Page 80 of Lucky Shot
“He’s such a good dad.” The words, which I absolutely did not intend to say out loud, not only are spoken but also come out dreamily. I’ve seen how hard it is being a single parent. My sister juggled being a single mom for years before she met Flynn. I respect him a lot for his dedication, especially knowing what Nick gave up so Aidan could have both parents in the same place.
My cheeks flush and I wince as I glance at Conrad to confirm…yep, he heard me. His brows lift and then a slow smile curves his lips. He has these bright blue eyes and dirty-blond hair. He’s one of those guys that gets cuter the longer you look at him to the point I’m wondering if maybe he ever did modeling as a kid.
“That was an inside thought.”
He huffs a laugh. “It’s cool. And yeah, he is. Nick’s a good guy all around.”
I can only nod. All signs do point that way, which is great because I still need to finish my book and there’ll be more questions for sure. It has nothing to do with the fluttery feelings I get when he’s nearby. Or when I talk to him. Or he looks at me.
I focus hard on the puck drop. Aidan wins the face-off and the guys around me cheer. I get lost in the action. These kids are seriously fast and skilled.
Travis comes to sit next to me. He’s holding a drink in one hand and nachos in the other. I eye the food, stomach grumbling.
“I wanted to get you popcorn,” he says, then side-eyes the man walking up behind him. Nick stops in front of us, rolls his eyes dramatically and then holds out a bag of popcorn to me. My mouth waters. For more than one reason. There are those fluttery feelings again. Probably hunger pangs.
After the game, I’m more amped up than Aidan.
“That was incredible. You’re so fast!” I tell him.
He grins, looking shy and proud all at once.
“What’d you say?” Nick prompts him.
A hint of annoyance creeps into his expression but he says, “Thanks, Ruby.”
“You’re welcome.”
A couple approaches us slowly. I know instantly she’s Nick’s ex, Beth. She’s every woman’s nightmare ex-girlfriend. Tall and beautiful. She has an effortlessly chic look about her. Simple clothes, hair pulled back in a low ponytail, minimalistic makeup. And still stunning.
Nick spots her, smiles, then ruffles Aidan’s hair. “See you tomorrow.”
“All right.” Aidan nods and hefts the giant duffle bag onto his shoulder. The amount of gear these kids carry around is impressive.
Beth and the man I assume is her husband hang back, giving Aidan time to say goodbye to his dad. Nick waves when Aidan turns to go to them.
I’m still staring at her when Nick says, “Ready?”
I tear my gaze from her to him. He’s wearing a cheeky smile.
“For what?”
He tips his head. “The guys want to hang out with you.”
I glance over at where Travis, Conrad, and Danny are standing waiting for us. Penn must have left.
“If you don’t want to go, I’ll make some excuse,” he says.
“No,” I say quickly. “I do. Are you sure you don’t mind me tagging along?”
His mouth pulls up on one side. “I’m sure.”
We go back to Moonshot and to a bar that has a view of the lake and an outdoor patio. It’s packed. I stick close to Nick as we navigate through the place. Nick glances back to make sure I’m still with him. I shuffle closer and loop a finger through the belt loop of his jeans.
He grins as he glances down to see me holding on to him, then continues guiding us to the bar. Once we’re there, he places an arm around my back, placing me in front of him and boxed into the space.
“What do you want to drink?” he asks, leaning next to my ear and sending a shiver down my spine.
I open my mouth to order a vodka tonic. Sometime over the past few years it became my very boring, go-to order. I want to try something new.
