I Want You Back (Want You #1)(85)

“Annika didn’t tell you I was coming by?”

“Nope. It’s a happy surprise, though.”

I handed him the envelope. “PR stuff.”

“Have you looked at any of it?”

“Not my business, sport.”

He kissed me again. “Have you had lunch?”

“Yes,” I fibbed. I’d eaten a protein bar and a banana on the drive over here. “Why?”

“Because it’s rare that we can have a meal together. Just the two of us.”

I smirked. “Are you angling for a nooner?”

“Jesus. No.”

“Pity,” I said softly. I curled my hand around the side of his face. “It was surreal walking through here. I was sad to see no back room.”

“I watched them tear down the wall. Damn thing was flimsy.”

“It did shake pretty hard. But I always attributed that to you, Jax, not poor construction.”

“You always made the earth move for me too, baby.”

We stared at each other with stupid smiles on our faces until Simone cleared her throat.

“Uh, I’m still here, guys.”

Jax blushed. Then he pushed himself upright and offered me a hand. “Do you have time for a tour?”

Just then the whole upper floor shook, and someone yelled, “Look out!” before another loud crash sounded.

“Another time, okay? I’m already behind from missing two days this week.”

“Gotcha. Need me to get Meems?”

“Could you? And keep her tonight? And take her to school in the morning? Oh, and let her know that I won’t make it to her practice?”

“That’s asking a lot, Luce.”

I poked him in the ribs. “Don’t even. I spent one whole day fretting about the favor you asked and two whole days getting it done.”

“I appreciate it. I rewarded you for the favor beforehand, if you’ll recall.” He tacked on that wicked sexy smile and my entire body went hot.

“Only thing I can do is promise to return the favor,” I cooed back.

Heat flashed in those blue eyes.

“Omigod. You two are so obnoxious with this new relationship thing,” Simone said.

Dammit. I’d forgotten she was here. Jax had the power to make me forget everything but him.

We both looked over at her, and I was shocked to see her smiling.

Jax said, “What?” tersely.

“A happy Jax? Never thought I’d see the day. I love it, even though you are both too cute for me to take in large doses or I might vomit.”

I returned her smile and stood on tiptoe to give my man one last kiss. “See you later.”





Sixteen





JAX




Watching Mimi’s team get shut out again caused my blood to boil.

They’d played four games and lost four—even when it technically didn’t matter because there’d be no tournament at the end of the season. What bugged me about this situation was not only weren’t the kids having any fun, they weren’t learning anything except frustration.

Coach Dickface let them wander around on the ice with no plan, no encouragement and no coaching. The poor kid who’d gotten stuck playing goalie had only been relieved by another team member after he’d lain on the ice in the middle of the second period and wouldn’t get up.

The boy reached the bench, sobbing from exhaustion and humiliation because he’d let nine goals past. Nine breakaway goals on a half-ice court because his teammates had been milling around the opponent’s net, too late to help defend their own net.

The coach sneered at him. Whatever he said to the boy brought Gabi to her feet, and she got in the coach’s face, but he waved her off as if she were a pesky fly. I didn’t agree with this philosophy of a dedicated goalie anyway. Each kid should rotate into the position at the very least, or like in the Red, White and Blue Hockey league for the Mites age group, all six players on a team skated and they all defended their own net.

I doubted the kid would be back next week. This team had already lost four members due to “personal issues” according to Margene, so there wasn’t a full roster of kids to rotate in and out. Which meant more ice time, but that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

“Jax.” Lucy rubbed her hand up and down my spine. “Glaring and swearing under your breath isn’t helping anyone.” She rested her cheek on my biceps. “Can you take it down a notch?”

“I’ll try.” Other parents behind us were equally disgruntled. For home games I arrived early to get a front row seat, which allowed me to hear what happened on the bench. Lucy sat to my right and Nolan sat on my left. My parents had attended once, and we’d managed to keep the entire Lund family from descending to support Mimi. She didn’t need that kind of pressure.

After the game, Dad had taken me aside and asked why I’d chosen community play over enrolling Mimi in a club hockey program. My answer—Mimi was trying the game to ensure she liked the sport before we committed her to club hockey—had surprised him, because growing up, he’d insisted on the best of everything for me, and I’ve no doubt that played into my success as a hockey player.

While Dad attended as many games as he could when I was in youth hockey, he had enormous responsibilities at Lund Industries, especially after my grandfather retired. So he hadn’t been the one hauling my ass out of bed at four A.M. and driving me to my first hockey practice of the day. He hadn’t been the one picking me up after school and taking me back to the rink. That’d all been Mom. She’d done it with a smile on her face most days—and a huge cup of coffee in her hand.