Page 52 of Rules Of Our Own

I cannot believe Damon Everette’s getting on Alex’s case about his image. As if we don’t know this has nothing to do with building a wholesome image and everything to do with Alex nearly hooking up with Everette’s niece.

It took all my willpower not to round the table and tell him exactly what I thought about his bullshit.

I’ve always been protective of Alex, but something snapped into place in Napa, and now, that boy is mine. No one fucks with what’s mine.

Napa gave me a taste of everything I’d ever wanted. Alex, Mia and me. The family I’ve always craved but never had. At fifteen, moving out to play AAA hockey felt like a dream come true, but I didn’t understand then I was giving up my parents for my career.

That I’d never experience that sense of belonging again. They say your team is your family, but with the ever-present possibility of being traded, it never quite fills the void created by my decision over a decade ago.

My parents thought they’d still see me, but with the high demand of hockey and the endless travel schedule, the distance grew between us until it felt easier to stay apart.

Mia and Alex are different. I’d do anything to have them both in my life. They threatened to trade Alex, not knowing I’d be gone with him. I don’t give a single fuck about the game compared to him.

He’s my only true family, and now I need a plan to get Mia back. Because life will never be whole without her.

She completes Alex and me. I have no doubts he feels the same way about her as I do.

Now we just need to figure out how to bridge the gap between us in Boston and her in Ottawa to prove we’re in this for real.

That we’ll do what it takes to make it work. However, before we do anything drastic, we need to know our girl is ready. Because she is ours, even if she hasn’t admitted it yet.

CHAPTER25

MIA

“Why don’t scientists trust atoms?”

I smile at Carl as I check his vitals. He’s an elderly man with pure white hair and big bushy brows that crinkle as he asks his umpteenth dad joke. He came into the hospital this morning with chest pains. After some tests, we decided to keep him overnight. “I don’t know. Why?”

“Because they make up everything.” He winks and steals a laugh from me. “Finally. I was starting to get worried you’d never smile,” Carl says, tone light but concerned.

I tense, my stethoscope hovering in the air above his chest. I thought I’d been good at pretending. Pretending that none of it mattered. It was just a weekend, and my chest doesn’t ache, and it’s definitely not hard to breathe. Clearly, I’m bad at it.

“What are you talking about? I smile all the time.”

His brows pull together. “You smile, but it doesn’t reach your eyes,” he says softly.

Shit.

“Don’t worry. A few more of your jokes will have me fixed right up.” I look away and put the round diaphragm to his chest and listen to his lungs. Strong. Good.

He grins. “I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She seemed surprised.”

A chuckle bubbles from my throat. Absolutely ludicrous, but it dissolves when I see Carl’s face.

His eyes are glassy as he stares at the wall. “She sort of looked like you. A few inches shorter, but my Elsie had your hair.”

My chest tightens painfully, and I ask quietly, “When did you lose her?”

He sniffs and shakes his head like he’s shaking off the memory. “Long time ago now. Cancer. You know how it is.”

Unfortunately, I do know how it is. It’s an all too common reality here. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Enough of that now. Old man, remember? I’ve lived a good life.”

I nod. It’s clear he doesn’t want to talk about it more, so I plaster on my best smile, hoping it reaches my eyes. “Everything looks good. I’ll be back in an hour—try not to get into trouble while I’m gone.”

He raises a white brow playfully. “No chance I’m getting out of here today?”

---