Chapter 16 Gabriel
Chapter sixteen
Gabriel
The noise from the arena is still ringing in my ears as I steer the SUV through the quiet streets.
Maddie is talking from the backseat, her voice full of the kind of excitement that only a seven-year-old can sustain after a night like that.
"Daddy scored because I yelled," she says for what is probably the eighth time.
I glance in the rearview mirror. "Pretty sure that's exactly how hockey strategy works."
"See?" she says proudly.
Natalie laughs softly beside me. The sound of it fills the space in a way that feels warmer than the heater blasting through the vents.
"We should tell the coaching staff," Natalie says. "They've been overthinking it this whole time."
"I'll bring Maddie to practice tomorrow," I say. "New assistant coach."
"Yes," Maddie says immediately, then pauses. "But only if there are snacks."
Natalie's shoulders shake with laughter.
A few minutes later Maddie's voice slows. The words start coming further apart.
By the time we pull into the driveway she's asleep, her head tipped against the window.
Natalie unbuckles her belt and turns halfway in her seat.
"She tried really hard to stay awake," she says quietly.
"Game nights are serious business," I say.
I step out and open the back door. Maddie barely stirs when I lift her into my arms. She curls automatically against my shoulder.
Natalie holds the door open while we walk inside.
The house feels unusually quiet after the arena.
We move through the dim hallway together, instinctively keeping our voices low.
In Maddie's room I lower her onto the bed and pull the blanket over her. She shifts slightly, her eyes fluttering open for half a second.
"Daddy scored," she murmurs sleepily.
"He did," Natalie whispers, brushing a piece of hair away from her face.
Maddie smiles sleepily and drifts right back out.
Natalie tucks the blanket around her with careful hands. I watch the two of them for a moment longer than I probably should.
There is something about the way Natalie stands there that feels… natural.
We step out of the room and quietly close the door.
Downstairs Natalie kicks off her shoes near the kitchen island and exhales like she's finally letting the energy of the night settle.
I grab two bottles of water from the fridge and slide one across the counter to her.
"So," she says after a moment, twisting the cap off. "Apparently we're publicly married now."
I huff a laugh.
"Yeah," I say. "That happened."
She leans her elbows on the counter.
"I thought I was going to hate that moment."
"The jumbotron?"
"The whole arena finding out." She shrugs lightly. "But I didn't."
I watch her for a second.
"Good," I say.
"Did you mind?" she asks.
"Not at all."
She studies me like she's deciding whether she believes that.
"You handled it well," I add.
"I waved," she says dryly.
"Exactly. Professional level."
She laughs and takes a drink of water.
The quiet stretches for a second, comfortable rather than awkward.
"You know," I say finally, "you've handled all of this better than I expected."
"Living with a professional athlete?"
"Living with my… everything," I correct.
She tilts her head.
"Your everything is mostly hockey gear and a child who believes she controls the outcome of games."
"That's still a lot, especially with Jenna on leave."
Her expression softens slightly.
"She's a good kid," Natalie says.
"She likes you," I say.
"I like her," Natalie replies.
She hesitates before adding quietly, "She makes this whole situation easier… because if Maddie is happy, everything else feels simpler."
"You make things easier for her," I say.
Natalie looks down at the counter for a moment.
"That matters," I continue. "More than you probably realize."
She brushes it off with a small shrug.
"We're weirdly good roommates," she says.
"Low bar for marriage," I say.
She smiles at that.
"Still," she says, "I didn't expect this to work as well as it does."
"Yeah," I admit. "Me neither."
She studies me a second like she knows there's more behind that answer.
"What did you expect?" she asks.
I lean my hip against the counter across from her.
"Honestly?" I say. "I figured the logistics would be harder."
"Logistics," she repeats.
"Living together. Schedules. Maddie adjusting. You getting tired of hockey gear everywhere." I gesture vaguely around the kitchen. "I thought we'd be stepping on each other's routines constantly."
Natalie laughs softly. "You do have a lot of hockey gear."
"Exactly." I pause. "And I was worried that Maddie might struggle with the change."
Natalie's expression softens.
"Kids notice everything," she says quietly.
"Yeah." I nod. "I kept waiting for the moment where she decided this whole situation was weird."
"And?"
"She thinks it's great," I say. "She has someone to talk to who isn't me."
Natalie smiles at that.
"High bar," she says.
"The highest," I agree.
"What about you?" I ask. "What did you expect?"
She considers that for a moment.
"I expected it to feel temporary," she says finally. "Like we were just… managing a situation."
"A strategic arrangement," I say.
"Exactly." She gestures between us. "More business partnership than anything else."
"And now?"
Natalie's gaze lifts to mine.
"Now it just feels like life," she says.
That hits me harder than I expected.
"I always liked you," I admit before I can overthink it.
Her eyebrows lift slightly.
"Before this," I clarify. "I figured maybe someday I'd ask you out like a normal person."
"Someday," she repeats.
"Instead we skipped straight to marriage."
That earns a quiet laugh.
"Very efficient," she says.
"Hockey players are known for their life planning," I deadpan.
She studies me again, more carefully this time.
"I guess this wasn't what you expected either," she says.
It's not really a question.
"Honestly, I didn't really know what to expect."
For a second neither of us says anything.
"But you don't seem upset about it," she says.
I shake my head. "Not even a little."
Natalie traces the edge of the water bottle with her finger, thinking.
"That should probably make me nervous," she says after a moment.
"Does it?"
"A little," she admits. "Not because of you. Just because… this is going really well."
I nod slowly.
"Yeah," I say. "It is."
"Which means if it stopped going well," she continues quietly, "there would be a lot more to lose now."
"I get that," I say quietly. "It would be a lot harder now if things went sideways. Not just for us… for Maddie too."
She meets my eyes again.
"I didn't expect this to feel real," she says.
I let out a quiet breath. "Yeah," I say. "Somewhere along the way this stopped feeling like a deal we made… and started feeling like something I actually want."
The house goes very still around us.
I notice suddenly that she's barefoot.
Her hair is slightly messy from the arena.
She's leaning against the counter like she forgot to be guarded for once.
"You're staring," she says.
"You started it," I say.
A slow smile appears on her face.
I step closer without really deciding to.
She doesn't move away.
The space between us disappears quietly.
When I kiss her this time it isn't rushed.
There's no adrenaline from a game or chaos from the night we first crossed that line.
It's slower.
Warmer.
Her hand comes up to rest lightly against my chest.
I deepen the kiss and she responds immediately, like she's been waiting for it.
She pulls back just enough to look at me.
"You know," I say, "we could just lean into the married part tonight."
Her lips curve.
"That's your plan?"
"Seems like the logical next step," I say. "Act like a married couple tonight."
Natalie studies me for a second.
"You say that like it's temporary," she says.
"I'm trying not to get ahead of myself," I reply.
Her hand slides up my chest again.
"That's very responsible of you," she says.
"I have my moments."
She hesitates one second longer.
Then she kisses me again.
That decides it.
I reach out, my hand sliding along the curve of her waist and pulling her flush against me.
Her breath hitches, a sharp, barely audible intake of air, and that small sound is all the permission I need.
I lower my head, my lips brushing against hers, a whisper of a touch that sends a jolt all the way down to my crotch.
"You’re incredible," I whisper against her mouth. "This...we...are incredible."
I deepen the kiss, crushing my mouth to hers. Her lips are soft, parting instantly to grant me access. My tongue sweeps against hers, tasting the piece of chocolate she popped in her mouth a few minutes ago.
My hands slide down her back, fingers digging into the fabric of her blouse, gripping her hips to anchor her to me. She melts into my hold, her body molding perfectly against the hard lines of mine.
I pull back just enough to see her face: flushed, lips swollen, and eyes glassy with desire. "Upstairs," I command, my voice dropping an octave.
She nods, her fingers threading through mine, squeezing tight. I lead her out of the kitchen, the sound of our footsteps echoing on the hardwood stairs. Each step feels deliberate, heavy with anticipation. I don’t look back, but I can feel the heat of her gaze burning into my back.
We reach the bedroom, and the moment we cross the threshold, the dynamic shifts again.
I press her against the wall just inside the door, trapping her with my body.
My mouth finds the sensitive spot just below her ear, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down the column of her neck.
She tilts her head back, a soft gasp escaping her throat as I nip at the delicate skin there.