Holiday Shot, page 6
“I wish the team wasn’t leaving on a road trip tomorrow,” Sutton mused. “But that gives us time to start decorating. Cam and I bought a fake tree over the weekend since it’s too warm here for a real one. I’d spend the whole month cleaning up dead pine needles.”
“That makes sense.”
“We can decorate the rest of the house while they’re gone, and I was thinking of organizing a girls’ night out shopping trip. An early dinner and then we attack the mall and knock a bunch of shit off our lists!”
“Do you know what you’re getting Cam?”
“No, but I have a few ideas.”
“Well, it sounds like fun. I wouldn’t even know where to start with shopping for Henrik.”
“What about one of those picture frames that automatically refreshes when people email photos. I forget the name, but if his ex takes pictures of his boys, she could just upload them to whatever the site is and they’ll magically appear for Henrik.”
“Oh.” I was thoughtful. “That sounds nice. I bet he’d love that. Assuming Lydia would take the time to upload the pictures.”
“I think there’s a way for it to be really easy, right from your phone.”
We chatted and batted around other gift ideas, both for Henrik and other people we knew, and were still talking about it when we met up with the other wives and girlfriends at the arena.
“I’m totally in for a girls’ night out of holiday shopping,” Juliet said. She was married to the team captain, Vaughn Elliott. “Can we invite my mom? I think she’d like to be included.”
“Is she going to blush if we talk about sex?” Sutton teased.
Juliet laughed. “Probably. But she’ll be a good sport about it.”
“Hey, Jules, what special cupcakes did you come up with for the holidays?” someone called out.
Juliet owned a custom cookie and cupcake business that I surmised did well, based on the interest in her answer.
“I have two. One is a white chocolate mint cupcake with a tree-shaped swirl of green frosting on top, and tiny edible candy canes poked into the frosting like ornaments.”
“Yum,” Sutton breathed. “I want a dozen for Christmas Eve.”
“What are you doing Christmas Eve?” I stage whispered.
“No idea,” she whispered back. “But if nothing else, I can stick one on my coochie for Cam to eat. If you know what I mean.”
“Oh my god.” Juliet dissolved into laughter.
“I like that idea!” I said. “What’s the other cupcake?”
“Salted caramel hot chocolate. It’ll have gold sugar crystals and tiny marshmallows on top.”
“Where do you come up with this stuff?” I asked. “That sounds like an orgasm in my mouth.”
There was a beat of silence before everyone snorted with laughter.
“I’ll bet Henrik is an orgasm in your mouth,” Sutton murmured.
“Wait, what?” Juliet eyed me. “Henrik as in Henrik Vanek, our very sexy assistant coach?”
I flushed.
I wasn’t embarrassed about dating him but I hadn’t expected to be outed in front of a big group like this. Everything was so new and we had plans to see more of each other, but we’d only been together a few times. “It’s been three dates,” I said as the group in our immediate vicinity all eyed me with interest. “Everyone relax. We had two dates last spring and—”
“And she slept over last night!” Sutton added, cutting me off.
“Those damn Swedes,” Tiff said, shaking her head. “When we were in Vegas, I swear, the women lost their minds over the Swedish guys.”
“Anders is single,” Sutton mused. “One of us needs to find him a good woman.”
“I think Anders is more than capable of finding his own dates,” Tessa chirped. “But I want to hear more about Henrik and Autumn.”
“He’s amazing,” I said. “Truly. But there’s a big age gap, and his two priorities are his job and his kids. I don’t know where I’ll fit into that because with his kids living three thousand miles away, it takes a lot of time, money, and energy to be as involved as he’s trying to be.”
“Hockey as a career is always tough,” Tessa said pragmatically. “They have to be willing to make the sacrifice. Those of us who’ve been doing it for a while understand that, but not everyone does. I don’t know what happened with his first wife, but he seems like a good guy. I think it’s a bonus that he wants to be a good dad.”
“Agreed.” I nodded. “We’re just taking things one day at a time. I’ll be here for the rest of the month, so I guess we’ll see where we are at the end of that.”
“A lot can happen in a month,” Tiff mused.
“Especially around the holidays. It’s such a romantic time of year, even if you’re single. The music and lights and colors.” Tessa sighed happily.
“They skated at an outdoor rink in Boca last night,” Sutton said. “Talk about romantic.”
“Ooh.” Scarlett Bodilsen, Wolf’s wife, put her hand over her heart. “That’s soooo romantic.”
“Why is it romantic?” Her daughter, who looked about ten or eleven, wrinkled her nose. “Skating is exhausting. And Dad’s skates stink.”
I ignored her. “I was wearing heels, so he lent me a pair of his socks.” I wiggled my eyebrows playfully and the women all giggled and fanned themselves.
“When’s the wedding?” Sutton teased. “I’m so ready to see the two of you together!”
I laughed. “You guys are crazy. Right now it’s just sex and getting to know each other.”
“Cover your ears,” Scarlett told her daughter.
Naomi rolled her eyes. “Like I’ve never heard you guys talk about sex before. You’re all so basic.” With that, she stuffed ear pods in her ears and did something on her phone, effectively tuning us out.
“Did she just call me basic?” Scarlett whispered, making a face behind her daughter’s back.
“She did.” Tessa chuckled.
Scarlett stuck her tongue out at Naomi, who couldn’t see her, but somehow caught on that we were talking about her. “Whatever,” she said. “I’m ignoring you.”
We all laughed.
“Okay, now that the child’s ears are plugged, I want to hear all the naughty details,” Tiff said.
“First, I need to know what happened with you-know-what after thanksgiving,” Juliet said, arching her brows.
“Oh. That.” Tiff waved a hand. “False alarm. Thank fuck. I would not have been happy if there was another baby coming. Zakk is getting snipped in the off-season. We’ve had two scares this year and I’m over it.”
“Aw, four kids is too many for you?” Tessa teased.
“Four kids is a lot,” Tiff agreed. “Not too many, but absolutely the most I would want.”
Four kids.
It occurred to me that if Henrik and I got together, I’d become a stepmom to his two and I absolutely wanted at least two or three of my own. Would that make me a mom to four or five?
I wouldn’t say anything like that out loud because these ladies would run with it, but while I wasn’t ready to talk about it, I could picture myself with a house full of happy, healthy, busy children.
Not that Henrik and I were anywhere near ready for that.
“Why are you looking all smirky?” Sutton whispered to me.
“Is smirky a word?”
“Yes. Don’t change the subject.”
“Just wondering how many kids you and Cam are gonna have.”
“Liar.”
“A girl is allowed to have a little fantasy when she’s dating a new guy. Don’t ruin it.”
“Absolutely.” She squeezed my arm and then turned back to whatever Tessa was saying.
And I went back to my fantasy about a house full of half-Swedish babies.
11
Henrik
For the first time since my divorce, my mind wasn’t on the team, hockey, or our two-game road trip. Instead, I was thinking about what was waiting for me at home. Autumn had been fast asleep in my bed when I’d left for the airport, and I was on my way to pick her up now that I was home. Knowing she was waiting for me made me happy, and a peacefulness settled over me.
I liked having a woman in my life again.
Well, maybe it was specifically Autumn that I liked having in my life.
She was sweet and sexy and sassy.
The best part was that she made me smile.
Watching her cook me breakfast the other morning had made me yearn for simpler things. Love. Another relationship. The kinds of things that came with being part of a couple.
Was it wrong that I missed being married?
Or maybe I was just a horny old fuck approaching middle age who was infatuated with a woman sixteen years younger than me.
That was always a possibility.
I was completely lost in thought when a number I didn’t recognize flashed on the screen of my phone. It was late for a business call, but since I was plugged into my Bluetooth headset, I figured I should answer anyway.
“This is Henrik.”
“Mr. Vanek. My name is Harper Barrowman. I’m the new owner of the L.A. Phantoms.”
I had no idea what this could be about.
“How can I help you, Ms. Barrowman?”
“I realize reaching out this way is somewhat unorthodox, but I have a coaching opportunity for you in Los Angeles and I was hoping we could have a conversation about that.” She was soft-spoken and articulate, with a well-modulated voice that made me think she spent a lot of time on the phone.
A coaching opportunity?
In Los Angeles?
As much as I wanted to tell her I wasn’t interested, I couldn’t.
Not when it would mean being so much closer to the twins.
“I’m flattered,” I said carefully. “But I’m not sure I’m in a position to make a lateral move at this point in my career.” If a job in Los Angeles was a possibility, I was going to need to make a lot more money, so I had to be careful in how I handled this. I also didn’t want anyone from the Knights to find out and think I was planning to abandon ship because that wasn’t the case at all.
“I’m not offering you a lateral move,” she said. “The position I want to talk to you about is as head coach.”
“Head coach?” The words tumbled out before I could stop them. “You’re asking me to be the head coach?”
That could be a game changer.
But I was confused.
Why on earth would she be talking to me? There were a dozen guys with more playing and coaching experience who would jump at the chance to coach the Phantoms. This was only my second year in the big leagues, and I still had a lot to learn.
“I’m going to level with you,” she said without missing a beat. “But I need to know that this conversation will stay between us.”
“Of course.”
“Then I’m sure you’ve heard about the legal battle going on between myself and my late husband’s two sons. They want the team and are unhappy that their father left it to me. So we’re waiting for a judge to rule on upholding the will. I’ve hired a top-notch attorney who’s promised me she won’t let this drag on forever, but getting on the judge’s calendar will take a while. In the meantime, I’m getting my ducks in a row because I don’t plan to go down without a fight and this team needs a big change. Maybe a lot of changes.”
“And you’re going after an assistant coach with only two years’ experience to lead the way?”
“Two years in the NHL. But you coached in Sweden and your record there was impressive. I like your style and the way you handle yourself, both now and when you were playing. That playing experience is a bonus in my eyes, and Toli Petrov wouldn’t have hired you if he hadn’t seen something special.”
“I appreciate the kind words,” I said. “And I’m open to having a more in-depth conversation, but I can’t make any promises when things are so up in the air for you with the team. I have a job here in Fort Lauderdale that I like, and I wouldn’t want to jeopardize that for something that’s not concrete.”
“I understand that. The truth is, until we resolve the issues in court, I can’t make any promises. I decided to reach out because I’ll need to go back to the drawing board if you’re not interested. If you are, then I’m going to send you the package I plan to offer you and we can talk again after the first of the year. And if the judge rules against me, then it might be moot anyway.”
Jesus, this was totally unexpected.
I gave her my email address, we talked for a few more minutes, and then I disconnected. I was blown away at the idea of being a head coach this soon, especially in a huge market like L.A. Granted, the Phantoms had been a shit show the last few years, so it would make more sense to bring in a top-notch coach with a ton of experience to turn things around, not a newbie like me.
Of course, a guy like me could be just what they needed.
Someone young from a coaching perspective, with new ideas and a fresh outlook on both the team and the game.
In theory, I could work with that.
I’d most likely be making two or three times my current salary as a head coach, and most importantly, I’d be geographically closer to my sons.
But technically, Harper Barrowman didn’t own the team yet, so all of this was a fantasy. One that most likely wouldn’t come to fruition. I needed to focus on the job I had and the new relationship I was anxious to turn into something more. I didn’t have the time or energy for pipe dreams.
The situation with the Phantoms had been locker room gossip for months now. Rumor had it that Harper Barrowman was going to lose the team to her stepsons, and I didn’t need to be part of that. As exciting as it would be to become a head coach, I had to be realistic.
The chances that it would actually happen were slim.
Probably closer to none.
There was no point in worrying about it.
Besides, Autumn had just gotten in my SUV and as I leaned over to kiss her, the softness of her lips was far more interesting than anything work-related.
“Hi.” Her eyes shone as our mouths came together. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” I waited for her to fasten her seatbelt before pulling onto the street. “I’m home for a few days now so we’ll have late nights and mornings together. And some afternoons.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
“I’m hoping we can spend a lot of time together while you’re here. Speaking of which, would you be interested in going to the executive staff Christmas party next Thursday?”
“Executive staff… that sounds fancy! Do I need a new dress?”
“The ladies were all dressed up last year, so if you didn’t bring a cocktail dress or anything like that, then probably.”
“I didn’t. But I can go shopping.”
“I figured.”
“So, what does executive staff mean in this context?”
“Basically, it’s the coaching staff, our GM and assistant GM, department heads, and a handful of others. It’s more intimate than the team party that Mr. Knight and his wife throw, which includes the players, executive staff, support staff, and all the kids and spouses. It’s a madhouse, but fun. Last year he had it at the arena.”
“Wow. Is he hosting one again this year?”
“I saw something about it in my calendar, but I haven’t looked at the details yet. I was planning to make an appearance and then leave.”
“How come?”
“Everyone always brings a date, but I’ve learned that if you bring a date to a team event, the woman tends to expect it to lead to something more serious, and I hadn’t met anyone I was interested in getting more serious with. Until now, I mean.”
“Are you, uh… interested in something serious, Henrik?”
“You already know the answer to that. It’s probably a little ridiculous considering how little time we’ve known each other, but I’m too old to play games. You understand what my life is like, and if you want to see what there is to see, there’s no reason to pretend otherwise.”
“I want to,” she said softly. “I really do. But…”
“There’s a but?”
Damn.
I hadn’t wanted to consider that she might not be interested in something long-term with me.
“I’m twenty-five years old without a plan. Technically, I don’t even have a job. Hell, I talked to that private high school yesterday and they want me to go back to school to get my master’s before they’ll hire me. So that’s another dead end because I don’t want to take on student loans.”
“Well, I might have news in the job department.”
“Oh?” She looked at me curiously.
“I spoke with Dani. She didn’t want to get our hopes up, she’s been talking to the higher-ups about bringing on a paid intern to help out because of how busy she and Ted are with the team.” Ted was the team’s assistant trainer. “It’s not a lot of money, maybe twenty-five grand a year, but she might be able to get you benefits like health insurance. It would be a foot in the door and experience you can add to a resume.”
“You talked to her about getting me a job with the Knights?” She seemed a little choked up, and I wasn’t sure if it was because she was happy or if I’d done something wrong. If what I’d said a few minutes ago hadn’t been clear, I needed to make her understand my feelings. Especially since I only had a month to convince her to stay. To try. To give us a chance at being a couple.
“I told you—I want to be with you. Date you. See what there is to see. If this helps move things along for us as a couple, then hell yes, I did.”
12
Autumn
My head was spinning with possibilities, but I was fixated on the fact that he wanted to be with me. So much that he’d talked to Dani about finding me a paid internship so we could give our relationship a try. That this gorgeous, sweet, incredible man was so into me, he’d found me a job in my field.
