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)
Everyone stands up and starts filing out of the meeting room, while others stand around in small groups for some chitchat and catch up after a nice summer break. I meet Reed and Holt at the bottom of the stairs. Both of them clap me on the shoulder and Holt says, “Good job on announcing Lilly.”
Reed and Holt were the only two who knew about her, and now the whole team knows.
A hand wraps around the back of my neck and I’m given a quick shake. I turn to see Alex Crossman, our team’s captain there. He sticks his other hand out and I shake it.
“Congrats, man,” he says warmly.
Ryker and Gray walk up, both also wearing smiles to indicate their happiness for me as well. Holt and Reed give me two more claps on the shoulder and head off toward the locker room.
“Some news you just dropped on us,” Ryker says as we shake hands.
Gray merely lays her hand on my forearm and murmurs, “You’ll be a great dad, Marek.”
“This is all so weird,” I say with a nervous laugh. “I feel like I should be passing out cigars or something.”
“You’ll need to bring Lilly over to play with the girls sometime,” Gray tells me. Ryker has two children, Ruby and Violet, from a former marriage, but they live with him and Gray. “And definitely bring her to the season opener party this weekend.”
“Absolutely,” I reply with an appreciative nod. The Cold Fury is truly one big family, and I’m sure they’ll all be fast friends.
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Gray says in a lower voice as she inches in closer. “How did you just find this out? I mean…did you have any clue?”
A surge of unease causes a little sweat to break out on my upper lip. While I was fully prepared to talk about Lilly to anyone and everyone who wanted to listen, I wasn’t quite sure how to handle Gracen. Many of the people on this team are considered my close friends, and the others are friends all the same. I should have no problem telling my mates about the shitty reason I didn’t know about Lilly for over three years.
But something inside of me just can’t bring myself to throw Gracen under the bus. She’s Lilly’s mom, and she’s a great fucking mother. I don’t want my negative feelings to color other people’s perception of her.
“Let’s just say it was a misunderstanding between two people,” I tell the group still standing around me. All three lean in to listen. “Lilly and her mom, Gracen, are staying at my house for the time being so I can get to know Lilly better.”
And just like that, Alex, Ryker, and Gray accept what I’m saying. I can tell by their faces that they understand it’s a delicate situation and intensely personal. Their expressions show they respect that we’re making the most of a difficult situation.
“Well, you have the team’s full support,” Gray tells me.
“Absolutely,” Alex adds, punching my arm lightly. “And we’d all love to meet Gracen too. You should bring her to the party as well.”
I don’t know what to say. I’d planned on bringing Lilly to the season opener party, which is traditionally held at Coach Pretore’s house, but I had not thought to invite Gracen. The party is for family and significant others.
Technically, Gracen is neither of those things.
But still, I bet Lilly would feel more comfortable if her mom was there.
So I smile at Gray. “Yeah…I’ll bring both Lilly and Gracen.”
And I tell myself that I want to have Gracen come to the party just for Lilly’s sake and it has nothing to do with the fact that I’m wanting to spend more time with Gracen.
Chapter 16
Gracen
Coach Pretore’s house is massive, and the minute my foot hits the top step of his porch, I can hear the sounds of laughter and music coming from within. My anxiety swells as I’m getting ready to officially enter Marek’s professional world. I’m not sure what the hell I’m doing here, and I was caught completely off guard when he invited me to the season opening party earlier in the week. “I want to bring Lilly so everyone can meet her, and I figured she’d feel more comfortable with you along. There will be other kids there, but—”
“Okay,” I said softly as I folded a pile of clean laundry I had dumped on the kitchen table.
Marek blinked once as he realized I’d accepted the invitation, then his gaze dropped to the laundry. “You’re folding my clothes.”
“I washed them first. Don’t worry,” I replied cheekily.
“You don’t have to do my laundry,” he said somewhat flatly.
I shrugged. “Had nothing better to do, and you’re letting me stay here rent and expense free.”
“Gracen, you don’t have—” he’d started to say, but I cut him off quickly.