Filed to story: Luci Forrester and Easton Reed: Hockey Romance Story
“You think we could start putting laxatives in Fuckphries tumbler each week to get out of practice early?” Becker asks on the way home. We got out of practice after only thirty minutes because he had the shits and after his third run for the border, he returned all shaky and sweaty telling us to leave. It had been extremely difficult to not laugh at his misery which makes me as awful as him. But f**k it, it couldn’t happen to a more shitty individual. I may have to share that witty pun with them later.
“Did you…” I turn and look at him suspiciously in the back seat. Jackson is driving his tank SUV today. He eyes Becker in the rear view mirror.
“No, but I was quite inspired by his face tonight. Just a thought for the future.” He shrugs and we all consider it seriously for a minute.
“Might be better than trying to climb an equipment shelf to get to a vent.” Jackson says dryly, giving me serious side eye.
“It was effective.” I shrug, looking out the window. Took freaking forever to heal. Luci had been right, it wasn’t my brightest moment, but I was desperate at the time.
The mere thought of her name brings her back to the forefront of my mind, which is where she f*****g lives it seems like. It’s been ten days since the carnival and eight since I told Maxton Porter that Luci was off limits. Every night since then, I’ve made sure I get to see her. To make sure he hasn’t messed with her again. Knowing she gets lost in her head scares me. He could sneak up behind her and hurt her. I’ve taken to spying on her when she tucks Cole into bed by herself. Listening to her tell him what to dream about each night has become something I look forward to almost as much as he does. Sweetness has that wonderland imagination for sure and hearing him giggle or add to her idea gives me all those damn warm feelings. Jackson nears the front door when I spot a black truck I don’t recognize. A burly guy is climbing out of it. He’s got blonde hair and wearing military fatigues. “Uh, we have company?” Kingston says slowly. We hurry to exit and grab our bags. He turns and I meet his bright blue eyes in the lights from the path.
“You must be Barrett’s father.” I recognize the family resemblance to Barrett and Sydney as we near him. “I’m Banning Olmos. I assume you are the Reed brothers.” He stands narrowing his eyes as he looks us over. His head slowly moves from left to right before he steps forward to give us each an extremely firm handshake. “I appreciate you allowing my son to come play.”
“You are more than welcome, Sergeant. We and Cole love having him. Thank you for your service,” Jackson tells him. Baker taught us all ranks and about being thankful to our men in service. Dad did too.
He nods slightly with the hint of a smile for a second. “I appreciate that. You recognize my rank. I heard your butler is a Marine Corps veteran. “Now which one of you is Easton?” He growls my name a bit.
I flip my hand up off the strap of my bag. “That would be me.”
He straightens fully. “I don’t appreciate you yelling at my Luci. Barrett says you apologized, but it will not happen again now that I am home. My Luci Lou is to be treated well. We clear?”
Becker mutters under his breath. “s**t East you did it now.”
HIS Luci, what the f**k is that supposed to mean?! I thought they were friends only. “Crystal. I was in the wrong that day and I admitted it. I had bad intel. She treats my son well,”
He nods, his face not softening at all. I can fight, but this guy would probably wipe the floor with me. Depending on what we are fighting over…. “Good. I don’t give second warnings.”
“Noted.” I say quietly and motion for him to follow us inside. I step very deliberately inside and drop my stuff by the door. “They are probably in the playroom.”
Jackson takes one look at my face and raises an eyebrow. He knows I’m pissed. Did she lie to me about him? She swore he’s like her big brother when I asked her after the dance party. Without saying a word, Jackson falls into step next to me. I hear Becker and Kingston’s feet too. I open the door quietly to find them building some huge fort. Cole’s dragon is apparently attacking it. Luci looks up and I see her whole face light up in a big smile that burns me from the inside out. She practically glows like the f*****g sun at him. She nudges Barrett, who turns and his face explodes with joy, which softens me a little. He takes off running and I see tears in Banning’s eyes as he scoops him up. “DAD! You’re home early!”
“Surprise champ. I missed you so much. You gotta stop growing when I leave.” He holds him, listening to Barrett chatter like crazy. Barrett finally pulls away as Cole bounces eagerly, watching them.
“Dad, this is Cole, my best friend not at school.” That touches my heart too. Cole grins widely and walks to his friend.
Banning kneels down and holds his hand out to Cole, who reaches out to shake it like we and Baker taught him. Banning makes an impressed face. “Well, hello Mr. Cole. I am quite impressed with your handshake. Someone is raising you right. Thank you for being Barrett’s friend.”
“You’re welcome, Barrett’s daddy.” He chuckles at that and Luci moves in to hug him.
“Hey Luci Lou. You look prettier than ever.” She shakes her head, pushing on his chest.
“Flatterer! You got more tan, so not fair.” She leans in closer to him to talk softer. “He’s been hoping every night for you to come home.”
He stares at Barrett like a devoted dad. “Me too. Thank you for helping with him.”
Cole realizes we’re here too after Luci nudges him and points at me. “DADDY!” He comes running and I can’t help but smile as I catch him.
Baker knocks on the open door. “I hope you will join us for dinner, Sergeant. I’m Baker. You have been raising an admirable young man there. Luci, will you stay too?”
She is already opening her mouth to refuse and I override her. “Yes she’s staying. We need to talk about the next hockey game she’s bringing him to in two nights.”
She turns shocked eyes to me and I keep my expression blank. “It’s new, Luci.” I add quickly to head off her fear that she forgot something. She gives me a grateful smile that’s a fraction of the one Banning got. I huff to myself.
“Baker, we got any popcorn for later?” Becker asks with very innocent face. Jackson and I both turn to give him a baleful look. He blinks too many times, holding that look tenuously. Chief troublemaker should have been his damn name.
Baker expanded the breakfast table so we can all fit. Barrett and Cole tell Banning everything he’s missed. I find myself silently chuckling at Cole telling him all about their playdates. Luci watches them both smiling.
She is serene. I heard that word today and thought of her. She can worry and panic like a trapped rabbit. Which in some ways is adorable. It also scares the f**k out of me when I have to witness it. But serenity is her gift when she’s safe. Barrett’s voice breaks into my thoughts about her. “And then Luci said she’d pick me up from school dressed like that to barrass me.” He frowns at Luci, who laughs softly.
Banning turns to wink at her, which only further pisses me off, “Luci would do that too. Better mind yourself around her.”
“I would. One more person to laugh at me won’t make much difference.” She tells him threateningly.
“She was teaching me to dance with a LADY. Her and Aunt Syd. Dad! Did you really teach them to dance?” Barrett scowls hard and Kingston snickers at him.
Banning gives Luci a stern look and she holds up her hands. “When he’s thirty. Not a millisecond before then.” He sighs. “I did. They had to learn with me. I made them. Remember when I teach something, it helps me stay in focus with the lesson and learn it better.” Luci nods along with him. Wait, does he also have an issue with focus?
Barrett yawns and so does Cole. Banning chuckles and ruffles Barrett’s hair. “I should get him home. Thank you very much for dinner. I’d love to come back and talk with you, Mr. Baker.”
“Please do. I am most impressed with Barrett’s handshakes and eye contact. Also, he is very protective of Luci and Sydney.”
Banning smiles fondly at his son. “I plan to teach him to be a proper gentleman who can break bones if he needs to. My parents are a huge influence, as is Sydney and my Luci Lou here.”