Hard Checked (Ice Kings #4) - Stacey Lynn Page 0,30

last few minutes of the third period. “Tell Dad I’ll see him before he heads to work in the morning.”

He’s been a high school history teacher and soccer coach his entire career. Thirty-five years he’s taught and he still always, every morning, gets up early and goes for a run unless it’s too cold to be outside. Minnesota hasn’t had snow in the last few days and it’s only hitting a low of single digits overnight. As long as the brutal winds don’t hit, he’ll be out and back before I wake up.

“You don’t have to.”

“Doubt I’ll get much sleep anyway.” My mom’s lips press together into a frown and I kiss the top of her head. “Don’t worry about me, Mom. We’ll figure this out.”

“She’s a lovely girl,” Mom says, and I almost laugh. She’s called Madison a girl since she was eight, even though she’s grown now. “You know we love her.”

“I know.”

“But I also hope you know we love you more and just like we always have, we’re here to support you and love you with whatever happens.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. This is so damn embarrassing. I’m not even sure how much my own mom knows. How much Madison has confessed to her parents over the years because she always said she didn’t want anyone to know. With the way Mom’s looking at me now, something tells me she understands more than maybe even I do.

“Night.” I lean down and kiss her cheek, grab the bag I dropped in the small entryway as soon as I entered. “Love you.”

“You too, honey.”

Chapter Ten

Sebastian

This moment is such a stark reminder of the phone call I had with Ben Ritter only days ago it makes me wonder if I’m experiencing some kind of funky déjà vu.

Except that’s not possible because instead of refusing to put Madison on the phone, he’s currently on his front porch, small enough we both barely fit, blocking my view of the closed door behind him.

“Ben.”

His arms are crossed. Pain slashes his face every time I call him that. I’ve called him dad since I was eighteen. I’m not feeling very familial with him or the rest of the Ritter clan at the moment.

“You should be in Philadelphia.”

I don’t exactly like knowing he’s been following my games. Are they all sitting around, cheering me on while my wife refuses to see me? Or are they bashing me on the ice in solidarity of their daughter?

My hands ball into fists. “I need to see her.”

Behind him, the door opens and through the glass storm door, I get a glimpse of the fiery red head of hair I’d recognize anywhere. I step to Ben’s side and my jaw falls open.

“Madison.” Without thought, I reach for the door only to have my forearm gripped by Ben’s hand.

“Son…”

“I’m not your son. Not anymore.” I glare at Ben and quickly revert my attention to Madison.

She looks horrific. Sunken eyes with dark purple rings below them. She looks like she’s lost at least twenty pounds on a frame that didn’t have an ounce to lose. Her red hair is messy and wild, pulled into a mess at the top of her head with small pieces frizzed out along her temples and behind her ears.

“It’s okay, Dad,” she says, and I realize she hasn’t once looked at me. “I can handle this.”

Her voice is scratchy, sounding as wrecked as she looks and when Ben drops my arm, I yank the storm door open, take the one step into a house that has always felt like my own home and pull her into my arms.

Pale, thin, and cold even though she’s wrapped in layers of clothes and a chunky black sweater.

“Madison,” I say again on a breath.

Her arms are at her sides. Her entire body tenses. I hold her for a moment more, hoping she’ll relax into my hold.

My eyes burn and tears I’ve kept at bay for so long beckon and come forth. She smells the same, flowery and sweet, but she feels so much different.

Small hands come up to my chest, I barely feel them through the wool pea coat I grabbed before heading over.

“Sebastian.” She says my name with a small amount of pressure on my chest, pushing me back. “You shouldn’t be here. You have a game.”

“This is more important.”

“Madison, it’s cold outside,” Ben says, and I glare at him again.

He shakes his head and lifts his arm. “You kids go on in. I’ll go warm up