The First Intermission

by Samantha Lind

  The First Intermission

  Indianapolis Eagles Series Book 6

  Samantha Lind

  samanthalind.com

  The First Intermission

  Indianapolis Eagles Series Book 6

  Copyright Samantha Lind 2019

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage or retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, photocopying, mechanical or otherwise, without express permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, story lines and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or any events or occurrences are purely coincidental.

  Trademarked names appear throughout this novel. These names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intentional infringement of the trademark owner’s trademark(s).

  The following story contains adult language and sexual situations and is intended for adult readers.

  Cover Design by Jersey Girl Design

  Cover Photograph by Golden Czermak ~ FuriousFotog

  Cover Models Torrey Peak and Greg Woerdeman

  Editing by All About The Edits

  Proofreading by Proof Before You Publish

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  1. Laura

  2. Becca

  3. Mark

  4. Madison

  5. Kinley

  6. Bridget

  7. Beckett

  8. Reese

  9. Scott

  10. Brian

  11. Laura

  12. Madison

  13. Austin

  14. Julia

  15. Becca

  16. Matt

  17. Richard

  18. Austin

  19. Scott

  20. Beckett

  Afterword

  Coming Soon

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Samantha Lind

  About the Author

  Chapter One

  Laura

  Four years after Against The Boards (book five)

  June

  I stand in the family suite overlooking the ice, watching as my husband hoists the Stanley Cup yet again. Tears soak my cheeks as I see all we’ve accomplished—not only this great team my dad built over the years, but Mark and me.

  I cradle Miles in my arms. He’s our firstborn, who just turned three a month and a half ago. His little butt rests against my very swollen belly, which holds his baby sister, who hopefully will be joining us in just another week or so.

  I took over as managing partner at the start of the season. My dad suffered a major heart attack over the summer and took the advice of his doctors and officially retired, leaving me in charge. I knew the day was coming, and I love my job. I love this team. I just never thought I’d be taking over for him under these circumstances. I’m only thankful he was able to get medical treatment as fast as he did, and they were able to save him.

  I wait, along with all the other wives, kids, girlfriends, parents, and other family members of the team that are packed into the suite for the green light to head down to the ice. We slowly make our way down and as soon as I reach the edge of the rink, Mark is right there by my side, pulling me in for a huge kiss and lifting Miles from my arms.

  “Love you, Princess,” he whispers against my lips. “Now get out here and touch the cup!”

  I loop my hand through his arm and carefully walk out onto the ice. He escorts me to the rolled-out carpet and then alongside me as I walk to center ice. As the managing partner of the organization and soon-to-be sole owner, I accept the congratulations from the League chairman as the team celebrates around me. I take it all in—this excitement, the pure joy on the faces of each and every member of the team and their family members. It’s not my first experience with the team winning the cup, but in a way, it is, as this is my first year being completely in charge.

  As I spin in a slow circle at center ice, I take in the excitement from our fans. Winning the cup at home makes it all that more exhilarating. It’s at that moment I feel a trickle. My face must morph into pure panic because Mark is leaning down to look me in the eyes, a panicked look on his own face.

  “What’s wrong, Laura? What just happened?” he asks over the thunderous noise of the fans.

  I look down, then back up to him quickly. “Umm. I’m pretty sure my water just broke.”

  Chapter Two

  Becca

  I watch as my husband celebrates with his team on the ice before me. Few people knew that tonight was his last night on the ice as a player. He’ll announce his retirement in the coming weeks. He’s had an amazing career, but it’s time. I’m ready to see him more, have him around more, and maybe, just maybe, get to spend a little more time back home in Alaska with our families.

  We love Indy, and it has become our home away from home, but Alaska is still our true home. We still haven’t decided if we’ll be moving back for good or if we’re going to stay here in Indianapolis. With Michael turning five this year, we’ve got to make the decision quickly as he’ll be starting school this fall. I can’t believe my boy is getting so big. Time really has flown by since we got married.

  Michael is not so patiently waiting next to me for the okay to head out onto the ice, as I hold our sleepy daughter, Anna, who’s two and a half now. Michael’s old enough to understand the significance of his dad winning the cup. He absolutely loves hockey and has been skating with Scott since he was about three. Scott has been working with him and they’re both so excited for him to start playing this fall. I won’t be surprised if my husband ends up volunteering to be a coach. Combine two of his biggest loves—hockey and his kids—and that man is a goner.

  “Mommy, can I go to Dad now?” Michael asks, a hint of impatience in his voice as he tugs on my jersey.

  “Wait until Dad comes over to us, then you can go out. I don’t want you to get knocked over by one of the players who isn’t expecting you to be on the ice,” I tell him, as we watch the guys all get their moment with the cup.

  Scott notices us at the entrance to the ice and skates over to meet us. He takes a sleepy Anna from my arms and leans down to kiss me.

  “We did it, babe,” he says against my lips.

  “You sure did. I’m so proud of you,” I tell him, wrapping my arms around his sweaty body.

  “Dad! Dad! Can I go out there now?” Michael yells, getting our attention.

  “Sure can. Let’s go, buddy.” Scott bends down and lifts Michael up in his other arm, then skates off in front of me as I carefully take to the ice. I don’t want to completely embarrass myself by biffing it in front of the huge crowd that fills the stands as they watch the team celebrating.

  I make my way to the area on the ice where the ice crew has placed some sections of carpet for people to stand on safely, and join the other family members who have already made their way out.

  “Can you believe it?” Kinley asks, sliding an arm around my shoulders. I do the same to her and just take a moment to let my surroundings soak in.

  “It’s still so surreal. I’m sure tomorrow will be so strange. Scott will probably sleep most of the day away,” I say on a laugh.

  “I know. Brian will probably do the same.” Just then, I notice a commotion at center ice where Laura is standing with Mark. “Something is wrong with Laura.”

  “What? What’s wrong?” she asks, turning to look at our friend.

  “She just gave Mark the ‘oh shit’ look. I think she’s in lab
or,” I say, and start walking over to her. I make it to her side in a matter of seconds. “Laura, are you okay?”

  “Her water just broke,” Mark tells me. “We need to get out of here.”

  “I’ll go flag down one of the paramedics, you hit the showers. If need be, you can meet us at the hospital,” I order, my nursing skills coming right back to me.

  Mark hesitates for a few seconds, obviously not wanting to leave his wife’s side. “You’re not going to the hospital dressed to play a hockey game,” Laura finally tells him. “Go, shower, and I’ll just wait for you in the back hall.”

  “You sure? I can go change and then shower at the hospital,” he suggests.

  “Mark, I love you, but I need you to go shower and change, and then get me to the hospital,” she says, the grit noticeable in her voice.

  “Okay, Princess. Can I at least help you back off the ice?”

  “Here, let me take Miles,” I offer, and Mark hands him over so he can help Laura. I follow behind them, exiting the ice through the players’ bench.

  “Okay, I’ve got her. You go shower and get ready. Looks like you’re going to meet your daughter sooner rather than later.”

  “Thanks, Becca. Send one of the guys in if anything changes,” he says, dropping to a squat to come as close to eye level as he can with Laura, who is now sitting down. “I’ll be right back. Love you, Princess.”

  “I love you, too. Now hurry the fuck up,” she tells him, a contraction obviously hitting her.

  “Becca, what’s going on?” I hear my husband ask as he walks down the tunnel to where I’m standing next to Laura. Miles is sitting on a chair next to her. Michael trails in after him and Anna still has her head resting on his shoulder.

  “I’m—” Laura speaks up as another contraction hits her. “I’m in labor.”

  “Oh, crap. Where’s Mark?” Scott asks.

  “He’s showering and changing in the locker room,” I tell my husband. “I told him I’d stay with Laura until he finishes, unless she needs to go sooner. I was going to go flag down one of the paramedics. Can you do that for me?”

  “Yep, I’ll be right back,” he says, and takes off back down the tunnel.

  The paramedics hang out in one of the other tunnels, as the league requires they are at every game in case a player gets hurt. They don’t want to have to wait for an ambulance to arrive to get a guy off the ice.

  “How’s it going?” I ask Laura once Scott is gone.

  “Painful. Things have gone from about zero to sixty since my water broke. I’d been having some lower back pain all afternoon, but I thought it was just some Braxton Hicks contractions. It didn’t feel like normal labor. I guess it’s a good thing it happened after the game ended,” she says, grimacing again as another contraction hits her.

  “That’s it, just breathe,” I coach her through it.

  “I effing hate labor. Why do we keep doing this to ourselves?” she says, once her breathing has returned to normal.

  “The reward at the end will be worth every second of pain.”

  “I’m never doing this again, and my husband needs to hurry it up. Momma needs some drugs,” Laura tells me and I hold back a laugh. I’m pretty sure every woman says they’ll never have another kid again while in labor.

  The paramedics walk around the corner, my husband and kids trailing behind them as they push the stretcher down the hall. Once they reach us, one drops down onto his haunches and slips a blood pressure cuff around Laura’s arm.

  “How are you doing, Mrs. Lee?”

  “I’ve had better days,” she says between gritted teeth.

  “Do you want us to transport you to the hospital or is someone here able to drive you?” the paramedic asks as he takes the blood pressure cuff off her arm.

  “My hus—” Her words are cut off as she sucks in a deep breath. “Sorry, my husband should be out shortly and can take me.”

  “I’ll go see how much longer he’ll be.” Scott hands Anna off to me before he walks down the hall and into the locker room.

  “No problem, ma’am. Your blood pressure is good,” the paramedic says as he makes a few notes on his tablet.

  “Do you want to start making your way out to your car?” I offer.

  “Maybe,” she says, as Scott comes out of the locker room.

  “Mark will be out in just a couple more minutes. He was just getting dried off and dressed.”

  “I’ll just wait here for him then.”

  “Laura! There you are. What’s going on?” I hear Mr. Erickson’s booming voice fill the tunnel.

  “Oh, just this little girl wanting to make her debut,” she tells her dad.

  “Papa!” Miles calls out as Laura’s dad stops in front of them and picks Miles up in his arms.

  “How’s my buddy?” he asks his grandson. “You want to come home with Nana and Papa?”

  “Yes! Mommy, can I go with Papa?” Miles asks Laura, oblivious to the condition his mother is in.

  “Yes, baby. You’re going home with Nana and Papa. You need to be good, okay? Mommy will see you later.”

  “I’ll get him out of here. Call us if you need anything.”

  “Thanks, Dad,” she tells him, just as Mark comes flying out of the locker room.

  He shakes his father-in-law’s hand as they pass in the hallway and kisses his son on the forehead before making it to Laura’s side.

  “Ready to go, Princess?”

  “Yep. Get me there quickly and get me the drugs.”

  “I can’t believe it’s all over,” Scott says into the silence of our room. We both finally collapsed into bed a few minutes ago, both exhausted from the hours of celebration that continued after we got Mark and Laura off to the hospital. We still haven’t heard anything from either of them, so I’m guessing she’s still in labor or they’re enjoying their new baby.

  “I’m sure it will take a while to sink in. You’ve played for a long time. Had a great career. I’m so proud of you.” I place a kiss against his bare chest.

  “Daniel and Jacob both approached me again today about the possibility of staying with the organization. Jacob wants me to join the coaching staff. Be one of his assistant coaches.”

  “And what do you think of that offer?”

  “I don’t know what to think of it, to be honest. On one hand, I was looking forward to not having to live based on the hockey schedule. I was looking forward to being home more and not gone so damn much all the time. I was looking forward to having more time with you and the kids. But on the other hand, the offer is amazing and would be the perfect job for me to slide into.”

  “Did they give you a timeframe on when you need to make a decision?” I ask, snuggling in a little closer to Scott’s side.

  “Nothing official. I’ll probably get the formal offer in the next few weeks. After my retirement becomes public, so we’ve got time to think it over and make the right decision for our family. It will give us time to decide if living here in Indy is something that we’re willing to do even more long-term. I know you were looking forward to being back home more, so I want you to be okay with this before I agree to taking the position.”

  “You know I’m going to support you in whatever you decide.”

  “But that’s just it, Bec. This isn’t just my decision. This affects all of us, and I feel like you and the kids take the brunt of it. If I take the job, then that commits us to staying in Indy, staying on the hockey schedule, and keeps you having to be the default parent. I just don’t want you to ever get to where you resent the demands of my job.”

  “Scott”—I push up so I can look him in the eyes— “I’ll never resent you or your job. You work so hard to provide for all of us. To give us the best life any of us could wish for. You’ve given me the two best kids I could have ever asked for, and you’re an amazing husband.”

  Scott slips a hand up my arm, then my neck, and cups my cheek. “I love you, Becca. How about we work on making another one of those kiddos?” he
asks as he pulls me in for a kiss.

  I fall into his embrace as he flips us over so I’m under him. My husband might be talented on the ice, but he’s also very talented between the sheets. He quickly has me ready for more as he kisses his way down my body.

  “Damn, I’m one lucky man,” he murmurs against my skin, sucking a nipple into his mouth. “I’ve fucking missed you and this these past few weeks,” he adds, referencing all our time apart during the playoff run.

  “Missed you, too,” I mumble out as he works his tongue over my sensitive nipples. “Need you inside me,” I tell him, trying to get him to move back up so he can slide inside.

  “Patience, my love,” he says, a sexy smirk on his lips.

  “Just remember, payback is a bitch.” I laugh.

  “Is that so?” he retorts, then drops down so he’s between my legs, his mouth just inches from my center. I can feel his breath against my sensitive skin, tormenting me in some of the best ways. He licks a single swipe up the center of my pussy and the moans falling from me could rival a porn star.

  “Oh my God…” I moan as he circles my clit with his tongue.

  “Is that want you wanted?” he says against my skin as he circles two fingers around my entrance before pushing them in, then latching back on to my clit with his lips. I buck against his mouth as he quickly works me up, and I fall over the edge of my first orgasm. Before I can completely come down from the high, Scott slides back up my body and fills me with his cock. I start to spasm around him as soon as he’s fully seated within me, and he thrusts through my aftershocks of orgasm.