FAKING IT WITH #41 (Hockey Hotties #3)

Chapter 3

“See, you can’t take pictures of her in a onesie,” Saige says to Paisley after they change Annabelle’s outfit and put on some kind of bow thing that wraps around her head.

Saige and Paisley act as if my daughter is their personal practice baby before they marry and have kids with my teammates, Aiden and Maksim. Speaking of, those two are sitting on my couch, laughing at some stupid prank show on the television. We’ve got a game tonight and shouldn’t be sitting on our asses. We should be getting our heads in the game.

“When is Lena coming with the photographer?” Saige asks, playing peekaboo with Annabelle, who doesn’t seem that into the game.

“I have no f*****g clue. Soon, I guess.” I strip off my fourth shirt to put on another one I picked up from the cleaners.

“Can you please stop stripping in front of my girl?” Aiden says.

“Why? You afraid she’ll come over to my side?” I waggle my eyebrows.

“You have the baby she wants, so…” Aiden laughs.

Saige shakes her head. “I should clarify, I want a baby with you, not Ford. I love this little one, but she still has half his genes.” She makes a silly face at Annabelle as if that’s going to spur a laugh out of her.

“Hey, that’s offensive.” I button up my shirt.

Paisley eyes me. “You look too professional. Not like a single dad with a baby.”

I groan. “Want me to get the shirt she spit up on earlier?”

Paisley shrugs. “I’m just saying.” She goes over and snuggles up to Maksim.

“Relax, he’s just testy because Lena’s coming,” Maksim says.

Just the name makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Lena Boyd. The woman drives me insane. Constantly at my father’s beck and call. Doing whatever he wants her to do. Have some self-respect.

“Come on, I know you’re hot for her,” Saige says, still googly-eyed over Annabelle.

“You’re kidding, right? The woman wears pants all the time and blouses that cover every inch of her body. Heels? Forget it. She’s constantly in flats. And the woman is stuck up my dad’s ass to top it all off.”

No one says anything. I unbutton my shirt and grab my brown V-neck sweater without putting a shirt on underneath, then I push up the sleeves.

“This good enough?” I direct my question to Paisley.

“Much better. These pictures are going to make women’s ovaries explode,” she says.

“Kotik,” Maksim grinds out his Russian nickname for her.

She blushes. “I didn’t say mine. My ovaries only explode for you.”

They bring their heads together in an Eskimo kiss that makes bile rise up my throat.

I can’t believe my two best buddies have fallen in love. We’re in the prime of our lives, hockey gods making bank, and they decide to put on a set of handcuffs. Not to say I don’t like Saige and Paisley, they’re awesome, but they’ve taken my boys away from me.

“I’m only doing this shoot to appease my dad,” I grumble.

“I thought you hated your dad?” Saige asked.

I don’t hate my dad. We don’t see eye to eye on almost everything, but my dad is still a decent guy. He just doesn’t understand me, and the more he tries to control me, the harder I push in the opposite direction. It’s been our relationship for as long as I can remember.

“I have to do some things so he stays off my ass. As long as I’m playing hockey, it’s just the way it is.” I shrug.

“What’s your long-term goal? Like after you retire from hockey, will you work in the family business?” Paisley asks, her psychologist’s brain never staying in the therapy room.

“All I know is that I want to retire as a hockey player. While I’m still good and am still wanted, but as old as I can be.”

“Amen.” Aiden and Maksim raise their water bottles.

“And then?” Paisley pushes.

“And then I’ll retire with my money from the endorsements, league play, and my trust fund. I’ll have no reason to work.”

She tilts her head. “But won’t you get bored?”

This is the first time I’ve really thought much about what will happen after I retire. I always felt like retirement was the finish line for me, but I’ll be lucky if I make it to forty still playing in the league. That’s young.

I quickly do the math, realizing Annabelle will be twelve if I make it that long. If she’s anything like me, she won’t want to be hanging with her dad all the time. I guess I’ll still be young enough to live my life the way I was before she was born, but to my surprise, a tinge of loneliness hits me right in the heart. I rub the spot, not understanding why it’s there.

“Being a single rich guy who lives on the beach and does whatever I want every day? Sounds terrible.”

“Are you saying you never want to get married?” Saige asks.

“You girls are barking up the wrong tree,” Aiden says before downing the rest of his water. “This man right here is the only one I can see never falling into monogamy.”

“That true?” Saige asks, clearly wanting to hear it from my mouth.

I shrug. “Haven’t ever thought much about it. All I know is right now, my hands are full.”

The doorbell rings. Thank God for the interruption, even if it is Lena.

“I’ll get it.” Paisley jumps off Maksim and heads to the door.

Lena’s familiar voice echoes down the hall from the door and my back straightens. I ready myself to do something I don’t want to.

“I love your pants,” Paisley says.

Sure enough, when the two emerge, Lena Boyd is buttoned up as tight as her ass. She’s wearing long pinstripe pants and a puffy blouse that hides the curves I know she has because I felt them on New Year’s Eve when she was in my arms and her lips were on mine. That night, she wore a pair of leggings that showed off what these pants hide.

“Oh, thank you. They’re more comfortable on the plane. And fall has set in back home.”

One thing I miss about New York City is Central Park in the fall. But I’m sure I’ll be beckoned back to Manhattan by my dad before all the leaves have fallen from the trees.

“I take it we have you two to thank for this adorable outfit.” Lena goes over to Annabelle, smiling at her. “She’s beautiful.”

“Isn’t she?” Saige beams as though Annabelle is her daughter, holding her up in what I’ve been told by the ladies is “blush pink.” The lace dress looks adorable on Annabelle, but she has shoes on that have no purpose since she can’t walk. “He was going to put her in a onesie. A Fury one at that.”

All the women turn to glare at me.

Aiden and Maksim laugh, sharing a look of better me than them.

“That could be cute too,” Lena says.

Cue record scratch. Did Lena Boyd just agree to something I want? Hell must’ve frozen over.

“Maybe we could take some at the game tonight? Do a few poses before you go on the ice.” Lena presses her finger into Annabelle’s stomach as though she expects her to laugh. I want to tell her to stop because I want the first laugh out of my baby girl, but I don’t.

Aiden raises his eyebrows. “Ford’s kind of serious before a game.”

“Of course, we can scrap it.” Lena waves off the idea, never making eye contact with me. I’m unsure why she’s being so agreeable with me at the moment. “Your dad just wants enough to convince everyone you’re happily settling into the role of single father.”

The room quiets and my face heats.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest—”

“I am happy.” My fists tighten at my sides.

“Of course you are. I meant more that the surprise of it all hasn’t shaken you.”

She really can do a good spin job.

The doorbell rings again. I hope this is her crew because I want to get this photo session over with.

“I’ll get everyone in and organized.” She walks down the hallway as though she owns the place. Under other circumstances, I might show her around my place, but I’m already annoyed.

I hear her polite conversation with the people my family hired and/or the people she coerced to write up this story. The next thing I know, in walks a photographer, a videographer, a makeup person, and a smiling man whose eyes bulge out when he sees Maksim and Aiden are here too.

“This is Gavin,” Lena says. “He was my teacher’s assistant at school and does freelance work for a bunch of magazines, including Sports Illustrated, so I called in a favor.”

All I hear is blah blah blah except for when my mind circles around to the fact that he was a TA and these two clearly have some kind of rapport. Maybe Lena isn’t as wholesome as I thought.

I put out my hand. “Pleasure.”

His grip is firm, so I squeeze a little harder to win the battle. What am I winning? I have no f*****g clue, but my dad taught me from a young age to be the strongest, most powerful person in the room. Since I opted for a career in hockey, there are times I switch that up to be the most charismatic person in the room and I do just fine.

“You’re probably familiar with Maksim and Aiden. This is Saige and Paisley.” I point toward each person as I name them.

Gavin goes around the room, shaking hands with everyone.

“Let’s get this photo shoot going since Annabelle’s dressed and ready to go. There’s a good chance she could spit up on her outfit at any moment,” I say.

The makeup woman plops down what sounds like a fifty-pound bag and pulls out stuff. She brushes something on my cheeks and puts a small amount of eyeliner on my eyes. I try to be a good sport about it, but I’m anxious to get this over with.

Gavin and Lena have decided that we should shoot in the family room and out on the patio with the ocean behind us.

I pick up Annabelle, who was chillin’ in Saige’s arms. She relaxes into mine like I hoped she would since it’s been just her and me for the past week or so. I’ve lost all track of time. But the fact that Annabelle seems to recognize me makes my chest warm with a strange sensation I’m not familiar with.

Maksim, Aiden, and the girls all rush to leave, wishing us good luck, and I tell them I’ll see them at the game tonight.

I sit on the couch with my daughter in my arms. The photographer snaps a few pictures, having me change positions a few times. Then we’re off to the patio by the pool.

“You know what women love?” Gavin says to Lena. “Those things you wear that carry the baby on your chest.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t have one.” I lean Annabelle on my lap, her back on my chest, and her pudgy little fingers grip my index fingers.

“That’s a shame. They’re a chick magnet,” Gavin says.

I don’t bother asking how he knows. He probably wouldn’t answer me even if I did. He’s only really granted Lena any attention since we started and that’s bothering me. I wish I had an explanation.

“What about him reading her a story? Maybe we can do some shots in her nursery,” Gavin suggests.

Lena touches his arm and shakes her head.

“Why not?” I ask, forehead wrinkling.

“Since this is new, Ford hasn’t had the time to decorate the room,” she tells Gavin.

He tilts his head, then turns to give me his attention. “You knew for months that the baby was coming. I understand you didn’t know about the mother leaving her, but—”

“Let’s just leave it at this. I can get her a book.” Lena glances at me as if I might have a book at the ready that I read to her every night.

She’s four months old, it’s not like she’d comprehend a storybook.

Lena must see my puzzled expression. “There will be more opportunities for those kind of pictures in the future. Let’s just capture these and get this article out.”

Gavin nods as if there’s an underlying agreement between them.

“This is the last pose I’m doing.” I say it in a tone that I’m sure no one will challenge.

Lena’s phone rings and she holds up her finger, stepping back into the house.

“How about you on the floor and her under her jungle gym thing?” Gavin points inside.

“Whatever gets this over the fastest,” I mumble.

They move the lighting back inside, and as I walk into my house, Gavin stops me with a hand on my arm. “Lena’s a great girl. She worked hard to get here. I’d listen to what she has to say if I were you.”

I narrow my eyes and my jaw tics. “She works for my father, not me. I have a game to get to.”

He huffs as though I’m an asshole. Whatever. Lena gave him an oyster nestled with a pearl with this Jacobs’ family heir exclusive and he didn’t even have to fish.