Page 35 of Cheap Shot

Luke smiled at that because Thad could chirp with the best of them. Made sense though, he was a former hockey player.

It wasn’t the first time the team had done something like this. It had been a couple of years though and Connor had been the player the twelve-year-old boy had wanted to meet. Luke had never been picked before.

“I mean, yeah of course, I’ll do it,” Luke said. “Like I’m going to tell some sick kid ‘no, fuck off,’” he said with a laugh. “I mean, I’m an asshole but even I’m notthatmuch of an asshole.”

Thad grinned. “I dunno about that. But great. I’ll pass that along to Janine and she’ll get you up to speed on all the details.”

“Cool.” Luke held out a fist. “Thanks, man.”

Thad bumped back. “No, thankyou. This is going to make for some great media content.”

Luke groaned. He’d forgotten about that part. He fucking hated being in front of a camera. He should be used to it by now, and he was, but he still didn’t like it.

He’d happily leave that shit to Jesse and Tanner and Graham and Rafe.

Thad grinned. “Forgot about that part, huh?”

“Yeah,” Luke groused. “Fuckin’ A.”

“Ehh, just focus on her and you’ll be fine.”

It hit Luke then that Sebastian might be there. Shit. That was a nightmare and a half waiting to happen.

“Uh, so who comes along to these things, anyway?” he asked.

“Well, she can have two guests. I have no idea who she’ll pick, but most kids bring both their parents. Sometimes there’s a nurse or something too if it’s necessary but …”

“Right, got it,” Luke said, relieved.

It would be fine then. Harper would probably just bring her mom and dad. He hadnothingto worry about.

“Okay, and you’re going to listen to your body today, right?” Brie said as Harper walked between her and Sebastian on their way to the Harriers Community Ice Complex a week later. “And if you?—”

“Get tired or feel bad or need a break I’ll tell you!” Harper said, swinging their hands. “But I’m good, I promise, Mommy. You don’t have to worry.”

Brie gave Sebastian a weak smile over Harper’s head.

Sebastian nodded his understanding.

She worried. Of course she did. All good parents did—andfuckBrie’s ex for walking out on his wife and daughter like that—but especially because of everything Harper had been through in her life so far.

It was impossible for Brienotto worry about her. Or for Sebastian to stop worrying, for that matter. And he was just the guncle.

“And what else did we talk about?” Brie asked.

“I need to thank Mr. Luke and the bird men and allllll the people here because they’re doing something special for me.”

Sebastian smiled at the ‘bird men’. The Mr. Luke part was the bit that made Sebastian feel vaguely queasy.

It was one thing to come to games and shout crap at Crawford through the glass, then get face fucked by him after. It was quite another for Sebastian to show up at the practice rink with his sister and niece in tow and be forced to have a conversation with the man.

He couldn’t imagine Crawford would be any too happy about it either.

Sebastian shuddered like someone had just walked over his grave.

Honestly, he’dtriedto get out of the whole damn thing, but Harper had looked absolutely heartbroken at the idea of him not coming along on her special day. Even Brie had given him a weird look when he suggested that just the two of them go. She’d pulled him aside and said, “Look, I know you dislike the guy and you’re busy, but this is really important to her.”

Sebastian had caved.