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

by Chelsea Curto

With no one around to see my royal fuckups and how massively I’ve failed today, I lose it. I put my hands on the counter—right in the sauce I’ve been trying to clean up for ten minutes but keep getting distracted from because of other things—and start to cry. My shoulders shake. I drop my head back. I stare at the ceiling, and the cries turn into a ragged, ugly sob. It feels good to get this out—to break down and not be perfect for a minute. I could wallow here the rest of the night. “Madeline?” Hudson asks, startling me. I lose my footing on the water Lucy spilled on the floor when I tried to get her a snack earlier, but he moves faster. He’s there to catch me with an arm around my waist. A hand at the small of my back, steadying me against crashing waves. “What’s going on?” I sniff. “It’s been a day.” He looks around at the war zone that used to resemble his kitchen. “How can I help?” That makes me cry even more. “I don’t know.” “Are you hurt?” “No.” “Is Lucy hurt?” “No. She had a horrible day at school, and it carried over all afternoon. I missed your text earlier, so I’m behind on dinner. The dogs haven’t eaten. I didn’t get a chance to clean up from breakfast or lunch. The onions are burnt, but I should be able to throw the rest of the meal together in a few minutes. And I’ll light a candle to get rid of the smell.” “No.” “No? “No.” Hudson reaches behind me and turns off the stove. He rubs his hands down my arms, and it’s amazing how much better I feel when he touches...