Chapter 6
“Good night stars. Good night air.”
Elsie whispers with her eyes closed, “Good night noises everywhere.”
I close the Good Night Moon book Elsie chose for her bedtime story as she yawns and pulls the covers up to her chin. Placing a kiss on her forehead, I wish her all the sweetest dreams and then close her bedroom door and make my way back downstairs to clean up from our day.
The dishes are done, the toys are put away, and Elsie’s watercolor painting from this morning is hanging on the fridge waiting for her dad to see it when he gets home. She also colored me a super cute picture of a cat that, of course, I named Mr. Purrito even though she doesn’t know who that is just yet.
Hoping to catch at least some of Zeke’s game on television, I scroll through the channels until I find it, excited that it just started and they’re only in the first period. My phone dings on the coffee table and I reach for it wondering who it could possibly be.
Can’t be Zeke. He’s on the ice.
Kinsley: Hey! Is Elsie sleeping?
My brows furrow at her last text as I stand up and run to the door. “What…?”
I quietly open the front door and am greeted by four smiling women.
“Hey friend!” Kinsley smiles and steps forward for a hug. “I thought to myself, why should Ada sit at home alone to watch the game when we can keep her company? So, I brought some friends. These are the wags.”
“Wags?”
“Wives and girlfriends of the hockey team. Well, starting lineup anyway.”
She gestures to the woman next to her. “Ada, This is Charlee, Milo’s wife. Charlee, Ada.”
My heart warms and my smile grows when I realize who all these women are. “Oh, my gosh! Charlee, it’s such a pleasure to meet you!”
She shakes my hand and returns my smile. “The pleasure is all mine, Ada. I’ve heard wonderful things about you.”
“Wow, already? It’s only been a couple of weeks.”
“Good news travels fast.” She winks.
“And this is Rory, Hawken’s wife and Dex’s sister, and also Tate, Dex’s…” Kinsley’s brows furrow. “Uh…”
Tate steps forward and shakes my hand. “His girlfriend slash baby mama slash would be his damn wife if he would just get his shit together and slap a ring on me already.”
“Well tell me how you really feel, girlfriend.” We giggle together and I swing the door wide open. “Please, come in. Make yourselves at home. If I had known, I would’ve done some extra shopping so we had—”
Rory holds up the bag in her hand. “Snacks?”
Charlee holds up a six-pack. “Beer?”
Shaking my head, I laugh softly. “Wow you guys thought of everything.”
“Not our first rodeo,” Tatum laughs with me.
“I guess not! I’m so glad you’re here!”
___
Growing up watching baseball, it took me several years to really respect the game. To appreciate each player and his role on the team. As my brother got older and moved up the ranks, I learned more of what it took to be a professional player. The drive, the determination, the literal blood, sweat, and tears of trying to make it into an extremely competitive league.
Now, as I sit here watching Zeke do what he does, the way he makes everything about hockey look so absolutely effortless…he amazes me.
“How does he not fall on his ass every time he goes down for the block like that?”
“Giiirl we need to get you to a game. Have you seen the man’s stretch routine on the ice?” Rory asks, referring to Zeke.
I shake my head. “Nope. When I turned on the game tonight they were already in the first period. Why, does he do something special?”
She snorts. “Something like that.”
“What? Is it hot?” I cringe and cover my face with my hand. “Ooh sorry. Pretend I didn’t just say that about my boss.”
“No, it’s okay,” Tate says. “And yes, it’s hot. It’s hot when any of the guys do it, but when Zeke does it?” She fans her face. “I think we all blush. It’s like his very own Magic Mike show.”
“What? How so?”
Rory hops off the couch and stands in front of the television. “Because he does this. Watch.” She lowers herself to her knees, spreads them as far apart as she can and then with her hands on the floor in front of her she stretches out and pulses her hips up and down like she’s—
“Oh, my God! And he does that on the ice?” I ask. “Like, in front of everyone?”
Rory nods with a sultry smile and Charlee giggles tossing back her drink. “Yep. And then they all do it. The whole team.”
“And we can’t lie,” Tate says. “It’s hot as fuck every single time.”
“Oh, my God.” My eyes grow as my imagination starts to run wild. “That is not how I’ve ever pictured the game of hockey.”
Kinsley winks next to me. “Trust me girlfriend, if you’re paying attention, these guys will show you a whole new side to the game you never saw coming.”
“Wow. This is something I’m going to have to see.”
“So, spill the beans, Ada. What’s it like living with Zeke?” Rory asks, tossing a handful of popcorn into her mouth.
Charlee leans forward on the couch. “Yeah, does he run around here with his shirt off all the time?”
Kinsley wags her brows. “Does he do those stretches right here in the living room for your viewing pleasure?”
“Do you guys have secret rendezvous in the middle of the night?” Tate asks with a wink.
I nearly spit out my drink. “Oh, my God! No!” Nervous laughter falls from my lips. “Why would you think that?” My smile falters. “Oh, shit. Does everyone think that?”
The girls laugh and Rory pats my knee. “No. Not at all. But come on, you have to agree that Zeke Miller is hot as fuck.”
“Wait…” I cock my head. “Aren’t you all dating one of the other guys?”
“Some of us are even married to them,” Charlee says, raising her hand. “But that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate all the guys on the team.”
“Oh.” Wait… “Oooh.” I look at each of the ladies. “Do you mean like…is this like…do you all…” I circle my finger. “Together?”
“What? An Orgy?” Rory crinkles her nose. “Fuck no. My brother is on the team.” She snorts.
“Oh. Okay. Sorry.” I shake my head. “I guess I just misunderstood what Charlee was saying.”
“What she’s saying,” Rory starts. “And I think I can say this as well as we’ve both known Zeke the longest, is that we appreciate all the guys on the team for who they are. And Zeke, well, first of all he’s hot as balls, no doubt. Any woman would be lucky to score him, but on top of that, he’s also a super nice guy. Like…he might even be nicer than Milo and we all know he’s like a goddamn golden retriever.”
Charlee smiles lovingly. “He is. I’m very blessed. He’s like every book boyfriend you’ve ever read all rolled into one.”
“Book boyfriend?” I ask.
“Oh yeah. Sorry. I’m a romance book editor. That’s my day job.”
“Right! I remember Milo mentioning that to me the day I interviewed. Didn’t know they were called book boyfriends. That’s cute.”
Tate circles back around to our previous conversation. “So, you and Zeke have never…?”
“No.” I shake my head adamantly. “Never. I’ve never thought of Zeke as anything other than the man who hired me for a job. I mean, I won’t deny that he’s an incredibly attractive man but I don’t think he would ever look at me as a potential love interest if that’s what you’re asking. And I certainly would never do anything to compromise what I have going for me here with Elsie. She’s such a sweetheart.”
The last thing I need is these ladies who are undoubtedly loyal to the team, running to their men and telling them I fantasize about my boss or try to hit on him or anything of the sort.
Tate goes to the kitchen to grab herself another beer. “So, have you thought much about what it might be like if he brought another woman home? Like a date?”
My chest tightens and a stab of disappointment hits my heart.
“Uh, no. Does he do that?” I clear my throat and try to act cool, calm, and collected. “I mean…often?”
They all shrug. “Not that we’ve heard,” Rory answers. “But I guess none of us can really say for sure. Zeke’s been relatively private since his wife left.”
“What do you know about that?”
“She left right before Milo and Charlee got married.” Rory rolls her eyes. “Some bullshit about not wanting to live the life of a hockey wife where he’s gone a lot. Like she didn’t already know what she was getting into.”
I narrow my eyes. “So, she just walked out on her husband and her own child?”
“Yep.” Rory pops her P, annoyed with the very idea of Zeke’s ex-wife. “I heard she left the house one day with Elsie still inside and never came back.”
“What the fuck? Who even does that? Jesus.”
“It couldn’t have happened to a nice guy either,” Charlee explains. “He was heartbroken and then he was pissed. As far as we’ve heard he wants nothing to do with her.”
“Damn. Poor Zeke. I hope I never have to cross paths with her. I don’t know if I could bite my tongue.”
“Fat chance you’ll ever cross paths. She left three years ago and hasn’t been back since.”
“Good riddance then,” Kinsley says, raising her glass and looking at me with an ornery wink. “And you…never say never my friend.”
“You can say that all you want.” I smile. “You can wish it every day if you want. But no matter how attractive he may be, I cannot sleep with my boss.”
“Cannot…or will not?” Rory winks as the rest of the gals erupt in laughter.