She had a feeling she’d have to be extra attentive of the family dynamics with Silver. The Dartmouth Cobras didn’t belong solely to the Delgados anymore, that much she knew, but Silver wasn’t the only one with her hands in everything. It was hard to imagine a man like Keane, who was so distinguished and in control, managing a company alongside someone so young and unpredictable, but he seemed to manage. Somehow.
Maybe she should ask him how he did it.
Or maybe you should find every way possible to avoid him.
Yes. That was a better idea. He was already slipping into her thoughts way too often. Her skin prickled as she walked by his office. She swallowed hard, hoping he wouldn’t come out. While also hoping he would.
When she reached the elevator without seeing a single person, she was both relieved and disappointed. Maybe she had been on her own for too long. Finally being back into the chaotic rush of the business world, which no one ever saw unless people like her weren’t doing their jobs, was invigorating. She had to keep calm. Give herself time to adjust to this life again. Only, this time, without giving in to temptation.
One thing for sure. Her job definitely wouldn’t be boring.
And she was looking forward to a quiet night of Minecraft with her son.
Chapter 6
Mackenzie Keane nudged her sister toward the door to the forum, laughing as Madison dug in her heels and frowned at her. They only had a few days until Madison had to go in for surgery. Her sister was scared, and being a little naughty was the only way Mackenzie could think of to distract her. Daddy never had to know they’d come to watch the players practice. It was open to the public. They could just slip into the crowd.
Finding out where the guys went afterward was a bit trickier. Maybe she shouldn’t have told future Miss-Model-Citizen Maddy about that. If Mackenzie was the one having to go to the stupid hospital again, she’d totally use surgery as an excuse to have all the fun she wanted.
Bad things happened in hospitals.
Maddy could die.
And either Mackenzie could cry and scream and be mad that it was her sweet sister, instead of her, being hit with this again, or she could make sure Maddy got a chance to do everything she’d secretly wanted to. Just…just in case.
Her throat tightened, but she forced a grin and tugged her sister’s hand. “Think about it. We’ll get to see them up close. You can drool over Shawn Pischlar and prove to yourself he’s as awesome as you think he is.”
Cheeks red, Maddy shook her head. “A man like him wouldn’t be interested in a little girl like me.”
“You’re not a little girl.”
“He’ll think so. Besides, he has a girlfriend.” Maddy bit her bottom lip. “Is it horrible that I kinda hate her?”
“Nope. She’s a lucky bitch. But I heard he has a boyfriend too.”
“That’s so hot.”
“Right? So maybe you have a chance? And if not, you can totally rub off to having seen his face up close.” Mackenzie giggled as her sister smacked her arm. “What? You know you will.”
“Oh, fuck you. You’re such a perv. It’s not like that. I just like looking at him.” Maddy let out a happy sigh. “The way he smiles is just so… Damn. And he’s so bad. Like, cool bad. But he’s a good guy.”
“I know.” They were finally at the door, surrounded by other fans crowding into the arena. “I really want to meet Sebastian Ramos, but I doubt he’d even give me the time of day. If I can hear his voice, up close, just once, my life will be complete.”
Maddy snickered, holding her hand tight as they made their way through the throng, taking the first entrance to the rink and rushing down the stairs to grab the closest seats they could find to the ice. If Maddy hadn’t dragged her feet so much on the way here, they’d be right against the glass, but five rows up wasn’t horrible. They found two seats and sat there for what seemed like forever before the music came on and the Jumbotron showed all the players taking the ice.
Daddy had been talking about the pre-season Fan Day all summer—whenever she asked what he was working on anyway. The novelty of the Cobras had worn off and he hoped giving fans a free treat, an opportunity to see the arena if they hadn’t before, to see how dedicated the team was, might help dwindling ticket sales. She had no idea why people weren’t filling the arena all the time, the team was awesome, but Daddy’s plan made sense.
She hoped it paid off. He looked stressed a lot lately. Talked about moving back to Toronto. Going back to working full time in the tech companies he’d founded. She didn’t want to go back. While Maddy had been going through cancer treatments, most of their friends had abandoned them. Then acted weird with them both when she was back in school full time. That awkwardness had never gone away, and Mackenzie hated them all. But here, no one knew what her sister had been through.
Things were nice and normal. The city was beautiful and there was so much to do. Daddy had brought them out on the ocean during the summer on a huge boat he rented. They’d seen whales so close she’d been terrified the boat would tip over, but the captain had told them all they were fine. Toronto was cool, and urban, and always a rush, but Nova Scotia felt like home.
And the team…even though she hadn’t been allowed to come here, to the arena, she was still connected to them somehow. When she watched them on TV it was like she was part of something bigger. She wanted to work for them one day. Be like Silver and Becky, helping make the team a success. If Daddy kept the team, maybe that would happen.
But for now, he was being crazy overprotective, and neither her or Maddy would ever do anything fun if they listened to him. So here they were. Watching the practice like everyone else.
The players came out and her heart stuttered.
Sebastian Ramos was…perfection. All she could see from here was his number, but the way he moved brought to mind all the pictures she’d seen of him. That serious expression with a knowing smile. That hair that looked so soft, spilling over his shoulders. That hard body…
He bumped against Luke Carter—rumored to be his boyfriend—as he took to the ice and she let out a happy sigh. Luke was perfect for him. Cute and mouthy and relatable. She read every bit of fanfiction about them and had to believe those stories were close to reality. Those two men were in love.
And both in love with Jami Richter too.
Unlike her sister’s thoughts of Justina, Pischlar’s girlfriend, she couldn’t think badly of Jami. Sure, she was jealous, but Jami was freakin’ badass. Her father was the General Manager and she’d still gotten on the Ice Girl team, done photos with Sebastian, and was having Luke Carter’s babies.
Screw Cinderella. Her fairy tale was Jami’s life.
But Sebastian was taken, so all she could do was watch him. And hope, one day, she’d find a man just like him.
The men did simple drills, stopping a few times to throw rolled up T-shirts into the crowd. In front of the goal, Landon Bower bopped a little as the music came on again, playing that old song from the movie Trolls. Luke Carter skated over to him as pylons were being set up, spraying snow, then dancing in front of the goalie while dodging the swing of his big stick.
There was so much energy on the ice, a vibe between the guys that she’d never seen anywhere else. They were teasing, then moving together as a unit as they sped across the rink. One by one they began going through the obstacles, whipping around pylons, circling the net, then returning in reverse, dodging the players going through for the first time. The rhythm of them gliding, those big bodies in perpetual motion, was addictive. She leaned forward, wishing she could block out the noise of the crowd, the scent of anything besides the crispness of the ice.
By her side, Maddy did the same, her breaths shallow, eyes wide. Being denied the chance to see this, up close, made stealing these moments even more precious. Who knew when they’d get to be here again?
She’d hoped bringing Maddy would be special. That it would fade the shadow of fear in her sister’s eyes, even for a little bit.
Make her forget everything else.
It had done that and more. When the players cleared the ice, Maddy didn’t hesitate to follow her outside, to the back of the forum where a crowd of fans waited behind the security gate for the chance to see their favorite players. Sometimes the guys walked out for a bit and signed stuff. Other times they just drove by, windows open to wave before they took off.
Mackenzie wouldn’t take the chance that today would be the latter. She worked her way through the crowd, holding tight to Maddy’s hand. The second she reached the edge of the partition, a guard stepped up to block her path.
She gave him her sweetest smile. “Excuse me, we just need to get into the parking garage to meet our father. Lorenzo Keane? We didn’t realize there would be so many people!”
The guard’s lips quirked. “Uh huh. Honey, I’ll admit, you’re more creative than most, but I can’t let you pass.”
“You sure?” She opened her purse and pulled out her learner’s permit, holding it up so he could see her name. Pulling the spoiled little rich girl wasn’t a card she played often, but for Maddy she’d use whatever she had to. Even if she had to ignore her sister tugging at her hand, trying to get her attention. “I’d hate to have to tell Daddy you were mean to me. I don’t think he’ll be happy.”
Brow furrowed, the guard took her ID, squinting at it, his face losing color as he stepped aside. “Damn it, I’m sorry. Just doing my job, kid.”
“Calling your boss’s daughter ‘honey’?”
“Ah… I didn’t mean—”
“It’s fine. Mac won’t say a word.” Maddy strode forward, a death grip on Mackenzie’s hand. “We don’t mean to be any trouble. We should have been here earlier. Sorry about that.”
The man squared his shoulders, all professional. “That happens, Miss Keane. Go on in. I’ll radio my man inside so you’re not delayed again.”
Once they were out of sight, inside the parking garage, Maddy smacked Mackenzie’s shoulder. “That was mean. You don’t get to threaten people’s jobs to get your own way.”
“We both know I won’t tell Daddy.”
“Yes, but the guard didn’t. I’m excited to be here too, Mac.” Maddy sighed, taking Mackenzie’s hand again. “But you’re better than that.”
Mackenzie wasn’t so sure, but for Maddy, she wanted to be. Her sister was her conscience. The one who kept her out of trouble. What was she gonna do without her? How could anyone expect her to continue on with her life until Maddy was strong enough to be standing by her side?
Daddy and Grandma had last time, and she’d done her best, but she didn’t want to go through that again. The thought made her sick. If Maddy made it through surgery, Mackenzie was staying with her, no matter what anyone said.
But they weren’t past the dangerous part yet. They were here. And they were gonna have fun.
And as much as Maddy was Mackenzie’s conscience, Mackenzie was Maddy’s sense of adventure. After the scolding, she stuck close to Mackenzie’s side, eyes bright with excitement as the men’s voices filled the underground parking.
There they were, only steps away. Mackenzie bit her lip as she spotted Sebastian, his hand on the back of Luke’s neck, something possessive in his hold. Neither of them seemed aware of anyone around them as they spoke quietly, heading to a big, black SUV. She wanted to meet them both so badly, but she couldn’t bear to distract them from one another. She held her breath as Luke turned to Sebastian, stealing a kiss before rushing around to the passenger side.
Maddy tugged at her hand, nodding toward Pischlar and White, backing up a bit as she stared at them. “I’m good now. We can go.”
“Don’t you want to meet them?” Mackenzie kept her voice quiet, even though she doubted the guys would hear her with all the noise they were making. She grinned as Luke stood through the open window of the SUV and shouted for Tyler Vanek to hurry.
Shaking her head, Maddy pressed close against Mackenzie’s side. “What would I even say? ‘Hi, I’m totally obsessed with you and have a huge poster of you on my wall?’”
“No, that would be lame.” Mackenzie cocked her head. “Ask him if he wants to go out for coffee.”
“Umm, how about no? I love him, I don’t want him getting traded!”
“Why would he get traded?”
“Who’s getting traded?” A young man whispered, suddenly behind them.
The yelp Maddy let out had all the men going quiet and turning their way.
Mackenzie snickered as Maddy ducked behind a pickup truck. “She’s fine!” she shouted so they wouldn’t worry, before turning to the guy, who wasn’t much older than her. Braxton Richards, taller than she’d expected, and bigger. He must have grown over the summer, which was a relief. The smaller guys always made her nervous when she watched them play. The big dudes could totally crush them. Thankfully, most were fast, which kept the crushing to a minimum.
He was handsome, but also kind of adorable, his brown hair all neatly styled, his suit perfectly fitted, and yet somehow awkward, as though he wasn’t comfortable. Like a kid whose mom dressed him up for church. The exact way she felt when Daddy asked her not to wear ball caps and ripped jeans because he was having business people over for dinner.
She gave Braxton a slanted smile. “How would we know anything about that?”
“Because you’re the owner’s daughters.”
“We’ve never been here… How did you even recognize us?” Maddy stepped forward, looking the young man over, curiously.
“Ladd was checking out your Instagram the other day for some reason.” Braxton gave Maddy a shy smile. “I thought it would be weird if I followed you, but I love your fashion and makeup posts.”
Maddy grinned. “Really? Hey, it’s not weird if you follow me.” She got that look in her eyes Mackenzie knew too well as she studied Braxton. As though he was a project she couldn’t wait to get started on. “If you ever want, I could totally help you find some suits that are more…you.”
Her sister was usually shy around strangers, but get her talking clothes and makeup and she opened up like a water lily under moonlight. Either that or discussing supernatural stuff. If Maddy started on ghost talk, they’d be in this parking garage all day.
Braxton seemed to love the idea of shopping with Maddy, and they were already talking about which shops to go to. Today.
I am not spending all day shopping. Mackenzie wrinkled her nose, then thought back on what the young man had mentioned before. “Hey, you said Ladd was checking her out on Instagram?”
“Not in a weird way. I think Hunt had shared one of her ghost stories.” Richards turned back to Maddy. “Those are really cool, by the way. Do you draw all the pictures yourself?”
Oh boy.
“Yes, but they’re not that good. I’m hoping to take some art courses later this year.”
“They’re amazing. I wish I had your talent.”
Maddy snickered. “You’re a pro athlete. I think you’ve got plenty of talent.”
These two are giving me cavities. Mackenzie groaned, her attention drifting away from the pair. The door leading into the parking garage from the player’s exit opened and she blinked as a young man stepped out, glancing back over his shoulder and letting out a low laugh that made her shiver.
This was Ladd. Heath Ladd.
Damn, he’s fine. Slightly curly, light reddish-blond hair, falling loose from where he’d clearly tried to comb it back, still wet. His face was softer than the other men somehow, but the chiseled edge to his cheekbones and jaw made him model hot.
The laughter in his green eyes drew her in, and she held her breath as he approached, but he kept glancing back at the man behind him.
Who was scowling. “Cut it out, Ladd. You wanted me to have a party and be nice to all these assholes. I’m having it. You’re welcome.”
Dave Hunt, the backup goalie, all rough and big, muscular and wide where Heath was lean, his dark hair and eyes, his light tan, a stark contrast to the younger man who
was bright and softer. The tough guys usually got her attention first, but knowing Heath had been checking out her sister drew Mackenzie’s focus to him.
She wasn’t sure whether to be protective, or a little jealous. Maddy might be shy, but guys were always attracted to her. And she never seemed to care.
Whereas Mackenzie would love to be noticed. But to do that, she’d have to be more social.
No thanks.
Heath spoke softly to Dave, which had the goalie’s scowl fading and his lips quirking slightly. As they stepped up beside Braxton, Dave met Maddy’s eyes, his expression neutral.
“Miss Keane, uh, it’s nice to meet you. Both of you.” Dave looked around, clearing his throat, visibly shifting away. “Are you waiting for your dad?”
Maddy nodded. Then shook her head.
Mackenzie snickered. “It might be better if you don’t tell anyone we’re here.”
Dave’s brow shot up.
Braxton stared at her.
“We won’t.” Heath stepped forward and held out his hand. “Heath Ladd.”
Doing her best not to blush or giggle or be all stupid because a hot guy was close to her, Mackenzie put her hand in his. His palm was warm. Soft. The brief touch tempted her to move in closer, but she tried to play it cool.
“Mackenzie.” She inhaled a measured breath, finding it hard to breathe at all. “And this is my sister, Madison.”
Heath smiled at Madison, then brought his focus back to Mackenzie. “Are you in a hurry?”
She swallowed and shook her head. Was he going to ask her—them—to stay and hang out? All the other players were taking off, Maddy hadn’t even gotten to say a word to Pischlar, but spending some time with these guys would be just as good, right?
“We’re going to get something to eat.” Heath bit lightly into his soft bottom lip, looking uncertain for a moment. “You’re welcome to join us?”
Staring at his mouth, Mackenzie immediately nodded. “We’d love to.”
OverTime (The Dartmouth Cobras Book 9) Page 8