Page 51 of Stick Move

“You good?”

“Yes,” I say and hope he’s right, that we’ve all moved on from our younger years. On the sidewalk, I take Camryn’s hand as she tries to dart to the lights. When the walk signal appears, she practically drags me across the street, Noah lagging behind us and snickering as I struggle to keep up with his feisty daughter.

“I see Becky. Becky, Becky,” she calls out and many heads turn our way. “Oh, and there’s Olivia.”

We reach the park, and Noah says, “You can let her hand go. She’s good to run from here.” I do as he says and off she goes. That’s when I spot Julie and Gemma chatting near the swings as we close the distance. They watch me carefully as we approach and I can’t help but feel like a bug under a microscope.

“Julie, Gemma,” Noah begins. “You both remember Brighton.”

“Of course, we do,” Gemma says with a smile that quickly turns into a frown. “I’m sorry to hear about the resort.”

“Thank you. But thanks to Noah, it’s going to stay open and running.”

Julie’s lips quirk. “The rumors are true then.”

Noah nods. “Yes, the rumors are true. I bought the place.”

“Uh huh,” Julie mumbles almost under her breath, her quirked lips morphing into a smirk.

“Brighton is Camryn’s new nanny,” he announces.

“Oh, you went with nanny.” Julie’s head bobs in thought. “That’s interesting.”

I have no idea what she means by you went with nanny, but I do know why that’s interesting to her. I’m a failure, unable to keep the resort running on my own, and she’s probably wondering why Noah would want such a failure around his child. Does she think he had ulterior motives like I used to—buying the place to get revenge on me?

“She’s great with kids.” Noah’s back stiffens as he defends me. “She’ll be watching Camryn for this upcoming NHL season,” he adds, which is not so nice, because it’s a reminder that when the season is over, we’re over and I could very well be out on my ass.

Julie hikes her bag over her shoulder. “Well, isn’t that wonderful.”

Camryn calls out to her father as she climbs the monkey bars. He glances at her, smiles and waves. When he looks back at Julie, he says, “I thought you guys might all hit it off, and then you can talk about those play dates you wanted to arrange.”

“Oh yes. Play dates.” Julie aims a sweet smile Noah’s way before zeroing back in on me. Her smile widens. “We’re going to be great friends.”

She puts her arm through mine, and as she leads me to the bench, my stomach sinks with the awful feeling that she might know something I don’t, and what she knows, I’m not going to like.

15

NOAH

Where the hell did the summer go?

Oh, I remember now. Swimming in the ocean and the pools at the resort. Cooking family-style dinners for three and eating on the deck in the bright sunshine. Skating at the rink, having my teammates and their families over for a housewarming party and barbecue—Brighton and the wives really hit it off, and Camryn loves hanging out with the kids—playing tennis on the courts, reading bedtime stories to Camryn and falling into bed every night with a woman I call sunshine, because she brightens up my life in a way no other woman ever has.

With Bean in the back seat, I adjust my rearview mirror to see her. “Are you excited for school tomorrow?” I ask.

She gives a fast nod. “I am, Daddy.”

How did my little girl get old enough to go to school? Honestly, time is flying by too fast and I just want to slow it down for a second. Soon enough, the NHL season will be here and over, and life as we’ve known it for the last little while will be a thing of the past, because Brighton has a life to get back to. I’m just glad she’s going to stay in Camryn’s life.

Would she want to stay in mine, too?

I glance at her, and she’s smiling as she scrolls through her phone. As if sensing me looking, she lifts her head and her smile widens. “What?” I ask as mischief dances in her eyes.

She angles her phone and I glance at a litter of puppies. “Aren’t they cute?”

“Brighton,” I begin in a low warning tone.

“I know. I know. But I think with all the changes in Camryn’s life, with you going away next week, and her not being cared for by her grandmother anymore, a puppy might be a nice distraction.”

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