Muffin Top (Page 64)

“Too bad.” Frankie shrugged and pulled the toddler out of the carrier, setting him down on his feet between them. “It’s been forever since we’ve been out together. This is our first date since this little guy came along.”

Alex looked from her to Frankie to the mini-me who was pressed against the glass looking out onto the ice. “Well, the game’s about to start. I better get going.”

Lucy glanced over at the jumbotron clock showing ten minutes left in warm-ups. “Nice to meet you,” she hollered out, but Alex was already three rows up. Turning to Frankie, she rolled her eyes. “A sitter? Really? You didn’t have to scare him off like that.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked, his blue eyes wide as if he had no idea what she was talking about. “I’m just a friendly guy. Ask anyone at the firehouse, they love having me as their lieutenant. Also, you really need to talk to your connections with the team. Changing a baby in the men’s restroom was a nightmare. They need to get more family friendly bathrooms.”

“I’ll ask Zach to put it in as a request on his next contract negotiation.” With the way he was playing, the team would probably say yes.

Frankie dipped his head down so their faces practically touched. “Your sarcasm is duly noted.”

“I hope this is, too.” She leaned over and gave him a kiss that made her toes curl.

A banging on the glass pulled her back to the where and when of reality. Zach Blackburn was on the other side of the glass, a goofy grin on his face as he waved at Trey—AKA Francis Hartigan the third. Trey gave up a cute toddler giggle and smacked his palm against the glass in greeting. Then Zach winked at her and gave a manly chin lift to Frankie before skating toward the tunnel to prep for the start of the game.

Frankie grimaced, no doubt still holding a grudge for the almost-playoffs a few years ago. “That guy—”

“Is about to be a part of your family.” She slapped her hand over her mouth, but it was too late. Shit. She was not supposed to say anything yet.

“What are you talking about?” Frankie asked, ruffling Trey’s hair as the toddler continued to bang on the glass and wave at the exiting players.

“Well,” she said, calling up all her work skills to smooth over her snafu. “He’s basically my family, so that makes him your family.”

Frankie lifted an eyebrow and snorted in disbelief. “That’s not what you said. What do you know?”

Shit. For someone who made her living snuffing out crisis after crisis, she sure was good at creating her own. Time to think fast. Good thing she had just the bit of news to distract him.

“So does that mean you’re against naming the baby after the former Most Hated Man In Harbor City?”

His jaw dropped. “Baby?”

She nodded, her hand automatically going to her belly as her heart fluttered. This wasn’t exactly how she’d planned on letting him know, but when had anything gone as expected when it came to Frankie Hartigan? No matter what she dreamed up, reality was always better than she’d imagined.

Frankie let out a yell loud enough to gain the attention of a bunch of screaming hockey fans, scooped up Trey, and pulled her in for a family hug. “I love you so much that we can name the baby whatever you want.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that,” she said, blinking away her tears of joy.

He brushed a kiss against her forehead. “Whatever makes you happy.”

“That’s easy. You make me happy.” She looked down at Trey’s smile, then back up at her husband’s beaming face, and couldn’t imagine it was possible to feel any better than she did right now at this moment with her family. “We make me happy. You really do know how to deliver a happily ever after.”

“Only with you, Lucy,” he said. “Only with you.”

…