Slap Shot (D.C. Stars, #3)

by Chelsea Curto

My admiration gets broken up by a laugh floating down the hall. There’s the clap of small hands, a giggle I know with my whole soul. I greedily follow the nosies, pausing outside Lucy’s room when I make it there. I peer inside, finding her and Hudson sitting on the floor in the middle of her bright pink rug. An army of Barbies are in front of them, from Astronaut Barbie to Pop Star Barbie.

I focus my attention on Hudson, who is watching us. “You got me flowers?” I ask. “Yeah.” In the cozy yellows of Lucy’s room, I can see his ears turn pink. His cheeks do, too. “My dad used to buy my mom flowers whenever she had a hard day. Even if there was already a bouquet in the kitchen, he’d show up with more.” He pauses, the silence thick, then continues. “In the end, her whole hospital room was covered in vases. I think he hoped the flowers would bring him some miracle.” The tattoo on his leg makes so much sense now. It’s not random artwork or a drunken mistake he’ll regret five years down the road. They’re parts of his mom he carries with him, and to know he’s treating me like his dad treated her makes me feel lucky. Like I’m one in seven billion.

“Friends.” Her laugh is a heavy exhale, a shake of her head. The sound makes me nervous, and she looks at the floor instead of at me. “I’m starting to hate that word.” “Did I do something to make you think you’re not my friend?” “No.” Slowly, hesitantly, she looks back at me. Her eyes are wide with a scorch of heat behind the brown. “When you call us friends, it makes the things I’m thinking about you—the things I’m feeling for you—seem wrong.”

“I’m not kissing you unless you tell me to, Madeline. And if I do, it’s not going to be a one-time, casual thing. It’s not going to be a two-time thing. It’s going to mean something, just like it did on New Year’s, because I’m done pretending like I haven’t thought about that night every single day that’s passed. I have. Excessively. But I don’t act on it because I don’t want you to hide from me again. I don’t want to mess this up. You mean too much to me.”

Her lips pull up into a grin. She lifts her chin, a dare there, before she says, “Fuck it,” and crashes her mouth against mine. The planets realign.

“I really need to get better about learning these hockey terms.” I look down at my glass and grin. “Especially if I keep kissing Hudson.” Piper screeches. Lexi pumps her fist in the air. Emmy grins, and Maven claps enthusiastically. You would think I just brought on world peace, not that I told them I had my first physical interaction with a man in goddamn years.

“Can I⁠—” “Anything. Nothing. Whatever you want.” Hudson cups my chin with so much care, I almost melt because of it. “I’m at your mercy.”

“You’re going to be the death of me, Madeline. Please be gentle when you kill me.”

“I’ve been wondering what your tattoo could be for months.” He smiles at the ink on my skin. Draws over each number and the small heart at the end. “Is it Lucy’s birthday?” “How did you know?” “She’s the love of your life. Who else would it be for?”

“Maddie.” Hudson smiles. Brushes his thumbs along my ribs and drums his fingers against my skin. “This right here—being with you? Touching you? Breathing the same air as you?—is good enough for me. Everything else is a bonus.”

“I’m waiting on you, Mads. You’re always going to be first.”

“Goddammit.” Piper groans. “Is there ever a moment when you’re not so freaking charming and sweet?”

I make the sign for donut and cross it off the list I’m using to keep track of Lucy’s favorite foods.

He’s so😣😣😣

“I like having Madeline around—with or without the sex—and Lucy is so special. I know what it’s like to feel alone after something big and horrible happens to you, and… I want them to feel less alone.” I shrug again, put on the spot and the center of attention in a way I don’t normally like, but with my best friends, I don’t mind. “I want to show up for them, like y’all showed up for me.”

Piper looks at the four of us. Her bottom lip trembles, and she buries her face in her hands. “You guys are all so wonderful.” “Jesus.” Liam lifts her out of her chair like she weighs less than a sack of feathers and puts her in his lap. He’s not big on PDA, but it’s nice to see him soft and sickeningly in love. “Why are you crying, sweetheart?”

His mouth stretches into a grin, and I give him one right back. “My name looks good on you, Galloway.” “You think so?” “Yeah. Better than any of the other women in the arena. You’re the only one I want wearing it.”

“Have a good game tonight.” “I’ve got my girls in the crowd wearing my jersey, Galloway.” Hudson’s face shifts from playful to something soft. A truth he’s declaring in the middle of the sold-out arena. “I could miss every shot I take. We could lose by twenty, and it’d still be a damn good night.”

Grabbing my phone, I open the door and stop in my tracks when I find Maverick sitting on the carpet in the hall. His eyes are closed. His head is against the wall and his hands are folded over his chest. I take a step toward him, gently nudging his knee with my foot and waking him up. “Hey, Huddy.” He groans and stretches his legs. “Was wondering when you were going to roll out of bed.” “What are you doing here?” I look up and down the hall, confused. I don’t know what I expect to find, but it’s empty except for us. “Are you okay? Is Emmy okay? Please don’t tell me Coach sent you here to break some news about a trade.” “Come on, man.” He holds out his hand, and I pull him to his feet. “Do you really think I’d let you visit her by yourself?” “How did you know where I was going?” “You’re my best friend. You’re not going to come to Georgia and not see your mom,” he says. “I figured you’d want an early start because of the skate we have scheduled at noon. I have a car downstairs, coffee in the cup holders, and some flowers I grabbed from a gas station.”

“I love you, Mama. To the stars, the heavens, and beyond.”

“Easy for you to say.” Ethan puts his hands on his knees and dry heaves. “You’ve been looking at Madeline’s ass the last thirty minutes. If I had that kind of motivation, I’d be showing off too. Clark Kent wouldn’t be able to take me down.” “Fuck you.” I laugh, but my eyes dart over to her.

I’ve even caught my teammates glancing her, and I don’t care. They can look at her all they want, but she’s coming home with me.

“Come on, boys,” Piper teases. I’m not sure she’s even sweating. “Weren’t you saying this should be easy since girls can do it?” “Father Lord, I repent for my sins.” Grant closes his eyes and clasps his palms together. “I vow to never make a joke like that again if you can take away the pain.”

“Who gives a shit if she doesn’t want to get married? Look at me! I was so against monogamy, and now I’m wondering how I can order a fucking casket that fits two people so I can hold Emmy’s hand when we’re dead. Marriage isn’t the only path for relationships. You don’t need a piece of paper to love her, do you?”

“Listen to me, Madeline. If anyone ever says some shit like that to you again, I want you to come find me so I can give them a piece of my mind, okay? And if any of the players say it? I will have their asses shipped out to Alaska real fucking quick.” Madeline chews on her bottom lip. She wrings her hands together, almost unsteady on her feet. “You mean that, don’t you?” “Of course I mean it. I’d go to war for your daughter. For you, too.” “Why?” she whispers, and I think of a hundred ways I can answer that question. Because I’m attracted to you. Because I’m determined to show you there are good men out there. Because it’s the bare minimum of what you deserve. Because I’m fucking falling in love with you, and I’d let you break my heart if that’s what you wanted. “Because y’all are mine.” I tuck a loose piece of hair behind her ear. “And I protect what’s mine.”

She’s the safest space I’ve ever had. I could strip myself down to my bones and I’d feel nothing but shielded with her.

“Hello, Lucy,” I speak and sign. Her mouth pops open and she scoots closer to me, looking at my hands then up at me. Madeline gasps, but I don’t let myself get distracted. “My name is Hudson. I have two dogs, Gus and Millie. My favorite food is a cheeseburger, and I play hockey.” I go slow and take my time to make sure each motion is deliberate. I keep eye contact with Lucy and use lots of expression on my face. “I’ve been practicing my signing. I’ve loved having you and your mom here. And I hope you’ll stick around for a while. You are one of my favorite people in the world, Lucy girl, and I’m so excited we can talk to each other. I might not be very good at it, but I’m going to keep learning for you, okay?” Lucy’s bottom lip trembles. Hi, Hudson, she answers, and it’s not lost on me that she’s signing slower than she does when she talks with her mom. My name is Lucy. I’m so glad we’re friends. I love your doggies. And you. You make me happy. You make Mommy happy too. How old are you? I’m six.

“Where did you learn to sign? How? When? Why?” “Piper.” I spell out her name, and I’m glad she told me to try speaking and signing at the same time. “I’ve been practicing over the last few months. After practice. Online. Alone in my room. With a tutor from Gallaudet University twice a week. Anywhere I can find someone to talk to.” “You did this for Lucy?” Madeline asks. “Yes. And you.” “Why?” “Why not?” I don’t add the other things: how I really am falling in love with her and her daughter. How I might not be her father, but I’d walk to the ends of the earth for Lucy. How it’s the right thing to do, and even if she broke my heart, I’d be glad for my time with them.

I’m going to practice every single day. I won’t stop until I know every word, every phrase, every handshape in existence. In English. In ASL. In whatever other language Lucy wants to learn.” “I still don’t know why,” Madeline whispers, and she lifts her chin to meet my gaze. “You know why. Don’t you?” I love you, I think. I love you, I love you, I love you.

“She wants to give you a name sign,” Madeline explains, and my heart rate kicks up. “Do you know what that is?” This is the most important moment in my life. Bigger than the Stanley Cup win. Bigger than any contract I could ever sign, and I’m so excited, I’m going to be sick.

“I’m going to miss you too.” He adjusts himself and gives me a smile. “And not just how hot you look. Going to miss your smile too, Golden Girl. How my heart beats fast when you’re around.” “It does not.” “Does to.” He takes my hand, resting it on his chest. I feel it beating rapidly, and it makes me blush. “Told you.”

“He looks at you all the time,” Piper tells me gently. “I’m not sure there’s a moment when he’s not looking at you.”

He’s still the golden boy smiling at me like I’m the brightest star in the sky, and that might be enough.

“I think if I were to fall for anyone, it would be him. He… he learned sign language for a girl who isn’t his. Her own father wanted nothing to do with her, and here’s Hudson. Letting her paint his nails. Treating her like she’s a princess and not batting an eye. How could I not love him?” I croak.

“I’ve got you to look at in the stands. Of course it’s going to be a good night.” He bends down to kiss me, and I grab his collar so he can’t get away. He laughs against my mouth, kissing me again. “Mav is picking me up so you and Lucy can take the car to the arena. I’ll ride back with y’all after.” “You know she’s going to want to stop for a treat on the way home.” “Girl after my own heart.” Hudson moves his lips to my forehead, kissing my bangs.

“I’m seconds away from committing a homicide.” I close my eyes and try to practice centering myself like my therapist taught me. I try to shove away all the external conflicts and distractions, but I come up short. “How the fuck am I supposed to focus on hitting a goddamn puck when the man who divorced the woman I fucking love sits in the stands without getting a piece of my fucking mind? He left them because his daughter is deaf. Do you know how horrible he is?” “The woman you⁠—” “Obviously,” I practically yell. “How can I not fucking love her? She’s perfect.” I sit down and throw off my helmet. I yank off my gloves, pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes and groaning. “I love her and her daughter, and while I’m mad as hell she ever had to go through any of that pain, I’m glad she did because now I get to have her, and I’m never fucking letting her go.”

“Hudson.” Madeline touches my arm, and I relax under the press of her fingers. “Let him go. I don’t want Lucy to see you like this. It’s not who you are.” Lucy. “I’m sorry.” I drop him from my hold and take four steps back. “I didn’t⁠—” “I know.” Her smile calms me down. It makes me take a deep breath, and I huff. “You protect what’s yours. I remember.” Mine. Mine, mine, mine. Lucy and Madeline are mine, and I’ll do anything it takes to keep them safe.

Lucy jumps to her feet and runs toward me, throwing her arms around my legs. I drop my bag and lift her up, holding her against my hip. Hi. Hiya, Luce. Is this your classroom? That’s my chair over there. Do you see my drawings on the walls? I glance around at the dozens of pieces of artwork plastered on every available surface. I spot one that looks like it might be hers, complete with three stick figure people and two dogs. My goddamn heart smiles.

I love you, I think. I love you so much, my wasted heart is finally healed because of it.

“Could you cover your eyes for a minute, Mads? I want to have a private conversation with Luce,” I say, and she laughs, obliging. Mommy looks silly. She does, doesn’t she? Can I tell you a secret, Lucy? Sure. She grins. I love secrets. I love your mom. Very much. I’m going to tell her soon. Do you think that would be okay with you? If I was around more?

It might be a big game for us tonight, but I don’t care. I’ll have those two in the stands, which means I already won.

“I got you something,” I say, and he frowns. “You got me something? For Mother’s Day?” he asks. “It’s small.” I lean to my right and rifle through my bedside drawer. I find the package I’m looking for and hand it to him. “You told me your dad used to buy your mom flowers whenever she had a hard day, so I got some seeds for you. I thought we—sorry, you—could build a flower bed on your balcony and plant the seeds. You could have flowers whenever you want, and it could be like your mom is here with us all the time.” He takes the seeds and runs his fingers over the letters on the packaging. “You… you did this for me?” “I’m sure today must be hard for you, and I wanted to do something to make it less hard.” “I—” Hudson closes his eyes and lets out a breath. He clutches the seeds like they’re the most important things in the world to him, and when he glances at me, a tear rolls down his cheek. “Thank you,” he whispers. “This is perfect.”

“I love you,” he says all of a sudden, and I freeze. “I love you so much. You and Lucy are the greatest things to ever happen to me, and I… I love you so much it hurts, Maddie, to think about my life without you in it. I… I can’t hold it in anymore. I know I said I’d be patient, but you need to hear it and⁠—” “I love you, too,” I blurt out, a sob escaping me with the four words. “I love you so much, and I’ve loved you for so long. Even when I didn’t know what the feeling was. You’ve done so much for me and for Lucy and… I just want to make sure you’re sure. That this is really what you want, because there’s not going to be a wedding. There aren’t going to be more kids. It’s going to be the three of us, and I want to know if that’s enough.”

“I love you, Madeline Galloway. I’ve loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I love how strong you are. How wonderful of a mother you are. I love your sarcasm, but I also love when you slow things down. You make me feel things I’ve never felt before. And if there’s ever a doubt in your mind, I want you to ask me, because that means I’m not doing a good enough job of showing you how fucking gone I am for you.”

Duke, Hudson’s dad, makes his way into the suite, and he gives us both a big hug. He falls right into conversation with Lucy about the skating lessons she’s taking, nodding along while she explains what she learned this week. He gives her a proud smile when she mentions the deke she pulled on one of the best boys on the team during a scrimmage, and he tells her anything boys can do, girls can do better. I’m not surprised he’s been learning how to sign. The first time we met, he mentioned how important it was to Hudson for him to be able to communicate with Lucy, too, and the two FaceTime every other week and hold their entire conversation in sign language so they can practice with each other.

“I thought your love language was food.” “I think my love language might just be you,” he says, and leave it to him to make me feel like I’m on top of the world in the middle of our condo on a random Thursday night. “And Lucy. My favorite girls in the entire world.”

“What is this?” he asks me, and I nudge his knee. “Read it,” I say. His mouth moves as he reads the first couple of sentences, and I see the moment understanding dawns. The papers fall from his shaky hands and land in his lap. He looks up at us with wide eyes. “It’s an adoption petition,” he says slowly, signing at the same time. Lucy wants you to be her dad, I explain, and Lucy nods along beside me. You’re her favorite person in the world. She wants to be a part of your family, and she wants to have you be a part of ours. Legally. Officially. In every sense of the word. I take a breath and stop signing. “I know this is a big step. You don’t have to say yes right away—or at all. We’re not married, and⁠—” “This is the easiest answer of my life.” Hudson glances at Lucy and signs, Are you sure? Yes, Lucy answers, and she lunges for him. He holds her in a hug and buries his face in her hair. I love you, she adds when she pulls away to look up at him. I love you too, Lucy girl. Hudson looks at me, and his eyes are wet with tears.