Page 82 of Pucking Daddy

"Well, hopefully with fewer people trying to knock you down."

She giggles, and something in my chest loosens.

Whatever chaos swirls around the adults in this situation, Lily remains the center of it all. The reason I'd agreed to any of this in the first place.

We spend the morning getting ready—hair braided, warm clothes layered, skates borrowed from a closet that seems to contain every piece of hockey equipment ever manufactured.

Lily chatters the whole time about her friend Maria's hamster and whether dragons can ice skate and why the color purple is objectively the best color.

I listen, ask questions, make appropriate sounds of wonder at her six-year-old logic.

This part comes easy. Kids are predictable in the best way—they want attention, consistency, and someone who takes their concerns seriously. I'd been giving that for a decade.

It’s the adult stuff that makes me want to hide under a blanket.

I still cringe when I think about the moment I leaned in to kiss Jaxon.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

And then he said the worst possible thing: “It wasn’t even a date, Zara.”

Now, as Lily and I enter the arena for family day, I try to push everything else out of my mind and just be present.

I immediately notice how transformed the arena is.

Gone is the serious, high-stakes atmosphere of game night. In its place: streamers, music echoing off the high ceilings, and what looks like half the team’s families milling around on the ice and in the surrounding areas.

Lily grips my hand as we navigate through the crowd. "There's Daddy!"

Jaxon stands near the boards, clipboard in hand, talking with Nate.

He’s in jeans and a Raptors hoodie instead of his usual game-day suit, and the casual look does something annoying to my pulse.

When he spots us, his expression shifts—still guarded, still careful, but something warmer underneath.

"There's my girl." He crouches down as Lily runs to him, scooping her up. "Ready to show everyone your moves?"

"I don't have moves yet," she says seriously. "Zara says we have to learn them first."

"Smart woman." His eyes meet mine over Lily's head. "Thanks for bringing her."

"Simone said it was important."

A muscle in his jaw twitches. "Yeah. She mentioned the call."

Before we can say more, a woman approaches with a warm smile and an extended hand. "You must be Zara. I'm Talia Morrison—Jake's wife."

I recognize the name from Jaxon's roster rundowns.

Jake Morrison, veteran captain, the steady presence that keeps the team grounded.

His wife is young, beautiful, with sharp eyes that miss nothing.

"Nice to meet you." I shake her hand. "Lily's been talking about this all morning."

"The kids go crazy for family day. There's a whole obstacle course set up on the auxiliary rink."

Talia glances at Lily, who is already squirming to get down. "Want me to take her over there while you get settled?"