Power Play: A Second Chance Hockey Romance (Sinners on the Ice)
Power Play: A Second Chance Hockey Romance: Chapter 10

Now, August

“Maya, please stop.” I kneel in front of her and take her tiny fists away from her eyes, wrapping my fingers gently around her wrists. “Sweetie, haven’t we talked about this enough? Your eyes are already red.”

She pouts, looking guilty and irritated at the same time. “My eyes tired.”

“If your eyes are tired, we’ll go home now and you can take a nap.” I let go of her hands and glance at my car in the parking lot of Angie’s dessert shop.

“I don’t want sleep.”

I purse my lips, bottling up my annoyance. Nothing is going well today. There were tantrums about food, tears because I took away the toy she kept trying to put in her mouth for God knows what reason, more tears when I turned off Paw Patrol after one episode. I have a feeling she woke up on the wrong side of the bed because that’s the only way I can explain what’s happening.

“Maya, I told you I agreed to meet with Ava and Meghan at Angie’s shop. You said you wanted to come. What’s going on? Is something bothering you? Maybe your tummy hurts?”

Maya shakes her head; her ponytail bounces up and down. Looking away from me, she watches an old lady passing us slowly with a little dog on a leash. Everything’s going to be all right, I tell myself as I wait for Maya’s answer. When she brings her eyes back to me, I notice unshed tears glimmering in the sunlight.

“Hey, sweetie, what’s wrong?”

“Bon-Bon don’t want to play.” She breaks down, sobbing. “I looked everywhere. Bon-Bon is gone.”

Overwhelming relief washes over me. I haul my little girl to my chest, holding her close. “Sweetie, I’m sure Bon-Bon is home. Maybe she’s hiding somewhere. If you want, we can look for her together once we get home.”

“How do you know Bon-Bon is a girl?” Maya sobs, leaning away.

“I-I don’t know for sure, but I have a feeling she is. Am I wrong?” I ask her. Pressing my palms to her face, I gently wipe away her tears.

The brightest little smile rises on her lips as she throws herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “You’re right,” she whispers in my ear. “I wanna replace her.”

“I’ll help you, I promise. As soon as we get back home.” I rear back, my eyes roaming over her face. “Deal?”

She nods eagerly and lets go of me. I stand up and extend my hand to her. “Let’s go inside. Ava is probably already here.”

“I want cupcake,” Maya tells me as we stroll into the dessert shop.

“Then you’ll get a cupcake. I’m sure Angie has your favorite—vanilla from the kids’ menu.” I open the door and let her in first. “Oh, look.” I point to my right. “They’re waiting for us.”

Maya giggles and runs toward Ava, who catches her and lifts her onto her lap. Meghan is sitting in the highchair with a cookie in one hand and a bottle in her other. She’s too busy trying to devour the cookie to pay attention to Maya or me. I walk closer and plant a kiss on her forehead.

“Hey, sunshine,” I say. She smiles at me; a droplet of drool slides down her chin. Shaking my head, I quickly wipe it away and then sit down at the table in front of Ava. “Hey.”

“Hey, Layla.” Her eyes travel around my face, a gentle smile blossoming on her lips. “You’re gorgeous.”

I grin at her. “Thanks, you too.” And I mean it. With her long brown hair collected into a high ponytail, her emerald-green eyes with thick, dark eyelashes, and her puffy lips, Ava is irresistibly beautiful. She always has been. Not to mention her flawless body that often makes me think she sold her soul to the devil because there’s no way anyone could be that thin eight months after giving birth.

“Hey hey, my favorite customers.” Turning my head, I watch Angie saunter to our table. I take back my words. My future sister-in-law is totally going to be like Ava once her children are born. I swear they make me even more self-conscious than I already am, even though it’s not their fault.

I am beautiful. I look good. I am happy with my body.

Three little affirmations I tell myself anytime I start falling down my usual trap. There are so many stunning girls in this world, with thin waists or thick thighs, some with belly fat or toned legs. Every body is beautiful. The problem is…I easily forget that when it comes to my own looks.

“Layla, what can I get for you?” Angie asks, gently patting me on my shoulder. “Maya already asked for her favorite. I need your order.”

“A latte and a slice of cheesecake,” I tell her, then add hastily, “No, just coffee. I already had my granola bar this morning.”

There’s this quick glance in Ava’s direction that doesn’t go unnoticed by me. I wait, not expecting Angie to say anything, and she doesn’t, just turns to leave us.

“Can I go?” Maya slides down from Ava’s lap and steps to Angie, then wraps her palm around hers. Angie smiles, nodding. “You’re the best!” Maya exclaims as they head to the kitchen.

“How are you?” Ava asks, lowering her head onto her fist as she sets her elbow on the table. “How are things with the business?”

“I’m fine. Busier than I expected, but it’s a good thing. It means the word is getting out. Hopefully, soon I’ll be looking for a place to rent.” I’m so close to opening my own flower shop.

“Didn’t Drake say he’d rent one for you?”

I roll my eyes. “He’s already done way too much for me. I live in a house he paid for, he doesn’t let me pay the utility bills, and every few weeks, he brings new clothes and toys for Maya. I’m beyond grateful to Drake, but I’m honestly starting to feel like an even bigger burden than I did when I was in Michigan.”

“Your brother wants what’s best for you and Maya, especially since your dou”—Ava glances at Meghan, catching herself before cursing in front of her daughter, and then continues—“since your terrible ex doesn’t want any part in her life. I understand where Drake is coming from.”

“May I remind you that I have sole custody? I have no intention of ever contacting Eli again. He made his choice, and I made mine.”

Meghan is trying to pick up another cookie from her little plate, so I take it and give it to her.

“It’s the same with Drake. I won’t take his money or his help with my business.” I sigh, averting my gaze. “I want to achieve something on my own.”

“I get it. Sometimes I’m too pushy. I have no idea where I get it from.”

Snorting, I lift my gaze and stare at Ava. “You’ve been like that your whole life, Mason. Becoming a Thompson didn’t change you at all. Stop deluding yourself, please.”

“I would give you the middle finger, but it’s immature and childish—at least, that’s what Michael’s teammate’s mom said when she saw him doing it. So I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear you judging me.” She quickly sticks out her tongue at me, putting her piercing on full display. I chuckle and allow myself to relax in my chair—not for long. “Since I’m trying to ask everything I want to know while Maya is busy with Angie…” Ava sets both of her elbows on the table, leans forward, and rests her chin on her joined hands. “Did you hear anything from a certain someone?”

Biting the inside of my cheek, I thread my fingers through my hair, brushing it with my fingertips. I don’t want to lie to Ava, but admitting the truth I’ve been trying to ignore this past week isn’t easy. I wanted him to call me, or maybe just text me after the birthday party.

I would’ve done it myself but after how I handled things between us, I wasn’t sure he’d appreciate it. A call or a text from him would’ve been a green light for me, a permission to reach out and try to make things right. At least apologize for what happened because I know I don’t deserve him.

Instead, there was nothing. The most disappointing silence I’ve ever encountered.

As if I don’t exist to him anymore.

“No.”

“Did you try texting him? I think you have a lot of things you want to talk about.”

“Clearly, he’s not interested.” I shrug dismissively.

“And you know that…how?”

“Let me think.” I pause, looking around purposefully. “At your birthday party, Clay and I said a total of twenty words to each other. Hi, Layla. Hey, Clay. Maya asked for a banana. Is it okay if I give her one? Yes, you can, and, Bye, goodbye.”

“We were all watching you. Maybe he didn’t⁠—”

“Ava, please,” I warn her, just as a waitress brings me my latte. I thank the girl and then peer at my friend again. “There are a lot of things you don’t know, and I’d prefer it to stay that way.” I hurt Clay so many times, breaking his heart over and over again, giving him false hope and then disappearing as if nothing happened, always letting my insecurities win. I’m the worst kind of person, and I deserve his silent treatment. Sighing, I hang my head low. “But after everything I’ve put him through, I understand why it’s like this.”

The heaviness of my past mistakes weighs a ton. My soul is filled with guilt and bad decisions, with lies and omissions. Everything bad that has happened to me since college is my karma for how I treated Clay Rodgers.

He’s worthy of someone a thousand times better than me, and I’m getting exactly what I deserve.

“Did you and Clay keep seeing each other after your breakup?”

I shoot Ava a quick look and divert my attention to my coffee cup. Keeping my big mouth shut is an art I need to master as soon as possible. Why do I keep making things worse for myself?

“Layla?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“But it does⁠—”

“It doesn’t matter,” I grind out, setting my cup on the table. “I wish him nothing but happiness. He’s incredible with kids, from what I saw at your party, so I hope he replaces a girl he wants to marry soon.”

Even though that would destroy me because I still love him.

Silence falls between us, sticky and leaden. It’s so unpleasant that it makes my coffee taste bitter. I cover my right hand with my left one, my fingertips brushing the Tinker Bell ring on my ring finger. Another gift from him I shouldn’t have kept. Too many memories, too many promises made…until the final one.

The one that destroyed the possibility of us ever getting back together.

If Clay Rodgers ever decides to talk to me, I’m sure it would be the only question he’d ask.

Why couldn’t I keep my promise?

“Layla,” Ava says softly, placing her warm hand on mine, “if you ever need to talk about it, I’m here. I will never judge you for your past, and I’ll always be on your side. You are my best friend.”

A sob bolts out of my lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” She reaches over the table and sweeps away a lonely tear from the corner of my eye. “Everything’s going to be all right. I know it.”

We sit, silently smiling at each other. Ava’s company quiets the hurricane in my chest, helping me replace my inner strength. She’s been my ride-or-die since we were little kids, and I know I can always count on her. Some people come into our lives, fulfill their purpose, and leave, but some stay for a lifetime. And Ava is that for me.

She’s my kind of person.

Ava stands up and takes Meghan into her arms, holding her close as she sits down again and lets her drink from her bottle. “Any fun plans for the rest of the week?” she asks me.

“Not sure it would be considered fun, but I’m taking Maya to the doctor on Friday. Her eyes are bothering her, and I want Dr. Hernandez to take a look. Maybe it’s just me being paranoid, but I need to be sure. She blinks too much sometimes, rubs her eyes a lot. And a few times I noticed the pupil on her right eye being a bit different than her left one. It makes me anxious.”

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No, it’s fine. I can handle it.” I smile at her.

“Mommy!”

Whipping my head around, I see Maya running toward me with a cupcake in each hand. Angie follows her, grinning from ear to ear.

“Look what Angie gave me!”

Maya climbs onto the chair beside me, the brightest smile pulling at her lips. Angie joins us too, sitting next to Ava.

“I hope it’s okay I gave her two,” Angie says, meeting my gaze.

I nod. “That’s fine.” Then I turn to Maya. “But you can only eat one right now, sweetie. You know the rules.”

Maya frowns, her features going cloudy like the sky on a rainy day. We stare at each other, not saying a word. With a sigh, she sets one of the cupcakes on the table and starts eating the other one.

My heart softens, and I can’t help but smile at her in admiration. At this point, my whole world orbits around my little girl, and honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We will be fine as long as we have each other.

We will be fine.