Page 57 of Traded

The lie catches in my throat. “Oh. Um. Lauren. My new boss.”

Katie dismisses her and turns back to me. “This sounds like new information. We have to do lunch. Tell me you’re free next week and not drowning in season prep.”

“Yo, assholes!”

Everyone turns to the doorway, greetings yelled out. Carter pushes through the scrum to get to Tyler. “Back it up, you animals.”

Carter claps our winger on the shoulder. “Didn’t think you could make it tonight. Everything good with Maddie?”

“Eh.” Tyler is grinning. “Thought we’d introduce the newest member of the team.”

He laughs at our shocked faces. “You have to be quiet though. Not you, Cap. The rest of you fuckers.”

Katie and I exchange glances before diving between Noah and Liam to get to the front.

Tyler is beaming as Maddie appears beside him, the hum of the elevator doors the only sound.

“We’re not staying.” She’s smiling, too. A small bundle is cradled against her chest. “It’s past Tyler’s bedtime, but we wanted to say hey.”

Twenty hockey players immediately jostle to get as close as possible. Carter ends up at the front, Benji behind him and Liam on his other side.

“Aw, man.” I hear Jonas’s mutter from somewhere toward the back of the line.

“I’m gonna cry,” Katie whispers. “First team baby mascot. My hormones can’t take this.”

She looks up at the ceiling and waves her hands theatrically in front of her eyes. “I’m not wearing waterproof mascara.”

“This is Ria.” Maddie proudly holds out the bundle to Carter. “Say hi to your Uncle Cap.”

Carter’s face wavers as he carefully accepts the bundle of pink blankets, tucking it into his chest. He doesn’t say anything. The lump in my throat grows as I watch him stare down at the baby.

“Huh,” he croaks finally. “Dawson actually made a cute kid. Who knew?”

“You crying, Cap?”

“Shut it.”

But he’s blinking. My heart melts when Ria makes a small noise, and Carter shifts his hips, swaying and murmuring. “I know. There’s a lot ofverybig alphas in this room.”

“She should meet her Aunty Rosie next.” Maddie carefully takes Ria back, turning to me. “Since she’d only shove Benji out of the way anyway.”

“Absolutely true.” Laughter ripples as I carefully accept the bundle. She’s almost too small to see, a tiny little squishy face that pouts as I curve my arms under her and try to breathe evenly. “Look at you, sweetheart. You’re perfect.”

“I know.” My friend is grinning. “She’s all me, don’t you think?”

I think I need to wipe my eyes before I accidentally baptize their kid. “You sure you don’t want to stay? We’ll pack you guys some food.”

“Totallynotthe reason we came.” Tyler wraps his arm around my shoulders and beams down at his daughter. “Did you know they make baby Titan jerseys? So cute.”

Maddie rolls her eyes, but she looks at me hopefully. “Definitely the reasonwecame. We’re running out of your meals, Ro. Figured we’d pay the baby tax and stock up.”

“Absolutely.” I reluctantly relinquish Ria to a freakishly comfortable Benji. The singing starts before I turn around. I don’t know how he thinks a baby will respond to hard rock, but it’s sweet. “I was going to drop some more off for you, so you’ve got great timing.”

Katie grabs both me and Maddie, yanking us into a group hug. “You’ll come for lunch, right, Mads? Bring the new mascot too. I’ll have my cuddles when a hockey player isn’t gonna wrestle her off me.”

“Hell, yes.” Maddie groans into my neck. “I desperately need some conversation that isn’t hockey-related.Please.”

When Katie finally loosens her octopus grip, I rummage in the cupboard to find a Tupperware lid that matches before filling it with food, listening to Maddie’s imitation of Tyler’s baby talk.