Jake
Even with the season in full swing and our record looking solid so far, Coach doesn’t let up on us when it comes to practice. We’ve been on the ice for an hour now. Honestly, I feel like I’m being tossed around like a punching bag, but it’s also one of my favorite places to be.
“Good job, Maddox. Keep your weight to the front to gain more momentum!” Coach yells as Maddox flies by the bench in an attempt to keep up with the rest of his line.
I’m on the bench right now, watching as the third line gets a little more ice time and practice in.
Maddox has proven himself this season, working his ass off every day and always being one of the first guys in the locker room and one of the last to leave practice. He’s a great kid with a good attitude, and he’s a gifted player. He’s definitely going to go far in his career.
I look over to see Ramirez deke the puck to the right as Asher skates to the left like he’s going to grab it, confusing James as he takes his eyes off the puck.
Maddox comes speeding around the back of the net.
He hooks the puck into the crease just under the goalie’s leg, lighting up the lamp behind them.
Cheers are heard across the ice as they all celebrate, and Coach blows his whistle, signaling the end of the play as they gather around him at the end of the bench, where he talks with them about the previous play.
“That kid has some serious skills,” Brayden says from next to me.
“He does. I think once he has more experience and practice under his belt, he could be one of the greats.”
“Yeah, he definitely has the potential.”
The rest of the team comes off the ice as we switch out, and I skate to the right of Jones as he sets up for the face off.
As I'm getting into position, I see movement from the corner of my eye.
Normally, I’m pretty good about tuning out distractions, but without even really seeing who it is, I already know it’s Kailyn.
She’s in the stands with someone else, watching us practice.
I can’t help but look over and see that she’s laughing with Hannah, another one of the team doctors, a huge smile lighting up her beautiful face.
God, she’s the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen.
I can hear her laughter even from this distance, and it’s one of my favorite sounds, warm and rich like the taste of chocolate.
I missed those moments when she would laugh at my dumb jokes, or the small smiles she reserved for me.
When she left, nothing ever really made my heart light up the same, but since she’s been back, I can’t help but feel like a part of me is back, too.
I’m so in love with this girl. I’m enraptured by her presence, beauty, voice, everything. Even after all that has happened, the pain and anger I felt for all those years, she’s still the only woman to ever make me feel like this.
Things have been going well between us, and it feels like we’re sliding back into what we used to have but also something new. We’re both more open and honest this time around, which is helping to heal the old wounds etched on my heart.
It feels like the weight of my dad’s words are finally sinking in, and this is the ‘right time’ for us.
It’s easy to slip back into things with her, almost like she never left, but I can also see the growth she’s gone through over the years.
She’s been more open with me, communicating her worries and fears rather than bottling everything up.
She’s more playful with others, more interactive instead of how shy she used to be, and she moves around in this space so easily.
There’s also a confidence in her aura that wasn’t there before. I don’t know if she would have found that if she hadn’t moved across the country and discovered herself.
While anything can happen, I hope we continue to make more progress together and this isn’t another false start between us.
I’m too busy staring at her to notice that the puck was dropped and in play until I feel the breeze of the players skating past me, pulling me back into practice mode.
“Jake, get your head in the game,” Coach yells from the bench.
I take one more look at her in the stands as she stares right at me, a familiar smile gracing her lips that I know is only meant for me, and it’s that smile that lights me up inside and pushes me through the rest of practice.
“Hey Jake, hold up for a second.” Connor comes up to me just as we’re entering the locker room.
“Hey, what's up?”
“I need to talk to you about something. Can you follow me?” His tone sounds a bit distant, causing me concern.
We walk down the hallway and toward one of the unoccupied supply closets. We make our way in and Connor shuts the door behind him. His posture is tense and his shoulders are stiff. I’ve noticed lately that something’s been off with him, but I figured when he was ready he would come talk to me.
“You’re kind of scaring me, Connor, what’s going on?”
“Look, I’ve been holding onto something that I wasn’t ready to share just yet, but I am now and I wanted to talk to you first as my best friend here and the person I trust the most.”
“Of course, whatever you need, I’m here.”
He’s silent for a long while, and I don’t rush him. I don’t say anything as I let him gather himself, before he finally speaks. “Tasha is pregnant again.”
“Congratulations, man! I know how much your family means to you, that’s incredible.” Happiness fills me at how excited I am for him and Tasha.
“Thanks, Jake. You’re the first person I’ve told. You’re practically family, you know that.”
With everything he’s shared with me over the years, I know what family truly means to him, specifically what being a good dad and loving husband mean to him.
He doesn’t have a relationship with his family after they basically tossed him aside when he chose to pursue a career in the NHL.
His father is a high-powered attorney in New York and his mother is a socialite.
They always wanted their kids to live in the corporate world and follow in their footsteps, marrying who they approved of and being at the top of their social standings. That life was never meant for Connor.
He met Natasha when they were in high school and fell in love instantly.
Right away, he knew she was the one for him, and he never let her go.
Connor’s high school coach put him in the draft, and when he graduated, he was drafted to the AHL team down here.
Natasha followed him here, going to college online to earn her degree in business management.
With her passion for baking and people, she was able to use her skills and degree to open up Love & Lattes.
“I’m honored you thought of telling me first, but from the somber look on your face, I’m guessing there’s more.”
He walks over to one of the cabinets, leaning against it and cradling his head in his hands.
“She’s roughly fourteen weeks pregnant, and obviously, we’ve held off on telling people.
She had some spotting a couple weeks ago, and we were concerned, so we made an appointment.
They had some concerns about the heavy bleeding.
That, along with her history and this being our third child, there are a few more risk factors to take into consideration.
We caught it early, and she’s doing okay right now, but we still want to be extra cautious just to be on the safe side.
She’s on medication and strict instructions to keep an eye on things going forward, so it’s just a waiting game right now. ”
“What can I do to help?” I walk over and grasp his neck, anchoring him to this moment and letting him know I’m here for him.
“Her parents flew in from New York to help with the girls and run the bakery while I’m at practice and games.” He pauses, and I can feel the weight of this eating at him.
He’s always been a family man—his wife and two daughters are his entire world. I know he’s stressing about Tasha’s health and the baby’s safety.
“I just hate being away from her if she needs me.” He wipes his face, and it’s then that I notice the tears falling down his cheeks.
I lift him up and wrap him in a hug, giving him a moment where he doesn’t have to be so strong.
After my dad passed, he did the same for me, and it meant so much to me.
He pulls back after a few moments and I put my hands on his shoulders, making sure he’s listening to me.
“I think you’re doing everything you can right now, and Tasha knows you love her more than anything.
You both have the kind of love that most people dream of having.
You have two beautiful daughters who are absolutely incredible and another baby on the way.
Just be there when you can for her, and lean on us for help.
You know if anything happens, Coach will understand. ”
“Thanks, Jake. I knew you were the right person to talk to.”
Besides the twins, Connor is the one person on this team I’ve allowed myself to become this close to, and knowing that our relationship means just as much to him solidifies every goal I’ve set in place for myself.
“I’m always here for you, even when you decide you’re sick of me.” We both chuckle as he pulls away and wipes his eyes.
“Listen, I don’t know the full extent of what happened between you and Kailyn, but I can tell that something did.
” Before I can interrupt him, he holds up his hand and continues.
“Watching you two, it’s evident in the way you look at each other and how you interact.
You practically have heart eyes when you look at her and you can’t keep your hands to yourselves.
Like, damn, there’s so much sexual tension radiating off of you both,” he pauses, giving me a knowing look that has my cheeks turning red.
“All I’m saying is, don’t let past mistakes dictate your future with her.
You’re lighting up in a way I’ve never seen before.
You’re smiling more, and you’re a little less broody around the locker room.
Just take it from me, a love like that only happens once, maybe twice in a lifetime.
You’ve been gifted a second chance with her.
Don’t waste it being angry at the past or holding it against each other.
If you truly love her and she’s the one, then you better grab her and hold onto her tight. ”
As we walk back to the locker room to change from practice, I let his words replay over and over in my head, giving me a lot to think about.
We finally finish up and start grabbing our things, making our way to the parking lot. I’m walking out of the building with Brayden and Brandon when I spot Kailyn leaning against the side of Brayden’s car.
“Hey, losers, about time you finished getting all dolled up in there,” Kailyn teases.
“Speak for your brothers. I was done twenty minutes ago,” I tease her back with a smile on my face.
Brayden unlocks his truck as the guys throw their gear in the back seat.
Kailyn appears next to me and smiles, her hair falling into her lashes.
On instinct, I find myself reaching for her face, my fingers softly brushing her cheekbone as I push her hair back and behind her ear. My hand stays there for just a moment longer before I drop it and watch as her face follows the movement. She’s silent as she slowly looks back up at me and smiles.
“I was wondering if you would like to come over and have dinner with us tomorrow? It’s Thanksgiving, and I thought it would be nice to celebrate with everyone.”
“Really?” This girl. She’s always thinking of others and has such a pure heart. The twins always invite me, and since my dad’s passed, I’ve gone every year. I don’t think she knows that, given how nervous she seems right now.
“Yeah, I thought it would be nice, and I figured who better to spend the day with than family.”
“You know me so well.” I smile at her, her nickname on the tip of my tongue, but I bite it back. I’m going to save that for the right moment. “I’d love to come over and have dinner.”
“Good, because we miss having you over.”
It feels like we’re the only two people here, like her siblings aren’t standing right by us. This moment is just for us. I don’t miss the true meaning behind those words: that it’s not about her family missing me, but her missing me.
If my walls weren’t already starting to crumble, then this would definitely do it.
Knowing that we’re having this moment in front of her siblings, and that she really, truly misses me, that she’s being open right now, it’s making me rethink everything I thought was right.
Connor’s words from earlier hit me again, and I think I truly understand what he was saying to me now more than ever.
I was mad at her for not communicating with me and running, but aren’t I doing the same thing? Am I letting my fears rule my actions and choices when it comes to her?
“All right, ladies, we don’t wanna be late for dinner now, do we?” Brayden chimes in.
“I mean, we’re already late, so we can’t exactly be on time,” Brandon jokes.
“Shut up, you know what I mean.”
The twins joke back and forth as they hop into Brayden’s truck and wait for Kailyn to join them.
“So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, then?” She asks shyly.
I place my fingers under her chin, lifting it so she's looking right at me.
From this angle, there are green flecks in her eyes and I just want to get lost in her beautiful gaze.
I used to feel like I could read her pretty well based on her actions, her body language and her tells.
But now I love that I get to learn new things about her, get to discover new meanings behind each look, each touch, and find out things I didn’t know about her before.
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”