, Coach Parker turns to me. “So, let me check this travel itinerary.”

We spend five minutes going over the details, but I’m acutely aware of the time ticking away. Finally, I have to interrupt.

“I’m sorry, but I really need to leave. I have an appointment with my physio.”

Concern flashes across his face. “Is everything alright?”

I hesitate, then decide a brief explanation can’t hurt. “It’s just some ongoing treatment. I was in a car accident a while back, which left me with some lingering issues.”

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