I Want You Back (Want You #1)(75)

“Like ghost haunts?” Mimi asked. “Because Dallas said she’s gonna take me on a ghost tour.”

Nolan’s sharp look wasn’t unexpected.

“Mimi knows about Dallas’s plans because I told her; she didn’t hear it from Dallas at the bar.”

“Good to know.” After a few moments, Nolan said, “What are the two of you up to tonight?”

“I’m taking Meems to another ice arena for a drop-in hockey game. For comparison to the way things are being run at Lakeside.”

“Is that allowed?”

I shrugged. “My understanding is she can play with a girls’ team and on a mixed team until she reaches the ten-year-old bracket. I want her to explore all of her options.” I smiled at her. “And this is something you want to try, isn’t it, squirt?”

“Yep. Are you coming to watch me play hockey, Uncle Nolan?”

He smiled at her. “I’d love to come, short stuff. Thanks for inviting me.”

I scowled at him. I’d been looking forward to brooding by myself.

“Daddy, did you tell Mommy about the drop-in game?”

Shit. “Ah, no, sweetheart. I forgot. You can tell her about it tomorrow.”

Mimi shook her head. “She said she didn’t wanna miss a single game. You have to tell her.”

Great. This night was turning into a freaking party. “I’ll text her once we know that there’s a spot for you to play, okay?”

“Okay.”

I glanced at the empty plates and then the clock. “You’ve got time to load the dishwasher before we go.”

Nolan waited until Mimi was in the kitchen before he said, “What the hell, Jax? More hockey? Are you sure this is what Mimi wants, not what you want?”

“First of all, piss off. Secondly, I won’t know how other places run their games and what their coaching staff expects from her age group if I don’t expose her to other opportunities. And since you’ve butted into my business again, you’re in charge of getting her signed in tonight. That way she won’t get special treatment if I’m recognized.”

“Whatever. Now I wish I would’ve stopped at home after work, because these definitely aren’t hockey game clothes.”

He wore one of his fancy suits with the mismatched patterns that looked ridiculous to me, but I’d always been a conservative dresser. “I’d offer to lend you some clothes . . .” But none of mine would fit him.

“Thoughtful of you to offer, asshole. But then again, you’re all about spreading the family love today, aren’t you?”

I flipped him off.



* * *



? ? ?

Having Nolan check Mimi in to the drop-in game worked well.

We sat close to the players’ bench, and I wondered if I’d ever feel more comfortable in the stands than on the ice.

As soon as Nolan took the seat next to mine, he asked, “You get in touch with Lucy yet?”

“Nope.”

“Do you want me to text her?”

“I’d rather you didn’t. I want to focus on this and not have to deal with another fucked-up situation in my life, okay?”

“Uh. Sure.” He paused and got in my face. “Fuck that. It’s not okay. What is going on between you two?”

“Nothing. Which is why I want one lousy hour for total concentration on the one goddamned thing in my life that I’m good at.”

No surprise my little bro had nothing to say to that.

To compare apples to apples, Mimi was playing on an eight-and-under team comprised of girls and boys. The rink setup mirrored the setup at Lakeside for Mites games: half ice with inflatable bumpers on either side to keep the players contained. Unlike Lakeside games, neither team had a dedicated goalie; it was everyone’s job to defend the net.

“Is it my family pride showing, or has that girl gotten way better at hockey?” Nolan asked me at the end of the second period.

Even when I’d thrust her into a new situation, she kept her focus on listening to her team’s coach and implementing everything we’d worked on the past few weeks. “She is better. But you can clearly notice her improvement because these teams are playing hockey, not standing around deciding what to do with their sticks.”

Just then Mimi got the puck and she had a moment’s hesitation. I found myself doing the one thing I swore I wouldn’t; I stood up and yelled, “Breakaway!”

Nolan muttered something about staying incognito, but my eyes were glued on Mimi as she skated to the opposite end.

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop from yelling additional instructions.

Come on, girlie, go for it.

She more or less pushed the puck into the net rather than hitting it in, but a goal was a goal.

Then her stick got caught in the net and she hit the ice.

Face-first.

She lay there and didn’t get up.

My instincts overtook my common sense. I launched myself onto the ice, reaching her after the ref did, about the same time Mimi sat up. Crouching beside her, my guts formed a knot when I noticed she was bleeding. I tilted her head back and looked at her through the mask. “What happened?”

“I thot a goal!” she lisped.

Why was she lisping?

My focus dropped to her mouth. Sure enough. One of her teeth on her upper gumline was gone.