Page 34 of Ice Queen

The room freezes, and now, everyone is looking at me. “Dang, little man. I didn’t know you had it in you. You can hang with your uncles.” I joke, pulling him off my shoulder and sliding him down my chest where he nuzzles in like a baby koala.

When my eyes meet Lettie’s, hers are filled with tears. “Do you want me to put him down?”

She shakes her head, swiping at a fallen tear. “No, you’re just going to make a great dad one day,” she says with confidence.

If I didn’t have a baby in my arms, I would have doubled over at the way those words landed. With the rest of the room looking at me, I just shake my head. “Tal vez algún día.⁠*”

“Está bien hacer espacio para alguien más⁠*.” Her eyes move to Kait almost like she knows there’s history there. Albeit not much.

Looking back down at the now sleeping baby, my heart does something it hasn’t done since I was fifteen. It flutters. And if the words Lettie said weren’t the same exact words that floated through my mind moments before, I would have known this was the sign I keep begging Millie for.

“If your heart flutters when you think about something, that’s how you know it’s what you really want,” she says, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. “Like when I think about teaching, my heart flutters. I know that’s what I’m meant to do when I grow up.”

Our hands swing between us, our fingers woven together like they always are when we walk home from school. “Oh yeah?” I ask, wiggling my brows at her. “My heart flutters when I think about playing in the NHL. Are you still gonna be my friend when I’m famous and all grown up?”

“I don’t know. You may never grow up.” She giggles and takes off running. I stand there, staring at her back as she disappears around the corner of our neighborhood.

My eyes cross from the intensity at which I’m staring at the floor. I blink, but my eyes stay crossed, so I blink again, and again until I can see clearly. The rest of the room has gone about their business, but Lettie is still looking at me. Concerned, but hopeful at the same time.

Like a fish caught on a hook, my head turns to find Kaitlyn staring in my direction. She doesn’t notice I’ve turned at first, her eyes focused on Cam rather than me. But when she does, she jumps in her seat a bit. She pushes the hair from around her ear, letting it fall in front of her like a shield. It almost makes me laugh, but then I realize she still thinks I was mad.

Leaning back, I let Cam rest against me as I cross one ankle over my knee. “Did you guys hear? The media thinks I’m Casanova.”

Abby barks out a laugh, quickly slapping a hand over her mouth when Cam lets out a small whine. “Sorry,” she mouths to Lettie.

“I’m serious. Apparently, I’m picking up single moms at team sponsored events now.” I throw a wink in Kaitlyn’s direction, hoping she knows this is my apology for the time being.

“I wonder what they’d do if they realized you never actually bring all these women they say you’re with back to the room.” Reed chuckles. I wonder how long he’s been waiting to put that out there. Or maybe he has some ace up his sleeve, and this is his way of rallying the team around whatever media storm is going on.

Wilder’s mouth falls open. “Wait, you’re serious?” His head moves rapidly back and forth between Reed and me.

“I’m sure there’s an ‘I’ve been led on by Markus Samuels’ hate club somewhere.” My shoulder shrugs as I rub my thumb over Cam’s back.

“There’s no way.” Andrews laughs, bringing a hand to his beard, scratching lightly.

“He’s been my roommate for five years.” Reed leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Don’t you think me of all people would have made a bigger fuss if I was having to deal with that this whole time?”

Hannah smiles, holding out her hand to Abby and curling her fingers into her palm a couple of times. “Pay up.”

“You bet on this?” I hiss in mock outrage.

Abby’s eyes roll, but Hannah just gives me a victorious smile. “I never once believed you were a Playboy, Sammy. You have book boyfriend written all over you. You’re like the perfect Doberman. Loyal, protective, and would do anything to see someone else smile. That doesn’t say “hit it and quit it” to me.”

“I would love it if I never heard my sister-in-law say ‘hit it and quit it’ ever again,” Tate mumbles as he steps through the front door, wiping his shoes off on the mat before ditching them completely.

“Oh, whatever, Tater Tot. It’s not like I don’t get the inside scoop of what you and your wife do on–”

Abby tackles Hannah to the floor, digging her fingers into her side, making her break out into a high-pitched squeal. I watch as Kaitlyn takes in the scene, something that looks a lot like longing crosses her face. It’s like she’s not aware of it, or maybe she’s just hidden it for too long that she doesn’t even try anymore.

I could think of a thousand things to say right now, but I try to bring the conversation back to the tropes of the book we’re reading. Theoretical, safe. “So, Kaitlyn,” I interject. “What are your thoughts on Marriage of convenience?”

* God, Lettie. I give up.

* You’re so dumb

* Who’s the best baby in the world? You, my ray of sunshine.

* Maybe one day.