Steele

by Bennett, Sawyer

  Wincing, Kane shakes his head. “That’s some fucked-up relationship mess. I’ll take my issues with Mollie over yours any day.”

  “Tell me about it,” I grouse, then signal the bartender for another beer.

  “Are they… I mean, is she…” Kane stumbles around for the right words.

  “Having sex?” I practically spit out.

  “Yeah.”

  “No,” I reply with surety in my voice.

  “And you know that how?” Kane asks.

  I’m not about to tell him that it was a bit more than a kiss after the garbage disposal, and that I got a breathless admission from her because she was so lost in the haze of lust I’d created.

  “I just know,” I say. “Because I know Ella. She won’t make that move with him unless her heart is in it for the long haul, and she won’t do that while she’s still considering me.”

  “And are you sure she’s considering you?” Kane asks, prompting me to frown at such a question. “I mean… she’s going out with the guy tomorrow night, and you’ve yet to make any personal headway with her at all.”

  Well, fuck… when he says it that way, I realize I need to up my game.

  “You need a bold move,” Kane says with a firm nod. He drains his beer as the bartender brought him one from my prior signal, “Need to show her you’re serious. Can’t just sit around and wait for her to have free time from the other guy she’s dating to have some time for you.”

  I snicker, smiling at the suggestion. I’ve always known I’d need a pretty big move; I just wasn’t sure when to pull it out.

  “I have a bold move to make,” I say, twisting on my stool. “The question is how and when.”

  “Sex?” he queries, and I roll my eyes.

  “Sex was never our problem, and it would be easy to fall back into bed. It’s not a bad move, but would only be a band-aid for our problems.”

  “What were your problems?” Kane asks, and it’s an intrusive question, yet I don’t mind. We’re teammates, close friends, and we both have our own female problems we talk to each other about.

  “I didn’t see her,” I reply in a low voice, my throat threatening to close off as I admit my failures. “Or rather, she felt like I didn’t see her, so how she felt is what’s important.”

  “Valid?” he pushes.

  I nod. “For a long time, I just assumed she was happy being married to me. I thought she understood and accepted our travel schedule because she came up in the league with me, so I assumed she could handle me being gone so much.”

  Kane frowns. “I don’t know Ella since y’all separated around the time I came to the team, but she’s been a team wife a long time. She knows that travel is just part of the job.”

  “Of course she does,” I rush to defend her. “And she didn’t mind the travel. It was more that when I was home, my attention wasn’t going to her. I often chose other hockey activities, extra workouts, or hanging with my teammates over spending time with her. I got complacent. Thought things were great because we were still dynamite in the sack. I missed all the warning signs, and I didn’t listen when she tried to tell me she was sad and lonely.”

  “Say no more, my man,” Kane commiserates with a heavy hand on my shoulder. “I’d suggest you make your bold move sooner rather than later. If she’s dating someone, you don’t want him to make a bolder move first.”

  “She’s going on a date tomorrow, and we’re leaving the day after for an extended road trip,” I mutter, hating more than ever the fact I have to travel for my job. For the first time in my career, I resent it when, before, it was just an accepted part of my job.

  “You could crash her date,” Kane suggests wickedly.

  “I think that ship has sailed.” I laugh, thinking about how pissed she was when I crashed her date at the food festival.

  “Baden is having surgery next week,” Kane murmurs, and my chin jerks inward at such an abrupt change of subject.

  He’s talking about the Vengeance’s backup goalie from last year. Currently, he’s on injured reserve, having suffered a horrible spinal injury. He intervened with a group of guys who were trying to mug a woman. After being stabbed multiple times, he was beaten with a crowbar. One of the blows from the crowbar on his back caused a spinal contusion and left him with almost complete paralysis in his legs. He’s had one surgery already and has been in a rehab hospital here in Phoenix, but he’s undergoing a new type of surgery next week to hopefully help him regain functional use of his legs.

  “What’s your point?” I ask. Everyone on the team is completely up to speed on Baden’s treatment, recovery, and prognosis, which isn’t all that promising. We get almost daily updates—not only from management but also from teammates who visit him. We all rotate, so he has someone going to see him every day when we’re in town.

  “My point is I bet there’s not a minute that goes by that Baden doesn’t ponder everything he wished he’d done before losing his legs. We are never guaranteed tomorrow, so in my opinion, you should not wait another moment to pull out your bold move. You want your wife back? Then I suggest you get on it. Now.”

  This truth hits me hard. In my mind, I think I considered this sort of a marathon, figuring Ella needed time to come around. I also needed time to prove I could be the man she needs as she won’t just accept my word for it.

  But while that might be true, it doesn’t mean I can’t be a bit more forward in my approach. Like Kane said, there’s another man competing for her attention.

  An idea starts to brew even though Ella’s going on a date tomorrow. I’m leaving the next day for an extended road trip, but I’m definitely going to make my move sooner rather than later.

  CHAPTER 6

  Steele

  My emotions are a mixed bag tonight. I get to spend a little unanticipated time with Lucy, but my guts are burning up over Ella’s date with David. And I can’t even call him Mr. Ordinary anymore because clearly a robotics surgeon who dotes on my wife makes him more pretty extraordinary.

  Good thing I have my plan in place to pull out my big move on Ella. She won’t see it coming, which is part of the plan.

  For now, I have the pleasure of picking Lucy up tonight to give her a ride to hang with friends. She’s been invited to an overnight birthday slumber party. One of her friend’s parents was going to pick her up, but that fell through. At the last minute, Ella asked if I minded, and, of course, I did not.

  When I ring the doorbell, I can hear Lucy pounding down the stairs, yelling, “I got it.”

  The door flies open and she blinks in surprise, but quickly masks it. “Hey, Dad. You’re a little early.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I reply, stepping in. Clearly, she thought I was David, who I happen to know is picking up Ella around this time. “But I was in the area, so I thought you might be ready.”

  “I’m not,” Lucy chirps, shutting the door. “Need about another five minutes. I’ll be right back down.”

  Before I can reply, she’s running up the stairs.

  I have to say—having kissed Ella just a week ago in addition to our little interactions since then, I don’t feel as much a stranger in this home as I used to. My gaze lands on the couch—a dark blue leather monster Ella picked out. It’s so comfy I could nap there forever.

  The coffee table which Ella, Lucy, and I sat around and played board games.

  The corner where we put the Christmas tree last year… and I couldn’t get the damn thing to stay straight no matter what I tried.

  I miss this home.

  Not a house, but the home it had become with Ella and Lucy.

  There’s a light rap on the door, and my head swings that way. It’s Mr. Ordinary, who apparently isn’t all that ordinary.

  I glance toward the master suite, but the door is closed. Ella is probably putting on the finishing touches of her makeup or jewelry. Lucy is quiet upstairs.

  Nothing left to do but let him in.

  Forcing a smile, I open the front door. While I�
��m not one to judge another man’s looks, I’ll admit he would be considered handsome. I can see the appeal for Ella, and I hate it.

  He blinks in surprise to see me standing there, and I know I can do one of two things—easily dispel the awkwardness by being cool, welcoming, and explaining our schedules happened to overlap.

  Or… I could use whatever amount of alone time I have with this man to instill some doubt in him.

  It would be a dirty play, but, as I told Ella before… I play to win.

  Broadening my smile, I stick my hand out. “You must be David. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Jim.”

  He seems momentarily frozen, but then basic manners take over. When he shakes my hand, it’s a bit limp, perhaps denoting a lack of confidence. After I release him, I bid him entrance with a sweep of my hand. “Ella’s in the bedroom. She’s still getting ready.”

  David frowns over the fact I know Ella’s in the bedroom. Probably over me even being here to talk to him. But I don’t dispel any innuendo he might glean from that.

  I loop an arm around his shoulders, clamp down, and start guiding him to the kitchen. “Come on in and sit for a bit while she’s finishing up. Want a beer?”

  David moves to one of the island stools, looking completely frazzled. “Um… no, thank you.”

  I shrug, moving to the fridge and opening it up. Grabbing a bottle, I say with a sly grin as I close it. “So glad Ella still stocks my favorite beer.”

  That’s the truth. It’s Ella’s favorite beer, too, but I don’t tell him that. Instead, I let the implication that I come over and have beers hover. David’s frown deepens.

  “Ella tells me you travel, teaching other surgeons robotics.” I take a sip of my beer, then lean my forearms on the island directly across from him so we’re eye level.

  “Yeah… that’s right.” Poor David. He seems incapable of carrying on a polite conversation with the husband of the woman he’s dating.

  I’m going to give him a pass. Setting my beer down, I straighten. “Let me go tell Ella you’re here.”

  “Um… you don’t need—” he starts to say, but I move past him without a backward glance. Through the living room, down the small hall, and a hard left takes me to the master suite. The door’s closed. I don’t bother knocking, just walk right in. I know Ella’s dressed.

  I find her in the bathroom, her makeup drawer open and she’s huddled over it, touching something inside.

  “Your date’s here,” I announce.

  She lets out a yip of fright, shoving whatever it was in her hand to the back and slamming the drawer closed.

  “Damn it, Jim,” she snaps, her palm pressed against her heart. “You scared the hell out of me. And what are you doing in my room?”

  “Just running an errand for you,” I reply casually. “Letting you know your date is here.”

  “You aren’t supposed to be here yet,” she grumbles. I’m sure she’d set the time for me to pick up Lucy very carefully so this run-in between David and me would be avoided. I had thought about this. Of course, it may have been a bit intentional to put myself in her neck of the woods early.

  “Don’t worry,” I assure her with a mischievous grin. “I welcomed him in, offered him a drink, and made small talk.”

  She rolls her eyes, rising from her vanity chair. I think she might chastise me for some other offense as she steps closer to me. Instead, she says, “Are you going to tell Lucy about the puppy foster program tonight?”

  Caught off guard, I hesitate. “I had assumed you’d want to do it together?”

  “Nah…” Smiling, she waves the suggestion off. “You tell her. Enjoy the unconditional love and joy that will come directly after.”

  I snort because it’s true. Lucy’s going to be on cloud nine. “All right. Thanks.”

  She nods, then moves past me without another word. I start to follow, hesitate, and turn back to the drawer of her vanity. Quietly, I pull it open as far out as it will go, spotting a picture of Ella and me stuffed in the back.

  I recognize it. It’s from a trip we took to the Maldives and fuck if we didn’t look happy and deeply in love.

  Was that what she was looking at when I walked in?

  That could be good or bad, but either way, no way to know the answer. I shut the drawer, then catch up to her as she’s moving through the living room. David sees her, sliding off the stool. When she holds out her hands, he takes them and leans in to kiss her on the cheek.

  Lame.

  I sit on the armrest of the couch, watching. David glances over Ella’s shoulder at me as he pulls back, smiling victoriously.

  I just smirk back. Because he’d have a cow if he knew the type of kiss I gave my wife a week ago—my hand gripping her ass and her body pressed against my erection. I’ll keep that info to myself, though.

  Ella grabs a small purse off a thin table near the staircase before addressing me. “Make sure Lucy locks up when y’all leave, and remind her I’ll pick her up at ten tomorrow morning.”

  I give her a jaunty salute. “Aye-aye, Captain.”

  In return, I get another cute-as-hell eye roll.

  David puts his hand to Ella’s back, shooting me a look that says, “She’s mine tonight,” and I want to punch his teeth down the back of his throat. I just smile blandly, because, in those few minutes of talking to him and watching how they interact, I can tell he’s getting nothing more than a friendly kiss when he brings her home.

  Ella might want to keep pushing at that relationship, but it’s not going to go anywhere, and I know this because I know she’s still in love with me. I’m sure of it.

  Popping off the couch armrest, I walk to the base of the staircase, then shout, “Come on, Lucy Goosey… shake a leg.”

  In exasperation, she draws out her return yell. “D-a-a-a-a-d…”

  I grin, feeling good about things.

  ♦

  The drive over to Lucy’s friend’s house takes about twenty minutes, and I let Lucy chatter on about whatever interests her. I don’t want to risk any “lame dad” moves, particularly when I feel we’re making a fresh start.

  We pull up to the curb. Lucy grabs for the door handle, her other hand gripping her backpack.

  “Wait a minute, kiddo,” I say, nabbing her upper arm until she faces me.

  She’s excited to see her friends, aggravated I’m holding her back. Her expression says it all.

  “I want to talk about your request for a puppy,” I say.

  Immediately, the exasperation disappears. In its place, her blue eyes begin to shimmer with excitement. She leans in toward me, smiling from ear to ear.

  She’s totally into me right now—and all because I said the word “puppy”. I find it hilarious.

  “Your mom and I talked, and we both had the same concerns over whether you’re ready for the responsibility for caring—”

  “I am,” Lucy blurts out. “Really… I swear it.”

  I hold up a hand for silence, giving her a gentle smile. “I know you say that, but as parents, it’s our right to question it.”

  Her excited expression crumbles.

  “However,” I drawl.

  Hope springs eternal in her eyes.

  “We think we’ve come up with a good solution,” I say, then explain the puppy foster program. Ella did the initial research. She found two agencies nearby, and I vetted both. We found one that has a litter of puppies that will be ready in about a week and a half.

  “So I’m getting one of those puppies?” she asks, practically bouncing in her seat.

  “Yes.” I wait for it… There it is—her excited scream. Even with me bracing myself for her next move, she still manages to topple me back as she collides with me, throwing her arms around my shoulders for a hard hug. When she pulls back, I put on my best stern-dad face. “It’s going to be hard work. Puppies need a lot of attention and care. If you do well, though, your mom and I won’t be opposed to finding a dog to add as a permanent member of our family.”


  I expected another excited shriek, but what I get is quite the opposite. Lucy’s gaze drops, her face slackening. “Except… we’re not a family.”

  I wince because it’s a potent reminder our split has had serious effects on Lucy, which she’s still working through. Despite Ella and I putting on a friendly, united front for Lucy’s benefit, she’s still sad we’re not together.

  “Of course we’re still a family,” I assure her, pulling her back in for a comforting hug. “I’m still your dad, your mom is still your mom, and you’re still the light of our lives.”

  “But you and Mom aren’t together,” she points out bitterly. “And I miss having you at home.”

  “I know, kiddo,” I murmur gently and then push her back slightly so she can see my face. “It’s killing me, too. But you never know what the future holds, right?”

  “I guess,” she says glumly.

  I could tell Lucy I’m gunning for her mom, but I don’t want to get her hopes up in case I’m not successful in convincing Ella to give me another try.

  The most I can do is assure her, “Your mom and I love you, and we still care for each other. We might not be living together, but we’re still a family unit, okay?”

  “Okay.” Tone still glum.

  Totally not acceptable.

  “Puppy in just ten days,” I drawl as if I’m dangling a carrot over her head.

  It does the trick, and light filters back into her baby blues. Her mouth breaks into a wide grin.

  She throws herself at me one more time. “Thanks for figuring out a solution and letting me have a shot at this, Dad.”

  “It was your mom, too,” I say, making sure she knows so Ella gets the credit, too.

  Lucy nods, kisses my cheek, and opens the Rover’s door. Before she shuts it, I carry out Ella’s last request. “And your mom said to remind you that she’ll be here at ten tomorrow to pick you up.”

  “Aye-aye, Captain,” she says, giving a salute and I about bust my gut laughing. She is completely my kid.