Page 34 of Second-Rate Superstar

I couldn’t deny he was cute. Feeling flirty—only God knows why—I teased him by motioning with my hand that I was zipping my lips and throwing away the key. The heat in his eyes intensified, and I felt it in my core.

You’re asking for trouble, Dakota.

Max let out a wail, drawing Braxton’s attention.

Natalie sighed. “He’s probably hungry.”

Standing, Braxton placed the baby in her waiting arms. “And I think that’s our cue to leave.”

Liv peeked down at the baby. “I’ll go grab those meds before I clock out. I won’t be here tomorrow, but I’ll pop over in a few days to see how you guys are doing. Let us know if you need help getting Beau to hockey or just need him out of your hair. We’re always happy to have him.”

“Thanks, Liv. Four was already a handful. Five will be an adjustment.”

Did she sayfive?

Liv headed for the door, smiling over her shoulder. “Nice to meet you, Dakota!”

“You too,” I called back.

Braxton tilted his head, indicating we should follow, so I stood, saying to Natalie, “Congrats.Your baby is beautiful.”

She smiled down at the bundle in her arms. “Thanks. I hope we get to see you again soon.”

“Maybe.”

Following Braxton into the hallway, we saw that Jaxon was still at the center of a crowd, shirtless and smiling. He gave a little wave when he saw us leaving, which Braxton returned as we made our way to the elevator.

Stepping inside, I asked in disbelief, “Your brother hasfivekids?”

Braxton moved his head from side to side. “Yes and no.”

“What does that mean?”

“Natalie has three older kids from her first marriage. Only the baby, Max, and my niece, Charlie, are biologically Jaxon’s. However, he did adopt the older three last fall. To him, there is no difference. They’re all his.”

My eyebrows rose. There they went again, blowing the stereotypes right out of the water. What if they were exceptions to the rule? A unicorn group of athletes that bucked the trend of being self-absorbed assholes skating through life on good looks and physical strength?

There was only one way to find out. I would have to spend more time with Braxton.

Chapter 8

Dakota

With our lesson atthe rink cut short by baby Max’s arrival, Braxton and I didn’t get the chance to meet up again before the Comets headed to the Pacific Northwest for a week-long road trip. Not one to shirk his tutoring duties, he sent over a bunch of helpful links, often used to teach youth players the basics of the game. Braxton told me to study them so that when he returned, we could hit the ice again and figure out what holes I was still missing for my research.

While he was gone, I couldn’t stop thinking about the women I had met that night at the hospital. Braxton mentioned they were part of a tight-knit group. And I began to think that maybe being the “hidden family” of my dad’s made it so that I didn’t understand the personal side of sports figures. He had always painted the other spouses in an unfavorable light, claiming they were “toxic” and he didn’t want me or Mom anywhere near them.

Nothing I witnessed in that hospital room seemed toxic. Liv and Natalie appeared close.

And then there was Jaxon claiming children that weren’t his. My dad had cut me out of his life instead of inviting me into his new family.

Things weren’t adding up, and I wanted to know more. Forget that family life wasn’t part of my story. My characters didn’t have kids; they were building a relationship, not continuing an already established one. Chalk it up to curiosity, a peek into an alternative life where my dad wasn’t a dick with a God complex who slept around.

As I thought about the Slate family, it hit me that Natalie had five children—one being a newborn—and her husband was gone for the next week. I was suddenly struck with an idea.

Texting Braxton, I asked if he thought it would be a good idea if I made a meal and dropped it off for his sister-in-law while the team was out of town. His reply was instant, saying Natalie would love it and sharing their address.

Decision made, I set about the kitchen, making one of my mom’s classic comfort meals. The best part was that you could assemble it cold, refrigerate it, and throw it into the oven when ready to cook. It was the perfect meal for a family with a new baby.

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