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Not only did I play in college, I made it to the NHL. When I hoisted the Stanley Cup that night and a reporter asked me who I wanted to thank for it, I thanked that piece of shit high school coach.
Tell me I can’t do something, and I’ll find a way. I cheated death while serving in the Middle East, because I knew my story wasn’t done yet. I knew I needed to build programs to help vets, and I thought that was the burning purpose keeping me alive over there.
Now, though, I know it wasn’t just that. There was a future family waiting for me. A baby girl and this redheaded firecracker who makes me crazy in a way I never knew I needed.
I want to stay here, in this moment and in this place. It feels right having Winter in my bed, Avery peaceful and secure between us.
Reality calls, though. I gingerly slide out of bed and go to my closet to get workout clothes.
Maybe they’ll still be asleep in my bed when I get home. I hope so. The scene in my bedroom right now isn’t my reality, yet, but maybe one day it could be.
Getting Winter to give me a chance is one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced. I’m up to it, though. When I know what I want, I fight for it.
Chapter Fourteen
Winter
I’m comfortable and still sleepy, but I’m lured awake by an irresistible smell of soap and cologne. When I open my eyes and see where the scent is coming from, I groan.
Harry’s walking out of his massive walk-in closet, a white towel wrapped around his waist. His dark, wet hair is slicked back and he’s running a hand over his freshly shaved face.
That damned cologne. I swear that stuff does things to me.
“Morning,” he whispers.
Avery is sleeping soundly next to me, and I expect she will be for at least another hour if no one wakes her up. She put up quite a fight last night, and it took me a while to figure out she wasn’t in pain and didn’t actually need anything. She just wanted to be held. Her cries weren’t frantic, but annoyed.
Eventually she took her Binky when I offered it to her and started to drift off. I put her in bed between Harry and me, moving the covers away from her, so I could easily return her Binky if she spit it out.
Now, though, I feel a wave of guilt. I just woke up in Harry Stone’s bed. Even though I’m only here for Avery, it’s not right.
Lately, I’m not doing a very good job of hating Harry, and hating him is important to me. He broke Mallory’s heart. Waking up next to him with Avery asleep between us was my best friend’s dream. I don’t belong here.
I slide out of bed and scoop her up, kissing the top of her head as she yawns.
“You don’t have to get up,” Harry whispers, approaching us quietly.
I feel his warmth next to me and I close my eyes, my traitorous body liking it.
“It’s my day,” I say. “Starting at seven.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It matters to me.”
I reach over and grab Avery’s Binky, refusing to even look at Harry. He looks crazy good wrapped up in a towel, and I figure with just one false move, it could come loose and fall off.
I already let him almost kiss me and slept in his bed. Those things are bad enough. There’s no coming back from seeing him naked.
Carrying Avery into the living room, I set her in her swing and buckle her in. When I put the Binky back in her mouth and start up the swing, she goes right back to sleep.
I go into the kitchen and start a pot of coffee, then begin unloading the dishwasher. I’ve almost finished when Harry strides in, dressed in a dark gray suit with a perfectly pressed white shirt and a navy tie.
“You okay?” he asks as he pours a cup of coffee.
“Yeah.” I focus on organizing Avery’s bottles on top of the counter so I don’t have to turn and look at him.
“So I’ve got a fundraiser thing downtown this weekend,” he says. “Saturday night. We’re raising money to build a new housing project for vets. The Chicago Blaze Foundation is sponsoring this event—that’s the team I used to be on.”
“I know what team you were on,” I say mildly. “And I’ll take care of Avery that night so you can go, or switch you or whatever you’re asking me for.”
“Great,” he says. “Because what I was asking is for you to come with me.”
I whip around to face him, the bottles forgotten. “What?”
“We can get a little dress for Avery and show her off to everyone.” He grins and takes his wallet out of his suit pants pocket. “I’ll leave a credit card so you can buy whatever you guys need for it—please don’t worry about the cost, okay?”
