Chapter 2
"Some girl, huh?" Dubois asked.
"No, I just need some air," Hartley insisted, shuffling his feet.
"Well," Mason drawled, "I'm not gonna rat you out, Captain."
"It isn't curfew yet!"
"Yes, yes, get out of here," Tremblay said.
"Someone deserves to get laid tonight after that clusterfuck, and it's not going to be any of us.
We'll live vicariously through you."
"It's not," Theo said.
"I'm not-"
"Just go!" Mason said, and Theo was apparently tired of being in their vicinity, because he took the direction.
He abruptly turned on his heel and started walking away, moving almost as fast as he could on the ice.
Mason shouted after his fleeing back, "Tell Fleur I said hi!
Here's hoping she can keep you warm!"
Theo hunched his shoulders as the team's laughter followed him into the night.
Pryor Residence, Easton
"It was so nice of you to come and help," Emma gushed.
The girls were already taking a nap, tucked into their beds, and Oliver seemed happy enough in Theo's arms: all of them were fed, the house wasn't a wreck, and there was a minimal amount of excess glitter spilled in the kitchen from the crafting project she had set up for them.
"Really, Theo, you're a lifesaver, I hope you know that."
Theo smiled and ducked his head.
He was so confident and poised in interviews, but if it didn't have to do with hockey, he could not take a compliment to save his life.
"It's nothing," he said.
"Honestly, the twins are much nicer to me than they are to Mason."
Emma sighed, exasperated.
"And who knows why!
It's not like you've ever put your foot down with them—I always have to be the bad guy in this house.
Mason always chickens out or starts laughing.
Oh well, at least he changes the diapers.
Can I get you something to drink, Theo?
A snack?
I don't want to send you off if you haven't had lunch, and I'd love to catch up."
She liked Theo.
She liked him a lot more than most of the guys Mason had met in the NHA, partially because Theo reminded her of her husband.
And partially because Theo was also willing to change diapers when he had babysitting duty.
They sat at the island counter with a platter of vegetables between them as Emma mopped up the rest of the glitter.
Theo munched on carrots and celery sticks and they chatted casually about the season.
He did not set Oliver down, and Oliver looked content to stay where he was.
Theo looked
with a baby in his arms.
He was such a sweet guy.
Emma worried that he was lonely.
Mason said that she was projecting her maternal instincts onto him because of his babyface.
(Although, really, she didn't feel very
maternal
at all about Theo.
He looked very, very handsome holding Oliver.)
"You're so cute," she cooed.
"Can I take a picture?" Theo allowed her, although his smile was strained.
Emma couldn't help but feel that he still looked better here, or at least more comfortable, than he did in all his fancy photoshoots and ads that now played every time they watched any NHA game, no matter who was playing.
She had heard the guys making fun of Theo for those ads, as if they all hadn't filmed one at some point or another.
And even if she didn't feel very maternal towards Theo, he did make her protective instincts flare up.
"Do you want kids, Theo?"
He blinked slowly.
"I don't know," he said, but his hands, large and rough like Mason's, were cradling her baby naturally, and she thought maybe he knew more than he was letting on.
"Definitely not right now."
"No, of course not.
That makes sense.
Are you seeing anyone at the moment?"
"Um, no."
"Oh, that's wonderful!
Or, I mean, not wonderful, but I was just talking to Anya—Anya as in Ror's ex-girlfriend, we still keep in touch—and she was telling me that her sister is moving to Easton next month.
Isn't that exciting?"
"Um.
Yeah, that's... exciting.
For her."
"And Theo, she's going to want to meet some new people.
You know, everyone needs a little company now and then." She shimmied a little, feeling energized from a day away from her beloved spawn.
She had gone to the mall for some absolutely essential back-to-school shopping, then to the spa for an equally essential massage, and then for a very, very long drive, taking the scenic route on the way home, the windows cracked so she could feel the breeze blowing through her hair.
And Theo hadn't called her with an emergency a single time!
Not once!
She owed him, big time.
"And Clara—do you remember Clara?"
"She's your-"
"My cousin, yes!
She was here during the playoffs.
Well, Theo, I don't like to tell tales out of school, but she told me that she thinks that you are absolutely gorge-"
Oliver whined.
Theo jumped off his barstool and began walking soothingly in circles, heading toward the living room as he bounced the baby in his arms.
"You're okay, Ollie, you're so good," Theo said.
Emma trailed behind him, smiling.
They settled on the couch.
"I just think it would be nice to see you with someone," she said.
Theo grinned at her.
"My mom would agree with you.
But, uh, I'm focused on my career right now.
I'm working all the time, really.
I don't have time for anything else."
Emma nodded.
She glanced at her baby, who was staring at Theo rapturously.
She decided to hedge her bets.
"Mason mentioned a Fleur?
Someone you knew in Westgate?"
Theo gave her a look of alarm.