Hard Checked (Ice Kings #4) - Stacey Lynn Page 0,33

some damn help. Mentally. Professionally. She needs it, and she’s never been willing to take that truth from me when I’ve tried to get it for her.”

I walk to my door, forcing him to take a step back and swing myself up into the driver’s seat. Before I close the door, I look at the man who’s been my father-in-law, my supporter, a great man and provider with four incredible girls, other sons by marriage, five grandbabies. He’s a man who wants to help everyone, and I know he’ll do right by Madison.

I’m done hiding the truth for her. She needs the help and clearly it can no longer come from me.

He glances at his house, back to me, face paling in a way that has nothing to do with the weather. “We… we didn’t know.”

I already knew that.

“Take care, Ben. Of Madison and yourself. You’re a good man.”

Before he can answer, I pull my door closed and back out of their driveway.

By the time I’m at the street, he’s thrown one cigarette into the snow and is digging a fresh one out of the pack.

Three days later, after a loss our second night in Pittsburgh, we win against Dallas.

I don’t score but I block the hell out of the goal for Maddox.

But I play well enough for Coach to lose the concerned look he gave me when I showed up at the arena.

We’re getting ready to board the plane to Charlotte where I’ll head back to my empty home and it’s the last place I want to be.

Somehow, seeing Madison gave me a little bit of what I wanted. Closure, in a form I don’t particularly like and am pissed off about, but there’s a sense of freedom that’s been lifted.

I’m no longer holding her dirty, dark secret as she calls it. Now, hopefully, she can get what she really needs from her family instead of internalizing everything.

I turn to Jason once we’re seated on the plane. “Listen, I know you’ve been gone a while, but—”

“George’s?” he asks and this is why he’s such a damn good friend.

“Yeah. If that’s all right. I could use a night.”

To get it all off my chest. To go home so tired and slightly drunk I fall asleep as soon as I get home.

“I’m here, man. Anytime.”

I hold up my fist and he hits his against mine. “Thanks, man.”

Chapter Eleven

Gigi

I’m worried and it’s stupid. It makes me stupid for being worried, and yet I’ve bitten off more fingernails from nerves in the last few days than I have in years.

Sebastian wasn’t at their game in Philadelphia a few nights ago. Announcers said it was a personal decision made by him and the coach, and that’s all he’d give.

He’s back tonight in Dallas, playing well, and while announcers are speculating during the game on his strange absence considering he’s having one of the best seasons of his career and he doesn’t appear injured, I’m still worried.

Which is what makes me stupid. Also, because I went for a hike yesterday back to Crowder’s Mountain. As if hiking to the top of the peak would make me understand what’s going on with him.

It’s none of my business, but I can’t help it.

I’m crushing on a guy whose marriage is going through a really serious time… I feel as small and icky as a cockroach I squashed outside earlier just thinking about it.

He needs a friend, not a girl who’d strip him down and take advantage of him if given the opportunity.

Not that I’d do that, but I definitely have spent some time imagining it since the hike we went on and he opened up to me.

Still, I’m foolish, being distracted by my libido and his sexy beard when I should be focused on enjoying one of my rare nights off. And this is how silly I am because I’m spending my night off work, at the bar, sitting on the opposite side of where I serve drinks. I’ve watched the game down here because I don’t have a television upstairs and now I’m chomping on some seriously awesome nachos, kicking it with my dad and Steve and surprisingly, there is a rather large crowd of guys about my age near the pool table who look like they’re having their own celebration.

Based on the wrinkled and rolled up dress shirts and collars that have lost their ties and the fact they’re all wearing black suit pants, I’ve placed a bet of fifty dollars one of them just