Prince Pucking Charming

I laugh so hard, I snort.

Max reminds me so much of Kat when she was her age that my chest feels like it’s going to cave in. Tears burn my eyes, but I attempt to keep them at bay. Looking away from Dr. Devine and Max, I suck in a deep breath. Doc touches my shoulder, and I turn to meet her intense gaze. She’s worried about me. For the first time in my life, someone other than a family member has struck a chord.

“You okay, Duke?”

I lower my head in shame. “I failed her.”

She tightens her grip on my shoulder. “Who?”

“My sister.”

We share a moment of silence.

She glances at Max and then to me as if she understands for the first time why I’m here. “Want to talk about it?”

“Maybe next time. I have to get going.”

She presses her lips together and nods. “Next time, I want to hear all about your sister.”

“Let me know when you want to take Max to a Caps game,” I say to change the subject.

“You don’t have to,” she says. “Max just says stuff. She doesn’t know any better.”

“No, it’s okay. I want to take both of you.”

“We can’t date,” she challenges. “You’re my patient. This is… unprofessional. And you’re my patient…”

“You already said that,” I shoot back with a wink. “We can watch a game together as...”

What would that make us?

“As friends,” she says.

Like Kat and Dean? Yeah, well, they obviously weren’t just friends. Friendship isn’t possible with a woman.

Anger bubbles up inside my chest, my rage coursing through my veins. I want to smash Dean’s face against the boards all over again. But when Lila curls her fingers around my wrist, I forget about everything but her.

“Sure,” I choke out. “We can be friends.”

Chapter Ten

Delilah

I sit at the kitchen table with Max and watch her do her homework. She doesn’t need my help. Her work is right every time I check it. So, I keep her company, sipping tea as she finishes the last problem on the page.

“All done,” Max declares, dropping the pencil onto the table. “Can I have a cookie now?”

I flip open the tin at the center of the table and offer it to Max. She reaches inside and pulls out three chocolate chip cookies, stuffing one of them into her mouth.

“Mommy,” she says between bites, “when are we going to the game with Duke?”

“I already told you, baby. I don’t know if we can.”

“What does your work have to do with hockey?”

“Ever hear the expression ‘Don’t mix business with pleasure’?”

I know she does before she nods. This girl Googles everything. I couldn’t keep her off the iPad if I tried. She carries it around with her, tucked under her arm, almost everywhere she goes. Some nights, she even falls asleep with it on her chest. I love that she loves to learn. It’s good for children to be curious.