Chapter 24 Mackenzie
Parker lived on a scenic and quiet street in a big old house that looked tired but well loved.
Tall, snow-dusted trees framed the front and soft golden light spilled out from the large windows, making it look incredibly inviting.
It reminded me a little of our place, with its big front porch and classic charm.
Though there was no latticework—not that I planned on scaling the Darlings’ house any time soon.
Inside, though, was a different world. Our house was a jarring mix of toddler-created mess and organized but unpacked moving boxes.
The Darlings’ home felt lived in. Coats and shoes lined the entranceway and countless family pictures covered the walls.
It was warm and just the right amount of chaotic, if a little snug once all of us had squeezed into the living room to watch the hockey game.
“Dad! What the hell?” Reed, Grayson, and Parker all yelled at their father in unison when they saw what he was watching on the TV.
Their dad turned to them, his eyes wide like he’d been caught doing something illegal.
“What is this?” Parker pointed at the TV in disgust.
“Uh, just a little show I put on…”
The title sequence was playing, and a familiar tune filled the room. I hid my smile. Apparently, Mr. Darling liked dating shows. Tessa was obsessed with the same one.
“Love on the Range?” Cammie spluttered a laugh. “Have you and Mom switched bodies?”
“Dad, why are you watching this?”
“You know the Wild game is just about to start, right?”
“Something must be wrong with him. Should we call an ambulance?” Parker pressed his hand against his dad’s forehead, as if to check his temperature.
His dad laughed and batted his hand away. “I’m not sick.”
“Maybe not physically,” Parker muttered.
“Very funny, Parker,” his dad replied. “But don’t worry, I’m just trying to win a bet. Your mother didn’t believe I could handle watching three episodes of her show and miss a hockey game.”
“She’s probably right.”
He ignored Parker as he continued. “And I may have made a little joke about your mother not being able to cook Sunday dinner tonight without ruining it. So, now we’re competing to prove each other wrong.”
“Bit harsh, Danny,” Paige said with a chuckle.
“What will you win?” Grayson asked.
“Uh, well, I don’t want to spoil it, but it’s something I’ve wanted for a long time. Though your mother has always been hesitant to give it to me.”
“Oh, God.” Parker shook his head. “It’s something kinky, isn’t it?”
“Parker!” His siblings groaned as Grayson punched his younger brother on the arm. But Parker just grinned.
He was still smiling when his eyes landed on me, and although he barely held my gaze for half a second, my heart stuttered.
I cursed myself for the reaction. The feeling in my chest was the same as when I’d been lying on top of him at the lake.
What was wrong with me? How could any part of me be attracted to this guy?
He was a total menace. And I wasn’t sure if it made me feel better or worse that he was just as annoying around everyone else, including his poor family.
“You haven’t introduced me to your friends,” Mr. Darling said, looking to Max and me. “I’m Danny.”
“Max and Mackenzie,” Reed said, pointing us out.
“Of course.” Danny smiled. “The third best rookie on the Ryker Raiders and the new star of the Ransom Devils. Great to finally meet you guys.”
I blushed at his compliment and Max laughed. “You too, Mr. D,” he said. “Sorry to barge in on you while you’re watching your favorite show.”
Danny laughed. “No problem at all. The more the merrier in this house. But if you all want to watch the hockey while you wait for dinner, you better go to the den. I might be here for a while.”
“Yeah, good luck with that, Dad,” Reed said.
“I’ll go grab some snacks from the kitchen,” Grayson added.
“Don’t you even think about helping your mother in there,” Danny warned him. “No cheating!”
A subtle smile hinted at Grayson’s lips. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Dad.”
Paige joined Grayson in the kitchen while the rest of us headed to the den. Parker sat in the middle of the couch, Max snagged the armchair, and Reed sunk into a beanbag on the floor as he flicked on the TV. I hesitated in the doorway.
“Sit down, Mackenzie, you’re being weird.
” Parker scooted across the couch, making space for me.
There was plenty of room, but my skin was still buzzing from the way he had held me on the ice, and I was worried how much worse it would become if I got close to him again.
Would it be awkward if I sat on the beanbag with Reed?
Definitely. But right now, I felt more confident around a college hockey superstar I barely knew than the boy who had my insides twisted into knots.
Parker was watching me expectantly. After another moment of hesitation, I reluctantly took a seat beside him, keeping close to the opposite arm of the couch.
“I still can’t believe you stole my bedroom, Parker,” Reed said. The game hadn’t started yet, with the players still taking their positions for the faceoff.
“It’s bigger.” Parker shrugged.
“You moved in the day I left. My bed wasn’t even cold yet.”
“It’s the circle of life. When the older brother leaves home, the younger one gets all his shit. I don’t make the rules.”
Reed turned to Max. “Did Mackenzie steal your room too?”
“No, but they moved to Ransom soon after I left for college. Besides, Kenzie always had the best room. Needed the extra space for all her clothes.”
“All my clothes?” I protested. “I’m not the one with fifty pairs of the exact same sweatpants.”
Max chuckled. “It’s hardly fifty, and they were on sale.”
“Snacks have arrived,” Paige declared as she entered the room. All she was holding was a small bag of sour gummy worms, but then Grayson followed behind her, his arms laden with popcorn, chips and more candy.
“Mind if I sit here, Mackenzie?” Paige asked.
I scooted slightly closer to Parker to make space for her.
“Room for one more?” Grayson added, making me scoot again. I was now so close to Parker I was practically in his lap.
“Isn’t this nice?” Paige said as she offered me a gummy worm. “Want one?”
“Uh, sure.” I wasn’t a huge fan of sour candies, but I was willing to do just about anything to distract myself from the warmth of Parker’s leg pressed against mine. My skin wouldn’t stop tingling, and I was hyper aware of every movement he made.
Parker seemed completely oblivious, though, as he snacked and chatted with his brothers.
And he was equally at ease as the game began, issuing instructions to the players on the TV like they might actually hear him.
Meanwhile, next to him, I was having a meltdown, feeling like each second lasted an eternity.
“Everything okay?” Parker murmured. His voice almost made me jump. I’d thought he was too immersed in the game to notice me. “You look stiff,” he added.
“This is just how I sit.”
He frowned. “Really?”
“Yeah, it’s a tense game.”
He glanced at the screen and his brow furrowed further. It was only the first period and already Minnesota was two goals up and dominating. Thankfully, Parker didn’t question my excuse further and returned his focus to the TV.
I kept my attention on the game too, but I wasn’t watching. I was trying to convince myself that I wasn’t affected by Parker Darling. Not one bit.
Finally, Parker’s mom called out from the other room, “Dinner!”
I jumped up like I’d been electrocuted.
Parker gave a surprised laugh. “Hungry, Mackenzie?”
Paige jumped up beside me and linked her arm through mine. “Sour worms weren’t quite cutting it for me either. I’m starving.”
As she led me out into the hallway, she leaned in close. “Don’t worry about Parker, you’ll get used to him.”
“What do you mean?”
“Oh, you know, he can be a little infuriating sometimes, and he has absolutely no filter, but there’s a lot more to him than most people think. He’s honestly one of the sweetest guys I know, in his own way. He’d do anything for the people he cares about.”
I wasn’t sure why she was telling me this, and when Paige noticed my confused look, she hurried to explain.
“You just seemed uncomfortable sitting next to him.”
I almost laughed. “You think I was uncomfortable sitting next to him because he’s a jerk?”
She shrugged. “I mean, yeah. I figured it was either that, or you like him…” Her voice trailed off before she gasped. “Wait, do you like him?”
“No! God, no!”
“Okay.” She was smiling brightly at me, but her voice dripped with skepticism.
“I don’t.” I repeated. “He’s the human equivalent of a pebble in my shoe.”
“Impossible to ignore?”
“More like always irritating and slowly driving me insane.”
Paige only looked more intrigued. “Well, I think you’d make a very cute couple.”
“You do?”
“Yeah. You guys kind of looked like one on the ice today.” She raised her eyebrows knowingly.
We entered the dining room before I could dispute Paige’s comment, and she introduced me to Parker’s mom. Mrs. Darling immediately came over and gathered my hands in hers. “It’s so lovely to meet you, Mackenzie.”
“You too, Mrs. Darling.”
“Please, call me Amy,” she replied. “I was at the game yesterday, and I just wanted to say, I think you’re incredible.”
“You—you do?”
She nodded. “Yes, I was completely in awe of you. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to join an all-boys team. But I can see why they wanted you; some of the saves you made were brilliant.”
“I missed three,” I murmured.
Amy laughed. “Well, that happens in the NHL too, you know. And when that Chargers player slammed into you?” She shook her head. “Awful. But you got back up and kept playing like it was nothing. It was very brave. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
I could feel myself blinking back tears. I wished I could have heard those words from my dad, but it still meant so much hearing them from Amy.
“Thank you.”
“No, thank you. You’re an inspiration. There were three young girls in the row in front of me, and I heard them talking about how they wanted to try out for hockey too. Our town needs more people like you.”
All I could do was nod. Amy’s praise had left me totally speechless. The boys saved me from having to respond as they all barreled into the room. But their mom’s words stuck with me. I just wanted to play hockey. I never dreamed I’d inspire others to want to play too.
“Who’s hungry?” Amy asked, waving at everyone to find a seat at the table.
I ended up sitting between Cammie and Paige.
Other than at the lake today, I’d never actually spoken to Parker’s sister.
She was beautiful, intimidatingly so. And like the other Darling siblings, she exuded a don’t-mess-with-me energy.
Her aggression on the ice, both while training with her figure skating partner and playing pond hockey, only reinforced it.
But right now, she was giving me a wry smile.
“If it’s too difficult to swallow, just use your napkin to spit your food out,” she said.
I laughed awkwardly. “What?”
“And if you’re desperate, our dog Stanley will eat just about anything.”
“What are you talking about?” I whispered, leaning closer.
Cammie smirked. “Just warning you about dinner. Be prepared…”
I turned to inspect the food on my plate.
The meal looked perfectly fine. But as I glanced around the table and noticed how everyone else was cautiously checking their dinner too, I had to wonder what exactly I’d gotten myself into.
There was no backing out now, though, so I picked up a taco and prepared to take a bite. What was the worst that could happen?