Filed to story: Luci Forrester and Easton Reed: Hockey Romance Story
“Thank you, Luci!” he exclaims, hugging her tightly after she adjusts it on his head. “I really love you, Luci. Like really real,” he says earnestly, his eyes wide with sincerity.
“I love you too, Coco,” she replies, a hint of surprise in her voice.
I grab the cookies after putting on my hat, and Luci’s grin widens as she sees it. When I lift her into her seat, I tap her head playfully. “Where’s your hat to match us?”
She frowns slightly, her expression thoughtful. “I was supposed to have Cindy Lou Who hair, but it didn’t show up.”
I can’t help but laugh at that as I head to my seat, the warmth of the morning and the joy of the moment wrapping around us like a cozy blanket.
The fire station, usually buzzing with activity, now hosts only a handful of visitors. As we pull into the parking lot, my eyes immediately catch sight of Banning and Barrett. Banning raises a hand in greeting, and I hear Luci instruct Cole to dash over to them. The moment he bounds off, excitement bubbling in his voice, I heft the three boxes of cookies that Luci had packed for the firefighters. A part of me can’t help but hope that today won’t require me to confront a fireman in front of my son.
“Hey Luci Lou!” Banning calls out, extending his hand toward her. He’s trying hard not to break into a grin, but the corners of his mouth betray him.
“You can hug her,” I say, giving in reluctantly to the moment. Banning lets out a short, amused bark of laughter at my words.
As soon as he releases her, she rushes toward the boys, eager to join in their spirited chatter. Banning turns to me, his hand outstretched, a slight smile playing on his lips. I take his hand, giving it a firm shake. “I’m no threat, Easton. I hope she explained that. I’m her big brother.”
“Yeah, she made that abundantly clear,” I admit, the memory of that night at the house still fresh in my mind. “You definitely got under my skin.”
He nods slowly, his gaze following Luci as she leads the boys to a table adorned with fire hats and tiny plastic axes. “I get it. You don’t like anyone else getting too close to her, no matter how innocent it might seem.”
“That’s a civil description,” I reply softly, my voice low. “It’s more like I want to rip their heads off.”
Banning nods knowingly. “You and I are a lot alike then. Let’s go help her out.”
I watch as Luci waves to a couple of guys by one of the ambulances, leaning down to speak with Cole. “Cole, this is Warner and Ari. They took us to the hospital the day we met.”
“Hey buddy,” Warner greets, and I step forward, feeling the need to introduce myself.
“I’m his dad. Thank you for helping him that day,” I say, my gratitude sincere.
Luci, ever the thoughtful one, snatches the heaviest box of cookies and presents it to them. “These are for you. I wanted to say thank you.”
“Doing our job,” Warner replies, but his smile widens as he adds, “We appreciate all forms of cookie tribute.” Ari, grinning, dives into the box, already searching for the best treats.
We chat for a few more moments before the horn of the fire truck blares, signaling the start of their show. The boys immediately find seats among the other excited kids, their faces lit up with anticipation. The fire truck is decked out with lights and decorations, ready for the festivities. Five firemen approach, and within moments, I can already sense the trouble brewing. Banning leans closer to me, his voice barely above a whisper. “Ten and two.”
“Yep,” I agree, my arm instinctively wrapping around Luci’s waist, pulling her closer.
One of the firemen is shamelessly winking at two of the other moms, and I silently hope he stays over there. Luci’s attention is fixed on Cole and Barrett, who are entranced by the firemen as they explain all the fun features of the truck. They also give a quick safety lesson about the dangers of Christmas lights and decorations catching fire, which I appreciate.
Then, they start decorating the truck, asking the kids where they think certain pieces should go. Cole turns to us, his face beaming with happiness. “He’s a happy kid,” Banning observes, and I can’t help but smile at the sight of Cole’s joy.
“I was wondering if he might like to come for a sleepover next weekend,” Banning continues, his tone casual. “Barrett has been begging for it. We’re going to stay with my parents Friday night. My mom likes to do a movie night for the kids. He wants Cole to be there. I could keep him until the hockey game on Saturday and then bring him to Luci. Unless you think he’s too young?”
I ponder his suggestion for a moment. “I think he’d love it, but let me talk to him first. I want to make sure he knows he’ll be sleeping somewhere else.”
“Very fair,” Banning nods. “And if he gets scared or homesick, I can always bring him back home.”
The whole event culminates with the kids being allowed to sit in the fire truck and turn on the lights. Luci captures the moment with her camera before handing each boy a box of cookies. I take this opportunity to move closer to her, feeling a surge of protectiveness. Trouble number one is already engrossed with the two other single moms, leaving Barrett and Cole to hand their cookie boxes over to two firefighters. The first is the station captain, and the second is the troublemaker in a sleeveless shirt, his muscles flexing as he speaks.
“Thanks, guys, for the cookies. You like the truck decorations for tonight?” the captain asks the boys.
“Yes! It’s going to be so bright!” Cole exclaims, his enthusiasm contagious.
Barrett nods vigorously. “We can tell everyone we picked the decorations.”
The muscle-bound firefighter turns his attention to Luci, flashing her a wide smile before his gaze drops to her left hand. I can’t help but stifle a laugh. “Sorry, but you look way too young to be their mom. Big sister, maybe?”
“She’s our Luci,” Cole declares firmly, and pride swells in my chest. I want to high-five my son for his loyalty, but I quickly remind him not to share her name with just anyone.
I wrap my arm around Luci’s waist, my hand resting possessively on her hip. “Yes, she is,” I assert, narrowing my eyes at the firefighter. He meets my gaze and gives a tight nod.
“Well, I hope you boys enjoy the light parade tonight. And Luci, if you’re ever free, you’re always welcome around here, with or without cookies,” he adds, his tone friendly.
Just then, Banning’s voice cuts through the moment. “Wow, I see why you chose a dangerous profession. You like living on the edge,” he quips, giving a low whistle before motioning for the boys to follow him.
“I’ve been known to push people off the edge,” I warn him coldly, turning to guide Luci away with me.
“Feel better?” she asks playfully, and I glance over to see Banning helping the boys with some game. Catching his eye, I mouth “five minutes,” and he nods with a smirk.
“No,” I reply, resisting the urge to throw her over my shoulder as I lead her to the big doors and around the side of the building. Pressing her against the wall, I kiss her fiercely, gripping her hips to hold her in place. As my tongue explores her mouth, she surrenders with a soft moan, driving me wild. Needing air, I pull away, kissing along her jaw before nipping her earlobe. “You’re mine, Luci, and I will remind anyone who needs it that you are. Any problems with that, sweetness?” My hands slip under her sweatshirt, caressing the bare skin on her sides, and I feel all my frustration from having to ignore her this morning in front of Dad spill into my words. I want to claim her, to reinforce that she belongs beside me and is not for anyone else to pursue.
“No,” she mumbles, and I cup her cheek, kissing her again.