Revenge Puck (Shot at Love #1)

Chapter 40

40

Elle

I ’m sweeping up hair between clients, replaying my last conversation with Preston, when a blond man bursts through the front door like he’s being chased by the hounds of hell.

Ah, guess the team’s plane is about to leave and he thinks he’s so important I’ll make customers wait to cut his hair.

“Christian,” I say in surprise while I continue my sweeping. “What are you doing here? I don’t have time to fit you in today.”

“Do you know too?” he asks.

I look up to find his eyes glistening, his posture like that of a man who has been run over by a Mack truck. His face is bruised and battered, distracting me. It’s the first time I’ve seen it since the fight with Preston on the ice. Too busy cataloguing his injuries, it takes me longer than it should to grasp the meaning of his question until he repeats it.

“Just tell me the truth. Do you know about him, Elle?” This time, the question is asked through gritted teeth.

Him . Oh crap.

“I…I…we should talk somewhere else,” I quickly suggest. There are two clients in the waiting room, so we can’t go back there. The little old ladies are the worst gossipers around town. “I’ll be right back, Mr. Richards,” I yell to my client before I head outside and around the side of the building with Christian right behind me.

“Christian, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t tell you. I promised Preston and Maya,” I tell him softly. “I’m so sorry.”

He doesn’t say anything else; he just throws his arms around me and doesn’t let go. I can barely breath he’s gripping me so tight. I’m about to push him away when his shoulders begin to shake.

The man may be a prick, but I let him cry on me and even return his hug, patting him on his back to try to console him.

Eventually, he asks without releasing me, “What the fuck am I going to do?”

“Try to be a good father?”

I feel his head shake from side to side. “What if I can’t…if they never tell him…”

“What do you mean?”

Releasing me, Christian paces away, his back to me as he lifts the bottom front of his tee up to wipe his face. Without facing me, he says, “Preston suggested I meet him tomorrow, as Preston’s friend…”

“Oh,” I say in understanding. Playing it cautious rather than throwing the truth at a sweet four-year-old boy in case Christian flakes, stops coming around or whatever else he could do to screw up his chance to be a father. “Maybe that’s best for everyone.”

“It’s not best for me!” he huffs.

“Sure, it is. There will be less pressure on you to be…anything except for a cool new hockey player friend when you meet him.”

A scoff with his back still to me says Christian disagrees.

“I heard Finley ask Maya about you during game four.”

Now he spins around to face me, the red around his eyes the only proof he’s been crying. “He asked about me?”

“Yes.”

“Why? What did he say?”

“Oh, well, he asked how you were so much faster than all the other players.”

“Yeah?” a smile spreads across his face, as if proud that his son was impressed with his skills.

“He beat half the Warhawks on a hockey video game the night of Preston’s party.”

“Really?” he says in surprise. Then, “He was…he was there when I was there?”

“Yes.”

“What else?”

“He calls me Ellie too, just like out of nowhere.”

“No shit?” he says with a chuckle. Swiping a hand under his nose, he looks at the pavement and says, “I bet Maya’s a really good mother.”

“She is. The best,” I tell him.

“And does Maya…is she married? Seeing anyone? She’s not on social media so…” he trails off after admitting to trying to stalk her.

“No. She’s not married or seeing anyone.” His hunched shoulders lower a few inches. Since he looks like a man who needs some good news, I add, “In fact, Maya doesn’t date anyone, like ever. I don’t think she’s been with anyone since you.”

He snorts and says, “That’s impossible. She’s gorgeous.”

“She’s a single mother. Her entire world revolves around Finley.”

Christian nods, but turns his back to me again to dry off his face.

“I know this is a lot to absorb right now, especially with the pressure of finishing the championships. You don’t have to become a father overnight, Christian. Meet your son. Just focus on being his friend to give Finley and yourself time to get used to the idea of you being a permanent part of his life.”

“Always or never a father. That’s what Preston said I have to decide.”

“We both know which one you’ll choose.”

“I never thought…I had no idea she had him. I was sure she would end it.”

“Why did you think that?” I ask him.

“Because Maya was so young and scared. She actually broke up with me, you know, before she found out. Preston thinks I ended it, but it was all Maya.”

“Why did she end things?”

“Well, we only sort of slept together once, and it was…bad. I was bad at it. It happened so fast and I knew it was her first time. Then I just panicked and left her.”

It’s hard to imagine Christian Riley being bad in bed, which means he was probably overthinking everything because he knew Maya was different from all the other girls.

“You can’t panic and leave this time,” I warn him. “No matter what.”

“I know. I won’t.”

“Good,” I say, and I believe him.

“I’m just…I’m so nervous about meeting him, my son. His name is Finley, right?”

“Right. He’s adorable, so smart for his age, and kindhearted.”

“Would you…I know I have no right to ask you for anything, but could you maybe come with me? To meet Finley and see the game? I’ll get you tickets. Audrey too, if she wants.”

“I don’t know, Christian.”

“Please, Ellie. I don’t have anyone else, and you’re the only one who knows the truth.”

I nod, caving, even though it feels like this favor will make everything more complicated.

Preston

“So? How did it go?” Maya pounces on me as soon as I open the front door back in D.C. as if she was pacing in front of it. “Did you apologize to Elle?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“And? Are you two back together?”

“No, we’re not.”

“What? Why not?”

“I told her about California. She doesn’t want to do long distance, which means she’s not going to consider moving for me. I couldn’t even talk her into spending time together during the off-season, so…”

“Aww. Well, if you care about her, then don’t give up so easily just yet.”

“I don’t know what else I can do, Maya.”

“You need to come up with more than an apology. It’ll take a grand gesture to prove to her you’re serious about making this work and that you won’t push her away again when things get tough.”

“Like what?”

She gives me a light punch to my shoulder. “That’s for you to figure out, big brother.”

“Yeah, I don’t know if there’s any figuring this out. I don’t want to walk away from her. Being in D.C. without Elle doesn’t even feel right.”

And that’s when an idea hits me.

It’s a really, really stupid idea. If the Warhawks win the trophy tomorrow, I’ll beg Elle to take me back on national television the first time someone shoves a microphone in my face.

But that won’t fix anything for Maya.

Which reminds me…

I scrape my fingers through my beard then tell my sister, “There was something else I had to do in Greensboro, someone else to apologize to.”

“Oh yeah? Who?”

“Do you think you and Finley could come to the game a little earlier tomorrow? There’s something I was wondering if you would do before the puck drop.”

“Sure. Is there a pre-game party or something?”

“No. I was hoping, well, let’s sit down and I’ll start at the beginning.”

“Oh-kay,” she drawls.

We both go over to the living room and take a seat on the sofa. “I told Riley about Finley.”

Maya blinks at me, her face stunned. “You did what now?”

“I told him he’s Finley’s father. And he wants to meet him.”

“Preston!” Getting to her feet, she explodes with her arms flailing all over the place. “What…why…you should’ve asked me first! How could you do this, after all this time, without talking to me first?”

“I know I should’ve asked what you wanted five years ago, and I didn’t. I’m sorry. I just wanted to make things right as soon as possible.”

Curses I’ve never heard before come spewing out of my sister’s mouth as she storms around the living room, her fingers tugging on her ponytail.

Standing up, I grab her shoulders to stop her pacing. “Look, Maya, I know it’s last minute, and I’m an asshole for springing this on you, but you don’t have to tell Finley who Riley is. He can just be a friend of mine if you want to take things slow.”

She shakes her head, shakes my hands off her by taking a step back. “I don’t know. Lying to Finley about this feels wrong.”

“I get it,” I tell her. “So, you’re going to tell Finley the truth and then let them meet?”

“I don’t know. I just…I need time to think this through!”

“Okay. If Riley meets him and bails, I’ll kill him for you.”

“Ugh! I’m so pissed at you for putting me on the spot like this.”

“I know. I really am sorry about everything.”

Poking me in the chest hard, she says, “It’s a good thing I love you. That’s the only reason I’m forgiving you.”

Her words make me wonder if the same could be true for her forgiving Christian too.