Stick Play (Boston Bucks #4)

14. Ash

14

Ash

I take a swig of my beer, watching from the sofa as the kids, along with Dad, play a board game on the coffee table, while Melanie and Brady’s big chocolate lab Jersey beats everyone with her tail. Gina and Mel went upstairs to put Kayce down for a nap because he’s been cranky all day and didn’t sleep well last night.

Tate looks like he could use a nap too, but we’re not going to fight over napping while we’re visiting friends. Jesus. Look at me. Acting like Gina and I are co-parenting and making decisions together. I guess as the manny I do have obligations.

“I need to check on my sauce.” Brady pushes to his feet and since everyone seems busy and happy, I follow him in. Delicious smells fill my nostrils, and my stomach takes that moment to grumble. When did I last eat? Oh right, the kids begged for macaroni and cheese for lunch, so that’s what I served everyone. Not much protein in that to keep me going, and I have to get back on track for upcoming training and games. I haven’t even been exercising like I should be. Although what Gina and I have been doing…I bite back a moan.

Brady’s words pull me back. Shit, what did he just say to me? “Ah, what?”

He glances at me over his shoulder as he makes his way to the stove. “How did you end up babysitting three kids? I’m exhausted with just one.”

Thank God he didn’t ask where my mind went for a second. I laugh and shake my head, wondering the same thing. “It just sort of happened. Gina’s regular sitter Margot was tied up, and when she realized Gina was in a bind, and I just happened to be at her place, Margot kindly suggested I fill in.”

“You just happened to be at her place.”

I shrug like it’s nothing. “After the bad storm, I did Dad’s driveway and I figured Gina might need some help. Half the were in the Caribbean, and she was run off her feet.”

“So, you thought you’d help her get off her feet?”

Okay, I see where he’s going with this, and yes, I did help her get off her feet by wrapping her legs around my waist. “She’s a good friend of Melanie’s and Brighton’s and a few of the other WAG’s. Hell, she has Brighton and Noah’s kids while they were in the Caribbean. How could I not help another player like that?”

“We all know we can count on you, Ash. It’s just…” His words fall off as he looks at me with concern.

Fuck.

“I’m keeping my image clean, Coddy,” I tell him. I can’t even imagine how the paparazzi would spin it if they saw me with a single mom. “Just helping a friend.”

“Although,” he begins as if reading my mind. “Maybe this could help your image.”

“Help? How’s that?”

He stirs the sauce. “A wholesome family—found family, actually—it’s straight out of those romance books the girls read at book club.”

“Yeah, well this is real life, and the paparazzi aren’t looking for a love story from me, they’re looking for dirt. Especially after, well, I don’t need to spell it out for you. You saw what went down.”

He nods. “I get it, but this…” He glances toward the other room. “It looks good on you, Ash.” Before I can respond, he holds up his empty bottle. “Want another?”

With my gut tightening, I shake my head no. He pulls a beer from the fridge. Ever since getting together with Melanie, he’s a new man, and seems to carry less weight on his shoulders. It’s a good look for him, although I will say he looks tired. But a baby will do that to you. At least I’m not up through the night with the three kids. My mind goes back to my conversation with Gina, and he lifts the lid off a big pot to check on his sauce.

“Maybe someday if you have a boy, he’ll follow in your footsteps too.”

Those words did the oddest things to me. I know Dad has been hounding me for grandkids, and I can see how much he adores the three he’s been playing with today, but I can’t have a kid because my dad wants grandchildren. Hell, can you imagine the shit my coach would give me if I fathered a child and caused more scandal?

He wouldn’t if you were in a serious relationship, dude.

Ah, but I’m not.

Just then Gina walks into the room and the smile she gives me twists me up inside. With Melanie coming in behind her, and Brady looking right at me, I clear my throat and take a swig of beer, not wanting them to pick up on any of my emotions. Of course, all they’d pick up on is lust, because that’s what’s between us and I’m taking care of her kids because it’s what Noah and Brighton would have wanted.

You keep telling yourself that, dude.

“Smells good,” I say to Melanie. “Looks like you went through a lot of trouble.”

“Not me.” She walks up to Brady and puts her arms around him. “This is all Brady. I was busy with Kayce, so he made pasta sauce and meatballs.”

“Kid friendly,” he tells me with a shrug.

“No jiggs dinner?” I tease. Brady is from Newfoundland, and they have this tradition where you have to kiss a cod. Gina once had a graduation party for Mel at the café, and Mel actually kissed the cod. It was a hard no for me. But in Newfoundland on Sundays, it’s tradition to cook jiggs dinner, which is basically corned beef, and cabbage, but it’s way better than what we have here in the States. He made it for the guys before, but it’s a shit ton of work.

“Dude, I’m going on very little sleep.” He rubs his eyes. “I’m not even sure what I put in the sauce.”

We all laugh at that, and Mel gives him another hug. I’ve never been envious of any of the guys, but I’m suddenly feeling a little strange, suddenly wanting a taste of what they have.

I push up to my full height and pull myself together. “If you needed help, you could have called me.”

“Ah, three kids and your dad. Don’t you think your hands were full?”

My shoulders sag and exhaustion overtakes me. “Okay, true.”

“It’s all good, Mountain.” He puts his hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad you guys came over. We don’t need to be in the Caribbean to have fun.”

I’m having a lot more fun at home than I would have been having in the Caribbean but I’m not about to tell him that. It’s a secret. Gina doesn’t want anyone to know. Unlike my ex, who loved to put things all over social media, it’s a little strange how her wanting to hide all of this is suddenly not sitting right with me. It should but it doesn’t, and I can’t quite figure out why. It’s better for both of us that it’s a secret. Jesus, Coach would kill me.

Melanie looks at me with warmth and gratitude. “Ash, it’s so nice of you to help Gina out like this. I always knew you were a jack of all trades, a man of many talents, but I never knew you were so good with kids.”

I try not to balk at the man of many talents comment as it takes me right back to the first time I put my cock in Gina. “I’m not good with kids.”

“That’s not what Gina says, and she wouldn’t leave them with you if she didn’t trust that you could properly care for them.”

I school my features, not wanting to give the trained psychologist anything to work with—the last thing I want is her to see through me, and to be honest, I’m not quite sure what it is I’m trying to hide. “Yeah, well, she has Noah and Brighton’s kids too, and she was in a bind, and helping her is what they would have wanted.”

Gina steps up to the stove and something passes over her eyes before she looks away. “This really does smell amazing, Brady.” She glances around, looking everywhere but in my direction. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yes, you can refill our wine glasses,” Mel says and slides the bottle her way as she starts slicing a baguette. As Gina fills the glasses, I nurse my beer. I’m driving tonight and don’t plan to have another.

“Mommy, can we get a dog?” Zoe asks, coming into the kitchen with Jersey, a chocolate lab who is almost as tall as she is. She bends and hugs her. “I just love her, Mommy.” When she lets her go, Jersey shakes her head, and drool lands on Zoe’s clothes, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

“Food,” Brady explains.

Mel laughs. “You should see the drool when we cook a turkey.”

Gina grabs a paper towel and starts to wipe the drool—Zoe refuses to take it off. “We’ll have to wash this tonight.”

“I don’t want to. I want to sleep in it.”

I don’t miss the exchange between Mel and Brady. Do they think I’m getting too close to this family, that Zoe might be getting attached. Fuck, I really don’t want to hurt anyone.

“Can we, Mom? Can we get a dog? Camryn and Tate have Mabel the big Bearnaise.”

I chuckle at that. “Bernese,” I correct.

Zoe looks at me like I’m deaf, or dense. I’m not the former but it’s possible I could be the latter. I’m sure some would say I am, considering I’m messing around with a single mom.

“That’s what I said.” I don’t bother correcting her as she turns to Gina. “Mom, can we?”

“We’ll see.”

Ah, her usual comeback.

She throws her arms out wide. “I want a big dog like Jersey.”

“I don’t know about that. Our place isn’t that big.”

“I don’t like little dogs. Miss Tammy has that chewing dog, and it’s always barking.”

“Chihuahua,” I correct, having no idea who Miss Tammy is.

“Did you know Dani used to have a Chihuahua?” Mel tells her. “Its name was Bear.”

“That’s a silly name for a little dog.” Undeterred, she looks back at Gina. “Can we get a big brown dog like Jersey and name it Bear?”

“Honey—”

As if knowing the answer still isn’t going to change, she switches tactics. “Ash has a big house. We could keep Bear at his house. Can we, Ash?”

I push off the counter. Wow, does this kid have my number or what, because yeah, I find it hard to say no to her? “Uh…we’ll see.”

She smiles at that, like she won the battle and now it’s Gina and I who are exchanging worried looks.

Zoe inhales, her focus shifting once again. If she’s redirected that easily, maybe she’ll forget about the dog. “I’m hungry.”

Brady drops the pasta into the boiling water. “Dinner will be in about eleven minutes.”

“Here.” Mel sneaks her a slice of bread, and Zoe giggles and runs out of the room with it. Mel slices the rest of the bread and sets it on the table, and I don’t miss the way Gina is trying to busy herself.

Since I’m not needed, I gesture toward the living room. “I’ll check on the kids.” I walk into the living room and my heart squeezes tight when I see Dad laughing as he plays a board game with the three, Tate on his lap, snuggled up to him as they play snakes and ladders. Zoe’s petting Jersey, who’s after her bread. Am I a bastard for not giving the man grandkids, and even a dog? After all he’s done for me, and he’s not getting any younger…

Fuck, what am I saying?

“Who’s winning?”

“Come sit with me,” Zoe yells and holds her hand out to me. I drop down onto the floor, and she climbs onto my lap. Is this what it’s like to be a girl dad? Maybe little girls aren’t as scary as I thought they were. I don’t miss the gleam in my father’s eyes as he watches us.

Zoe reaches for the dice. “It’s our turn, Ash.” She puts the dice in my hand. “Here, you roll.” I roll and she moves the pieces and groans as she hits a snake. “Oh no.”

“I must be bad luck.”

She turns to me, cups my face with her small palms and smiles. “It’s okay, Ash. It’s just a game.”

My heart twists in my chest as she consoles me, and when I lift my head and catch the mixture of wonderment and worry in Gina’s eyes as she leans against the doorframe and watches us, I get it. She’s worried about Zoe getting too close to me, and I can totally understand that. From here on out, I need to make sure Zoe doesn’t think of me as anything more than a friend. The last thing I want is for her to get attached. This hook up isn’t going to last forever, and I don’t want a little girl getting hurt when I distance myself.

Gina pushes off the doorframe. “Dinner time.”

“Yay,” Zoe shouts. “Don’t worry, Ash, we can finish later.”

“Okay.” She jumps up and hurries to the kitchen with Camryn and Tate and I get up, turning to give my father a hand. He pushes my hand away.

“I can get up.”

“I know you can, but you weren’t feeling well last night and I was just offering a hand.”

He looks like he’s about to protest, then something in him softens, turns frail. “Fair enough.” He holds his hand out to me, and I take it and tug him to his feet. Okay, that’s a first. I eye him as he saunters off. What is he up to now?

Gina waits for me. I step up to her and dip my head. “You okay?”

“I am.” She pauses. “I just worry about my daughter. She really likes you.”

I actually like her too, but don’t admit it. “What should we do about that?” I ask, not at all sure how to handle any of this. It’s definitely not in my wheelhouse.

“Once she’s back to school, and routine, I think it’s all going to be okay and once Camryn and Tate are back home, she might forget about wanting a daddy.” She sighs heavily. “At least, I hope so.”

I look over her head. “Okay, let’s go in there before we give Mel something to talk about.”

She laughs at that. “It’s hard to keep anything from her.”

I touch her lightly to get her moving, but drop my hand as soon as we enter the kitchen. The three kids are seated around the table, as Mel pulls the bowls from the cupboard.

“How many meatballs do you want?” she asks each child. “Remember, they’re really big.”

“I want two,” Zoe says. She looks at Brady, so damn serious, it’s comical. “Do your meatballs have lumps?”

Oh, Jesus.

Brady frowns, and glances at his meatballs. “Uh, lumps?”

“Don’t ask,” I say quietly. “Just say no.”

“No lumps,” he tells her and puts two meatballs, along with some sauce on top of her noodles.

He sets it in front of her, and her eyes go big. “These meatballs are huge.”

“I told you,” Mel says with a laugh as she fills two more plates with noodles and hands them to Brady. She turns to Gina and quietly asks what the lumps are all about. Gina tells her as Brady finishes them off with meatballs and sauce, and as the volume in the kitchen rises, my chest swells. I kind of love all the rambunctiousness of this. It’s clear Dad does too. He hasn’t stopped smiling, and I’m so glad he’s feeling better.

Once the kids have their meals, Brady serves the adults and we all sit around the table like a big family.

Found family.

I glance at Gina. It’s just her and her daughter, like it is with Dad and me. This could be found family for her too. As if feeling me staring, her gaze lifts and she gives me a small smile.

“Mommy, Kayce has a daddy too.” Zoe frowns, and puts her chin on the table. “My wish lumps aren’t working.”

Brady and Melanie glance at Gina, who looks a bit mortified. Gina opens her mouth, but no words come out.

Deciding I need to help her out here, I say, “I don’t think it’s that easy, Zoe.”

“Oh, it is, Uncle Ash,” Camryn supplies with an exuberant nod of her head, before she sucks back a long noodle, splashing sauce on her face.

“I think it’s different for everyone,” I weakly explain.

Zoe’s gaze zeroes in on me. “Why can’t you be my daddy, Ash? All you have to do is kiss my mommy. Right, Camryn?”

Camryn, with all her knowledge, adds, “He needs to give her a ring and they have to sleep in the same bed, remember?” After that helpful information, she jabs her fork into her meatball and starts nibbling on it.

Well, fuck me sideways.

Dad chuckles and my gaze flies to his, and I find him sitting there like Zoe’s idea just solved world hunger. Christ.

“I heard you went skating today. Was that fun?” Melanie pipes in, redirecting the conversation, and when all the kids start talking, I exchange a look with Gina, who has paled quite a bit. Damn. I hope she’s right about Zoe’s life getting back to normal once she’s back to her regular routine.

The kids talk nonstop as we finish our meal, and eat the pastries Gina brought. It’s nearing the kids bedtime by the time we clear the table, and Gina needs to get them back to her place and into bed.

After we say goodbye, we head to the door to get into our coats, and Zoe complains, “I don’t want to go home. I want to stay at Ash’s again.”

“Honey, no, you have school in the morning, and I have to drive Camryn and Tate home.”

“I want to stay at Uncle Ash’s too,” Camryn pouts, with a big yawn.

“I think—” I begin when Dad puts his hand on my arm.

“I’m not feeling so good again, son.”

Gina puts her hand to his forehead. “He actually does feel warm.”

I’m about to point out that he likely put a hot cloth to his head when he disappeared into the bathroom, but I don’t. Again, if something really was wrong, I’d hate myself for not taking it seriously, and let’s be real here. I kind of want them all to stay overnight too.

Oh boy.