Steele (Arizona Vengeance 9)

Kane frowns. “I don’t know Ella since y’all separated around the time I came to the team, but she’s been a team wife a long time. She knows that travel is just part of the job.”

“Of course she does,” I rush to defend her. “And she didn’t mind the travel. It was more that when I was home, my attention wasn’t going to her. I often chose other hockey activities, extra workouts, or hanging with my teammates over spending time with her. I got complacent. Thought things were great because we were still dynamite in the sack. I missed all the warning signs, and I didn’t listen when she tried to tell me she was sad and lonely.”

“Say no more, my man,” Kane commiserates with a heavy hand on my shoulder. “I’d suggest you make your bold move sooner rather than later. If she’s dating someone, you don’t want him to make a bolder move first.”

“She’s going on a date tomorrow, and we’re leaving the day after for an extended road trip,” I mutter, hating more than ever the fact I have to travel for my job. For the first time in my career, I resent it when, before, it was just an accepted part of my job.

“You could crash her date,” Kane suggests wickedly.

“I think that ship has sailed.” I laugh, thinking about how pissed she was when I crashed her date at the food festival.

“Baden is having surgery next week,” Kane murmurs, and my chin jerks inward at such an abrupt change of subject.

He’s talking about the Vengeance’s backup goalie from last year. Currently, he’s on injured reserve, having suffered a horrible spinal injury. He intervened with a group of guys who were trying to mug a woman. After being stabbed multiple times, he was beaten with a crowbar. One of the blows from the crowbar on his back caused a spinal contusion and left him with almost complete paralysis in his legs. He’s had one surgery already and has been in a rehab hospital here in Phoenix, but he’s undergoing a new type of surgery next week to hopefully help him regain functional use of his legs.

“What’s your point?” I ask. Everyone on the team is completely up to speed on Baden’s treatment, recovery, and prognosis, which isn’t all that promising. We get almost daily updates—not only from management but also from teammates who visit him. We all rotate, so he has someone going to see him every day when we’re in town.

“My point is I bet there’s not a minute that goes by that Baden doesn’t ponder everything he wished he’d done before losing his legs. We are never guaranteed tomorrow, so in my opinion, you should not wait another moment to pull out your bold move. You want your wife back? Then I suggest you get on it. Now.”

This truth hits me hard. In my mind, I think I considered this sort of a marathon, figuring Ella needed time to come around. I also needed time to prove I could be the man she needs as she won’t just accept my word for it.

But while that might be true, it doesn’t mean I can’t be a bit more forward in my approach. Like Kane said, there’s another man competing for her attention.

An idea starts to brew even though Ella’s going on a date tomorrow. I’m leaving the next day for an extended road trip, but I’m definitely going to make my move sooner rather than later.CHAPTER 6SteeleMy emotions are a mixed bag tonight. I get to spend a little unanticipated time with Lucy, but my guts are burning up over Ella’s date with David. And I can’t even call him Mr. Ordinary anymore because clearly a robotics surgeon who dotes on my wife makes him more pretty extraordinary.

Good thing I have my plan in place to pull out my big move on Ella. She won’t see it coming, which is part of the plan.

For now, I have the pleasure of picking Lucy up tonight to give her a ride to hang with friends. She’s been invited to an overnight birthday slumber party. One of her friend’s parents was going to pick her up, but that fell through. At the last minute, Ella asked if I minded, and, of course, I did not.

When I ring the doorbell, I can hear Lucy pounding down the stairs, yelling, “I got it.”

The door flies open and she blinks in surprise, but quickly masks it. “Hey, Dad. You’re a little early.”

“Yeah, I know,” I reply, stepping in. Clearly, she thought I was David, who I happen to know is picking up Ella around this time. “But I was in the area, so I thought you might be ready.”

“I’m not,” Lucy chirps, shutting the door. “Need about another five minutes. I’ll be right back down.”