Page 48 of Shot Through the Heart

I hold up the toy that I couldn’t resist buying. “In this box, there’s an egg. And with the key, it will hatch a unicorn.”

“Can we open it now?” Harper gasps, sliding onto the ottoman and staring up at me with beautiful blue eyes. I know in this moment that there is no possible way I would ever say no to this girl.

“Absolutely.” I glance over my shoulder at a misty-eyed Stella. “As long as all the refrigerated things are put away so Mommy can watch it hatch too.”

“You need help, Mama?” Harper asks, turning to her mother. Stella pushes off the wall and comes to sit on the floor in front of me.

“Nope. Let’s see what this hatching unicorn is all about, baby girl.”

Once the toy is done going through its whole production filled with flashing lights, music, and a little smoke, Stella and I leave Harper to play with the new unicorn.

Stella stops beside the table, shaking her head as she looks at the bags still on it.

“There’s no convincing me that you didn’t buy out the whole store.”

I barely hold back my grin and shrug.

“Like I said, better safe than sorry.” I move to go around her, resting my hand on her hip as I pass. “I’ll go check on your patio furniture and then come help put the rest of this away.”

The wind is already picking up, making me glad that I had hauled the sandbags back before getting distracted by Harper’s goodies. I make quick work of weighing the furniture down and stack the extra bags in a barrier around the door in case water levels rise.

Tampa Bay hasn’t actually been hit directly by a hurricane in over a hundred years. Usually, the eye of the storm shifts hours before landfall, but with the trajectory of this one, it will still be close enough to do some water and wind damage.

Once I feel confident that her stuff isn’t going anywhere, I head back inside to give Stella a hand. We fall into a silent pattern of me unloading things on the counter while she puts everything where they belong.

When that’s done, I stand awkwardly in the middle of her kitchen.

“I’ll get out of your hair. If you need anything, tomorrow’s game got canceled so I can be here in fifteen minutes, weather pending, of course.”

“You could stay for dinner.” Stella bites her bottom lip and points her thumb toward the fridge. “I was gonna warm up that pizza and toss together a salad. I know it’s not the same as the date night you were expecting but?—”

“A night spent with both of you sounds perfect.”

“Thank you for carrying her up here,” Stella whispers, carefully closing Harper’s bedroom door behind her and motioning for me to follow her back downstairs. Once we’re in the living room, she speaks at a normal volume.

“And for going shopping so I didn’t have to.”

I shake my head. “You don’t have to thank me for showing up for you and Harper.”

“Yeah, actually, I do.” She smiles, but it lacks any happiness. Dropping to the couch, she keeps her attention on me. “I’ve gone so long with being in charge of making sure we have everything we need. I know you want to be a part of Harper’s life and that you want to help us. But I’m not going to take your presence for granted, and I sure as hell will make sure you know I’m grateful every time you do show up.”

Sitting down beside her, I take her hand carefully and hold her gaze. “I don’t just want to be a part of Harper’s life. Yes, I’m going to jump at every opportunity you present me with to be here for her, but she’s not the only reason I’m here, Stella. I’m here for you.”

“I know. You said that last time.” She ducks her head and fidgets with her fingers. “But, Greyson, I need you to think about this. You have a busy schedule with hockey alone. Add on making sure you get time with Harper? I don’t expect you to make me a priority on top of?—”

“Fuck that,” I interrupt. Gently, I pinch her chin between my finger and thumb, forcing her to look at me. “Yes, hockey season is busy. It leaves very little free time, and it can be brutal. But the time I’m not on the ice? You can bet your perfect ass that I want to spend every free second with you just as much as I want to spend it getting to know my daughter. I love hockey. I’m damn good at it. However, you are my priority.”

Her eyes drop to my lips, and I have to stifle a groan.

“Baby, if you keep looking at me like that, I’m gonna kiss you again.” My voice is low and gravelly, but all I can focus on is remembering what it felt like for her lips to be pressed against mine. “You said I lost that right, though, and I want you damn sure that I earned it back before I do.”

Stella bites her bottom lip, peering up at me through hooded lids.

“That was before we knew the whole truth,” she whispers.

“True.” I lean in and kiss the corner of her mouth. “But if you let me kiss you now, knowing everything we both do, I might never stop.”

She pulls back slightly, and my hand finally drops from her chin. Stella watches me for a moment, searching for something in my expression, and I sit still. Let her see every emotion I’m feeling right now.

---