AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I thought we were reading?”
“I have to have asnack.”
“We have plenty of our own. Besides, Grace’s going to be at work then.”
“Can you ask her to leave me something?”
“I’ve got a better idea. Why don’t we go to the music festival tonight and grab some dinner? For dessert, you can get one of her pastries.”
“Yes.” But then, her excitement withered. “Do I have to eat something good for me?”
“At a festival? Heck no. You can have a greasy burger or a slimy hot dog or anything that catches your fancy.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“You got it.” He kissed her on the cheek and set her down.
As the bus slowed, the brakes squealed. When the doors whooshed open, Kinny climbed the stairs. She stopped midway and turned back to him. “I like Gracie, Daddy.”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
“I hope she stays forever.” She disappeared into the bus.
Unease twisted through him. He stood there for a moment, watching the bus rumble on down the road. When it was out of sight, he started back up the driveway.
He had to be careful because Kinsley got confused.
A woman is nice to her, and she wants to keep her.
Well, we’re not keeping Grace.
Dammit.It’d be nice to keep her.
He’d get to see that smile every day. Every morning, he’d come into the kitchen to watch her dancing with a whisk in her hand.
For one moment, he allowed himself to imagine a life like that, one so full and complete. Kinsley, his family, this ranch…and Grace. This feeling took over—one so unbearably happy that he smacked it down. There was no point in wasting his energy on something that would never happen.
As he approached his house, he saw a familiar black Land Rover. Cole Montgomery stood on his porch, stick in one hand, duffel bag in the other.
The hit of satisfaction had him quickening his pace. To have his friends back after ten years of feeling like he’d ruined their lives…it was the best. “You’re the highest-paid forward in the NHL. What’re you bothering me for? Bored of domestic life already?” Not even a year ago, his friend had taken over the care of two little girls. Lucky for him, the co-guardian wound up being the love of his life, and now, the foursome was a family.
“Hey, man, I left a tea party with chocolate chip cookies to hang out with you, so it won’t take much to send me back home.”
“I hear you. So, what’s up?” He tipped his chin to the hockey stick.
“I want to work on my game.”
Everyone, no matter their level, needed practice. It was too easy to fall into patterns, and once a player did that, the opposing team could anticipate his every move. “Gotcha.” Jaime moved past him to get into his cabin. “Let me change.” He gestured to the kitchen while he headed up the stairs. “Grab a coffee or whatever you want. There’re some pancakes left in the skillet.”
“Pancakes? Oh, man.” Cole grabbed one off a plate and took a bite. “These are good. You got a recipe? Mine are shit.”
“You’ve got to separate the eggs and the whites,” he called from his bedroom.
“Since when?”
“Since you don’t want shit pancakes.”
As he pulled off his shirt and kicked off his jeans, he became aware of his friend’s silence. He peered over the balcony to find Cole with his hands on his hips, looking around. “What’s up?”
