by Toni Aleo
And who was he to say no to the birthday girl?
When the party ended, the mess was overwhelming. But Fallon was inside with Audrey and the kids, ignoring it, while Tate and Lucas shared a cold drink on the porch. They were supposed to be cleaning, but yeah, that wasn’t happening. He hadn’t seen his best friend a lot lately. With his injury, Tate had been hiding out, which was something he'd always done, like a dog licking his wounds. Especially now that the new guy was killing it in his place. Though, that was why Elli had brought in Jensen Monroe—to play to the standard Tate had established.
And Monroe was doing that and then some, with ease.
Which was not good for Tate.
As they sat in comfortable silence, Lucas kicked his legs up on the table. “Shea was the one who called Bellevue about Aiden.”
Tate nodded. “Sounds like something he’d do.”
“Yeah.” Chewing on his lip, Lucas couldn’t shake the look that Shea’d had on his face when he brought up re-signing. When Tate looked over to him, Lucas shrugged. “It’s good, though.”
“Real good. He’ll do great.”
“Yeah, and then we’ll get Philippe in there.”
Tate nodded. “Philippe has some years.”
“He does.” He took a drink of his soda, hating the silence that continued to fall between them. “Dude, you’re killing me.”
Tate laughed ruefully. “I know, I’m sorry. I suck lately. I’m driving Audrey insane.”
“Yeah, that’s what Fallon said.”
“I’m waiting for her to leave me.”
Lucas reached over, punching him in the shoulder. “Never. Audrey is loyal to a fault. She also loves the fuck out of you.”
Tate nodded, but Lucas could see the sadness in his eyes. “My head, it’s fucked.”
Lucas exhaled hard. “Is Wren not helping?”
He shrugged. “Yeah, but I hurt. All the time, and it scares me.”
“Fuck, man, that sucks.”
“I know, and I don’t know what to do. Audrey says she’ll go with whatever. She loves me. And Elli, she says she will support whatever I want—but I don’t know what I want. I feel like a failure. And I look at my children and don’t know how, one day, I can tell them I had to give up.”
Lucas’s heart stopped dead in his chest. “You won’t give up.”
“I can’t play in this pain.”
“Then you’ll retire with fucking grace, Tate. You aren’t a quitter.”
Pulling in a breath through his nose, he nodded. “You’re right.”
“I am, but that’s not an option yet. You’re still healing.”
“They say I shouldn’t still be in this much pain. What if I’m done?”
“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we get there, damn it. But right now, you’re going to get better. Okay?”
A small smile covered Tate's face. “Okay.”
“And don’t be such a Debbie downer.”
He laughed. “I hear you.”
“Things are going to be fine. We’ll bring the Cup home for you, and then we’ll start new next year.”
“Or we could retire.”
Lucas whipped his head to him.
“What?”
“Yeah, go off on a trip, me and you. Be home for the kids. With Aiden making the moves he's making, we can be there for him. Coach him, y’know? Take some of the load off Audrey and Fallon.”
Lucas scoffed, though Tate’s logic was sound. Lucas was getting old, and he had been playing for a long while, but he wasn’t ready to retire. He had some playing to do. Some more Cups to bring home. “We aren’t retiring.”
“You’re old.”
“And you’re a brat, shut up.” Tate laughed as Lucas shook his head. “I’m here lifting you up and giving you a great inspirational speech, and you tell me I’m old. Fucker.”
Tate laughed. “You are.”
“Fuck you,” he said, laughing, and Tate shook his head.
“Just saying, your boy is going to be in the NHL before you know it, taking your place.”
Lucas took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Again, that’s another bridge we’ll cross when we get to it.”
Tate nodded sagely. “Okay, be in denial.”
“What? My contract is up. They’re re-signing me this week.”
“Then I’m wrong,” Tate said, holding his fist to Lucas’s. “You go kick ass, and I’ll cheer you on.”
“You’re not done, Tate.”
He shrugged, and Lucas could tell he felt defeated. “I’m getting there.”
“No, you’re not. You’ll come back from this.”
Tate met Lucas’s gaze. “I hope.”
Tapping his fist to Tate’s, Lucas smiled. “Wish you were out there with me.”
“Me too.”
As they both took sips of their sodas, Lucas held his to his lips a little longer. He was getting older. Way older than Tate, and his body was hurting. But he wanted to re-sign. He had another year in him, maybe two. His time wasn’t up yet.
At least, he hoped it wasn’t.
4
Game Four
Fallon held a half-eaten snow cone in one hand and her phone in the other with one earbud in as she watched Aiden rush down the ice, the puck under his control. He caught the defense on a change, somewhat of a breakaway, before he shot the puck hard toward the net, hitting the back of it with ease.
“Woot!” Audrey called from beside her.
“Yes!” Fallon fist-pumped as the girls stood by the glass, bouncing up and down in their way too big Brooks jerseys. Looking over to Asher, who was on his computer, she said, “Your brother scored.”
“Attaboy!” he called out, but he didn’t look up, which only made Fallon shake her head as she watched Aiden hug his teammates. “What’s the score on Daddy’s game?”
“Two-zip, Assassins,” she said as she waved her hand in the air when Aiden looked up at her, like he always did. Like he always had, and a part of her was excited about his future. But the other part just made her heart ache. When he was in college, would he be able to see her? And in the NHL? Crap, she knew he wouldn’t be able to see her then.
“This is game four, right? They win, they go to round three?”
“Yes, baby. Emery! Get off there! Come eat this snow cone. It’s melting.”
Emery continued to climb on the rail of the bleachers as she looked up. “I don’t want it.”
“Then come get it and throw it away.”
She pouted. “I don’t want to.”
“Emery Elaine,” Fallon warned. “Get over here. Right now.”
“I want my daddy!”
“That’s new,” Audrey commented as Emery stomped up the stairs, her little brow furrowed.
“That’s Emery, who has stayed close to her dad every moment he’s been home,” she muttered as Emery stopped in front of her. “Do you want that tail wore out?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Then what do you need to do?”
“Throw away the snow cone and watch my mouth?”
“Exactly,” she said, handing the snow cone to her trying child before looking down at her phone to see that the Assassins were on the penalty kill. They were probably playing the best hockey she had seen them play in her many years of supporting and loving the team. She was excited, but her gut was in a knot, not only for the Assassins but also for Aiden. Because across the rink, she could see the Bellevue representatives, watching her little boy with intent.
“Aiden is playing great,” Audrey said then, and Fallon nodded.
“I know, the best he’s ever played. Just like the Assassins.”
Audrey beamed. “We’ll close out tonight and then get a nice break before round three. They need it.”
“They do.” Looking down at her phone, Fallon watched as the second period ended, and she let out a long sigh. One more period. Twenty more minutes, and if the Assassins could hold the Hawks, they’d move on to round three. She couldn’t b
elieve it. This would be the first time the Assassins had swept anyone in the play-offs, and according to Facebook, Elli was coming out of her skin. “Tate’s watching at home?”
Audrey nodded, her lips pressed together. “Yeah, he’s been hurting real bad today, or he would have come out for Aiden.”
Fallon waved her off. “Oh, I know.”
“Yeah, he’s bummed. I really don’t know what is going to happen. He’s been better with me, but he’s just not healing the way the doctors want. This infection is kicking his ass.”
“He’s got all summer,” Fallon said with confidence as Asher looked up.
“Yeah, Uncle Tate is a beast. He’ll be fine.”
“I don’t know, buddy. Let’s hope so,” Audrey said, wrapping her arms around him. “What are you doing?”
“Making a logo for Momma.”
Fallon’s brows rose. “Making a what?”
Looking down at the screen, she saw that he was in PaintShop and designing a new logo for the winery. Her jaw dropped as she exclaimed, “Asher William! That looks great.”
He beamed. “Yeah, your logo sucks. You need a new one.”
Audrey laughed. “You do.”
“Hush, both of you. This is great, buddy. I’m so proud of you,” she gushed, kissing his head, and he shrugged.
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s amazing. Hold on, let me take a picture. No, wait, I don’t want to shut off the game. Audrey, take a picture and text it to me.”
Audrey did as she was asked, and Fallon looked up to see Emery climbing on the railing once more, while Stella walked up and down the bleachers as if she were on a runway. Lord, help her. “Emery, get down. Stella, get down before you break an ankle.”
Stella threw her hands up. “Momma, I gotta practice my catwalking.”
“Your what?” Closing her eyes, Fallon took in a cleansing breath. These kids were going to be the death of her. When the crowd erupted, she opened her eyes quickly to see Aiden with his arms in the air, and her stomach dropped. She’d missed his goal. Shit. “Damn it,” she muttered as Asher chuckled.
“Wicked backhand.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
“Anytime.”
Aiden looked up, and she grinned, holding a thumb up as if she had seen the whole thing.
“I’ll take the kids to the car.”
Fallon chewed on her lip as she nodded a thanks to her sister while she watched Aiden standing with the Bellevue folks. Her body was shaking, not only with nerves, but excitement. The Assassins were up by three, which should mean Lucas would be coming home for a good five days before the next series started, as long as they held the lead. She needed him, especially if this meeting of Aiden’s went well.
Which, by the look on Aiden’s face, was going great.
Damn it.
Tapping her foot to the ground, she tried to watch the game as the time trickled down, but she kept looking up, watching her baby as he nodded, a grin on his lips, looking way too big for her liking. He was going to go to college? At seventeen? What if he was bullied? Even she knew that was a dumb thought. He was built like the damn Jolly Green Giant, but still, they might make fun of his stupid hair. What if the coach didn’t want him because of it? Shit, should she have had him cut his hair?
Crap, her baby was growing up.
Would he live on campus? The guidance office had said he could graduate early with the advanced summer classes, and he was ready to do it. He was already reading the books for the class, fully expecting to get the offer from Bellevue. Meanwhile, Fallon was just trying to breathe. He was leaving her, her other three kids were driving her insane, and her husband was only home half the time, all while she was working a tough full-time job.
She must be crazy.
When Aiden looked up just as she did, her eyes widened as he motioned her over. Her heart stopped as she tucked her phone into her pocket and headed toward where he stood with an equally tall man in a Bellevue jacket. The man had a kind face and nice eyes, and if she remembered correctly, he was Baylor Sinclair’s father. But that didn’t matter at that moment. He was the man who was going to put her baby on his team.
At seventeen.
Holy shit.
Stopping beside her son, she tried to smile, but she was pretty sure she looked like she was about to fall into a heap of tears as Aiden said, “This is my mom, Fallon Brooks.”
“Mrs. Brooks, wonderful to meet you. I’m River Moore.”
She took his hand. “You as well. He played amazing tonight, didn’t he?”
“Has his daddy in him, through and through. I remember when Lucas was drafted and seeing him play then. It was after I retired, but I remember. And man, this boy is his daddy all over again.”
Fallon beamed. “We are very proud.”
“You should be.” His face broke into a grin. “Listen, we want him. He said he can graduate early, and if that’s the case, then we would like to offer him a full ride.”
Her stomach dropped.
But Aiden was bursting at the seams. “Full ride, Mom!”
“I heard. Wow. Okay, well, we’ll need to discuss this with his father.”
River nodded. “Of course, and I need to get the admission office to write up the acceptance letter and all that jazz. Given Aiden’s academic situation, we have a unique opportunity to offer him a spot. Sure glad Baylor talked me out of that other kid so I have the money available for y’all. We will need to get the ball rolling with his transcripts because I want him to be able to work out with the team this summer and to be there for summer camp.”
“Oh. Okay.”
“Yeah, it’s going to be great. He’s going to do some big things.”
“We sure hope so,” she breathed before River took her hand once more, shaking it hard.
“So we’ll be in touch. Let me know what your dad says, Aiden. You have my card.”
Aiden nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Awesome. I can’t wait. Have a good night.”
“Thank you,” she thought she said, but then she wasn’t sure her mouth was moving as Aiden was practically bouncing beside her.
“Mom!”
“Aiden!” she gushed as he wrapped her in his arms, almost suffocating her as she clung to him.
Would he still want to hug her when he was off being a hotshot hockey player?
They won.
A sweep.
They swept the fucking Hawks.
Holy. Fuck.
As Lucas leaned back on the bench in his locker room, the same locker room that was losing its fucking mind, a grin spread across his face. He hadn’t expected this series to be as easy as it was. The Blackhawks were a tough team, but they had played Dallas before the Assassins, and they were plagued with injuries left and right. Their starting goalie was hurt, so they started their backup, who got hurt during the first game. So in came their rookie, who the Assassins just murdered. It was a scoring bloodbath, and Lucas was grateful to be on the side that won.
Though, he still couldn’t believe it.
He knew they could do it, but the doubt had been there. Now, on to round three against the Sharks or Winnipeg. He couldn’t fathom it. They were going to do it. They were going to the finals. He just knew it. He wished that Tate was there, but even with missing his buddy, he couldn’t deny that Jensen Monroe was a fucking beast.
Tapping Jensen’s knee, Lucas nodded. “Fucking great game, man.”
Jensen nodded, exhausted. “Thank you.”
“I’m impressed.”
Jensen’s lips tipped up. “Thanks, means a lot coming from you.”
“Ah, I’m no one special.”
“You’re the dad of the team, the one everyone wants to impress. You’re someone.”
Lucas scoffed, but he guessed Jensen was right. Everyone looked up to Lucas, and he loved his team. Sucking in a breath, he looked out over the locker room that was full of his brothers. The men who were his home away from home. They had a great group, st
rong and talented. A lot of them were young, especially their captain, but even Lucas couldn’t deny that Jayden Sinclair was doing the job. Almost as good as Shea, but then, Shea had years on the kid. Jayden was finding his footing, but he was doing a damn good job of it. Meanwhile, Lucas was the oldest of the group, the “dad,” as Jensen had called him. Boy, did he feel it. Every inch of him was aching, and his back… Yeah, he needed a good rubdown and probably a week of rest, though he wasn’t sure how long he would have before round three.
Swallowing hard, he saw his phone flashing and reached for it, seeing a text from Aiden.
Aiden: WAY TO GO! Call me when you can. Mom is with me.
Grinning, he hit Aiden’s number and let out a whoosh of breath when he answered. “Hey, son.”
“Dad! I can’t believe it! Y’all rock! I mean, it was awesome. I didn’t get to see it, but I watched the highlights and holy crap! Y’all rock!”
“Yeah, Dad! Way to go! So cool!”
“I love you, Daddy!”
“You’re so awesome, Daddy! Oh, my hair is finally growing back, and Emery was not listening at the rink, and Auntie Audrey had to spank her.”
“Yes, I was!”
“No, you weren’t!”
Stella, always the tattletale, still couldn’t wipe the grin off Lucas’s face. “Girls! That’s enough,” Fallon scolded. “Lucas, I’m impressed. Y’all are awesome.”
“Thanks, guys,” he said, leaning on his knees. “It was an amazing game.”
“Aiden scored three goals, Dad! He got a hat trick,” Stella called out. “And the college people love him!”
Lucas’s grin grew. “Really? Way to go, son.”
“Well, thanks, sis. I wanted to tell him,” Aiden said dryly.
“Stella, that was Aiden’s news.”
“Sorry,” she muttered, and Lucas laughed as he got up, heading out into the hall.
“Well, someone tell me.”
“They want me,” Aiden yelled, and everyone in the car let out a whoop. Well, except Fallon. “They want me to graduate at the end of the summer and start training with the team! Dad, they want me! At seventeen! A full ride!”
His heart soared as his eyes fell shut. His baby. “As if I doubted that at all. Man, Aiden, that’s amazing. I’m so proud! My night just got ten times better.”