“Thanks, Mack. I think it’s because I had my good luck charm here tonight,” I say, letting go of Mack and seeking out Dakota. I don’t see her, but I do see my Cadey Cat. I make grabby hands at my mom, who’s holding her. “Come here, Cadey Cat. Let Uncle Car Car hold his little lucky charm.”
Cadence practically throws herself out of my mom’s arms and into my outstretched ones. She looks adorable in her little Wolverines jersey. “How did she do?” I ask Mack.
“She did surprisingly well. She even tracked the puck and said Ca-Ca a few times,” Mack gushes. That’s our girl!
Ian, my college roommate and former teammate, slaps my shoulder. “Hell of a game, man.”
He then wraps his arm around Mack’s shoulder, and I watch as she stiffens from his touch. I’ve told Ian countless times that he and Mack wouldn’t be good together. Not to mention, I don’t think she’s ready for a relationship. She can tell me all she wants that she’s making strides in therapy to forget Griffin, but Iknowher.
“Ca-Ca!” Cadence exclaims. She adjusts in my arms and slaps my cheeks.
“Ouch!” I fake being hurt, rubbing my cheek.
Cadence’s responding giggles make us all ring out in laughter, the sound echoing off the walls.
Mack’s laughter is cut off and I stare at her in concern as I watch her demeanor shift, her face paling completely. I turn to see what has her so upset, quickly realizing it’s not what, but who.
While the rest of the Colorado Summits continue to file out of the visiting locker room, Griffin Turner is stopped dead in his tracks. It took everything in me to focus on the fact that I was playing my first NHL game instead of wanting to punch him in the face again for walking out of her life almost two years ago.
“Mama! Look! Mama!” Cadence squeals, pointing toward a mural on the wall.
Mack grabs Cadence from me and wraps her into her arms, nuzzling her neck—breathing her in.
“Hi, baby,” Mack coos to Cadence.
Cadence grabs Mack’s cheeks, placing a big, sloppy kiss on her face before giggling.
Mack turns to me, leans in, and whispers, “I can’t do this, Carse. Please get me out of here.”
Before I can do just that, Griffin growls, “Can someone please explain what’s going on?”
I wince at the tone of his voice. My mom quickly jumps into action, grabbing Cadence from Mack’s arms, which is probably a good thing because Mack looks murderous.
“We’ll take her to the restaurant and meet you both there,” Mom tells us.
“Ian, why don’t you ride with us,” Dad suggests.
“Works for me,” Ian replies.
Walking up to my mom, I wrap her and Cadence into a hug. “Uncle Carse loves you so much, Cadey Cat,” I say before my parents swiftly head down the hallway with Cadence and Ian.
“What’s her name?” Griffin demands.
“Wh-what? Whose name?” Mack stutters.
“Cut the shit, McKenna,” he says in a chilling tone, one I’ve never heard him use before. “What’s my daughter’s name? She’s mine, right? Jesus—of course, she’s mine. Look at her eyes. They’re a carbon copy of mine.”
The anger I thought I had buried starts to resurface. “Alright, let’s take this conversation back here. There’s no one in the film room right now. We can talk away from where the media may overhear,” I suggest before leading us to a room down the hallway.
Once we’re inside, I turn to find Mack staring back at Griff with a thunderous expression. “Is this some sort of fucked up game you’re playing, Griff? What is wrong with you?” she shouts.
“What is wrong with me? Who has a secret child and doesn’t tell the father? Is she mine? Tell me right now.”
“Yes—dammit! Of course, she’s yours. Why are you acting this way—as if you’re shocked? As if you didn’t look me right in my eyes and tell me that you didn’t care that I was pregnant and to stay the fuck away from you?” Her eyes are glassy now, filled with unshed tears.
“You’re lying. You’ve never said a word to me about a baby—a pregnancy.”
“What are you talking about? That night in Boston, when you played against Carson, I came to the after-party to tell you.”
