Page 9 of Stick Play

“When do you get a break?” he asks.

“I started taking weekends off a bit ago. I do have to cover when we’re short-staffed like now, but I’m sure Brighton and Noah will take Zoe overnight when they get back from the Caribbean, likely more than once. Speaking of the Caribbean.” I stop at the door. “Why didn’t you go?” I turn to face him.

He gives an easy roll of his shoulder. “Not a fan of the heat,” he responds.

My mind suddenly goes back to last summer. Hell, who am I kidding. My mind is always on last summer. “Yeah, I remember you having to take your shirt off when you were helping me in the kitchen.” Warmth centers between my legs at the memory. “My place was stifling.”

“Yeah.” I wait for him to say more. He doesn’t, he just stands there looking at me with his intense blue eyes. I turn from him, and push open the door. The noise of three kids playing some board game that clicks and clacks reaches our ears and Ash stiffens, his eyes going wide like he’s about to encounter the monster under the bed. I cover my mouth to stifle a laugh. It’s insanely funny that this big defenseman is afraid of my little girl.

I put my hand on his shoulder. “They don’t bite.” When he doesn’t look convinced, I joke, “Not that hard, anyway.”

He swallows. “I don’t know much about kids.”

I step into my upstairs hallway, and close the door behind Ash when he joins me. Zoe bursts out laughing and comes running to me when she sees me. “Mom, I popped a six,” she screams. “Six is what you need to play.”

“Indoor voice, sweetie.” I glance around the corner to see my babysitter Margot watching the kids from her favorite wingback chair. Zoe loves the old-fashioned games Margot brings over and it helps limit her screen time.

“Ash, come on.” She reaches for him and when his big mitt tightens around her tiny little hand, my ovaries nearly burst. God, that has to be the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. As I watch them, my heart hurts. I know her own father wants nothing to do with her, and while she’s resilient, smart and easygoing, I have no doubt that she could use a little more male influence in her life. Am I doing her wrong by not trying to find her a father?

Ash takes a couple of steps. “I uh, don’t know how to play.”

“I’ll teach you. Come play and see if you can get a six.”

Once again, that horrified look crosses his face as Zoe, completely oblivious that he’s terrified of her, drags him into the living room. Margo, who is always willing to help me out in the winter when I can’t hire a summer student, pushes to her feet and smiles at Ash.

“My granddaughter is a big fan,” she tells him. “When she called today, I told her you were helping out in the café.” Margot glances at me when I arch a curious brow. “I saw him out front shoveling.” I nod and she looks back at Ash. “If it’s not too much trouble, would you mind signing something for her? I’m sure she’d love for you to sign her jersey with your lucky number seven on it.”

“Wow, she really is a big fan,” I mumble.

“You’ll be around at some point this weekend?” she asks.

His gaze goes to me, like he’s checking in, and I give a nod, letting him know it’s okay. “Yeah, I’ll probably be around.” Zoe drags him down to the floor, and he casts a fast glance my way as he sits cross-legged beside her.

“Great, I’ll send her over next time I see your vehicle out front.”

“Is it okay with you, Gina?”

I do love how he always seems to check in with me. Just like he did when we were having sex. Okay, mind off sex. Now is not the time for my cheeks to go red. “Of course.” I pull Margot’s coat from the hanger and help her into it, and something strange tightens in my stomach when I think about her granddaughter’s crush.

“I didn’t know Pippa was a fan.” I’ve met Pippa a few times. Like me, she was raised by her grandparents. She’s a sophomore at Boston College, and mostly keeps to herself. I wouldn’t have taken her for a hockey fan.

“Not Pippa, Callie.”

“Oh, right.” I’ve heard her talk about Callie before. She lives in California and is a senior at Berkley.

“She’s on spring break and is coming tonight to stay the week. She loves Ash.” Margot chuckles and gives me a wink. “But who doesn’t?”

Yeah, who doesn’t? All the more reason, not to get into anything more than a friends with benefits relationship with him. Then again, I’m not even sure he’s going to agree to that. Although he does seem to want to help me out with different things. I’m sure it’s because our mutual friends put him up to it. As a jack of all trades, he’s the guy they all call when they need something fixed, and he’s always there for them. That’s admirable.

“I told her you knew him and a bunch of the Bucks. She was hoping to meet him.” She leans in. “I think they’d make a cute couple and maybe he could show her around Boston this weekend. She doesn’t have friends here, and I hate to see her all alone.” She stops abruptly and hikes her purse over her shoulder. “Unless of course, you two…”

“No,” I blurt out quickly. “Friends. If even that,” I add in with a snort that seems to intrigue Margot. Her brow lifts like she knows something I don’t, and I straighten myself out. “Friend through friends type thing, you know.”

She cocks her head, a gleam in her eyes. “Yes, I think I do know.”

“Same time tomorrow?” I ask, changing the subject.

Her eyes go wide, and she puts her hand on her forehead. “Oh dear. Did I not tell you?”

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