Prince Pucking Charming Page 6

I would do anything for Max, even if it means crossing the line with my patient.

  * * *

  Duke is in the waiting room when I open the door to my office. He’s thirty minutes early for his appointment. I glance over at my secretary, who has her head down, talking on the phone. She usually announces when a patient arrives.

  “Hey, Doc,” Duke says, getting up from the chair. He looks even taller when he’s towering over me.

  “Duke,” I say in greeting. “Everything okay?”

  He smiles. “Never better.”

  “Did you get the time wrong?” I hold up my watch to show him. “We have another thirty minutes.”

  “Yeah, I know. I wanted to talk to you about the other day.”

  “The game?”

  He nods.

  I extend my hand toward my open door. “We should talk in my office.”

  Duke glances over at the secretary’s desk and then follows me inside my office. We take our usual seats across from each other, and my heart practically leaps out of my chest when I lock eyes with him. Why does he have to be so distracting?

  “What do you want to talk about that couldn’t wait until our session?”

  “I’m technically not allowed to sit in the team box until after we’ve had four sessions.”

  “Today would be our third,” I say.

  “Yeah. So, I was hoping we could do two this week. Then, I could take you and Max to the game on Saturday. We’re playing the Penguins. I need to be there.”

  “I appreciate you inviting us to the game. But you do understand this puts me in a precarious position, right? No one is supposed to know we’re working together. I had to lie to my ex-husband, so I didn’t blow your cover. Max doesn’t understand why it’s not a good idea for us to go to the game with you. And I’m worried about how us going together will be perceived by your coach or your general manager. I’m a professional, Duke, and seeing patients outside the office is not something a professional would do.”

  “It’s not a date,” he hedges. “We’re just hanging out and watching a game together. And Max will be there. I don’t see the problem.”

  “My daughter loves you,” I admit. “You’re her dad’s favorite player, and so that also makes you hers. I’m afraid Max will get attached to you. You saw how special she is. She’s not like other girls her age.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with being different,” Duke says. “Max is probably the coolest girl I’ve ever met. Just don’t tell my sister.” He cracks a smile. “Kat would get jealous.”

  I laugh. “Your secret is safe with me.”

  He holds my gaze. “I know.”

  Duke is beginning to trust me. This is good. Progress. We’re headed in the right direction. But I’m afraid of what will happen outside of these walls after I get to know the real Duke Baldwin.

  “So, what do you say, Doc?” Duke leans back against the couch. “Can we squeeze in another session this week?”

  “I think that can be arranged.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Duke

  My hand is drenched in sweat when I knock on Doc’s front door. How am I this nervous for our non-date? I feel like I’m in high school, ready to spill my guts on the ground as I pick my date up for prom. But I didn’t go to prom or any other school function. I was busy dealing with more important shit—like life.

  The door opens, and a scream rips from Max’s mouth. “Duke!” She cups the sides of her face with her tiny hands. “You’re here.”

  “Of course, I am.”

  “My Daddy’s either late or doesn’t come at all,” she says with sadness in her tone.

  I know her disappointment well.

  Instead of dwelling on it, I hold up my hand for Max to slap. “You ready to go, Mad Max?”

  She chuckles and slaps my hand. “I can’t believe you’re here.” Her cheeks turn several shades of red. “Duke Baldwin is at my house. Daddy’s going to be so jealous.”

  “Whose number you got on your back?” I ask since Max is wearing a red-white-and-blue Caps jersey.

  “Yours. Duh,” she says as if I asked the dumbest question in the world.

  “Turn around,” I say, grabbing the black Sharpie from my pocket. “I’ll sign it for you.”

  Max squeals and then spins around, her back facing me. Doc appears in the doorway, dressed in skinny jeans and a Capitals tee that hugs her in all the right places. Her tits are way bigger than they look in her boring work clothes. Damn, Doc has some curves on her. Seriously, the tee is small enough to fit Max. Maybe it belongs to her. My eyes drift for a few seconds, along with my filthy mind. I can’t stop the smile that tugs at my mouth as I look up at her.

  I tip my head in greeting. “Hey, Doc.”

  She smiles. “You should probably call me by my name tonight.”

  “Okay, Lila.”

  “It’s Delilah,” Max corrects. “With a D.”

  “Lila, it is,” I say with a wink.

  “Hey,” Max groans. “It’s De-li-lah. Like the song, Hey There Delilah.”

  I pat Max on the top of her head, and she giggles. After I finish signing my name on the back of Max’s jersey, Lila holds the door open for me.

  “Lila’s fine,” she says. “Come in. I need to grab my stuff, and then we can go.”

  “Do you want to see my room?” Max asks me as Lila walks away.

  “We don’t have time, Max,” Lila says from the kitchen.

  She comes back with her purse, and two winter coats slung over her arm. She hands one to Max. “Here, baby, it’s time to go. It’s cold outside. Zip your coat up all the way and put on your gloves.”

  My mom used to call me baby. Lila brings back so many old memories I keep locked away. It hurts to think about my mom. No one measures up to her. But I think my mom would have liked Lila. She checks off all the boxes.

  Except she’s off-limits.

  Lila made it crystal clear that she wanted to keep our relationship professional. It’s probably for the best. She’s right about my relationships with women. I hate dating and don’t want anything other than sex. With Lila, it would be different, I think.

  Still, I would end up fucking her a few times, and then I’d move on. I know myself well enough to know it would never last, and we have a good thing going. I like her. I could see myself being friends with her. Could I ever befriend a woman? I’m not Dean, and she’s not Kat.

  Our sessions are helping me in ways I’d never imagined. I feel less angry and more relaxed since our first appointment. If I mess this up, I would never hear the end of it from my general manager. He was serious about this being my last shot. I’ve pushed his buttons one too many times. The Caps didn’t give Alex Parker another chance when he fucked the owner’s granddaughter.

  Once we’re inside the Capital One Arena, Max’s face illuminates from the smile that stretches ear-to-ear. I remember when I was her age. My dad introduced me to my favorite players, and I thought I was the coolest kid alive. I was so sure I would make it to the NHL one day. Back then, I figured I could rely on the Baldwin name. Until I realized my last name only helped draw attention. I had to rely on myself for the rest. Scouts showed up at my high school games, and by the time I graduated, I already knew where I was headed.

  I pull a ball cap on as we navigate the crowded hall, hoping no one notices me. I could have taken Max and Lila through the back, but I wanted them to experience the game like a fan. I keep my head down and slip through the masses.

  When we reach a stand, Max tugs on the end of my jersey. “Can we get a hot dog?”

  “We can eat whatever you want.” I look over at Lila. “As long as it’s okay with your mom.”

  “Yeah, that’s fine.” Lila glances down at Max. “But no soda after the first intermission, or you’ll be up all night.”

  Max throws her hands in the air and squeals. “I want my hot dog with mustard and ketchup and relish and onions and…”

  I laugh. “I don’t think there’s anything left
to put on it.”

  “Sauerkraut,” she says. “I want that, too.”

  “I don’t think they have it,” Lila says. “How about just ketchup and mustard tonight?”

  Max frowns. “Okay, party pooper.”

  “She’s a handful,” Lila says to me. “I hope you’re not sick of us already.”

  “The opposite.”

  Lila’s eyes meet mine. “Thanks for doing this, Duke. It means a lot to Max. To me. Her Dad—”

  “Max told me.”

  Lila nods. “Ted stands her up a lot. It’s hard for me to let another man into her life. She looks up to you.”

  I clutch her shoulder and steer her toward the hot dog stand. “Don’t worry. I won’t let her down.”

  She flashes a smile that produces the same response in me. “You’re already off to a good start.”

  On our way to the luxury box, a few fans notice me. I stop to sign hats, shirts, and just about anything they throw at me. A crowd gathers around, my name a whisper on their lips.

  “Duke,” Max says, pulling on my jersey. “I can’t see down here.”

  She’s half the size of everyone around us, so I bend down to lift her up. I throw her onto my shoulders, and she screams as she waves to the fans surrounding us.

  “Mommy, look,” she yells. “I’m the tallest person here.”

  Lila laughs, and then her eyes meet mine. I fucking like her. I’ve never done anything like this for another woman. And of course, she’s the one woman I can’t have.

  After I sign a few more autographs, I tell the fans we have to head to our seats. The game is about to start, with the crowds in the halls thinning by the second.

  “Do you want to stay up there?” I ask Max.

  “You don’t have to carry her all the way to our seats,” Lila says.

  “I don’t mind.”

  Max wraps her arms around my neck in response and rests her chin against the back of my head. Whoever’s left in the hallways points at me as we pass. I wave, and so does Max, who’s beyond ecstatic. We don’t have time to stop for autographs again. The announcer’s voice blares over the loudspeaker.

  A few minutes later, we’re seated in the front row of the empty box. The players from the Penguins are announced, and now, the house lights go down to announce my team.

  Max taps me on the arm. “Did you know that the Pittsburgh Penguins used to have a real penguin as their mascot?”

  I nod. “His name was Slapshot Pete.”

  “I don’t like our mascot,” she groans.

  “What’s wrong with a bald eagle?”

  She smiles up at me. “They’re not as cute as penguins. I like penguins. Did you know that penguins can’t fly?”

  “So, I’ve heard.”

  “She likes trivia,” Lila says in my ear. “When I told Max your team was playing the Penguins, she spent the night on her iPad.”

  “It’s cute,” I say, sounding unlike myself, because when do I say cute?

  I take a sip from my water bottle to keep myself from talking.

  “Penguins,” Max says, talking over the announcer, “only have one mate at a time. Do you have a mate, Duke?”

  I almost choke on my water. “Umm… No, I don’t.”

  “When a male penguin chooses a female penguin he likes, he searches the entire beach for the perfect pebble to give her.” Max’s eyes are on the ice as she speaks. “And they stay together forever.”

  “That’s sweet, baby,” Lila says.

  “Not like Mommy and Daddy,” Max adds, looking at her mom with sadness in her blue eyes.

  Lila looks down at her shoes and sighs. “How about we talk about something else, Max?”

  Max slides off her chair and stands in front of the window that overlooks the rink. She presses her hand to the glass and watches as the puck is dropped. Her arms fly above her head when we win possession.

  Lila leans into me and clamps her fingers around my wrist. “I’m sorry about that,” she whispers. “The divorce hasn’t been easy for her. I stayed longer than I should for Max. But I just…”

  “One day, she’ll understand, and she’ll be happy you didn’t stay just for her.”

  “That’s what I told myself when I filed the divorce papers.”

  “You’re a good mom, Doc. Don’t beat yourself up.”

  “I try,” she admits. “It’s hard. I didn’t have a normal childhood.”

  “Me neither.”

  “I wanted her to have what I didn’t have, but…” She sits up straight and removes her fingers from my wrist, placing her hand on her thigh. “I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

  We share a long, awkward moment of silence until the goal horn sounds. The Capitals have scored the first goal of the game. Max comes over to high-five each of us and then jogs across the front of the box, taking a victory lap. This kid cracks me up. I forgot how much I loved when Kat and the twins were younger.

  Max reminds me of the part of my life I sometimes miss. Maybe Lila was right. I could see myself settling down and having my own kids—with the right woman.

  After the game ends, I grab the duffle bag filled with merchandise and lead Lila and Max down to the locker room. I spot Marcel first. His dark hair is sticking up in dozens of directions, still wet from his shower.

  Max points her finger up at him. “I know you.”

  Marcel laughs. “Hey, Max.”

  She squeals. “You know my name?”

  Marcel and I hunch down to meet her height.

  “Max, this is my friend Marcel.”

  “I know who he is. I watch him on TV, too.”

  “Will you sign my jersey?” Max asks with zero fear.

  Most kids are freaked out when they meet us, but not Max. She’s like a twenty-five-year-old in a ten-year-old body. I like that she asks for what she wants. And she says whatever comes to mind. I can tell it sometimes embarrasses Lila, but it’s nothing for her to worry over.

  Marcel signs the back of her jersey. I hand over the duffle filled with hats, pucks, and other memorabilia for him to sign. Benji and Lucas stumble out of the locker room a few minutes later. Max tells them random facts about hockey. They autograph everything I put in front of them, asking Max questions about school.

  “I’m going to be a hockey player, too,” Max says, going on about her new youth hockey team.

  “My sister played hockey in college,” I tell her.

  “Do you think I could play when I’m in college?”

  I cup her shoulder. “Sure.”

  “Will you teach me?”

  I glance up at Lila. “If it’s okay with your mom.”

  Max’s face is glowing. “Mommy, can Duke teach me hockey?”

  Lila looks away from Lucas, who she seems to know better than I had thought. “What, baby?”

  “Duke said he’ll teach me how to play hockey. I want to be better than all of the girls on my new team.”

  Everyone laughs. It’s hard not to when you’re around Max.

  Lila looks at me. “Are you sure?”

  “I have some time to spare.”

  Lila smiles and then mouths, Thank you.

  “It’s your job to keep our captain in line,” Marcel says to Max. “You think you can do that for us?”

  “Yesss,” Max coos, her eyes wide with excitement.

  Marcel, Benji, and Lucas say goodbye to Max. I promise to see them later at home. My dynamic with my team has been out of whack since my suspension. They’re rarely home, and when they are, I feel like an outsider.

  After they disappear into the locker room, Max points her finger at me. “We have a lot of work to do, Mister.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Delilah

  On the way home from the game, Max wouldn’t stop talking about how she’s responsible for keeping Duke in line. I haven’t seen her this happy in a long time, and I’m terrified of what losing Duke could mean for her. He agreed to teach her how to play hockey. Ted’s given her some tips and quick lessons
this past year, but an offer from Duke is a hard one to pass up, which also puts me in a very uncomfortable position.

  I can’t take this opportunity away from her. Her father is hardly ever around and shows up when he feels like making time. Duke is my patient. He cannot be Ted's replacement.

  Duke pulls into my driveway and surprises me when he opens my door with an adorable grin plastered on his handsome face. He opens Max’s door next, and she flies out of the SUV like it’s on fire. Still full of energy, she tugs on Duke’s hand and drags him up the walkway. He glances over his shoulder at me, and I wave them on.

  “Mommy, I want to show Duke my room.”

  “It’s late, Max. How about you show it to him some other time.”

  “I’m not ready for bed,” she whines. “You said I could stay up later since I don’t have school in the morning.”

  I look at Duke. “Do you want to come in for a drink?”

  His face brightens. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

  “Good,” Max says, threading her fingers between Duke’s. His hand is so big it dwarfs hers. “Come see my ant collection.”

  Duke cocks an eyebrow at me. “Ant collection?”

  “Max has a thing for bugs.”

  He looks down at Max and rubs his knuckles lightly on top of her head. She peeks up at him and laughs.

  “Are you giving me noogies?”

  “Maybe,” Duke says as he repeats the same motion on top of her head.

  She giggles as we step inside the living room. I can tell Duke likes Max. He's a natural with kids. During our sessions, I gathered that Duke misses taking care of his siblings, leaving a void in his life. A family might be what Duke is missing.

  “I want hot chocolate,” Max says, leading Duke into the kitchen. She climbs onto the counter to grab the box from the cabinet and hands it to Duke.

  “Give me a sec, baby. I’ll make it for you.”

  “I can make it,” Duke offers. He tips his head toward the kitchen table. “Take a break.”

  Max has me going twenty-four-seven. It’s been nice having Duke around tonight. I think Max and I both miss having a man around. When Ted lived here, he played games with Max and taught her all sorts of disgusting things—like collecting bugs. I’m not a fan of the ant farm in Max’s bedroom or the other animals she’s harboring, but they make her happy.