Dean (Face-Off 6)
After I add some pancake batter to the hot pan, I turn around to meet her gaze. “When I look at you, I don’t see anyone else, Kitten. You’ve always been the prettiest girl in the room, in my opinion.”
She stretches her arms across the island, and I slip my fingers between hers. A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth, my expression mirroring hers. This moment is perfect. From the day I met her, I had dreamed of something more, something better, and now, I have it with Kat.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Kat
The Wells Fargo Center is on fire tonight. With the Flyers in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the crowd hums with excitement. Fans in the seats below us are going insane, hands raised in the air along with foam fingers. Fights are breaking out all over the place. Philly fans are pretty intense. I’ve learned that over the years of living in the city. But now that Dean plays for the Flyers, I notice it even more.
The few people brave enough to wear Capitals jerseys are getting heckled by their seatmates. I can see them going at it right below our box. Dean and his team worked their asses off to get into the playoffs. I’m so damn proud of Dean that I grin like an idiot as I sit next to my dad in a luxury box. Go figure the Flyers are playing the Washington Capitals, Duke’s team. How convenient?
“Oh, look.” Dad points down at the ice. “Duke’s in again.”
Duke’s twenty game suspension was lifted before the start of the playoffs. Even though he’s apologized several times to Dean, I still don’t believe him. He says it through gritted teeth every single time as if he can’t stand the thought of admitting he was wrong. My brother is a difficult person to know and love. He means well, I know he does, but when it comes to Dean, I’m just as protective of him as my brothers are of me. I don’t like anyone messing with him, especially not my own family. They’re supposed to have my back.
“I swear to God, if he goes anywhere near Dean, I’m going to march down there and punch him in the face.”
My dad laughs. “He knows better, honey.” He pats me on the back. “I told Duke if he ever tries that with Dean again he’s out of the family.”
I snort so hard I spit. “No, you didn’t. I bet he loved that.”
“I thought he was going to cry. You know your brother. He’s very… passionate. He feels everything but keeps it all inside.”
“I wonder where he gets that from,” I joke, wiggling my eyebrows at him.
“Duke’s still upset he’s not Noah’s godfather.”
“I would’ve picked him if he hadn’t acted like an asshole.”
“Your brother has a big heart. He’s just misunderstood.”
“Dad,” I groan. “Please, would you listen to yourself? Duke is not misunderstood. He’s just full of rage. I bet he loved smashing in Dean’s face. He’s lucky Dean looks like himself again.”
“Honey,” Dad hedges. “This is your hormones talking. I know you don’t mean anything you’re saying about Duke.”
“He makes me so mad,” I spit back. “Why does he always have to be so rude to Dean? We’re going to get married one day, and Duke will part of our wedding. He’ll be the godfather of our next child. So, he needs to get with the program and get his butt into therapy.”
“He went through league-mandated anger management
already,” he says with a wicked smile.
“That worked well,” I deadpan as I watch Duke throw one of the Flyers into the boards like some maniac.
My dad chuckles, giving Duke an approving look as he watches him go to town on the ice. “Duke is still seeing the therapist they assigned to him. He seems to like her. He talks to her.”
I raise a curious eyebrow. “It doesn’t seem to be working.”
“On the ice,” he says, “it’s Duke’s job to rough people up.”
“Yeah, I know, Dad. I played hockey for years. I know why he’s doing it, but I think Duke likes it way too much.”
“You haven’t been around him much lately. I think the doctor is getting through to him.”
“Does he like her?”
Dad smirks.
I shake his arm. “Hey, what are you hiding from me?”