Chapter 16
OWEN
Our game against Anaheim is a shutout, just like Mav predicted, and I’m moving up in the crowd rankings. Fans are starting to recognize me, and I’ve even spotted a few Stone jerseys in the stands, which is a real confidence booster.
I was able to get the puck past their goalie once, but Mav stole the show, scoring a hat trick. The crowd went wild, caps flew onto the ice, and our fans were on their feet stomping and blowing air horns.
Gliding around, laughing and slapping hands with my teammates—it’s a feeling I haven’t experienced in a long time, a joy I’d forgotten I could have.
My night with Gina was on my mind the whole day. I hated that she couldn’t spend the night in my bed so I could kiss her, hold her, make love to her again like we did at the Delve Inn. That night was crazy.
But she was right. It wouldn’t be good if Heather or Maddie caught us sleeping together. Not yet.
Before Maverick, Gavin, and I left, we spent the morning helping put up Halloween decorations, mostly stringing lights in the trees and other things that required ladders and height.
Mav was chugging red Mountain Dew and eating red M&Ms. I made the comment that all that red dye couldn’t be good for him, and I quickly learned it’s his good luck charm. Gavin’s is Haddy, which they went round and round about the entire drive.
I didn’t even weigh in that mine is blowing a kiss to Maddie. I do it before every game, and if it’s one like this, when we’re out of town, I blow her a kiss from the window when I tell her goodbye.
Either way, we smoked Anaheim, and we’re all in high spirits when we arrive back at the house, showered and in our suits. Trick-or-treating has ended, and the party is in full swing.
“Daddy!” Madison runs to me the minute I walk in the door. “Look at all the candy I got!”
She drags a satin pillowcase over, and I take a knee. Then she drops it onto my leg, and I let out an oof. The dang thing must weigh five pounds, but I’m more curious about her costume.
She’s in a shimmering white dress with a blue headband around her head and a staff that looks like a triton.
“Who are you, Shortcake?”
“Miss Gina said there are a lot of sea princesses who are smarter than Ariel.” She turns around, looking down at her dress. “I’m Salacia, Queen of the Sea.”
“That’s fancy.” I pull her onto my lap. “I bet Salacia wouldn’t give away her voice for a stinky boy.”
“Oh, no. She’s a queen!” She lifts her little chin, and I tweak it with my fingers before kissing her cheek.
“You’ve made quite a haul here, Sally. Save some for me. I’ve got to get changed into my costume.”
“Who are you going to be?”
“Arr, I’m one of Mr. Maverick’s pirate crew.” I stand, checking out all the decorations.
Cobwebs hang from the light fixtures, and plastic spiders are on the tables. Purple and orange twinkle lights surround the windows, and outside, fabric bats and ghosts hang from the trees.
“Spooky guacamole!” Haddy exits the kitchen wearing a red sweater and black skirt that hugs her body like a glove along with a black wig with a sausage-like ponytail in the back.
In her hands is a platter with a small jack-o-lantern that has guacamole pouring out of its mouth, surrounded by blue corn chips.
“That looks like barf!” Maddie cries.
“You’re gonna love it,” Haddy replies, setting the dish on the table then pointing to the kitchen. “Now get your royal tushy to the kitchen, or I’ll sell you to one of these pirates.”
My daughter takes off running, and I turn to her with my eyebrows raised. “What the…?”
“Gina made her chicken nuggets and tater tots. It’s our specialty, and Gigi said she can’t eat candy until she has dinner.” Haddy crosses her arms, smiling after my daughter. “Luckily, I don’t have that problem, but I do need to feed Lucy before everyone gets here.”
Mav ducked into his room as soon as we walked in the door, and he staggers out in full Captain Jack Sparrow attire. “Where’s my purple drink, wench?”
“Get it yourself!” Haddy flicks her fingers at him. “I’ve got a baby to feed.”
She rushes out the door, and Mav pretend-waddles up to me. “You’re a fine fellow. Spare me a quid?”
My eyes narrow. “Fresh out.”
“Well, off with you! We don’t need any suits at the party.”
“Right.” I’m still wearing my suit from when we left the arena. “I’ll be back.”
I take the stairs two at a time, and when I crash into my room, my pirate outfit is on the bed waiting.
I quickly remove my clothes and toss them over the back of the chair. Just as fast, I’m dressed in brown breeches, a white shirt with giant puffy sleeves, and knee-high boots.
I grab the plastic sword off the bed, and I’m about to head down, when I stop and look at my hair. It’s shaggy and getting too long. I need a haircut, but it’ll work for tonight.
Striding down the hall to Heather’s room, I spy a band on her dresser and quickly pull my hair back in a small ponytail.
Being a single dad has a few perks, like knowing how to tie a ponytail for one.
That done, I trudge down the stairs just in time to see Donovan, Saxon, and Akers charging in the front door. We’re all dressed as pirates, and as soon as we see each other, we all let out an Arr!
Heather starts to laugh, but I almost miss the last step when Gina enters the room, carrying a tray of Jell-O shots with eyeballs in them. Her hands are in front of her, and the top of her shimmering blue-green dress cuts dangerously low on her breasts.
My dick jumps, and the memory of covering them with my mouth floods my mind. I’m momentarily dumbstruck watching her, until I realize eyes are on me. Hustling down the stairs, I step over to where she’s just put down the tray.
“Oh!” She yelps when she turns around, bumping into my chest.
Her strawberry hair is straight down her back, and a tiny gold band is on her head like one of those ancient crowns. Iridescent sparkles are at the corners of her eyes, and her lips are a swirly, glossy pinkish-purple color.
She looks like she came straight out of the sea, an old-school siren sent to bewitch me off my ship and take me straight to the bottom of the ocean with her.
“You look like a scurvy bloke.” She pokes my chest with her finger, squinting one eye like a pirate. “We’ll have you boiled in oil and keel hauled… or whatever.”
I’m still trying to remember how to form sentences, but she doesn’t seem to notice.
She laughs at her silly words then leans into my chest. “Good thing I’m only a sea nymph.” Then she frowns. “What’s wrong? Is there guac in my teeth?”
“No…” I shake my head to restart my brain. “You’re beautiful. I mean, really beautiful. I’ve never seen anything like you.”
Clearly, my brain is taking the slow lane. In the meantime, Gina’s cheeks turn a pretty pink color, and she smiles up at me.
“Thank you, kind sir.” Rising onto her toes, she kisses my cheek. “Maybe we’ll save the keel-hauling for another day.”
I’m about to suggest we find a secluded place for me to slip her my keel when Gavin walks in the front door wearing a black sailor shirt with a big red collar.
He’s wearing some kind of prosthetics that make his forearms look huge, and he’s holding Lucy in a bright red canvas bag. A teeny white sailor’s cap is on her head, and I get it.
I point to them. “Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Sweetpea!”
“It’s Swee’pea, sailor.” He growls, putting a small pipe between his lips. “Get it right.”
“Oh, Popeye!” Haddy skips up beside him, bending one knee and kissing his cheek.
Gigi laughs, but I catch her arm, turning her to face me. “I need some help with this.”
I gesture to the front of my shirt, which is hanging wide open, and her bottom lip drops. She quickly closes her mouth, fixing her eyes on my shirt.
“Let me see.” She lifts the thin strings, and her fingers graze my bare chest as she slowly tries to tie the laces.
Her nose wrinkles, and her cheeks turn even pinker.
“What are you thinking about?” My voice is low.
“Your chest is like a sculpture.” She exhales a fluttery laugh. “Why are these laces so hard to tie?”
I reach up to cover her hands with mine. “Leave them. I’m sure a pirate wouldn’t care if his shirt wasn’t laced properly.”
Her eyebrow arches, and she blinks those pretty green eyes up at me. “As someone who knows?”
“A lot of pirates settled in South Carolina.”
“I thought your family was so straight and narrow.” She tilts her head. “Your father’s a sheriff.”
“Your father’s a sheriff, and he dresses in drag and gives lap dances.”
Her head ducks forward, and she laughs. “It’s true!”
I put my thumb on her chin, lifting her face to mine. “I really want to kiss you right now.”
“What would happen if you did?”
“I’m not sure. I’ve never kissed a magical sea creature before.”
“Or have you?” She reaches up to cover my palm with hers, lowering my hand.
Then she turns and walks back to the kitchen, looking over her shoulder. “I’d better check on your daughter.”
My eyes slide down the length of her body in that thin, form-fitting dress. It’s the grown-up version of the one my daughter is wearing, and I think about Maddie and Gina.
I think about my daughter having a mother for the first time. I need to have a chat with my little girl. Soon.
Heather’s voice at my shoulder pulls me back to the present. “See something you like?”
I turn to see my little sister dressed in a pirate wench outfit. It has a black vest-like corset thing that pushes her breasts up in a way I don’t like.
Glancing around the room, I notice a few of my teammates checking her out. “Aren’t you cold?”
My voice is gruff, and she frowns. “It’s not cold in here at all. In fact, it feels pretty perfect.”
“You sure are showing a lot of skin.”
“You are not about to pull that big-brother shit on me tonight, Owen Stone. Not after all the times I’ve passed up dates to help you with my adorable niece.”
My chest is tight. “You’re just putting a lot out there. I don’t want to get into a fight tonight.”
“Then don’t.” Her voice is sharp. “It’s Halloween, and maybe I feel like a treat.”