Page 80 of One Kind Goal

“Yeah,” Brett said. “Are there more Lundin offspring hiding somewhere?”

Sawyer shook his head. “No, just her.” He bounced Nia on his hip. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t—”

Brett clamped a hand onto his shoulder. “No worries, man. Morgan explained the situation.” He shook his head. “There are, unfortunately, downsides to being the star player on a national hockey team. A star player the cameras love.”

“Things were getting better though with her mom,” Sawyer said. “I hope that didn’t get ruined tonight.”

Max pulled out his phone and scrolled for a few seconds. “I’m only seeing stuff about Austin and Sawyer being spotted and about that douchetastic fan online. I don’t see anything about a little girl.”

“Fingers crossed it stays that way,” Morgan said. “Though Sawyer being on camera tonight wasn’t ideal.”

“Especially taking a punch to the damn face.” Sawyer rubbed his jaw.

Charlie and Austin entered the locker room, and Sawyer went about introducing everyone to the whole team as more players emerged from the showers, dressed and ready to say hello. Morgan enjoyed watching Sawyer catch up with his buddies. Seeing big, burly hockey players go all soft over Nia was pretty fun too. Most of the guys remembered meeting Morgan before and they hilariously tried to embarrass Sawyer at every turn.

Didn’t matter though. No humiliating story about Sawyer could change Morgan’s mind about him. She was upset about tonight’s brawl, as Nia kept calling it, but the bottom line was Sawyer had been more than ready to defend her and her brother. He hadn’t thought twice about facing down that shitpile fan for his taunting and aggressiveness. Sawyer had called her a member of his team and she truly felt like one now.

“My wife is going to flip over this Austin Rayhill autograph.” Max waved the paper Austin had signed for him. “I will not be in the doghouse for many nights. Thanks.”

“Glad I can help with staying out of the doghouse.” Austin clapped the goalie on the back.

“Max needs all the help he can get,” Brett said. “He’s in the doghouse like every other day, aren’t you, man?”

Max held up his left hand and pointed to his wedding ring. “At least I got her to say I do. Most of you clowns don’t have the nerve to ask the question.”

“He might be right about that,” Brett mused. “It’s less scary to take a puck to the teeth than to do the whole get-down-on-one-knee thing.” He pretended to shiver.

“It’s less scary when you meet the right woman,” Austin said, taking Charlie’s hand.

“But it is scary to get married on national television like we did,” Charlie joked.

Sawyer didn’t chime into the conversation, but Morgan caught him looking at her with a pensive look in his gorgeous hazel eyes.

When it was time to leave, Max and Brett did a quick sweep outside the locker rooms first.

“Nobody’s out there,” Brett said. “You guys are good to go. I hope hanging with us in here put the night back on track for you all. I’d hate to think my invite to the game left a bad taste.”

“No, man,” Sawyer said. “Everything’s cool. Besides it’s not your fault an opposing team fan acted like a total—” He snapped his mouth closed when Nia ran over to him. “A total banana.”

“A complete banana,” Brett agreed with a grin. “Rest that arm up, Sawyer, so we can have you back.”

“You still won without me,” Sawyer said.

“True,” Max said, “but we would have obliterated the other team with you. I like obliteration.”

“What’s ob-lit-er-ation?” Nia asked.

Morgan shook her head. “I’m buying you a dictionary, Nia.”

“Okay,” Nia said. “Can I have one with a purple cover?”

Sawyer scooped up his daughter. “We’ll see if we can find one.” To his teammates, he said, “Later, guys.”

Goodbyes filtered through the group as Charlie led them out of the locker room, doing her own quick scan before letting them slip past the doors. Outside the arena was quiet by this time and they hoofed it through the dark and cold to the chopper.

Odd how the dark and cold hadn’t bothered Morgan on the way to the game. Now, however, her jacket didn’t seem warm enough and the shadows made her jumpy.

Sawyer grabbed Morgan’s hand as he carried Nia who rested her head on his shoulder. The poor kid was exhausted after all the activities of the day.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” he said quietly as they neared the helicopter.

Morgan leaned into him, hoping with all her heart he was right.