Power Play: A Second Chance Hockey Romance (Sinners on the Ice)
Power Play: A Second Chance Hockey Romance: Chapter 2

Now, August

After waking up, I lie still, letting the warm sunlight coming through the drawn-up curtains soak my face. It’s so peaceful and quiet, it almost feels foreign, a definite contrast to what this day is going to bring. The heavy weight in my chest serves as a reminder of the inevitable, something I’ve been trying to dodge at all costs since I found out about my ex’s transfer.

Clay Rodgers signing with the California Thunders, the team my brother plays for, wasn’t on my bingo card. And yet…it happened, and now I can no longer avoid him.

Being in the same room as my ex after three years of total silence makes me incredibly nervous. Not because of our “history,” not because I’m a single mom, and not because I don’t look the way I used to. No, all those things only add to the biggest issue, the elephant in the room that I prefer to ignore (and fail at miserably). It’s all because of the promise I made at my best friend Ava’s birthday three years ago. A promise I couldn’t keep.

And now the guy I love probably hates my guts…

The soft padding of bare feet on the wooden floor pricks my ears. I haven’t checked the time, but it must be around 8:00 a.m. if my little girl is already awake. Involuntarily, a smile blossoms on my lips as I wait for her to climb in my bed.

Maya is my little savior, a ray of hope on days when all color drains from my life and all I see is black and white. For her, I’ll move mountains, put a smile on my face even when I feel like crying. I’d do absolutely anything for her to be happy.

A light movement of my mattress, and then her warm little hand cups my cheek. My sweet, gentle girl. I open my eyes and instantly meet her gaze, those chocolate brown pools gleefully glimmering in the bright light of a new day.

“Morning, sweetie,” I say, snuggling closer and pressing my forehead to hers. “Did you sleep well?”

Maya nods. “Yes, Mommy. I saw Bon-Bon again!”

Bon-Bon? Ah, her little imaginary friend. She started talking about Bon-Bon recently, after I read her a story about a little princess and her tiny dragon friend who turned out to be a product of her imagination by the end of the story. Sure, the books I choose to read Maya aren’t exactly made for a two-year-old, but she has so much passion in her for new knowledge, always so curious about new things, that I don’t want to limit the books I read her and the cartoons she watches with me to the ones suggested for her age. All that has broadened her vocabulary so much that I can’t help but feel proud of her.

“Really? And what did you do together?”

“Nothing. She’s shy.” Her mouth collapses into a pout. “She doesn’t want to play with me.”

“I’m sorry, baby. Maybe give her a little time? People don’t always make friends quickly.”

“Mommy, Bon-Bon is not people.”

“And what is she?”

Maya lowers her gaze; a pinkish hue rises on her cheeks. “It’s a secret,” she finally whispers.

I chuckle and wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her with me as I plop onto my back. Trying to probe her about Bon-Bon won’t work; she’ll tell me when she feels like it. Her trust is way more important to me. Lifting Maya, I hold her up above me, smiling from ear to ear. Her mouth falls open in surprise, and then she bursts out giggling. The sound is pure and infectious and fills the room with joy, and the tight knot in my chest loosens up a bit.

“What do you want for breakfast?” I ask, holding Maya’s gaze.

“Pancakes.”

“Again? I made them yesterday.”

“Pancakes,” she says more insistently.

“Okay, okay, little boss.” I laugh, pulling her down and nestling her on my chest. “With blueberries?”

“No, strawbees.”

I sigh, hiding my nose in her brown hair that smells like cotton candy. “Then strawberries it is.”

“I love you, Mommy.”

Closing my eyes, I hug her tighter, reveling in her warmth and sweet scent. I might be angry with Eli, might despise him for how he left us…but I can’t bring myself to hate him. If it weren’t for him, I would’ve never had her, and I refuse to even think about a world in which this little girl doesn’t exist.

“I love you too, baby.” I open my eyes and replace her looking at me. “Let’s go to the kitchen. Today is a busy day.”

Maya kisses my nose, rolls off me, and climbs out of bed. She starts rubbing her eyes, and I shake my head. It’s something I’ve noticed her doing a lot lately, and it bothers me. I’ll need to schedule an appointment with her doctor, to make sure that everything’s fine and I’m just being paranoid.

After climbing out of bed, I kneel in front of her and take her hands away from her face. “Maya, what did I tell you about your eyes? Don’t do that, okay?”

She nods.

“All right, sweetie, time to wash your face. Do you want my help, or can you do it all by yourself?”

“I do it!”

“Good job! I’ll be in the kitchen.”

I kiss her forehead and straighten my back. Turning around, I quickly make my bed as she dashes out of the room. The sound of running water brings a smile to my face. If only every morning were like this one.

“Coop!” Maya squeals and barrels straight to the huge black Doberman that stands in the middle of the hallway with Drake holding him by his collar. Her arms wind around the dog’s neck, and she nuzzles her face in his fur.

I smile affectionately at the scene and then turn my head to my brother’s fiancée, Angie. She holds the door open for me; her floral dress does nothing to hide her small baby bump. “Hey, Angie.”

“Hey, Layla. Come on in. We’re almost ready,” she tells me as I walk past her.

“I didn’t want to be late, so we came, like, twenty minutes early.” A nervous giggle bolts out of my mouth, and I shut up.

Angie narrows her green eyes at me, and I mentally beg her not to say anything. Slowly, her lips stretch into a smile, and I relax. “You’re always welcome here. Twenty minutes early or not.” Angie steps closer and hugs me briefly, her long brown hair brushing my cheek as she leans away. “I need to go check on the icing. Ava’s cake is almost ready.”

“Okay.” I watch her stroll to the kitchen with a smile on my face. Feeling his gaze on me, I turn my head to my brother. “Hey, Drake.”

“Hey.” He smiles and then glances at Maya with Cooper. “Maya, doesn’t your uncle Drake deserve a hug too?”

Maya giggles and finally steps back from Coop. Looking up, she raises her hands. Drake immediately lifts her and holds her close to him. She kisses his cheek and wraps her arm around his neck. The picture-perfect image warms my heart as I prop my shoulder against the wall. The bond between Drake and Maya never ceases to amaze me. They have so much love for each other. He’s going to be a perfect dad; I know it.

“How was your day?” he asks her.

Maya smiles brightly at Drake. “Good. I made pancakes with Mommy.”

“Wow, look at you! Already making pancakes?” She nods enthusiastically, her pigtails bouncing up and down. “Will you bring me one next time?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t wait, baby.” Drake kisses her cheek, his stubble making her ticklish. She giggles, and he puts her down. Maya instantly grabs Cooper’s ball and throws it. The dog scrambles on his feet and runs down the hallway to catch it. Maya’s cheerful laugh spreads through the space.

The time Coop spent with Maya and me while Drake and Angie were in France made my daughter love this dog more. And I can say he loves her just as much…the things he lets her do to him are unreal. I still need to show Angie the picture of her dog with a wig on his head and a yellow-and-black tie on his neck.

“Layla?” I snap my head in Drake’s direction. He gestures to the living room, and I push off the wall and walk in. Plopping on the couch, I wait for him to join me. Drake sits beside me and focuses his attention on me. His deep brown eyes, the same color as mine and Maya’s, emit warmth. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

“I know you don’t talk to me about Clay⁠—”

“What’s there to talk about?” I shrug. “He’s my ex. We haven’t talked to each other in…three years. It’s like a whole lifetime considering I have Maya now, and I no longer live in Michigan.”

“He no longer lives in Chicago either.”

I roll my eyes. “Drake, what’s your point?”

“Are you really okay? Ready to see him again?”

I sigh dejectedly. “Our past is our past. There’s nothing I can do about it. Clay and I saw each other after our breakup more than once, and we never had problems.” Except for that one time, when he met Eli three years ago, but Drake doesn’t need to know about that. And he definitely doesn’t need to know exactly how many times Clay and I spent time together after our breakup. It’s something not even Ava knows, and I think of myself as a person who is open about everything with her best friend.

Unless it’s about my ex.

“Layla?” Drake calls out my name.

I blink, plastering a smile on my face. “I don’t mind spending time with Clay. It doesn’t bother me, and I hope…” I pause, remembering my stupid decision not to tell him about me having a baby with Eli. When things got out, it affected his friendship with Drake and his best friend, Colton. It was a shit show, and I was the one to blame for their fallout, even though none of them actually blamed me.

Clearing my throat, I say, “I hope it doesn’t bother him either.”

Drake stares at me with uncertainty, then forces the fakest smile onto his face. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

My big brother and his inability to hide his emotions.

Laughter accompanied by loud barking rattles the quiet as Maya and Coop continue playing in the hallway. Drake instantly stands up and goes to check on the ruckus, while I let myself sink into the plush couch. I close my eyes and rest my nape on the back of the couch.

Finally. Drake and his worries are going to be the death of me.

Of course I’m worried. I’m dreading the moment I see Clay for the first time but not for the reason everyone thinks. It’s so ridiculous, I couldn’t even bring myself to say it when Ava asked me about it.

Since the first time we met eight years ago, when I was just eighteen years old at the coffee shop near Great Lake University’s campus, I always saw how he looked at me. There was curiosity at first, longing and admiration later. When we started dating, and even after I broke up with him…I saw love in his eyes. I felt it with every fiber of my being. So even the thought of Clay looking at me with hatred makes me lose my shit.

I don’t want him to hate me. Out of eight billion people in the world, I can survive every single person hating me but not Clay Rodgers.

Even if his hate is exactly what I deserve for all the terrible mistakes I’ve made because of my insecurities.

I broke his heart, while all he ever did was love me…while all I ever did was love him.

I was so stupid⁠—

“Okay, the cake is ready.” A sudden voice rips me out of my thoughts.

I jump in my seat, snapping my eyes open and staring at Angie in bewilderment. She stands with a cardboard box in her hands, an eyebrow raised in question.

“You okay?” she asks.

“Yeah, I zoned out thinking about all the orders I have next week. A big client, you know.” I laugh, inwardly cringing at how it sounds.

Angie smiles warmly at me. “I’m happy that your florist business is flourishing. Hopefully, soon you’ll be able to open your own studio, where you can create your masterpieces.”

I raise my hand with my fingers crossed. “Hopefully. But for now, the garage works just fine. I’ll be forever grateful to you and Drake for everything you’re doing for me.”

“Be happy, Layla,” Angie says. “That’s what Drake and I want for you.”

I swallow my emotions, my eyes filling with tears. “I will,” I tell her, standing up and walking over to her. “Let me help you with this.” I take the box from her hands.

Angie shoots me an eye roll. “I’m just pregnant.”

“And I just want to help.” I wink at her and stroll out of the room with Angie in tow. “Once we get this in the car, I’ll hop by home to grab the bouquet I made for Ava, and then we can go.”

I’m ready for the inevitable. Even if I’m not.