Stick Play (Boston Bucks #4)

6. Ash

6

Ash

W ell, at least there’s nothing awkward about that question…

“I…uh…” Gina stumbles, her brow punching together as she searches for an answer.

Zoe continues to stir. “Camryn told me she used to only have a daddy, but then he married Brighton and now she has a mommy too. Do you have to get married for me to have a daddy?”

I can practically hear Gina’s brain spinning when she sputters, “I…uh…”

“What is getting married?” Tate asks.

“I told you,” Camryn pipes in. “It’s when a boy puts a ring on a girl’s finger, and then they sleep in the same bed, and they kiss .”

She slaps her hands to her face as she draws that one word out. Tate crinkles up his nose. “I don’t want to kiss a girl.”

All right then…Time to shut this down.

I grab the pan I found under the cupboard earlier. “Okay, who’s ready to cook their pancake first?”

“Me, me, me,” they all shout in unison.

Gina briefly closes her eyes and when they open again, she gives me a grateful look. I guess she hadn’t prepared herself for Zoe’s question. I don’t know anything about kids, but I do remember asking my father why I didn’t have a mother. I’m sure Gina asked her grandparents a few questions of her own as well.

“How about we go youngest to oldest? Tate, you’re up first.”

I hold on to him as I slide his chair around to the counter, setting him a good distance away from the stove. “Do you kiss girls?” he asks me and scrunches up his face like he just ate something sour. “I don’t want to do that.”

Oh yeah, buddy. That’ll change one day.

“I’m not married,” is all I say. “Gina, do you still have strawberries in the fridge?”

She heads to the fridge. “Strawberries, yes.”

“Zoe,” Camryn says and grabs her wooden spoon. “Stop stirring.”

“But I have lumps.”

“You want lumps.” Camryn looks into Zoe’s bowl. “Right there. They’re wish lumps.”

Zoe checks out the lumps. “Wish lumps? What are wish lumps?”

“My dad told me about them when I was little. I wished for a mommy and got one, and then I wished for a baby brother.”

“I’m your baby brother,” Tate beams.

“I should wish for a daddy?” Zoe asks.

Camryn shrugs. “If you want one.”

“Do you like having a daddy?”

She folds her hands and puts them to her heart. “I love my daddy.”

“I should wish for a daddy,” she states.

What the fuck is happening in my life? Are kids always this chatty, and do they always talk about important things, and what the hell was Noah thinking, telling Camryn there were wish lumps. Jesus. I’m about two seconds from telling them there is no such thing as wish lumps, but I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble.

“Whipped cream,” Gina yells, as she draws all the attention to herself. “Open up.” Zoe opens her mouth and Gina sprays some in.

“Me, me,” Tate yells, and she does the same to him and then Camryn.

Wanting to change the subject, again, I spray the pan with oil and pour Tate’s batter in, as I ask, “What do you guys want to do today?” I really have no idea how I’m going to entertain these three.

“I want to go sledding,” Zoe squeals.

I nod. “That could be fun. Do you all have sleds?”

Tate shifts on his chair. “I want to swim.”

“A bit too chilly for that, bud.”

“Uncle Ash, you’re silly. He means at the indoor pool at White Sands,” Camryn explains.

Oh right, I forgot that Noah and Brighton’s resort has an indoor pool. “The roads aren’t great and it’s a bit of a drive, so let’s just do something in the city today.” I flip his pancake, and he breathes in the aroma. “First we’re going to clear the walkway and driveway, okay?”

“Thank you,” Gina says.

“Are you fully staffed today?”

“Sherry is still off sick.” She picks up her phone and checks it. “Nothing from Carla or Andre, so hopefully they’re both coming in today, and with you taking care of these three, I can make it work.”

She glances at the clock. “Go on and get ready. I’ve got this under control, for now.” She smiles at me. “I just have to keep them away from the pool for the rest of the weekend.” She arches a brow. “Noodles,” I explain. “I know what Tate is up to.”

Her laugh curls around me as her hand lands on my back. For the briefest of seconds, as she leans forward, I think she’s going to kiss me. We can’t kiss in front of the kids. No way am I about to give them anything to talk about. I don’t want Zoe to think I’m going to be her daddy or anything crazy like that. This is a friends with benefits relationship, and come the end of the weekend, when everyone returns home from the Caribbean, and Gina’s sitter is back, I’m sure this will all end, and that’s for the best.

“You better flip it.”

“Flip what?” I ask, my brain no longer working as Gina continues to stand close.

“My pancake,” Tate yells.

“Oh right.” I slide the spatula under it and flip it over. “It’s perfect.”

“You sure you got this?” Gina asks.

No, I’m not sure. “Yeah, it’s all good. Go get dressed. I’ll have a pancake ready for you when you get back.”

“Do you want lumps in yours, Mommy?” Zoe asks.

She kisses her daughter on the forehead. “I have you and that’s all I ever wished for.”

With that she heads down the hall and I put Tate’s pancake on a plate and slide him back to the table. “You’re up next, Zoe.”

I slide her over, and repeat the process, but this time I don’t let my mind wander and nearly burn it. Up next is Camryn, who insists she’s old enough to flip her own pancake, and pouts when I refuse. What was I doing at seven years old? Probably flipping pancakes, because I learned independence very early on. It was only Dad and me and we were a team. Camryn might be old enough, but I don’t really know how things are done in her house, so I’m not going to let her close to the stove.

“How about this,” I say, lowering my voice. “We can make cupcakes later when Tate takes a nap, and surprise him with them. You can help fill the muffin pan.” She beams, loving the idea of responsibility.

Maybe I’m not so bad at this.

I make a fist and she bumps it with me. “It’s a deal, Uncle Ash.”

A hissing sound reaches my ears, and I turn to see Tate pretty much empty the can of whip cream on his pancake. “Tate,” I yell, and turn to snatch it from him. Zoe giggles, as Tate dips his face and starts eating the whip cream.

I turn back to the stove to see black smoke and hurry back to flip the pancake, only to find it black on the other side. “You burnt it,” Camryn says, and puts her hands on her hip. “I could have flipped it.”

“Let’s whip you up some more.”

She side eyes me. “I’m going to use my wish lumps to wish for a pancake that’s not burnt.”

“Good idea.”

I toss the burnt pancake into the garbage and put the pan in the sink to wash it, as Camryn goes for the box to put more mix into her bowl. She takes it to the sink and adds the perfect amount of water. Once she’s done, I clean the frying pan, and spray it with oil.

I get Camryn’s pancake back on, and pay close attention to it this time. Once it’s done, she sits at the table with the others, and I head down the hall to check on Gina. She’s walking from the bathroom to her room, wrapped in a towel, and I instantly have to tame my dick.

I clear my throat outside her bedroom door, and she turns to see me. “Hey,” I say for lack of anything else.

She frowns. “Everything okay? Did something burn?”

“Yes, I burnt a pancake and no, not everything is okay.” A worried look comes over her face. “The kids are fine.” I let my gaze race over her body. “It’s me who’s not fine.”

She laughs at that and I glance over my shoulder to make sure the coast is clear. “I’m not going to get this image out of my brain all day.”

“Oh, let me give you a different one then.” She opens the towel and exposes herself to me.

I grip my hair and tug. “Jesus, Gina. Are you trying to kill me?”

“Kill you no. Give you something to look forward to, yes.” She wraps herself back up again, and goes to her closet to pull out clothes. “You better not leave them alone too long.”

“Right.” With that I head back down the hall, happy to find them all still at the table. “When you’re done, go brush your teeth and get dressed. We’ll clear the driveway and walkway and then go sledding.”

A round of cheers erupt from the table, as I work on making a pancake for Gina. The kids jump up. “Plates on the counter.”

They do as I ask and all run down the hall. I turn around as Gina enters, looking warm and inviting, dressed in jeans and a blouse that I hope to take off her later.

She sits and I put the pancake in front of her. “A girl could get used to this kind of service.”

“Oh, I plan to service you.”

She laughs at that. “Funny, I had that thought about you when you were fixing my fridge last year.”

“You didn’t just have that thought, you followed through with it.” I glance up. No kids. I bend quickly and press my lips to hers. I only mean for it to be a fast kiss, but the second I taste her sweet mouth, I linger a moment longer.

Footsteps sound on the wooden floor, and I jolt upright before we get caught. “This looks delicious,” Gina says, recovering quickly as Tate runs back to grab his little toy car from the table.

He disappears as fast as he appears, and I exhale. “Sorry about that.”

I take in her half-lidded eyes. Okay, maybe she didn’t recover as fast as I thought. “Now I’m going to be thinking about that all day.”

“Good, you deserve it after you just flashed me.”

Her warm chuckle curls around me as she pours syrup onto her pancake and slides the fork into her mouth, and for the first time in my life, I’m jealous of a fork.

“Where should I take them sledding?” I ask, working to get my focus on something else.

“Boston Common. My car has all the booster seats so you should take that. Also, there’s a spare house key for you. It’s in that drawer.”

I open the drawer and fish out a key with a dolphin keychain. “I didn’t know you were into dolphins.”

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” As I examine it, she explains. “A friend at the hospital where I worked gave it to me. She knew I liked dolphins. Someday I’d like to swim with them in the wild.”

I never stopped to think about her life back in California. “Do you miss nursing, and your friends?”

She shrugs. “Sometimes, but I have a new life here.” I’m about to ask if she ever considered going back, when there’s a knock at the door. “Who the heck could be here so early in the morning?”

“Want me to get it?” She nods, and I set my coffee cup down and walk to the door just off the kitchen. A pretty girl, who looks to be in her early twenties, is standing there, a Boston Bucks jersey in her hands. That’s when I realize she must be Margot’s granddaughter.

I open the door. “You must be Callie.” She nods quickly. “Your grandmother said she’d send you over when she saw my vehicle. I had to stay the night because of the weather,” I say, not wanting to give her the wrong idea—or rather the right idea. Gina wants to keep what’s happening between us a secret and I don’t need anyone starting rumors.

“Getting here from the airport last night was scary.” She holds her hand out to me. “It’s so nice to meet you, Ash. I’m a huge fan.” I shake her hand. “Grandma said that was your truck on the road, and I wanted to come over early and catch you before you left.”

“I’ll be here this weekend. I’m helping Gina with the kids so Margot can spend time with you and your mom.”

“Nice of you.” She steps a bit closer to me. “My mother and grandmother will be doing old lady mother things. I’m not much into that.”

Old lady mother things?

She must read the question in my eyes as she goes on to explain, “You know, like bingo, shuffleboard. Cards. I’m so not into that, and I’m sure you’re not either so what I’m suggesting is, in the evenings, if you’re free, maybe you could show me some not old lady mother things.” She laughs and I turn at the sound of footsteps to find Gina coming up behind me.

“Gina, this is Callie, Margot’s granddaughter.”

“It’s great to meet you, Callie. Your grandmother is really looking forward to spending the week with you.”

“I’m thinking that might not happen.” She grins at me, before turning her attention to Gina. “Oh, it’s nice to meet you too. I heard all about you and your daughter Zoe.”

There’s a strange almost astounded look on Gina’s face, and I don’t get what’s going through her head until she speaks.

“You must be freezing.”

I quickly realize Callie’s dressed only in a tight, long-sleeved T-shirt and equally tight jeans, with sneakers. “I plan to put the jersey on after Ash signs it.” She tugs on her T-shirt, the one she’s wearing, exposing quite a bit of cleavage and I pray to fucking God she doesn’t want me to sign her breasts. Yes, we’re often asked, and no, I no longer do that. Even if I did, I think it would be highly inappropriate under the circumstance and I’m not just talking about Zoe coming down the hall to see who’s at the door.

“Hi,” Zoe says.

Callie forces a smile and steps back a bit, sort of the same way I greeted Zoe the first time she bombarded me with questions. I guess she must be afraid of kids too. “You must be Zoe.”

Zoe nods and Gina pulls her close, telling her exactly who Callie is as Callie produces a marker. I’m about to take it from her when she reaches for my arm and puts her phone number on it. “Uh, thanks,” I say for lack of anything else. She hands me the marker and I quickly sign my name to the back of her jersey.

“What are you doing, Ash?” Zoe asks.

“I’m signing my jersey for Callie.”

Just then Camryn and Tate come down the hall. “We wear our dad’s jersey to the games,” Camryn tells everyone.

Zoe glances up at Gina with hopeful eyes. “Mommy, can I get a jersey and wear it to a game?”

Camryn, being helpful, suggests, “I can probably get you one of Dad’s. Or maybe Uncle Ash can give you one of his.”

“Can I, Mommy?” She starts hopping from one foot to the other and I note Gina’s unease. I’ve only ever seen Gina at the rink once, when she came with Melanie. I’m pretty sure hockey isn’t her thing, but I’m sensing her unease is about something else entirely. “Can I?”

She pulls her daughter against her body. “We’ll see, honey.”

“Well, I’m an Ash fan,” Callie pipes in, and everything about this situation suddenly makes me uncomfortable. “I’m going to your home game on Thursday.”

“I’m an Ash fan too. I want to go on Thursday, too,” Zoe says, and lifts her eyes to me. “Ash, will you sign a jersey for me?”

My gaze flies to Gina’s, and I spot worry there. “Ah, we’ll see. I’m not sure they make them in your size.”

“Oh, they do,” Camryn so helpfully provides. “They even make them in Tate’s size. Right, Tate?” Tate nods emphatically.

I hand everything back to Callie and she pulls on the jersey. “Give me a call and…” Her voice falls off, her gaze going back and forth between Gina and me. “Wait, you two aren’t?—”

“No,” I answer quickly, as Gina grabs a hat from the closet beside her.

“I didn’t think so. I’ll see you soon, Ash.”

Being the mother that Gina is, she quickly hands her a hat. “At least put this on. It’s freezing out there.”

“I’m only going next door.”

“I know…I just can’t…”

“Stop being a mom?” Callie provides.

“Yeah.”

“Well, when Mom and Grandma get together for bingo, I’ll have them call you.”

She laughs and pulls the hat on as she heads back out into the cold. As she gives me a little finger wave and a come-hither look, I can’t stop thinking about why she didn’t think Gina and I could be a couple. Sure, I have a reputation as a player—who likes to drink and drive and bang numerous bunnies at the time, all thanks to my ex—and I’m not much of a parental figure, but is it so outside the realm of possibility in people’s minds that I could be with a woman like Gina?

I guess it is, and I guess I can understand why. But it does leave me wondering, does anyone out there besides my teammates believe the truth?