She chuckles. “You just waited until Dean got drafted into the NHL.”
“Okay, Dr. Smart Ass,” I say with a mock attitude. “Laugh it up.” I press my lips to her earlobe, and she shivers. “Keep teasing me, and we’ll see what happens when we get home.”
“Duke,” Lila says, her blue eyes wide. She presses her finger to her lips. “Be quiet.”
No one can hear me over the cheers inside the rink.
I look to my left, where Max is on the ice, practicing with her teammates. She sweeps the puck from left to right to dodge her opponent. Max has some skills. With a few more years of practice, she might be as good as Kat was at her age. Kat was the best player on the ice. Much like this league, most of the girls had no idea what they were doing.
Max’s eyes lift from the ice, and she looks over at Lila and me. She waves her gloved hand, smiling with her mouthpiece showing.
After their warm-up ends, Max skates over to us and rips out her mouthguard. “Duke,” she says, spitting a little bit. “Coach said I can start this game.”
“Of course, he did. You’re the best player on the team.”
Max leans in, moving between Lila and me. “The girls on my team kind of suck,” she says under her breath.
“Max,” Lila says, laughing. “Don’t let them hear you say that.”
She holds up her hands and shrugs. “It’s true, Mommy.”
A whistle blows, and Max glances over her shoulder at her coach.
Lila pats the top of Max’s helmet. “Have a good game, baby. We’ll be in the stands rooting for you.”
I raise my hand, and Max gives me a high-five. “Go get ‘em, Mad Max.”
She laughs at my nickname for her and then skates toward her bench. This is Max’s first game with her team, and as usual, her dad has flaked on her again. Ted promised to come to her practices, all of which he called at the last minute to cancel. Some he didn’t even show up at all. He’s worse than my dad. At least my father called ahead of time, so we could prepare ourselves for the disappointment.
We take our seats in the front row, leaving extra space for Ted in case he shows. A few of the fathers surrounding us glance in my direction. A dark-haired guy taps the middle-aged man next to him and nods at me. I raise my hand to acknowledge them. Both of their mouths drop when I confirm their suspicions. All of the parents on Max’s team know me. They’re used to seeing me in the stands and sometimes on the ice to help the coach.
Youth hockey games are painfully slow and almost excruciating to watch as an adult. But this game… It’s worse than watching paint dry. Max is the only highlight so far. She’s taken seven shots already, two of which almost went into the net. The goalie on the other team has no hand-eye coordination, but somehow, she managed to knock the puck away at the last minute. Max pouted all the way back to the bench.
Midway through the game, a familiar face appears. Father of the Year strolls down the row toward us, talking on his cell phone. Ted doesn’t even glance at the ice. He doesn’t even notice we’re here until he almost trips over my shoe. Asshole.
“I’ll call you back in five,” Ted says and then looks down me. He narrows his eyes at me. “Duke, what are you doing here?”
The sight of him makes my skin crawl.
“Someone has to show up for Max,” I snap.
Ted’s nostrils flare. “How dare you? She’s my daughter.”
“Then, act like it,” I growl, balling my hands into fists.
He clutches the phone in his hand, his jaw set in anger. “You have no right.”
“Yes, he does,” Lila says. “Duke has shown up for Max every time she’s needed him.”
Ted shoots daggers at Lila. “You think you can replace her father?”
“Stop it, Ted!” Lila covers her face with her hands and sighs.
Fueled by my rage, I stand up, towering over Ted. I want to Hulk Smash him into the ground. He would deserve it. A shitty father like Ted deserves the same ass-kicking I gave to Dean. The same one I gave my dad back in high school. But I’m a changed man now. I can control my anger.
Lila tugs on my shirt with a pleading look in her eyes. It takes every ounce of energy to keep me from choking this prick. For Lila and Max, I have to be a better man.
“No one is trying to replace you.” I cross my arms over my chest, and Ted steps back. “Now, sit down and shut up. You’re ruining the game for everyone. And next time, show up on time.”