Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 80620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80620 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“What kind of party is this we’re going to?” I said, and Marek was sufficiently distracted.
It’s apparently a hell of a big party, if the long line of cars down the streets of the neighborhood are any indication. Marek said Coach Pretore likes to get all the players, coaches, training staff, and executive management staff—along with their family members—together at the beginning of the season to bolster camaraderie. The first preseason game is in two days.
Marek doesn’t even hesitate. Just pushes the front door open and steps inside. I tighten my hand on Lilly’s and we follow him in. She was overly excited to come when she realized there’d be other kids here.
I’m immediately overwhelmed with the sheer number of people standing around and the volume of the conversation. I take in all the faces, and my anxiety increases from the fact that I don’t know a single soul here other than Marek, who I’m betting is going to dump me within a matter of minutes.
Marek, however, takes just a few steps to the left to enter what looks like a formal sitting room, where he walks toward a couple standing there with a few people congregated around them. The petite, dark-haired woman is holding a tiny baby, and everyone is cooing and smiling at it. A tall guy with the most amazing amber eyes I’ve ever seen hovers right behind her.
I walk a few paces behind Marek as he steps right up to the couple, actually shouldering another guy out of the way that I actually recognize.
Max Fournier, the star goalie of the Cold Fury. I never stopped following hockey after Marek and I broke up. I love the sport, and of course I followed his career, particularly the last two years, since they won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships. Max is one of the stars of the team and is easily recognizable, so of course I know who he is.
Leaning over the baby, Marek strokes its chest with the tip of his finger before looking up to the man with the amber eyes. He grins and says, “Thank God he looks like Kate.”
The man merely growls under his breath at Marek before his gaze goes back to the baby and a dopey, sweet, in-love smile takes over his face. Clearly he’s the father.
Marek turns to me and to my surprise, holds his hand out to Lilly and me.
Well, to Lilly. Not to me.
I move Lilly in front of me and give her a tiny push toward Marek. He takes her hand and pulls her up to the group.
“This is Lilly,” Marek says with so much pride in his voice that I’m both touched over his love of our daughter and ashamed this is his first experience with such an emotion.
Everyone warmly greets Lilly with big smiles on their faces. Marek told me that he told the team about her on Monday at the first day of training camp. The woman with the baby squats down and looks at Lilly. “This is Caleb. He was born just last month.”
Lilly’s eyes go round as she peers at the baby. She then turns to me and says, “Look, Mommy…a baby. So cute.”
What follows feels like slow motion and there’s a spotlight on me, and every person in the group now turns to stare at me.
My eyes cut to Marek and he flushes with guilt. To his credit, he sort of jumps at me and pulls me closer by my elbow. “Shit…I’m sorry. Everyone, this is Gracen. Lilly’s mom.”
To his further credit, he truly sounds sorry he forgot to introduce me, so I let it roll off my back. I smile around at everyone as Marek tells me each person’s name one by one.
“That’s Zack and Kate Grantham with the cute baby,” Marek says as he nods at them. Kate straightens up and offers me a warm smile. I nod back at her.
“And this is Max Fournier and his fiancée, Jules.”
I look to the couple that Marek points to and smile. “Hi. Nice to meet you.”
Jules is so lovely with caramel-colored hair and the most beautifully warm, brown eyes. She immediately reaches a hand out to shake mine. “It’s so great to meet you, Gracen.”
“And this is Ben,” Marek says more to Lilly than to me as his hand reaches out and ruffles the hair of a little boy whom I had not noticed earlier standing beside Kate. He’s a good head taller than Lilly and looks a lot like Zack.
“All the kids are downstairs in the basement,” Jules says as she turns to me. “Coach Pretore hired a magician to entertain them this year, as we’re at record-breaking numbers for kids on this team.”
Kate laughs and nods at baby Caleb in her arms. “No kidding. Gray and Sutton also just had babies, and Stephanie is due in September.”