Page 142 of Small Town, Big Storm

I just cut my gaze to the stands.

He follows my stare, face going soft when he spots Vi and Clover chatting with Holly and Poppy.

“How’s Kailey feeling?”I ask.

His wife is pregnant and it wasn’t an easy journey to get there—nor has it been an easy pregnancy.

“She’s doing better.”He grins.“We’re having a little girl.”

Congrats are shared all around and then Smitty’s attention goes to Ace.“Your wife still have a desk for me when I retire?”

Ace rolls his eyes, shakes his head.“I think you should focus on yourowncareer.”

“Except, I’m an expert matchmaker, just like Vi.Think about how many hockey players we could match if we combined powers.”

Clarke shakes his head.“Are we here to practice or just chitchat?”

“Both,” Smitty says, popping up to his feet.“Always.”

Griff and Wilder—who is new to the team but just moved back home to Cedar Hollow—have joined us.Griff is the quiet type, and I don’t know Wilder well.He was a few years older than me, so our paths didn’t often pass on the youth team circuit here in town.But he’s skilled and a hard worker and was a good addition to the Hawks roster in the offseason.

Maybe we have some hope of not being the worst team in the league this season.

On that thought, we get down to work.

We’re not doing anything crazy, mostly working on shots and tips, passing and two-on-ones.This is a tune up to get our skates back beneath us…and maybe it’s a bit of showing off for our women in the stands.

“Hot damn!”Smitty whistles when Shep makes a sick move around him and roofs the puck.

I glance toward the stands, see that Clover is watching, her eyes wide, her mouth slack-jawed.

She recovers quickly, looking away before Shep can catch her watching, and I smother a laugh—I don’t think I’ve met two more stubborn people in my life.

I wink at Poppy, who’s keeping an eye on Holly as she plays with a group of kids, including Wilder’s son, Asher.They’re all running around like tiny lunatics hitting balls with mini sticks and I make a mental note to get my kiddo back on the ice.

She’s got good hands.

Luckily, so do I.

So, I set about doing some impressing of my own, deking and shooting, skating hard and doing my best to make Poppy’s mouth go slack like Clover’s had.

By the time our ice is up, I’m sweaty and exhausted.

And fucking happy.

And for the first time in as long as I can remember, it doesn’t feel wrong or fragile or transitory, doesn’t feel like the other shoe is about to drop.

It just feels…natural.

Same as it does to invite the guys down to the beach for food and beers from The Shack after we shower and clean up.

Same as it does to scoop Holly up onto my shoulders and to kiss Poppy until her cheeks go pink before we make the walk.

Same as it does to shake my head at Gertie Walkins and her camera phone and to give Gerald a wide berth on the way.

Same as it does…

To live my life without the shadow of Norm Harrison lingering over me.