Chapter 5
I’m as still as a rock, afraid that if I move a muscle, I’ll mess something up.
At least this is the last thing on the hazing list the guys on my new team made for me.
Who even thinks of this stuff? I’m trying to decide whether Pretzel or Bugsy was behind this when the nurse lays a third tiny baby on my chest. My bare chest because apparently, skin-to-skin is a big deal for babies.
“And here’s little Ronnie. Aw, look at them all together. You’re the first volunteer we’ve had who’s been, um…wide enough for them all to lie on at the same time.”
“What do I do with them?”
“Hold them, sing to them, tell them stories. They should fall asleep soon. At that age, that’s all they really do. Just keep loving on them!”
“Okay…”
“If you need anything, just hit the call button on the remote.” She pauses when my eyes go wide at the thought of having to move to reach for the remote.
“Or just yell for someone. My name is Tina, but someone should be around if I can’t get to you.
Oh, and Ellie will be here any minute, and she knows the ropes. Alright, see you soon, Teddy!”
“Ellie?” I ask as Tina leaves the room, closing the door behind her.
Great, now I’m really going to have to yell to get someone’s attention. I look down at the triplets, all sleeping soundly against my chest, and smile. Yelling would wake them up, so I guess I’ll just wait until this mystery girl shows up if I need something.
The baby bundled in a pink blanket hiccups, then nuzzles into my chest, melting my heart in the process. I’ve never been around many babies. I’m not sure I’ve ever held a baby at all, and I know for a fact I’ve never held one this small.
“Okay, this isn’t so bad. I guess whoever added holding you little guys to the list wasn’t a total asshole. Oh shit, sorry. I mean, fuck—I…never mind. That was a list of words not to use when you start talking in…I don’t know when babies start talking. What? Five or six more months?
“Anyway, my name is Theodore, but everyone calls me Teddy. Well, not everyone. My grandma calls me Teddybear, and my teammates call me Cuddles. I’m a professional hockey player, and…
you guys probably don’t know anything about hockey.
It’s basically the best sport in the world.
Just like most sports, the whole purpose of the game is to end up with more points than the other team, except we have to do it on skates.
I play the position of goalie, so my job is to keep the other team from scoring, and I’m not so bad at it, if I do say so myself.
I’m on track to be up there with some of the best goalies of all time, which is insane.
Most people argue that the GOAT, which means greatest of all time, goalie is Patrick Roy, but in my opinion, it’s Henrik Lundqvist. There was just a swagger about him.
I knew the first time I saw him play that I wanted to be just like him.
I’ve actually met him several times now, and man, what a guy—”
I pause my monologue and look up when I hear a knock on the door. “Come in!” I whisper-yell. I expect to see one of the nurses when I look up, but instead, it’s a woman who is way hotter than any of the nurses I’ve seen today.
Oh, this is the mystery woman. In fact, I’m not even sure it’s a human woman. A goddess, maybe? The light reflecting from her long dark hair shines like a halo, so maybe she’s an actual angel. Time stands still as she seems to float toward me.
“Can I have one of your babies?”
At this distance, I can make out every perfect feature on her beautiful heart-shaped face. Hazel eyes, olive skin, rosy cheeks, luscious lips. “Oh, you can absolutely have my babies. You can have as many babies as you’d like.”
“Well, it looks like three is your limit right now, big guy.”
“Three? I’m fairly certain I can give you more than three.” I look her up and down, taking in every delicious curve. “I most definitely can give you more than three.”
She stops in front of me, looking around the room with furrowed brows. “Are there more babies coming, then? Tina said it was just the triplets today.”
Huh? Ohhh. The triplets. The ones we’re both volunteering to hold. Not the ones I fuck into her over and over and over and over and…
“I’ll go ask Tina if she knows when the others will be here—”
“No! No, I think I just, uh, had my babies mixed up. You know how that goes,” I say, wishing I could run my hand through my hair. I settle for a smile since my hands are occupied. “Um, take one of the blue ones. Pinkie and I are bonding.”
Ellie bends over to pick up one of the boys, and it feels like the entire universe shifts.
Maybe it’s the way this position accentuates her curves.
Maybe it’s the way the brush of her fingers against my chest sets my skin on fire at her touch.
Or maybe it’s the way her breath catches when our eyes meet, as if her soul recognizes mine from another life we’ve both forgotten.
“Hi, I’m Elia, but everyone calls me Ellie.”
“I’m Teddy.”
Pinkie hiccups, breaking our trance, and before I can stop her, Ellie is out of my reach and in the chair across from mine.
I’m still lost in her energy when she clears her throat. “So Teddy, are you new? I’ve never seen you volunteering here before. I always come in on Thursdays, so I guess it’s also plausible that you aren’t new and are just coming on a different day.”
“Oh, um, I’m new. I just moved to the city a couple of weeks ago, and some, uh, friends of mine suggested this as a way to give back to my new community.”
“I love that! I try to give back as much as I can as well! Is this something you think you’ll be doing regularly, then?”
Damn straight. Every Thursday that I’m not playing.
“Yeah, this isn’t so bad. I think I’ll come back.”
“Good! So you’re new in town? Where are you from?”
“I moved here from New York, but I’m not from there. I’m not from anywhere, really. My mom was in the military, so we moved around my whole life.”
“Wow! What an adventure! I’ve lived here my whole life. Don’t get me wrong, I love it here, but how lucky you are to have experienced so much!”
“I guess I’ve never thought of it that way. I’ve always been jealous of people who grew up in one home like you did. You’re right, though. I’ve definitely seen my fair share of the country.”
Ellie laughs, and it’s the cutest sound I’ve ever heard. “What were some of your favorite places?”
In this hospital with you.
“I really enjoyed living on the West Coast. My grandma would take me to the beach all the time while Mom was working. I also really enjoyed the mountains. It was beautiful until it got cold. I really don’t like the cold.” I shiver for emphasis.
Ellie’s gaze meets mine. “Florida isn’t cold.”
“It’s not.”
“Do you think you’ll stay here for a while, then?”
As long as it’s where you are.
“I certainly want to.” I smile softly. “It just depends on my job, really.”
Just take her with you if you have to move. She just told you that she wants an adventure.
“What do you do for work?”
Fuck, I can’t tell her hockey right off the bat. I learned the hard way that once you tell a woman you’re a professional athlete, they look at you like a trophy and not a person.
“I work in, um, net security.”
“Oh! I figured you…well, never mind,” she says, blushing the prettiest shade of pink I’ve ever seen. “It’s just, you’re pretty muscley, so I didn’t pin you as a computer guy.”
“What do you do? Other than hold babies?” I ask, changing the subject, because I am, in fact, not a computer guy at all and would have no clue how to answer any further questions she might have.
Not that I would mind for Ellie’s primary job to be babies. Specifically mine. And she doesn’t have to just hold them. Not that she isn’t great at that, but I think the “making them” aspect of the job would be where she really shines.
“I volunteer!”
Wait, did I say that out loud? And holy shit, did she agree to it?
“Really? You want to make them? We can’t do it here for obvious reasons,” I say, gesturing my chin toward the two bundles in my arms. “But we can go back to my place.”
“I guess we can, but all my supplies are at my house.”
“Oh, um, sure, we can go back to your house, but what kind of supplies are we talking about here?”
“Well, there’s a whole tote of different-sized needles, then there’s the baskets of—”
“Excuse me, did you say needles?”
“Yes! Knitting needles!”
“Uh, why do you use those?”
“To make the hats for the babies. What did you think I meant?”
“No, no, that’s what I thought. So, um, what else do you do other than babies and hats?”
“I spend a lot of time with my family. My nonna and I knit the hats, which you know, and I enjoy cooking and baking with her as well. I was fortunate to be born into a very well-off family, and my passion has always been to give back.”
Damn, now I feel like an asshole for lying about my job. “That’s beautiful.”
“Thanks! What about you? What do you like to do?”
“I enjoy photography. I’ve been meaning to make it to the beach for a photo shoot.”
“You haven’t been to the beach yet? But that was one of your favorite places!”
“I know, I just haven’t found the time yet. Do you like the beach?”
Ellie uses her free arm to flip her long hair back. “Of course I do. I’m a Florida girl born and raised! I go all the time. I know all the best beaches around.”
“Would you like to show me your favorite spot sometime?”
Did I just ask a girl out? Holy shit, Thatch isn’t going to believe me when I tell him. It’s been years since I’ve had the nerve to even go on a date. Everything about Ellie screams sincerity, though, and I get the sense she’s definitely not interested in my money.
“I would absolutely love to show you around!”
“I’m going to be gone this weekend, but I’ll be back next week. Would next Wednesday evening work?
“Yes, my Wednesday evening is yours,” she says with a grin.
It’s the most intoxicating picture I’ve ever seen, and something shifts within me as she gazes at me with soft eyes. I’ll do whatever it takes to see this woman smile.