“Good.”
She nods and turns to Knox, and I walk away with Avery, kissing her forehead.
Reese is a chef who runs a homeless shelter for women and children. There’s an upscale restaurant attached to the shelter, and the residents do a lot of the work there. It’s a model I like supporting—helping people develop skills so they can support themselves when they’re back on their feet.
That’s what all the veterans I know want, too—just a hand up, not a handout. Giving them that hand up is what keeps me excited about working every day.
When I look around the ballroom, decorated with topiaries and flower garlands, I see other couples like Knox and Reese. Standing close together, laughing, exchanging quick kisses.
It makes me think of Winter, of course. If she brings her date back to my place for sex, I’m gonna shove the guy’s nut sac down his throat.
But wait—what if he takes her back to his place instead? I get tense all over as I imagine Winter walking into the apartment in the morning, hair messy and clothes wrinkled from being on another guy’s floor.
Avery seems to sense my mood. She wrinkles up her face and starts crying. I hold her close and hum a soft song, wishing I hadn’t come tonight. I’m not in the mood to socialize.
“Harry Stone!”
I feel a hand on my shoulder, accompanied by the sweet, potent perfume that’s the trademark of Polly Lambert. She’s a puck bunny who’s been chasing after Blaze players both active and retired for a couple years now. And I’m really not in the mood to deal with her.
“Hey, Polly,” I say, turning to face her.
She sees Avery and inhales sharply, her red lips forming an “O.” “So it’s true! You have a baby! Who’s the lucky girl?”
“Avery’s mother passed away, unfortunately.”
Polly’s whole face lights up. “I’m so sorry to hear that, Harry. I just adore babies. Can I hold her?”
“Oh, that’s uh…thanks, but she’s kinda fussy right now.”
Polly holds her arms out, grinning. “I’ll calm her right down. I’ve got a magic touch, you know, and I don’t just mean with babies.”
“There you are,” Mia Petrov, the wife of the current Blaze captain, says to me as she approaches us. “I heard you were here but I couldn’t find you. Durand wants to talk to you and then it’ll be time for your speech.” She gives Polly a quick glance and says, “Hey, Polly, glad you could make it.”
With that, she puts a hand on my back and leads me away.
“Thanks,” I say under my breath.
“She’s a fucking viper,” Mia mutters. “The guys are all riding Beau’s ass because he let Polly give him a blow job a couple weeks ago when he was wasted.”
After a single note of laughter, I say, “Him and plenty of other guys. Usually they’re just too embarrassed to admit it.”
Mia gives me a skeptical look. “Please tell me you haven’t been with that walking STD.”
“Fuck no,” I say, cringing.
“Good.” She stops walking and smiles at Avery. “She’s beautiful, Harry. Did you pick out her dress?”
Mia smoothes a hand over the shoulder of Avery’s soft red dress, which has a ruffled skirt and a matching giant red headband with a bow on it.
“No, that was…a friend,” I say, grateful Winter took care of picking an outfit for my daughter tonight. If I’d been responsible for it, she’d be wearing a sleeper.
“Your friend has great taste,” Mia says. “Now why don’t I take her because Durand actually does want to talk to you and then it’ll be time for your speech.”
“And here I thought you were saving me from Polly.”
“I wasn’t going to get you for a few more minutes, so I’m still expecting full credit,” Mia says as I pass Avery to her.
“She ate two hours ago and I changed her half an hour ago,” I say. “She might be a little tired, but she likes it when you walk. And her Binky is in the diaper bag.”
Mia arches her brows, impressed. She looks like she’s about to say something but then she presses her lips closed.
“Surprised I’m actually good at this parenting thing?” I quip.
She smiles sheepishly. “I’d say more impressed than surprised. Good for you, Harry.”
“I’ve got some help; she’s just not here tonight.”
“Like a nanny, or…?”
“No, she’s…not a nanny.”
“Ah.” Mia smiles knowingly. “Well, I’m happy for you.”
“Don’t be happy for me just yet.” I shake my head. “She hates me.”
Mia laughs, gently bouncing Avery in her arms. “Oh, well by the look on your face, I thought she was your girlfriend.”
“I want her to be,” I admit. “But she’s on a date with another man tonight.”
“She’s in a relationship?”
“No, it’s a blind date.” I sigh heavily. “But if it goes well, I guess she might be in one soon.”
“Why does she hate you?”
I shrug. “It started with a misunderstanding. And she’s stubborn as shit, so she won’t let herself think I could be any different than her preconceived notions of me.”