“Appreciate it,” I reply.
Then there’s Åkerman. He doesn’t move, doesn’t even offer a hand to shake. For a moment, we stare at each other, the unspoken tension thick enough to cut with a skate blade.
“You’ve got a lot to prove here. Barrera and Ellis were both great players and we hated seeing them go,” he finally says, his tone cold but measured. “Let’s see if you can manage the pressure.”
“Looking forward to seeing what you bring to the table, too.”
Adam Orsak, the other D-man in our line, steps between us with a laugh that’s a little too loud to be authentic. “Alright, save that energy for the ice.”
We’re old teammates from the time he played for the Lynx before being traded to the Peacocks, so we need no introduction.
“C’mon, Rocket, it ain’t that serious,” I jokingly tell Orsak, using his hockey nickname.
He throws an arm around my shoulder, steering me toward the door. “Now that introductions are over, let’s go and have drinks to celebrate your first official day as a Peacock.”
“Aren’t you supposed to give me a tour first?” I ask with a raised eyebrow.
Lee waves my question off. “That can wait until tomorrow. Besides, Papa Shane’s on a clock. He’s gotta be out in an hour for Brooke’s ballet recital or something like that.”
“Ballet, huh?” I glance at our captain, amusement lacing my voice. “Didn’t peg you as a dance dad.”
“Gotta support my girl. She’s worked so hard for tonight.”
“How about your little boy?” I ask Lee, recalling seeing pictures of his firstborn on social media last summer.
“Oh, he’s living his best life at home with Mama. He’ll barely notice I’m gone.”
“Well, let’s go then,” I say, loosening up. “Lead the way.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Shane quips, already heading for the door that leads us outside toward the local bar where the team frequently visits. Felix has told me about the place before.
As the others joke and tease each other, it becomes more evident that I can fit in here and enjoy my time playing in Brooklyn.
9
BUT I DIDN’T RECOGNIZE RASMUS WITH HIS CLOTHES ON
HAISLEY
The past week has been a whirlwind of emotions. I’ve spent sleepless nights going over every possibility and choice. I’m truly blessed to live in a state where I have options—a privilege I don’t take lightly. It’s a comfort to know I could choose differently and still get treated without any consequences.
But deep down, I already know my decision: I want to keep this baby.
At my age, waiting for a perfect guy to build a family with feels more like chasing a dream than a realistic plan. Once I admitted that to myself, my decision felt even more fitting. Having two parents isn’t a requirement for a family—love and commitment are. And I already feel that love blooming inside me, growing stronger with every passing day.
But along with it, another feeling grows too—a familiar, gnawing fear. The same fear that’s lived inside me since I lost my biological mother when I was a little girl. The fear of loving someone so deeply, only to lose them tragically. And I alreadylove this baby beyond words. I don’t know what I would do if something went wrong with the pregnancy.
To ease my nerves, I did everything I could to track down the masked man who helped create the new life growing inside me. But the club wouldn’t release the CCTV footage without a warrant, and the hotel refused to disclose who had booked the room. Without the help from those two places, I quickly ran out of options. The father of the baby will remain a mystery.
Now, I must find a way to tell my family about the exciting yet shocking news. Knowing my dad, he won’t be too thrilled to find out that his only daughter, his princess, is knocked up after a one-night stand. But he’ll still support me no matter what. Like my mom, he’ll be super excited to have a grandbaby to spoil. My brothers will probably follow Dad’s lead and be the best uncles to their first niece or nephew.
The news will have to wait for now. Today marks the 75thanniversary of the Peacocks. The hockey team my great-grandfather founded in the late forties is a cornerstone of my father’s side of the family. From the beginning, my family has not only owned the team but also played key roles in its management, which is rare. Dad is the current GM, and one of my younger three brothers also works for the organization. Thanks to our family's longstanding rule, the other two play for different teams: no relatives suit up for the Peacocks on ice.
Even though I’m proud of my American side of the family for building a successful hockey franchise, working in sports has never been my dream. That’s why I’ve stayed out of the business, even if I’m set to inherit a piece of it someday.
I was five when my dad became the GM following the sudden passing of his father, my Pappy, only eight months after my mother tragically died in a boating accident. Until then, my dadhad worked from home, bringing me along to various work events if needed. But with his new role, he needed help, and that's when Gloria came into our lives permanently. She became my first and only nanny, and, well… the rest is history.
Almost thirty years later, Gloria is now who I call Mom. We may not share blood, but after my dad and Gloria got married and had three boys—my brothers—calling herMomfeels right.
