Chapter 2
Gavin
Yesterday…
“You can’t do this to me, Chip, the moving truck’s already on its way to your house.” My brow is tight, and anger burns in my throat.
I’m trying to keep my voice down as I stand in the terminal in Atlanta waiting on the plane train.
“Sorry, Gav, the missus decided she wants to stay. I can’t get her to budge.”
“What am I supposed to do?” I pinch the bridge of my nose, dropping my chin as the silver doors open and passengers stream out. “You’re leaving me homeless.”
“Don’t you have a teammate you can crash with?”
The coast is clear, and I take my place on the train beside a woman with a dark-haired little girl.
“Probably. If you’d told me a week ago, but I’m arriving in LA today.”
“I’m really sorry. Can you afford a hotel room?”
Of course, I can afford a hotel room.
“This is really short notice, Chip. What about all my stuff?”
“Tell you what…” His tone brightens like he didn’t just ruin my entire day. “I’ve got a friend who owns one of those pod rental places. I’ll ask him to give you a month for free, since I left you hanging.”
Lifting my chin, I stare at the ceiling of the car as I exhale. “Sounds like I don’t have a choice. Text me the address, and I’ll try to get in touch with the driver.”
“I’ll have some guys there to unload it and everything.” He sounds like he’s opening a bag of chips, which makes me even more annoyed. “You won’t have to lift a finger.”
I’m thinking of lifting a finger. Now I’ve got to find a place to stay until I can track down a replacement home near the practice stadium in El Segundo.
I end the call as we approach the B terminal, and my eyes land on the little girl. She’s holding the hand of a woman who could be her mother or an aunt or I guess a nanny.
Dark curls frame her chubby pink cheeks, and her bright blue eyes are fixed on me.
I give her a smile and a wink, and she buries her face between the woman’s legs so fast, the woman has to take a step forward. I exhale a chuckle, looking at the overhead guide.
We’re approaching our stop, and when I glance down, she’s peeking at me again. Another wink, and she gives me the tiniest smile. A dimple appears at the corner of her mouth, and she’s a little cutie.
The train comes to a hard stop, and I hesitate as people start to exit, doing my best to hold the door for them. We step off, and the little girl releases her companion’s hand. She presses her hand to her mouth and blows it at me.
The woman stops just in time to see. “Harper, are you flirting?”
Harper’s eyes squint, and I chuckle. The woman straightens, looking up, up, up at me, and her lips part with an “Oh!”
I give her a nod. “Gavin Knight. Sorry, I started it all.”
The little girl tugs her arm. “Ask him to play with us, Mommy!”
Her mother squints an eye, smiling up at me. “Would you like to play, Gavin Knight?”
I’m not sure whether to pick up the double entendre or let it go. I don’t see a ring, but I do see the clock ticking down. My layover is pretty tight.
Instead, I bend to a squat in front of Harper. “I’d love to play with you, but I’ve got to catch my plane. Where are you headed?”
“My grandma lives in Santorino,” she lisps, lifting her chin proudly.
“San Antonio,” her mother explains.
“Ah, fun town.” I reach in my bag and pull out a small LA Champions logo sticker. I’m not even sure where I got it. “Maybe you’ll see me play sometime.”
Harper takes it and smiles up at me. “Look, Mommy!”
“Hockey player.” Her mother nods slowly. “I wouldn’t have guessed with the…”
She gestures to her mouth, and I rise to my full six-foot-two height. “I promised my mom I’d protect my teeth.”
“Good luck with that.” She laughs.
“Have a safe flight.”
With a wave, they step onto the elevator. The little girl waves as hard as she can, which makes me chuckle. I’m only thirty, starting a new life in a new town, but I look forward to having one of those one day.
My phone buzzes, and I pull it out to see my buddy Maverick Murphy’s name on the screen.
Maverick
What’s your ETA, bro? Need help moving in?
Walking to the gate, I use text-to-speech to reply.
Gavin
Boots on the ground at five, but I have a problem. Chip left me homeless.
It doesn’t take long for my best teammate to reply.
Maverick
WTF? What happened?
Gavin
Wifey decided she didn’t want to leave.
Maverick
Can she do that?
Gavin
Isn’t there some saying about it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind?
Maverick
Do you have a backup plan? Need a place to stay?
Gavin
Got a hotel room for tonight, and I guess the duration.
Maverick
Fuck that, you’ll stay with me. I’ve got plenty of room.
My brow pinches, and I think about it. Maverick and I played together in Atlanta for three years before he signed with LA. It’s because of him I got the great offer to come here as a last-minute trade when the Champions lost their right defenseman to Toronto.
We’re “Gav and Mav,” the unstoppable duo, and the fans go crazy when we’re on the ice together. He’s a star right winger, and although I’m a defenseman, we’ve played together so long, we can read each other’s minds. Together we get the entire stadium on their feet.
I might not be the biggest D-man in the league, but I’m the strongest skater. I’m not afraid to take it to the boards, and I’m good in a pinch.
Gavin
You sure I won’t be imposing?
Maverick
No way! Stay as long as you need. We’ve got a spare room and everything.
Gavin
Thanks, brother. You’re a lifesaver. See you tomorrow at the parade.
Maverick
Bring your stuff. You’ll come home with me.
I give him the thumbs up as my phone rings. I press the button at once, and my mom’s face appears on the screen.
“Did I catch you between flights or are you jumping on a plane?” Mom’s smile is big, and her bright blue eyes have faint laugh lines in the corners.
“Yes, and yes. I’m between flights, but I’m about to jump on a plane. Everything okay?”
My mom is tiny, petite and pale, with dark purple hair and ink on her shoulders. She was a tattoo artist when she met my dad, a former national guardsman turned private eye.
They never married, but they’ve always stayed close.
“Elaine wanted me to call and see if you’re getting settled. I’ll tell her you haven’t gotten there yet.”
“She’s not still mad at me, is she?”
My stepmom let me know she’s not happy about this move.
“She’s just pouting. It was a lot easier to get to Atlanta from Wilmington than it will be to get to LA.”
I was really lucky to grow up with two sets of hyper-supportive “parents.” My dad got the biggest kick out of me telling my elementary school teachers I had two mommies when I was a little guy.
It makes disappointing any of them extra hard.
“It was a great deal, and I’m out here with Mav. Y’all love Mav.”
“You know she’s really worried you’re going to have her grandbabies out there. I’m a little worried about that myself.”
Her nose wrinkles, and I know she hates putting pressure on me.
“You know, you do have other children.”
“That’s part of Elaine’s problem.” Mom pokes out her lips as she nods. “Teenage boys are so quiet and broody. She should’ve had one more baby.”
“She teaches middle school.”
“It’s not the same.”
“Tell her to hang on. He’ll grow out of it and start talking again.”
That makes her laugh. “True. I’m not sure Sabrina will, though.”
I think about my half-sister, Mom and Slayde’s daughter. She’s petite like mom, pale with long straight dark hair. “She’ll come around. She’s a lot like you.”
“You’re a good big brother.” Her smile is warm. “I want to visit when you’re all settled.”
“Okay, and tell Elaine not to worry. I’m about as far from settling down as I can get.”
The memory of that little beauty queen on the plane train drifts across my mind, and something like regret tightens my stomach.
Mom doesn’t miss a thing. “What’s that look about? Something you need to tell me?”
“No.” I huff a laugh. “It was just… This little girl blew me a kiss on the plane train. It was cute.”
I’m pretty sure cartoon hearts pop out of my mother’s eyes. “Lane Knight, you are just like your father. Ladies can’t help but love you.”
“Okay, okay. I gotta go. They’re calling my zone.”
She purses her lips, and I can tell she knows I’m trying to get off the phone now.
When either of “my two mommies” starts on the baby talk, it can get intense, and ever since what happened in college, I haven’t had any interest in wading back into the girlfriend waters, which I realize presents a problem.
I made a clean break after that burn. I even changed my name from Lane to Gavin, something they can’t seem to remember.
“Fly safe, Laney. I love you.”
“Love you, too, Ma.”
We say our goodbyes, and I disconnect. My eyes catch on the thin red ring around my left thumb. Mom inked it there when I was leaving home for the first time. It’s an old Japanese legend about a red thread that holds us together across space and time. Her ring is on her pinky finger.
She’s sentimental like that, and as I wait, a thought like a whisper drifts through my mind. It’s a thought inspired by brunette hair and bright blue eyes, a combination as familiar to me as home.
One person…
Who I have no intention of ever speaking to again.
I’ve effectively put my bad college experience in a box I never intend to reopen. I learned a hard lesson that year, and when hearts are involved, you can’t trust anyone.
It’s unexpectedly cool the morning of the parade. I’d been led to believe LA would be warm in October, but I was also told it’s unpredictable. I’ve got my jacket on as I make my way through the crowds lining the parade route.
Maverick told me to head to the last float, where the queen of the parade would ride with all of us players walking along beside her. We’re supposed to be handing out toy pucks, stickers, and other team paraphernalia to the fans.
Even though I’m the new guy, I still get cheers as I pass people in black, purple, and white attire. Excitement hums in the air, and I’m looking forward to seeing my old buddy.
Mav and I both come from big, close families, and we bonded at once in Atlanta over the perks and drawbacks of it. We also wouldn’t change it for the world.
“There he is!” I hear him yelling to me, his dark hair catching the breeze.
He’s holding up a red Solo cup, and I shake my head. It’s 10 a.m., and I’ll bet he’s drinking something strong. It’s probably that infamous purple drink his aunts like to make.
“Get over here, my man.” He pulls me in for a hug, and we slap each other’s backs. “Has it been a whole year?”
“Yeah, but it goes fast when we’re playing all the time.”
“That match in Atlanta last year was the worst.”
I nod, taking the cup of dark purple death he’s holding. I’m pretty sure I won’t be having any of this so early.
“Yeah. It was hard being on opposite sides.”
“I kept waiting for you to pass the puck to me.” His hazel eyes shine, and I nod.
“That would’ve gone over really well.”
“They’d have kicked my ass.” We’re about the same size, and he’s got his arm around my shoulders. “Come over and meet your other roommates.”
“Other roommates?” My brow furrows. “I thought…”
“Eh, I decided I didn’t want to live alone, so I crashed with Gina and Haddy.” My chest tightens, and I stop.
“I don’t—”
“It’s okay, there’s four bedrooms, so you’ll have your own space.”
“It’s not that. I just…”
“Yo, Princess, Maid Marian, over here!” Mav yells as he drags me to the side of the float. “I present to you Gavin Knight of the dynamite, unstoppable ‘Gav and Mav’ hockey duo!”
My throat is dry when I look up at her. She stands in the middle of the float, perfect poise, long, silky hair streaming down her back. Her elegant white gown fits her body perfectly, slim but with curves in all the right places.
The crown is on her head, and she’s holding a massive bouquet of flowers in our team colors.
Hayden Bradford is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life. The first time I met her, I forgot how to speak.
Now when our eyes meet, it’s a shock of cold water followed by an angry blowtorch.
“No.” Her tone is sharp. “Not him.”
My sentiments exactly, Princess. Hayden Bradford might be insanely beautiful, but the history between us makes sharing a house less than desirable.
She takes a wobbly step in our direction just as the float starts to roll, and her words morph into a scream. Her arms fly up, and the roses fly in an arc above her head.
Everyone, even the two large dogs lunge in her direction, and instinctively I dash toward the float as well.
With an oof! she lands, Cinderella-style in my arms, and our eyes meet. Crystal blue like a punch in the chest.
We’re both stunned, and I can’t help a grin at what just happened—the ice princess just fell off her float.
“Hello, Hayden.” My brow arches. “Nice of you to drop in. I hear we’re going to be roommates.”
“Put me down.” Her full lips purse, and she wiggles her body in my arms.
It feels unexpectedly good. She’s light but soft, and she smells like fresh flowers.
“I guess that’s your funny way of saying thank you for saving your life.”
“You didn’t save my life. You only broke my fall.” She pushes my chest, and I lower her to her feet. “Like you break everything.”
She says it under her breath, but I hear it. I also know what it means.
She hasn’t gotten over what happened at UNC any more than I have, and I wonder if it’s too late to check into that hotel again.