Page 190 of Pucking Sweet

“You’re just the sweetest thing,” I coo at her. “Yes, you are. Yes, you are.” Ducking down, I give her a few kisses. She flicks her fluffy tail in my face and my heart literally bursts. This cat is now my child. I’m convinced.

“Uhh...Pop?”

Realizing I have my hands on Ryan’s arms and my face nuzzled into his chest, I stiffen. Slowly, I right myself, flashing him a smile. I’m a working professional, and yes, I’m going to pieces over a cat. Let me live. “Are we ready then, gentlemen?” I glance from Ryan to Mars, who is still in his full hockey kit, sweaty hair tied up in a messy bun. Honestly, the aesthetic works. “You got the card?”

“Got it,” he says, holding it up.

I just can’t help myself. I have to know. It’s a fate thing. The dice are rolling, and the lives of one cat and one pregnant woman now hang in the balance. “What’s the kitten’s name?”

Mars glances down at the card and frowns, shooting a glare over at Ryan. “Miss Princess.”

Be still my freaking heart. I turn back to Ryan, desperate to pet her again. The mother-child bond is nearly complete. “Oh, it’s perfect,” I squeal. “She issucha little princess.”

I can feel Lukas and Colton watching me. The pressure of their eyes is enough to have me ready to melt onto this ice. But I can’t focus on them right now. This is my job. We’re at work. I can’t run to Lukas and shake his shoulders, begging him to tell me all the deep dark secrets of his heart. I can’t crash through these cameras and announce to the world that I’m pregnant and in love with two men.

What Icando is run this commercial shoot…and hopefully adopt this kitten.

70

In all the chaos of the pet adoption, Poppy found a way to slip my damn net. I blame the forwards. They finished their practice and came over to our rink, and then it was a free-for-all. Sully, Karlsson, and Jonesy all wanted to pet the animals and pose with them too.

Poppy was a swirl of lavender, getting us all in front of the camera, trading out dogs for cats. There was even a rabbit that Sully decided to adopt for his kids. At one point, the bulldog got loose and went slipping across the ice. Then the Humane Society rep tried to take a snake out of a box, and that pretty much ended things. Mars was the only one brave enough to hold it for the camera.

Cole had to duck out for a PT checkup, so I’m left alone to find Poppy. I walk down the wall of the rink, searching for any sign of her lavender pantsuit. I pass the equipment room where they keep the Zamboni and some ice shovels and sweepers. That’s when I hear a soft little sound that has me turning. There in the corner, Poppy is sitting on an overturned bucket, phone in hand, crying.

Rage fills my chest as my first thought is vengeance. Who made my Poppy cry? I look all around, searching for the culprit as I stalk into the room. “What happened?”

She looks up at me, blurry tears in her eyes. “I was denied.”

I drop down on one knee, my hand brushing her arm. She stiffens, and it breaks my fucking heart. I did this. I made my girl wanna pull away from me. Swallowing my frustration, I say, “What are you talking about?”

“My application,” she says, her voice all soft and weepy.

Wait, she’s sending out job applications? Is she leaving? Did Cole fucking know and not tell me? Oh god, did she get fired? If she got fired because of us, I’m gonna march straight up to Mark’s office and—

Calm down. Ask first.

“Poppy, did you get fired?”

She blinks up at me, eyes wide with confusion. “What? God—no,” she cries. “I’m talking about my pet adoption application.”

“You’re trying to adopt one of the animals?”

She nods, sniffing back her tears.

“Which one?”

“Miss Princess,” she replies, her bottom lip trembling.

I try to think back. “The cat?”

Please say it wasn’t the fucking snake.

“Yeah, the sweet little gray and white kitty. I put in an application, but it turns out I can’t have pets at the apartment. It’s in the lease agreement I signed. The units are owned by the team, and there’s a ‘no pet’ policy.”

“Well, that’s fucking dumb,” I say. “Just don’t tell anyone you have it. The thing is like the size of a cotton ball. Hide it in a teacup if the pet police come knocking. That’s what Sanny did with Poseidon.”

She just shakes her head. “Caleb already had his dog. The shelter called the apartment complex as part of the reference check. They know it’s not allowed, and they denied my application. Which means I’m gonna lose her.”

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