Hot Puck (Rough Riders Hockey 2)

“Bingo. You’re good at this game.”

Beckett closed his eyes on a sigh. “Does she want money?”

“Probably, but didn’t say so outright,” she said cryptically. “I think lunch sounds great. Let’s do that when you get home.”

Which translated into Kim wanting to see Beckett. “You’re fucking kidding me.”

“Nope.”

He growled, collected himself, then said, “Okay, turn on FaceTime.”

He leaned forward, resting elbows on knees, and a second later, Lily’s angelic face, lit by the phone’s screen, appeared. She was snuggled into bed beside Sarah.

“Hi, Daddy.”

The melancholy tone in her voice broke Beckett’s heart. “Hey, baby,” he said gently, trying to sound upbeat. “Having a hard time sleeping tonight?”

She nodded and pulled a stuffed bear tighter.

“I’m sorry. I’ll tell you what, if you get back to sleep soon, I’ll call in the morning and we can spend some time on Club Penguin together.”

Her face lit up like a sparkler in the dark. “Really?”

“Really.” He grinned, his heart lightening. “I still have to beat you at karate.”

She smiled and sat a little straighter. The new excitement washed the shadows away. “And I have enough money to stay in the Puffle Hotel.”

He raised his brows. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. And I’m going to take my Puffles to the pool and the spa. And the gift shop there has the cutest Puffle hats ever.”

“Ever?” Beckett asked.

Around him, the guys were laughing at him, and he didn’t gi

ve a shit. His daughter was smiling.

“Ever.” She nodded emphatically. Then her eyes darted around the screen. “Where are you? Who’s laughing?”

“I’m in the locker room. We just finished the game.”

“When can I come to a game?”

Beckett sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. He didn’t like that idea. The thought of fielding all her questions about why he was so mean on the ice wasn’t appealing. “Uh…”

“Do I hear Miss Lily’s voice?” Andre asked.

“Who’s that?” Lily asked, perking up and peering at the screen as if she’d be able to see someone else.

“You can’t tell from my voice?” Andre said.

“Um…” Her face scrunched up the way it did when Beckett asked her to sound out a word. “You sorta sound like Gru in Despicable Me.”

Sarah giggled in the background.

Andre looked at Beckett with his hands held out palms up, like who the hell is that? Beckett shook his head. But a couple of the other guys busted up laughing.

“She’s right,” Emet said. “He does.” Emet Mattheson had four kids under the age of eight and glanced at the others on the team with young kids. “You know that movie with the minions? The little yellow guys?” When others recognized the description, Emet added, “The little girls’ father, Gru.”