Page 76 of Cheap Shot

“Does it? Or are you just so stubborn you’re willing to refuse help from anyone?”

“Well, excuse me, but my husband fucking bailed on me and my sick kid. I don’t exactly find it easy to trust anyone,” she snapped.

“Hey, I get that.” Sebastian put his towel down and held out his arms. “And I’m sorry if I pushed too hard.”

Brie huffed but when he kept staring at her, she stripped off the gloves and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“I know you’ve been through a lot,” he murmured against her hair. “I’m not discounting that. But maybe take a little time to think about it.”

She sighed and rested her cheek against his chest. “Ihaveconsidered the arts and crafts thing at the hospital before. I know Harper would love it. I just could never make it fit in my schedule.”

Sebastian pulled back far enough to look her in the eye. “So let’s start there. I’ll see if Catherine’s niece would be a good fit at the shop and I’ll plan to take Harper to the arts and crafts thing. We can make this work, I promise.”

“Yeah, okay.” She scowled up at him. “But I’m not promising anything else.”

“Deal,” he said.

At least it was astartingpoint.

As far as Luke was concerned, there was nothing worse than sitting in the press box and watching his team play the Buffalo Beavers without him.

The defense was kind of a mess tonight too.

Rafe and Mickey had been moved to the top D-pair while Tanner was playing on the second with one of the call-ups. The kid wasn’tbadbut he certainly didn’t have the physical presence Luke always brought to a game and after the umpteenth time someone got in the blue paint and messed with Kady, Luke growled under his breath.

“I know, right?” Jesse said. “God this fuckingsucks. I want to be out there.”

“You’ll be back soon though, right?” Luke asked under his breath, not wanting anyone to overhear.

“Yeah. I haven’t heard anything official yet but I think I should be back for the next one.” Jesse shifted restlessly. “Of course, then I’m off to the North Atlantic Tournament.”

“Yeah. I was wondering about that,” Luke admitted. “You and Tanner are both going, right?”

Jesse nodded. “Yep.”

“How’s Connor feel about not being invited this year?”

Jesse leaned in. “He’s bummed but secretly kind of relieved, I think. His shoulder’s been hurting a lot lately. He could use the rest, even if he hates to admit it.”

“I wondered about that too,” Luke admitted. “Is he thinking surgery?”

Jesse glanced around and lowered his voice even more. “Maybe. It’ll depend on how the rest of the season goes.”

Luke nodded. That kinda confirmed what his agent had said.

He glanced back at the ice, wondering what it would feel like to befullyretired. Not even watching from the press box. Just a spectator and former player.

He shuddered.

It was bad enough being on IR right now. He wasn’t looking forward to being cut off from the team that way. As much as hegrumbled and blustered, as much as they drove him nuts, they were the closest thing he had to a family around here.

A few moments later, Luke watched Connor go to the penalty box, arguing the whole way about the tripping penalty they’d given him.

The cameras panned to his grumpy expression as he sat in the box. Jesse let out a laugh.

“That’s my Captain Growly,” he murmured and the softness in his voice made Luke wonder what it was like to feel that way about someone.

Had he ever had that? Had he everwantedit?