Chapter 10
ALLY
Igiggled. I needed to break the tension. “Sorry, couldn’t resist. Okay, serious now. What the fuck happened tonight?”
“Baz taunted me,” Dom said pathetically.
I pointed my spoon at him. “We’re really blaming him for this?”
Dom sighed. “I guess not. Fine. He knew about us. He figured out that I was the dad because he saw us at Crash and Byrne after that game in March. Apparently, he’s good at math.”
“Dammit. That man is too observant for anyone’s own good,” I muttered.
“No shit. Then he made some crack about already buying our daughter a jersey with his name on the back and before I could think it through, I blurted out that the only jersey she was going to wear was mine.”
He actually looked sheepish. My heart shouldn’t have melted at his outburst, but it was kind of adorable. I shoved more ice cream into my mouth.
“I know I shouldn’t have reacted that way, but you know Baz. Guy’s an expert on getting under everyone’s skin. Of course, Jake had to skate by at the exact moment I said it. He said—loudly—I’d gotten you pregnant, Harty heard, and all hell broke loose. I’m really sorry, Ally. I know that you didn’t want it to happen like that, but I won’t lie and say I’m sad it’s finally out there.”
I swallowed my ice cream, taking in all of his words. His reaction was such that I couldn’t be angry at him. He didn’t want to be a secret. He wanted to be involved. Yeah, it was fucked up, but my stupid heart did a little cheer anyway. And maybe he earned a few points because when my brother had been an ass and gone after him, Dom hadn’t defended himself with his fists; he hadn’t retaliated by trying to send my brother into the boards.
“Say something,” he whispered, almost vulnerable. It was a trait I’d never associated with him.
“This definitely wasn’t how I’d planned it, but yeah, I’m glad it’s out there now too. No more secrets. And thank you for not punching my brother when he was an ass on the ice.”
He shrugged. “He was justified. I did knock up his baby sister after he’d warned me repeatedly to stay away from you.”
I laughed softly. “Please. Like you even stood a chance resisting me.”
He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, and my heart raced. The chemistry between us had always been insane, but that was why I had to resist anything more than friendship with him—well, and co-parenting. This wasn’t the time to explore anything else with him that could end up blowing up in our faces. I owed it to our daughter to be able to have a solid relationship with Dom so that we would never be tense around her.
“So, want to move to Denver?” he asked.
“Wow. Just going right for that again, huh?”
“I know it’s a big change.”
“It is.”
He held my gaze. “And a really big ask. I want to be able to help you as much as possible, and you know what NHL seasons are like. You’ve seen it with your brother, with Darcy and Jake. It’s hard to find time when I’m on the road half of the season. We’re in this together. At least, I hope I’ve shown that to you in the last month. And I can help more if we’re living together.”
I nodded. “You have. But moving right now, away from my friends and family, to a city that I don’t know? It’s a lot.”
“I know. But it’s not like you won’t know anyone. Timmy and Harper finally got their shit figured out, and she’s in Denver now. You guys were friendly when she was in town.”
I let out a laugh. “Grasping much? Harper’s nice, and we hung out a handful of times, but we don’t know each other that well.”
“You know Flower and Brooke really well. Maybe Violet will give us tips on having a girl,” he said, referring to Flower and Brooke’s daughter.
“Listen. I get where you’re coming from, I do. And I love Brooke and Violet, but it’s not the same as having my family and Darcy close by to help. They’ve been my support system from day one, and I can rely on them.”
He sighed. “I know it’s not the same, but I want us to find a way to really do this together. It’s selfish of me, but I want to experience the end of your pregnancy and get you pickles and ice cream at midnight or whatever. I want to feel her moving in your belly, and I want to be there for both of you when she’s born. I get that it’s a big ask, Ally. I truly do.”
Dammit. Why did he have to say the right things? No, this was my hormones acting up. I had to be smart and logical.
“Maybe think about it, okay?” he asked, his puppy-dog eyes imploring me to do more than just think.
Did he really want us there? In Denver? Just over a month ago, it seemed like he wanted nothing to do with me or this baby. Yeah, I got that I’d shocked him with my news, but this was the last thing I expected from him, even after our month of texting and phone calls. I didn’t want to jump into anything that I would come to regret.
He linked his fingers with mine. “Just think about it, Ally. I feel like we’ve made progress, and I want to be there for whatever you need, okay? My parents were, and are, shitty parents. I don’t want to be like them. I want to be helpful and involved. I’m still freaked out of my mind about being a good dad, but I’m going to do everything I can not to disappoint you or her.”
“You never talk about your parents. Do they know?” I asked, gesturing to my stomach.
“No. They’re toxic, and you and our daughter don’t need that. My father is an asshole, and my mother is indifferent,” he said, almost nonchalantly.
“Okay.” I had no clue how to respond to that information, but my heart squeezed. His honesty and vulnerability did something to me that I didn’t want to acknowledge.
“But they don’t matter because all that matters is the three of us, and we’re going to be awesome parents.” His smile was back in place, and my heart kicked up a notch.
Then he put his other hand on my belly, and Baby Girl kicked like she was agreeing with him.
He chuckled softly. “See? She thinks it’s a great idea.”
I rolled my eyes and shoved another scoop of ice cream into my mouth as I forced down the emotions that threatened to take over my body. This time, I couldn’t blame it on my pregnancy hormones. When had he gotten so sweet? How was I going to resist that?
I took another bite of ice cream and winced.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Brain freeze.” I set the ice cream pint on the table and rubbed my head with the hand that he wasn’t holding. I wasn’t lying, but I also didn’t know what to say to him, so it was a nice distraction.
“Can I get you anything?” he asked.
“No. I’ll be fine,” I said. “I’m kind of tired.”
He set down his spoon and turned to face me. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to get lost in those deep brown eyes. Maybe I wasn’t so tired after all.
Nope. No. Adding sex would just make this more awkward.
“I know tonight was a lot, but I didn’t just suggest you moving in with me on a whim or to piss off your brother. This is uncharted territory for me too, Ally. I just think that we might be able to navigate it together, but I don’t want to make your life harder.”
I couldn’t help but give him a soft smile. Witnessing this vulnerable side of him was so unexpected, and part of me wanted to agree to move right now, but it was not a decision to make quickly, and my brain was all over the place. I needed to really think.
He squeezed my hand again and then stood up. “I’m going to go. Just think about everything. I’m on the road for the rest of the week, but text or call. It’s something I look forward to.”
Was he blushing? My heart raced, and my body lit up. Dammit. He shouldn’t have been this charming.
Then he tugged me up from the couch and placed his hand on my bump.
“Bye, little one,” he said, rubbing his thumb over my shirt before he lifted his head to meet my gaze. “Just think about it, Ally.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips to my forehead, brushing his thumb across my palm. I fought back a shudder. All of this wasn’t helping my brain think rationally, which was what I needed to be doing.
Then, with one last smile, he dropped my hand and walked out of my condo. I sank down on the couch as the door shut behind him.
Could I really move to Denver? I needed to talk to Darcy, but it was late, and the Strikers had won, so I wouldn’t disturb her and Jake.
I chuckled. Like it mattered if they won or lost. Jake and Darcy were always all over each other.
I’d call her tomorrow. Tonight, I would finish this ice cream and make a list. Lists were helpful.
“Ugh,” I groaned into my quiet condo.
Why did he have to care?
DOM
I raked my hand through my hair, a common occurrence whenever I started thinking about Ally and our future—whatever the hell that future was. Fuck.
It’d been three days since I’d walked out of her apartment, and while we continued texting, it felt off. Maybe I was imagining it. Or maybe I was losing my damn mind. I rested my head against my chairback on the bus. We were heading to the LA arena for tonight’s game after squeaking out a win against Anaheim last night. My head had been all over the place, and Millsy was giving me some leeway, but I could tell my leash was getting shortened. I had to get my shit together, and soon. Last night, I’d taken a stupid tripping penalty and had been minus three for the game. I definitely needed to step it up before I lost my second-line spot.
And, of course, my father had texted me multiple times in the last three days. First, to ask if I was really stupid enough to knock someone up, especially a teammate’s sister. I’d ignored him. My mother hadn’t reached out at all—not that I wanted her to.
But the texts from him last night had pissed me the fuck off. I didn’t need to scroll through them to remember the conversation.
Dad: Played like shit tonight.
Dad: That penalty shouldn’t have happened, but you don’t seem to be using your brain this season or last.
Dad: Why the fuck didn’t you wrap it up if you were going to fuck that girl?
Dad: The kid isn’t even here, and it’s already fucking with your head.
Dad: Don’t fucking ignore me, boy.
Dom: You don’t deserve a response, but fuck off, old man. Yeah, I had a bad game, and yeah, my life is going to change, but it’s my life, and you will not be a dick about Ally or our daughter. I will not tell you again.
Dad: Big words for someone kissing his career goodbye.
Dad: You’ll end up resenting each other. Just ask your mother. If she even cares. Bet she hasn’t reached out at all.
I squeezed my phone in my hand, unaware that I’d even pulled it from my pocket while remembering his tirade from last night.
Fucking asshole.
“You want to talk about it?” Micah asked from the seat next to me. He hadn’t said a word till now, and I appreciated that. I liked the guy. He was quiet and clearly thought things through before speaking.
He wouldn’t blurt out that he knocked up a girl or that she should move in with him in front of her pissed-off brother.
Fuck.
My shoulder still hurt from Harty sending me into the boards more than once three nights ago. A few of my old teammates had messaged me to see if I was still breathing and to rib me for getting Ally pregnant. I should have felt bad about my impending fatherhood no longer being a secret, but I was stupidly happy. Telling my father to fuck off and then not engaging with him had felt like a weight lifting from my shoulders, as well.
“Uh, not really.” I sighed, shoving thoughts of my father aside. “I don’t fucking know, man. It’s kind of a mess.”
“You nervous about Harty?” Micah asked.
“Nah.” I took a deep breath. “I asked Ally to move to Denver in front of him.”
He breathed out. “Woah, maybe you should be nervous. How’d she take it? And are you ready for that? It’s a massive change.”
“Yeah. I sort of blurted it out, but it makes sense to me. You know how chaotic our schedule is. I want to be able to be there for her, which is fucking hard with her in a different state. She said I was crazy, but she promised to think about moving. Been three days, and I haven’t brought it up, and neither has she.”
“Maybe she thinks you just said it to say it.”
I sighed. “I told her more than once that I was serious, but I don’t want to pressure her, so I’m waiting for her to make the next move.”
“So you’re putting it on her?”
“Maybe,” I drew out.
“When she’s going through a lot of shit already?” His tone was level, but his quirked brow told me everything I needed to know.
“Fuck,” I groaned. “Yeah, I know. I’m being a coward about it. But I don’t want to pressure her.”
He laughed. “Yeah, you kind of do. You want her here to make things easier for you.”
“Harsh, man. I want everything to be easier for her, too.”
“So make sure she knows that you’re serious. Bring it up because while it might make sense, so does her staying in San Francisco where she has a huge support system with people that can show up twenty-four seven.”
“Don’t hold back,” I muttered.
“This is a huge deal for both of you, and your lives are changing. I’m not trying to be a dick about it, but in the long run, it’s best to talk everything through. You need to be upfront and honest with each other so there’s no confusion about what both of you want.” There was something in his tone that pulled me out of the conversation a bit.
“You okay?” I asked.
“What? Yeah. I’m fine. Just don’t let her question what you really want or that you need her here, okay? Regrets can sit with you for a long time.”
“Yeah, I got it. Thanks, Micah. Really,” I said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. I wasn’t a guy who shared his feelings, and it was uncharted territory to confide in a teammate like this. Fuck. I wanted to get off this bus and get on the ice immediately.
“You like her, right?” he asked.
I chuckled. “Yeah, I do. Our history is weird, but we always have a fun time together.”
He rolled his eyes. “Clearly.”
“Not just that. I mean, we never got deep or anything. It was always just for fun, but we’re working on getting to know each other now, and she’s amazing.”
And I was falling for her. Not that I was ready to tell anyone that. Hell, I barely admitted it to myself half the time. Fuck. We’d gone about all of this ass-backward.
“She feel the same?”
“No fucking clue, honestly. Maybe? She tolerates me.” It was hard to tell how she really felt about me, what with the whole baby daddy thing.
Micah chuckled. “You’re a mess, aren’t you?”
“You think?” I deadpanned.
“At least you have a couple months before you add a baby to the mix.”
“Yeah, I know. Nine weeks.” I wasn’t sure what else to say at this point. I needed to talk to Ally. But right now, I needed to focus on winning a hockey game or at least not being a liability to the team on the ice.
***
“Come on, come on,” Haldy yelled next to me on the bench as Tally caught a rebound and lined up to take another shot on goal. It was the start of the second period, and we were tied at one.
So far, I’d taken zero penalties and had an assist on our only goal, so the night was going well. I hitched my leg over the boards, ready to hop on the ice when Tally, Sin, and Santa got off. Surprisingly, I felt great after talking to Micah, even if the talk had been all about my feelings. I’d fired off a text to Ally to check on her before heading into the locker room. She’d quickly responded, telling me she was fine, and when I asked her if she was going to watch the game, she said maybe since the Strikers weren’t playing. Apparently, seeing her response was all I needed to get myself focused.
The clang of the pipes rattled through my ears as the puck bounced off the net again, but this time, one of LA’s forwards snagged it. Tally, Santa, and Sin skated up the ice after LA, but I caught a nod from Sin, and as soon as he had his feet off the ice, I slid into play, easily catching up with Tally and Santa. They were gassed, but because LA had the puck, we were changing lines one man at a time.
The LA forward with the puck tried to move around Micah, but Micah crowded him into the boards, Tally close behind. Tally got in close and managed to poke the puck away, passing it to Santa, and then we were moving up the ice toward LA’s goalie. Santa easily passed the puck to me before getting off the ice, with Haldy seamlessly sliding in his place. I cradled the puck on my stick, closing in on the net. The goalie shifted with me, and I passed the puck to Xan, who had just replaced Tally. LA’s defensemen crowded Xan, and he passed the puck back to me. I skated around the back of the net, narrowly avoiding getting knocked into the boards by one of LA’s top D.
I shifted to the left, and then, when the goalie moved, I saw my opening and sent the puck top shelf over his right shoulder. The goal buzzer blared, and my teammates rushed me, crushing me in a hug. I glanced up, spotted a camera on me, and tapped my helmet in a little salute, hoping Ally would see it and know I was saying hello.
“Nice fucking shot, man,” Micah said, slapping my back.
“Fucking sweet goal, Dom,” Haldy said. “He never saw it coming.”
“Fucking right, he didn’t,” Xan echoed as we skated back to the bench.
“Nice job, Dom,” Millsy said when I slid back onto the bench a short while later.
“Thanks,” I murmured, then turned my attention back to the ice.
With two minutes left in the third period, we were up four to two, thanks to my second goal of the night. We managed to hold them off for the rest of the game, and as the final buzzer sounded through the arena, I felt euphoric. I needed this game to go well, and talking to Ally beforehand was the push that made it happen. Maybe I should have told her that she had to move to Denver and watch all my games as my good luck charm. I bit back a laugh. She probably would have rolled her eyes and told me to knock it off.
I couldn’t wait to talk to her after the game.