“Oh. Thanks. There was no rush on that.”
“Here.” Zyana straightened her little arms with the pile of sheets. “Deese are fow you.”
He took the sheets from her. “Come in.”
They stepped into the mudroom. He led them into the kitchen and set the sheets on the big curved island, then turned to take the rest of the bedding piled in Jodie’s arms.
“I washed them,” she said. “Thank you again.”
“No problem.”
Zyana was hopping around from one foot to the other.
Jodie swept the kitchen with her gaze, taking it in. “Same designer?”
One corner of his mouth kicked up. “Yeah.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“Thanks. Kitchens and bathrooms got done first when I bought the place. The rest of the house is a work in progress.”
She turned and looked through the house. It was a straight sight line to the front door and she could obviously see that the walls in the other room were patched and unpainted with no baseboards or door casings, and the oak floor that stretched from the back of the house to the front was worn and scratched. “Are you doing it yourself?”
“Yeah.”
“Impressive.”
He shrugged. “I guess we’ll see how impressive it is when I’m done. But it keeps me busy.”
“Mommy, I’m thirsty.”
“Okay, love bug, we’ll go back to our house. Come on.”
Nick moved to the huge stainless-steel fridge. “Maybe I have something.” He opened the door. “You want a beer, kid?”
Zyana’s face was priceless, her eyes big. “Okay.”
Jodie burst out laughing. “No, you can’t have a beer. Nick was joking.”
His lips twitched as he pulled out a big bottle of orange juice. “Okay, your mom says no beer. How about this?”
Zyana nodded. Jodie didn’t like Zyana to have too much juice, but this time said nothing.
Nick poured some into a glass and handed it to Zyana. She took it with two hands. “Thank you.” She drank thirstily.
He looked back up at Jodie. “You getting settled?”
“Some,” she said. “I had to go to work this morning. Zyana came with me.”
“You take her to work?”
“Yeah. It’s a benefit of being your own boss. Although it does sometimes strike me as weird that we’re sitting in the meeting room talking about adult pleasure products with her there. But she’s only two. She doesn’t know what we’re talking about. And anyway, it’s not as if sex is something shameful. No way I’m going to raise my daughter to be ashamed or embarrassed about sex or about enjoying sex. But I will make sure she’s educated about it.”
Jesus. He’d been thinking so much about how hot her mouth was, he forgot how much she liked to use it for talking. And the things that came out of that mouth…Christ.
“Anyway, it was just for the morning, then we went to Cheesie’s for lunch. We stopped at the playground for a little while, which was good to tire her out. We met one of your neighbors…Evaline and her son, Jaquawn, who’s also two. He and Zyana played together, so that was cool.”
He blinked. He didn’t know Evaline. He didn’t know any of his neighbors, even though he’d lived here a few years. Okay, he knew some of them to see them—the man and woman next door were about his age, apparently both lawyers, and the older couple across the street had three teenage boys who were always coming and going at different times. Every summer, the neighbors organized a block potluck party, but he’d never attended.
“And then I did more work at home while she had her nap. I’ve been able to work from home quite a bit, which has really helped with being a single mom.”
“How come you awe so big?” Zyana gazed up at Nick.
He didn’t know how to answer that, so he said, “I grew a lot.”
“I am gwowing.”
“Yes, you are, sweetie.” Jodie smiled. “Are you done with that juice? We need to get you home to bed.”
Zyana heaved a long-suffering sigh. “Why do I aw-ways have to go to bed?”
“Sleep helps you grow.” She took the glass from her daughter and set it on the counter. “What do you say to Nick?”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He watched, bemused, as Jodie shepherded the little girl toward the door.
“And thanks again for the bedding. Sorry I apparently lost my mind the other night and couldn’t find anything. It was a crazy day. I still couldn’t find stuff this morning when I was getting dressed for work. I’m not usually so ditzy, honestly.”
Ditzy. No, he wouldn’t call her ditzy. “I’d show you the house and the furniture I’ve redone, if it wasn’t bedtime.”
She paused at the door and shot him a glance, surprise evident in her eyes behind her big glasses. “Well, I’m sure there’ll be another day.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
They left, and he locked the door and meandered into his barren living room. He contrasted it with the messy explosion now existing in the coach house—toys, scribbled crayon drawings attached to the fridge with colorful magnets, tons of books, both children’s and adults’, music and dancing, cookies, and warmly scented candles.
And sex toys and lacy lingerie in the bedroom.
He rubbed his face. He hated that he kept being rude to Jodie. He just didn’t know how to deal with so much perkiness when his own mood was in the dumps. It wasn’t as if she was coming on to him…although the way she looked at him sometimes gave him the impression she wanted to. She seemed all innocent and friendly and genuinely interested in his life, which was weird because basically he had no life.
He also hated that he was awkward around Zyana. He hung out with older kids in some of the volunteer work he did and never thought much of it, but this little girl with all-seeing, wary eyes made him nervous. Maybe because he was a big guy and she was so little. Or maybe because he kept thinking dirty thoughts about her mom.
Wrong. So wrong. He was an asshole.
* * *
—
“Look, here’s how you know if she’s a keeper.” Brick leaned forward at the table in the Sin Bin, a restaurant/bar owned by teammate Jared Rupp, also known as Rupper. “Does she eat French fries with her fingers?”
“Huh?” Bomber stared at his teammate. “What the hell does that have to do with anything?”
“Trust me, it’s totally legit. A girl who eats French fries with a fork is not gonna do the things you want her to do. Ahem.”
Bomber gaped, then laughed. “You’re so full of shit.”
Brick looked offended. “Would I lie to you?”
“Yeah, you sure as shit would.”
“No, this is serious bro advice. I’ve researched it over the years and it’s true.”
Bomber shook his head.
“You know you’ll be watching every date eat fries from now on,” Nick said to Bomber with amusement.
“Yeah, probably,” Bomber admitted.
“I never heard that before either,” Nick said.
“Ask Rico. I told him that a long time ago. He’ll back me up on this.”
Nick grinned. Being with the guys was a good antidote to the low spirits that had been plaguing him. Hanging out in pickup bars or going to parties made him feel like a square peg in a round hole. But with his team…this was where he felt like he fit in. They’d dragged him out to the Sin Bin after the game tonight despite his objections.
They knew it was getting to him.
But nobody said a word. They also knew he didn’t want to talk about it. And even though he’d just wanted to go home, to his sanctuary, he was having a good time.
“So who was the culprit with Chucky’s skates this morning?” he asked.
Everyone grinned.
“My money’s on Rico,” Bomber offered.
Someone had put clear tape on Chucky’s skate blades, so when he’d stepped onto the ice for morning skate, he’d landed on his ass. It was an old trick but a good one. Watching him try to get up, flailing and falling, had had everyone cracking up, including Nick. Now that he thought about it, Rico’d actually fallen to the ice he was laughing so hard. “You could be right.”
“Rico owed him,” Brick said. “After the hotel incident in Vegas.”
“Big-time.” Bomber nodded.
Chucky had managed to steal a key to Rico’s room and had filled his duffel bag with everything in the hotel room—the ice bucket, every glass, shampoo and soap, every towel. Rico had called the front desk in the morning to complain he had nothing he needed to take a shower, and apparently he’d been so annoyed he’d been quite an asshole. Hotel staff had brought him more. Later, packing to leave, he’d discovered the stash in his bag.
“How’d Chucky get the key to Rico’s room though?” Brick mused, tapping his chin. “I always wondered that.”
Nick pressed his lips together in a smile. Nobody ever suspected he was involved in these pranks because he was such a surly ass.
Bomber shot him a suspicious look. “You know something.”
“I know nothing.” Nick held up his hands.
They all stared at him now, then burst out laughing. Brick held out a fist and, shaking his head, Nick bumped it with his own.
“So I hear Kendra’s friend Jodie moved in with you,” Brick said.
Nick choked. “Not with me! She’s living in the coach house.” It had been just over a week now since she’d moved in, and he hadn’t seen her since the day she’d returned the bedding he’d loaned her. They’d had a couple of road games and then tonight’s home game. “It’s just temporary.”
Brick shrugged. “Whatever. Listen…I wanna ask her out.”
Nick’s chest froze. “Uh. Go for it.”
“Just making sure she’s not living there because there’s something happening…between you two.” Brick waved a hand back and forth.
“No,” Nick managed to choke out. “Hell no.”
“She’s got a kid,” Bomber said to Brick.
“Yeah? So?”
“That’s some baggage.”
Nick frowned.
“I like kids,” Brick said.
“Just sayin’. A mom doesn’t have the same, uh, freedom as the usual women you date. A kid kind of throws a wrench into some things. Like, she’ll need a babysitter every time you go out.”
Brick rubbed his chin. “Yeah, I guess that’s true. But you met her…she’s hot.”
Nick’s chest now flashed with heat.
“And fun,” Brick added. “Hey, I know. Nicky can babysit.” He grinned at Nick. “You’re right there, and you have no life, so it’s perfect.”
Nick resisted the urge to shout “hell the fuck no” at his teammate. “The kid’s terrified of me,” he said instead. “Don’t think that’s going to work out.”
“What? Terrified? What the hell did you do?”
“Nothing.” He shrugged. Okay, maybe he’d yelled that one time she’d been about to pick up the wood stripper. And tried to take her sandwich. And he didn’t smile a lot. “It’s because I’m big. She thinks I’m a giant.”
Brick grinned. “Come on, buddy, win her over. I need this to work out.”
Nick rolled his eyes.
“I need her number,” Brick said. “Guess I could get it from Kendra.” He lifted his eyebrows at Nick. “Maybe you have it?”
Nick held his gaze. “I have it, but I’m not giving it to you.”
“What? Why not? I’m a nice guy.”
“I’m not giving out her number to anyone,” Nick said. For some reason, he was loath to help his friend, but it was more than just that. What single woman would want her number given out to a strange guy? Okay, she’d met Brick, but still…“Maybe she doesn’t want to go out with you.”
Brick scoffed. “Like that’s going to happen.”
True enough. Brick was apparently irresistible to women, judging from his busy social life and the women who flocked around him anytime he went out in public. Hell, right now the table of women across from them was eyeing him and whispering and giggling.
“I’ll talk to Kendra,” Brick said. “No worries.”
That night at Hallsy’s birthday party, Jodie’d been flirting up a storm with Brick. She probably would go out with him.
No fucking way was he babysitting.
Damn. He’d been having a good time and now Brick’s stupid comments about asking Jodie out had him all testy again. He finished his beer. “I gotta go.” Glancing around, he caught a waitress’s eye and waved her over.
“Hey.” Brick’s cocky smile faded. “Just kidding about the babysitting.”
Nick didn’t even know what to say to that. “I know.” He forced a smile. “Good luck with Jodie.”
His stomach turned to stone as he said the words. What the fuck was that about?
The waitress brought the bill, and he paid up and added a generous tip then headed out with a wave to the guys.
Okay, he was attracted to Jodie, he couldn’t deny that. But there was no way he was going to ask her out. He didn’t like kids. He didn’t like perky, chatty women. He didn’t want anything long term or serious, and she was clearly a woman who wanted a family. Family for him meant trouble. He wanted nothing to do with that.
So why he was so pissed about Brick wanting to go out with her he had no fucking clue.
* * *
—
The next day he stepped out his back door onto the patio on his way to practice. He looked up at the snow falling from the sky and sighed. The forecast was predicting a late winter storm. Great. The wind had already picked up, blowing the snow in sharp gusts.
As he passed by the coach house to get to the garage, Jodie and Zyana came out, wearing outerwear, Jodie carrying a small, colorful backpack. She paused to lock the door. “Oh, hi, Nick.”
“Hey.” He paused. “Where are you off to?”
“Dropping Zee at her new daycare and then going to the office.”
“How do you get there?” He knew she didn’t have a car.
She dropped her keys into the small cross-body bag she wore. “Bus.”
“Huh. Want a ride?”
“Oh, that’s okay. I’m sure you’re on your way somewhere.”
“Practice. I’m early though.”
“We’d need to put the car seat in your car,” she said. “Don’t worry, we’re fine.”
Car seat…huh. Never would have thought of that. What the hell did he know about kids? Jodie didn’t have a car, but she had a car seat? “We can put it in my car. The weather’s getting bad.”
She cast a concerned glance at the sky, just as he’d done, and sank her teeth into her plump bottom lip. “Really, it’s fine.”
“Get the car seat.”
She pressed her lips together and glared at him.
Chapter 9
“Okay, fine.” Jodie turned back to the door. “Stay here with Nick, Zee.”
Zyana stood in her tiny boots and pink jacket, her dark curls rioting out around her pink hat. She and Nick stared at each other.
“How’s daycare?” he asked.
“Well.” She heaved a sigh and threw her hands up. “There are a lot of bad kids there! Fwowing things! Wunning with scissors! Yelling!” She shook her head. “Then the leader yelled at them too, and it was vewy upsetting.”
He blinked at her. “Sorry to hear that.” Bad kids? Was this really a good place for her to be? “Running with scissors is pretty serious stuff.”
“Yes. One boy even said a bad word!”
“Oh no.”
�
�He got in twouble,” she added with some satisfaction and raised little eyebrows. “I did not get in twouble.”
“Of course not.” This was the most she’d ever conversed with him. It was like talking to a tiny teenager. “I guess you’re much more mature than they are.”
“Yes.” Her eyes widened. “Mommy says I need to be a…good…good zample. And help the leaders.”
“That sounds like a plan. You can probably help a lot.”
“I will twy.” She gave a firm nod. “Do you know what is the biggest animal in the wowld?”
“A whale.”
She frowned. “An animal that lives on the land.”
His eyebrows flew up. “Oh. Um. What?”
“Elephant.”
“Oh. Of course.”
“And did you know that elephants are the only animal that can’t jump?”
“I did not know that.”
Christ. The kid was smarter than he was.
Jodie emerged from the house carrying a big seat. “Okay. Let’s go.”
He took it from her and carried it to the garage.
“I’ll hook it up,” Jodie said, leaning into the backseat. He tried not to look at her ass as the black fabric of her pants stretched over it. He failed. “You have to tether it…”
She got it set up, backed out, and straightened. “Okay, Zee, hop in.”
She buckled Zyana into the seat and climbed into the front passenger seat herself. “Nice SUV.”
Her scent filled the closed-in space, something fresh and playful that made him think of pink flowers. “Thanks.”
As he turned onto North Southport, he felt her eyeing him. “What?”
“Why are you being so nice to us?”
He frowned. “I’m always nice.”
“Ah.” She blew out a breath. “Okay, true. But most of the time I get the feeling you don’t really want to be nice. You’re just putting up with us.”
His jaw tightened. He ran his tongue over his top teeth. “Sorry. Nothing personal. I don’t really like people that much.”
“No! Really?”
His sideways glance caught her smile, and his heart bumped. One corner of his mouth lifted. “You figured that out, huh?”
Big Stick: An Aces Hockey Novel Page 8
