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“Speaking of photos … could I see your little one?”
“Oh, you’ve done it now. My favorite subject.” Out came the albums, but Ashley didn’t mind. Tara’s daughter, Esme, was absolutely adorable.
“I never want her to grow up. I want to dress her in cute outfits and put ribbons in her hair forever.”
“It’s nice when you can talk to them, though. You’re going to have some great conversations when she starts getting chatty.”
“We already do!” Tara chuckled. “Well, Hale, my husband, understands her completely, no matter what she says. Oh, there’s one of Dex holding her. He came over one afternoon, and I expected he’d be terrified, but no, he took to the baby-holding like a Rebel to an all-you-can-eat buffet.”
Ashley had to admit Dex holding Tara’s infant daughter was a powerful image. A natural protector, he gazed soulfully into the baby’s eyes.
Tara appeared to be watching her closely. “So, our Dexter. Good with animals and babies … he’s going to make someone an excellent hockey husband.”
A couple of cute photos of Dex with helpless creatures couldn’t quite convince Ashley of his responsibility bona fides.
“He’s kind of young to be settling down.”
Tara shrugged. “I think he wants nothing more than to enjoy some stability. Oh, here they are!”
The arrival of the players cut the conversation short and left Ashley thinking about what Tara might mean. Had Dex enlisted Tara’s help in winning her over?
Not that he needed help. Ashley was this close to falling before him and begging to take him up on his offer. Cute animal and baby pics had nothing to do with it—if anything they just made it more complicated. She’d much rather see Dex as the man who was good for one thing, and one thing only.
Everyone cheered as the players skated out and when Dex emerged from the tunnel, Willa, Ashley, and Tara all jumped to their feet and screamed their approval so loud that people turned to look at them.
Including Dex. His gaze seemed to land on them—on Ashley—with an unexpected weight. They were close enough to see his expression and it was one of surprise, even though he knew they were coming. Maybe it was because Tara was here. Or maybe it was how hard they had cheered for him.
Why not? He worked as diligently as anyone out there. He deserved to be celebrated because he was doing something amazing out there. Given his unsettling beginnings, it was wonderful to see where he’d ended up.
Every time he jumped over that wall, they hooted and hollered and screamed his name, as if Dex O’Malley was the star of the night. And soon the entire section—the players’ section—were doing the same. Sure, they’d cheer when the players nearest and dearest to them came on, but they were extra loud when Dex cleared the gate and skated into the fray.
During the rare moments in the first period when he was resting on the bench, he would occasionally turn and look toward their section. The first time, Willa waved and he waved back.
The second time, during one of the play reviews, Willa was too focused on the special delivery of a hot dog—they didn’t even have to go to the concession stand to order it. (Tara commented that this was not standard operating procedure for guests and that Willa must have done something right in a previous life.) Dex had given a thumbs up to the hot dog delivery.
By the time Dex turned around again, most everyone was distracted by Theo Kershaw’s granny group dancing so hard it was a wonder they didn’t each break a hip. (Apparently there was a raging rivalry between Theo’s Tarts, led by his grandmother, and Reid’s Rebelles, led by Kennedy’s.) That time, Ashley was studying Dex’s broad shoulders and wondering how they would feel under her hands, when she found herself in an eye-lock with the man himself.
She felt his smile to her toes. How had she thought the arena would be cold? With Dex’s heated gaze it was positively steaming in here. Feeling foolish, she gave him a small wave.
That made him smile bigger.
And then he was off again, chasing down the puck until with just a minute to go in the first period, he zipped past the LA defender and planted one right in the net.
The whole section, primed by Dex’s newly-formed fan club to love him regardless, jumped to their feet and roared their approval. Dex accepted the pats and compliments from his teammates before sending a quick-flashed smile toward his guests.
Or one guest. At least that’s how Ashley felt. Like she and Dex were connected through the plexi, and that goal was for her.
“Isn’t Dex awesome, Mom?”
“Yes, he is.” She turned and caught Tara’s enigmatic smile. “What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
18
Dex wasn’t used to being the hero. But then he wasn’t used to scoring a hat trick in a single game, either.
“Where the fuck has that guy been?” Kershaw stood before him, hands on hips.
