Overtime(57)

The spark that meant she loved him.

He hadn’t seen it since she left his cabin almost nine months ago, and he yearned for it more than his next breath.

“I love her,” he said more to himself than to the father of the girl he was in love with. It was the first time he had said that out loud. Even when he spoke of Kacey to Natasha or even in group, he never admitted to loving her. He just said he cared a lot about her and that she was meant to be his. He was only slightly worried that Karl might jump over the fire and tear his throat out when he admitted the next part. Karl may think of Jordie as his, but he was ten times worse that Karson when it came to Kacey. She was his baby, but Jordie wouldn’t lie.

“But I messed up. Big-time. Broke her heart.”

Karl held his gaze for a long time and then nodded as he laced his hands together. “You gonna fix it?”

Jordie’s throat felt tight as he croaked out, “I’m trying.”

“Try f*cking harder. I don’t like that douche, but I like you. She’s happy when she’s with you,” Karl said and Jordie couldn’t help but laugh. If there was one thing about Karl, he didn’t hold back on his feelings.

“Will do.”

“Don’t make me kick your ass,” Karl warned and Jordie grinned.

“I won’t. If she gives me another chance, I’ll love her the way I should have and more.”

“All right,” he said, nodding his head slowly. When the screen door slid open, they both looked up to see Karson appear as he shut it behind him, making a face.

“Jesus, they are killing me in there,” he said, coming out and sitting beside Jordie. “Too much estrogen in there.”

Jordie scoffed. “But Kelly is in there.”

“Exactly,” Karl and Karson said and they all started laughing.

Karl coughed a bit and then asked, “When’s she gonna drop that guy? She obviously wears the pants in the relationship.”

“Don’t all women?” Jordie asked and both men just nodded.

“Shut up, you,” he said, pointing to Jordie. “But really, that dude is not for my baby girl.”

“I know, Dad. I thought it was a good idea,” Karson said as he sighed. “Obviously an error on my part.”

“You think? Dumbass,” Karl said, shaking his head. “Oh well, hopefully, she drops him quick.”

Jordie couldn’t agree more, but thankfully, the subject changed to hockey, and soon the subject of Kacey and her lame-ass boyfriend was left alone. Which was good, because it was hard enough to see them together, hugging and cuddling, but hearing Karl talk about them made it realer than it was. It was supposed to be Jordie Karl was talking about.

Jordie and Kacey.

It had a sweet ring to it.

Liam and Kacey sounded stupid.

Kacey Kelly?

What the f*ck? No way. Over his dead body.

“So you’ll play with the new kid?”

Jordie looked up confused since he was too busy obsessing over Kacey. “What?”

Karl glared, clearing his throat. “That Sinclair kid. You’ll play with him?”

Jordie nodded. “That’s the line right now, but it could change.”

“He’s good. I’ve watched him play. Star player…but his wife, Baylor Moore—”

“Wait, they’re married?” Jordie asked, confused, and Karson laughed.

“Yeah, dumbass, where have you been?”

Jordie shook his head, he was obviously too obsessed with Kacey to pay attention.

Karl scoffed as he continued. “Like I was saying, she can play. It’s gonna be awesome watching her on NHL ice. Kind of wish it was Kacey though.”

Karson nodded along with Jordie before saying, “She didn’t want it though. She wanted the medal and a family.”

A family.

Looking away, his heart just hurt at the mere thought of Kacey being a mother. Growing the child in her belly and eating more food than the FDA would approve for a woman with child. But he wouldn’t care, he’d feed it to her as long as she was happy.

He just needed to tell her that.

“Yeah, well, she got the medal, and please Lord, don’t let that guy be my future son-in-law. I won’t be able to do it. He flinches when I cuss! What the f*ck!” Karl exclaimed and Karson laughed as Jordie smiled, even though he wasn’t really paying attention.

“He told Kacey she cusses a lot.”

“Fucking right, she does! People that cuss are honest, good people. We love Jesus, so I don’t know what the problem is,” Karl said and Jordie grinned.

“I think that’s a sin maybe? Cussing?”

Karl glared. “Shh, you.”

Jordie scoffed as the screen door opened, and when they all looked up, Jordie was surprised none of them groaned. Kelly shut the door and then waved awkwardly as he sat next to Karl. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Karson and Karl echoed, but Jordie looked in his cup, wishing like hell it was empty so he could leave. He was not a Liam Kelly fan.

For obvious reasons.

“Love the hair, Thomas. Shelli and Posey must have gotten ahold of you,” he said, and Jordie looked up, a deadpan look on his face as he nodded.

“Must have,” he muttered and then looked across at Karl. “You need a refill?”