8. Arena
CHAPTER 8
ARENA
DELILAH
I t’s the night of the first game and I want it to be perfect. Miles is already nervous, and I can see how torn up he is about being away from his daughter the other night. He’s like a different man, and I know now that there is a heart in there somewhere, even if it’s only for Lola.
I guess that’s how it should be.
He leaves early in the day for a pre-game practice and dinner with the team and I make Lola a special early meal before getting her ready for the game. I know we’ll eat something there, but it’s better to fill her up with healthy food first.
The jersey is adorable, and I pull her hair into high ponytails with ribbons that match the team colors. Since she might want to run around, I dress her in some leggings that complement the jersey and some soft boots after she’s cleaned up from dinner. I am so nervous to be bringing her, but our families will be there, and kids are everywhere at games.
Miles’s family offers to take us in their big SUV if I want to drive to the house, so I won’t have to find parking and deal with all of that. They have a parking pass, so if I need to leave for any reason, his dad can take us back to the car and go right back to the arena. I can’t see any reason not to accept the offer and we arrive an hour before the game will start, walking into the house as Linda opens the door.
“She looks so cute. That little jersey is adorable, Delilah. Does Miles know about it?” She picks up her granddaughter in a hug and I watch with a smile.
“I mentioned it, but he hasn’t seen it yet. That part will be a surprise.”
I am wearing my brother’s name on my back even though I’d like it to be Miles’s last name. How would I explain that, especially since we’re all sitting together?
Everyone congregates in the living room in their matching jerseys, and we pile into the luxurious SUV for the short ride to the arena since their house is closer than Miles’s cabin. I’m anxious and excited all at once and my hands shake when we go inside and meet my family in the seats.
There’s already a crowd cheering the guys on during their pre-game skate and I take Lola to the glass, showing her Miles. Lola calls for him as fans look on and Miles looks over and a gorgeous smile crosses his face. He skates over and taps the glass with his glove, talking to Lola as she claps her hands. This man as a hockey player is sexy, but the dad thing almost kills me. Based on the expressions of the surrounding women, they notice it, too.
Miles doesn’t notice anyone but Lola and he slips a puck to her through a slot in the glass.
“Have her be careful with that. It’s heavy.”
I nod and he smiles at her.
“Of course. Good luck tonight.”
“Thanks for the jersey. I love it.”
Miles smiles at me and waves as he joins the team to shoot some pucks at the net, and I grin at Lola.
“Did you see your daddy out there? He’s so important to the team and we’re going to watch him tonight.” I carry her back to our seats and everyone comments about the puck after gushing over her.
“She’s going to have a pile of them in her room the first year.” Keith laughs and turns it in his hand thoughtfully.
“There’s no doubt about that.”
Linda bounces in her seat and smiles as she watches the action on the ice.
“You’ve been to games for Andrew before, haven’t you?” Miles’s sister looks at me with a warm smile.
“Tons, but when I was in college, I missed so many. I have only met Miles a couple of times and even then, it was brief. I love this sport and it’s in my family’s blood.”
I can feel that same blood flowing through my veins now, but there’s something different in the way my heart beats faster. When I watch Miles on the ice, there’s something so raw and sexy about the control he possesses out there that Andrew just doesn’t have. Granted, he’s my brother and shouldn’t have that kind of effect on me, but Miles is different out of all of his teammates over the years.
All the surrounding people distract Lola, and I swear she keeps looking out on the ice for Miles. I point him out every single time and Lola giggles.
When the game starts, we all settle in to watch it. Everyone helps with Lola, and we pass her around so the others can focus on the ice. It’s like a dream and I picture my future with my own child just like this when the time happens.
I never noticed how in tune Andrew is with Miles when they are on the same line before now, but I also haven’t been to many games. They seem to intuitively know where the other is and make the passes perfect every time, scoring three goals which help them to a 5-3 lead and ultimate win against the Seattle team. It’s magical and I leave that night with a bigger respect for the sport of hockey.
It’s chaos trying to leave the parking lot, but Lola is sleeping, so I just relax and watch the fans of both teams out of the windows of the back of the car.
“I think she did a great job. Don’t you?”
Linda turns in her seat to smile at me, and I nod.
“Yes. She didn’t watch the game as closely as we did, but who would expect her to? She enjoyed herself so much and all of us being there was perfect.” I look at the sleeping girl with a smile.
“I got the video of her interaction with Miles on my phone. It almost made me cry. Seeing my brother as a father is so amazing.”
Brynn is in front of me, and she plays it as I watch over her shoulder, feeling my heart explode all over again. Miles loves Lola to no end; it’s clear in his eyes and smile and the little girl eats it up. She’s young, but she knows she’s loved by so many people and her dad is going to be her hero.
I just wonder how long I’ll be around to witness it. I will always know Miles through Andrew, but eventually he’ll settle down with someone and Lola will have a mom in her life. I just hope she loves Lola as much as I do.
We finally arrive home, and I take Lola upstairs to her bed. She’s sleeping hard and I consider taking off the jersey, but it might wake her up and I’m too tired to stay up with her if she decides she wants to play. All I do is take off her shoes and tuck her in before kissing her goodnight and walking into the living room.
I take off my jersey once I have a cup of tea and stretch out on the couch. Adrenaline is still flowing through my veins, but I know that the need to sleep will take over soon. I need to because Lola is going to wake up early.
Miles probably won’t be home for a while. There’s always press after the games, particularly after a win like this, and Andrew goes out with the guys a lot since the adrenaline for them is something that keeps them up for hours.
I can’t help myself and turn on the TV to watch the interviews after the game, mesmerized by the smile on Miles’s face and the way his hair hangs around his brow after sweating through a game.
“You can’t have a crush on your boss, who also is your brother’s best friend. Sure, he’s hot like most hockey players, but he is so off limits.” I close my eyes and repeat that as a mantra in my head. There’s just something about gorgeous men being fathers that makes my heart beat faster and my ovaries ache.
My ovaries ache? I am only twenty-three and have a lot of time before kids.
I turn on a random movie and sip my tea, willing myself to get tired so I can go to bed. The house is quiet and I take that in as I appreciate my life at this moment, despite my growing feelings for Miles.
Those will pass.
I wake up with the sun beginning to peek in the windows and jerk to a sitting position, finding myself on the couch.
“What? I fell asleep here?”
I keep my voice a whisper, realizing there’s a blanket around my waist that wasn’t there last night. Did Miles do this? The thought makes me smile since I know there’s a rarely seen, kind soul underneath all that masculinity, and I take a moment to soak that in.
When I look on the couch, I see the jersey folded up and something else folded beside it. Reaching over, I look at both and see a jersey in my size with Miles’s last name on it. What would my brother do if I wore this to a game?
I fold them both up and take them to my room before making coffee in the kitchen. I change into a t-shirt that’s clean and slide a headband into my messy hair, singing as the coffee brews. I should be tired since I know I didn’t sleep a lot last night but I feel so alive this morning.
I hear Lola in her room through the monitor on the coffee table and walk in to get her.
“Hey, baby girl. Did you have a good sleep?”
I put a cotton dress on Lola so we can just hang around the house today. The puck is on her dresser, and I smile as I look at it, remembering that moment.
She wants eggs and toast for breakfast, and I make it as she drinks juice and watches her favorite cartoon on TV. It’s the one time I allow her screen time apart from the evening and occasional movie, so I can cook and she can wake up. Lola wants to help with every other meal during the day.
We eat and decide to play on the swing set in the backyard and I push her high into the sky, as she likes to say. I mention the game and get enough from Lola to know she loved it and wants to go back tonight, making me giggle.
“I think you’re a hockey fan,” I murmur, pushing her again. I tell her we can watch Daddy on TV when he’s at away games and still cheer him on and she can wear her jersey those days. Lola cheers and I feel like I accomplished something last night, initially feeling so hesitant to bring her to the arena.
Is that what her mom felt? If Kim saw the way Miles looks at Lola, she’d know that he loves his daughter to the ends of the earth. Maybe she didn’t care and resented him for not staying with her. I don’t know the situation and remind myself I can’t judge a dead woman. My job is to make the rest of her daughter’s life wonderful, and I’ll do that my way until this isn’t my job anymore.
I feel eyes on me while we’re still outside and glance back to see Miles standing on the deck in the shade. His shorts ride low on his hips and he’s not wearing a shirt, making my mouth dry up.
It’s just a crush.