“But—”
“Gavin,” Harper warns, and when he grumbles, I pipe up, unable to handle the sad look on his face. I’m going to be such a pushover when I’m a dad. That thought makes me laugh, because until these two, I never gave much consideration to it before, assuming that women want the Rule Breaker, not the guy I really am.
“Hey, wait a second.” I go to the hall closet to grab another hat for Holden. Gavin’s eyes light up.
Gavin wraps his hands around my waist and gives me a big hug. “Thanks Liam. I wish you could be my daddy.”
My pulse jumps, and I swallow, not knowing how to answer that. It breaks my fucking heart to think his father left without a backward glance. I drop to one knee, and give him a little nudge on the chin. “I’m your big brother,” I say.
“I know, but—”
“Gavin, grab your bag,” Harper says, cutting him off and he drags his feet when he goes back to the kitchen. Harper sucks in a little breath. “Sorry about that.”
“Yeah,” is all I say, my brain taking a moment to consider what it would be like to be Gavin’s father. Problem is, I’m not really seeing a downside. Jesus, what the hell is wrong with me?
She gives a big sigh. “Maybe staying here wasn’t such a great idea. I mean my ankle—”
“No,” I say quickly, maybe too quickly judging by the look on her face. “It’s just for a little while longer, before I head to training.”
She frowns, and I want to grab her and kiss her until she’s smiling again, but I can’t, not with Gavin walking back into the room. I brush my knuckles against hers and her body physically reacts, and I like that I can do that to her.
She gives me a wobbly smile. “As long as we’re not in your way.”
“Not in my way,” I say, and wink to lighten things. “I like all the perks.” She rolls her eyes. “What, don’t you?”
“You know I do,” she says quietly, then claps her hands. “Okay let’s get this show on the road.” She grabs the cake and we all head outside.
The second we hit the driveway, I know something isn’t right. I glance up and see the news van, and a reporter coming our way as the cameraman captures footage of us all.
“Liam, can I have a minute of your time?”
Beside me, Harper goes stiff, and I take a moment to consider what Jeremy said about the two of us. Had he set this up? Normally I wouldn’t care, would play up to the camera for my fans, but Harper isn’t okay with this, and I guess I don’t blame her. She’s a single mom doing her best to raise her son. She didn’t sign on for having her face splashed in the papers with mine.
“Not a good time,” I say, and he shoves a microphone in my face. I’m about one second from grabbing it and smashing it, but stop when Harper’s hand lands on my back.
“You go ahead, Liam. Your fans will want this and it’s good for your career. I’ll get Gavin into the car. We’ll wait for you.”
While I appreciate her thoughtfulness, I don’t want to put this guy and his interview before her and Gavin. Then again, I have no doubt Jeremy set this up for the exact purpose of cleaning up my image with this wholesome woman and her son. She backs up, takes Gavin’s hand, and they both climb into my truck.
“What do you want to know?”
“Who’s the new lady and boy in your life?” he asks, as he holds the microphone inches from my mouth.
I snort. “Friends, and I’m sure you already know who they are.” This is the media; they would have done their research.
“What’s the cake for? You going to a party?”
“Yes, and I have to go. If you want an interview to talk about hockey, check with the team’s publicist.”
I don’t like the grin on his face as he backs away, and I slide into the driver’s seat and note the tightness in Harper’s shoulders. I glance in the rearview mirror as the guy climbs back in his van.
“You okay?” I ask and put my hand on her arm.
“I really don’t want my face in the paper with yours, Liam,” she says, and I try not to react like she just kicked me in the nuts. But I get it. I have a reputation, and she doesn’t want to get mixed up with me—outside the bedroom anyway.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t behind that.”
“I didn’t think you were. I just…I can’t be photographed with you.” She bites her lip, and stares straight ahead and I get the sense that she wants to say more on the subject, but then she glances at the dashboard clock and says, “We should get going.”
My stomach is tight, uneasy as I drive to her friends’ place and wait in the car as she runs in to get Holden. On one hand, I can’t blame her for not wanting to be seen in public with me, coming from my house in a situation that could be deemed intimate, but on the other hand, it rips a goddamn hole in my gut.
In the back seat, Gavin talks endlessly about the video games they’re going to play tonight, and I glance around the cute neighborhood. It’s mostly small bungalows, with basketball and hockey nets, and toys left in the driveway for another day’s play. I find myself smiling because it reminds me of the way I grew up. I bet Mom and Dad and all my annoying sisters would love Harper and Gavin. Mom’s been after me to come home for a Sunday dinner, and I guess I should make a point to do that before August and I’m gone.
I shake off the troubled feeling coursing through
