We spend the next few hours just cuddling in the master bed, watching anything Jack desires. Charlotte switches between laying between us making beautiful gargling noises and sleeping against my chest.

That is how she is when Liam gets home. He walks into the room to see the three of us cuddled together as Scooby-Doo plays in front of us. His eyes scan us with nothing but deep love and excitement, it’s like his eyes don’t know where to focus first. They eventually settle on me though. I know exactly how he feels when he smiles and shakes his head while kicking off his shoes and joining us in bed.

“Hey gorgeous,” he whispers against my lips as he kisses me softly. He pulls Jack into his side and rests one hand on Charlotte’s back feeling as she snores softly. “I’m going to order some pasta for dinner, what do you want?”

“Pizza!” Jack and I cheer at the same time, much to Charlotte’s annoyance. She wakes slightly with a grumpy, wrinkled face before dropping right back off again. I notice when her dad gets out of bed to get his phone from his sports bag his smile never once drops.

Chapter Thirty-Five

November

Liam

I like having a pre-game routine. Every sports person has their own way to get into the zone. I don’t think I have been in the zone once this season. No matter if I eat my lucky eggs or if I put my phone away it just hasn’t worked.

My heart won’t listen to my head and focus. It wants to be at home. The first away game of the season is in Carolina, too far away from my family. Too damn far. Instead of having my phone in my locker where it usually is, it’s in my hand playing a cheesy slideshow of pictures of Charlotte, as well as pictures from Jack’s birthday party at the rink back home.

My team depend on me to be on the ball, to have the puck, and right now I don’t even know which end of the stick is which.

“Ruin! My office now,” Coach’s voice bellows. It’s not a surprise that Coach Mitch wants to talk to me. I barely look up as I trudge to his makeshift office down the corridor. Despite being a grown man and father in my thirties, being screamed at by my coach renders me straight back to my teenage years.

“Have a seat, Ruin.” His tone carries contempt and simmering anger. His eyes look bloodshot as they glare at me.