**Please read Author's Note at the end of chapter!!**
2 months later...
"How do you look that good after just having a baby? After I had Adelyn, I still looked nine months pregnant when she was two months old.", Elsie examines my postpartum stomach.
I roll my eyes, "You definitely did not. Especially considering you looked six months pregnant, when you were nine months pregnant. I looked like a bloated whale."
"You looked adorable. Still do. Anyways, you excited to go back to work?"
"No,", I pout, "I don't wanna leave him."
Elsie pats my hand, "It gets easier, I promise."
I huff, "Yeah, till he hits the clingy years. Then it gets hard all over again."
Max is sleeping peacefully in the bassinet stroller. He was swaddled and inside a Bugaboo Inlay with a creme hat on his head under the Alpine Muffy's. A couple of muslin blankets surrounded him for extra warmth and his pacifier was already starting to slip out.
"Here's your drinks, Mrs.Brooks." The server appears from beside me.
"Thanks Noah.", I take the cups from his hands.
"Mrs.Rennard, I'll be right back with yours and then your guys' food should be here soon."
"Thank ya." He smiles politely before walking away.
Sitting in box seats or suites definitely had its perks. Of course we'd rather be closer to the glass, but with the kids it's easier to watch from up here, where it was a bit quieter.
"You know nobody is going to be surprised when you post about Max tonight, right?"
I nod, "Yeah. It's just better to be formal about it. According to Kelly, we'll have to deal with less press that way." Christian's publicist was good at her job but, boy, does she piss me off. She thinks she owns Christian, even though Christian is paying her. Not the other way around.
He's wanted to lay her off a couple of times but I told him no. She may be a bitch but she does good on the publicity side. Not that Christian really needs a publicist, he doesn't get into trouble and never really has.
"Mommy, I want a pretzel." Charlie looks up from playing with Adelyn.
"It's on its way baby."
"Okay." She says before turning back to Adelyn and their scattered babydoll accessories. They were sat on the floor, on a blanket at our feet. Our little hockey girls were just living the life every week.
"Can I hold Bubby?"
"Not right now baby. He'll be cold."
"Aww, okay."
Adelyn ditches the playtime and puts her arms up for Elsie.
I look down at Charlie. "Do you wanna watch a movie?"
"Okay!" Charlie climbs onto my lap and I bend down, picking up the soft grey blanket. I shake it out a little before draping it over Charlie and I.
I pull my phone out and hand it to Charlie so she can pick something to watch.
I focus on the game as the second period starts and St.Paul takes off with the puck. A teeny tiny sliver of pride pings in my chest at my original favorite team, whose currently two points ahead of Minneapolis.
Elsie nudges my elbow with her own, "You're cheering for the wrong team over there."
"Am not!"
"Mhm. I saw the little smile on your face when they won the face off."
"Don't tell Christian?"
"I'd never."
Charlie finishes off her pretzel before handing me the empty tray. I set in on the ground by my feet, "I gotta go potty!"
"Okay.", I stand up, grabbing ahold of the diaper bag.
"I need to go too, actually.", Elsie stands up with Adelyn in her arms.
I leave the blanket and my coat on my seat. "I wanna push." Charlie says, looking up at me with her big eyes.
"Let's get out of this area and you can." I say and she pouts but nods. I take ahold of her hand with one hand and push the stroller with my other.
The bathroom trip was surprisingly fast- compared to usual at least. And of course, the minute we left the suite, something exciting happened. Then again, while I was changing Max's diaper.
When we got back to our seats Minneapolis had taken the lead again.
The game went on, going back and forth with each team taking the lead. Until, we were in Sudden Death.
Charlie fell asleep in my lap by the first five minutes of the third period. Max woke up a couple of times but never for too long.
I watched as the puck was being passed back and forth. Stolen from Minneapolis. Stolen from St.Paul.
Ryan West has the puck. He passes it to James, who passes it back to Ryan. Ryan dekes it to James before really sending it over to Christian. Christian gains possession and skates around the goal before he slightly pulls his stick back and shoots the puck. It goes flying right into the five-hole and the buzzer sounds.
My husband just scored the winning goal. "I knew I married him for a reason."
Elsie snorts beside me as we begin to gather up all of our things.
We head out of the suite, sleeping children in our arms- and a stroller- and head down stairs. Thank God there's an elevator.
"Good evening to the Misses.", George says as we walk past him.
"Evenin' Georgie. Good game, yeah?"
"As always."
An inappropriate comment comes to mind about how Christian is good at slamming people into walls and I bite my tongue to keep myself from laughing at my own thoughts.
I see Christian leaning over the board, his head hanging down as beads of sweat drip from his hair.
"Who knew sweaty men could be so attractive." Elsie mutters.
I hum in agreement. "Honestly. It turns me on more than it should."
Elsie chuckles, "It's the wet hair in general. Makes you weak in the knees."
"That it does." As if sensing that we were approaching, Christian picks his head up, pulling one glove off with his teeth. His face is flushed red and glistening with sweat. The tips of his hair stick to his forehead. I am way to attracted to this man right now.
A smile appears on his face as he steps up onto the players bench and meets me at the edge of the tunnel. Fans are above us right now, leaning over the railings. Mainly kids, some die-hard grown men too.
Christian leans down, meeting me halfway until his lips are on mine. A few cheers and whistles echo towards us and I smile into the kiss.
"Which one do you want me to take?" Christian asks as he pulls away.
I nod towards the stroller, "I trust myself more with Charlie on the ice than I do with him."
Christian chuckles, unzipping the Inlay before pulling the earmuffs off of Max's head. He gently picks him up, keeping him swaddled as he cradles Max in his arms.
I lean up on my toes, looking at our sleeping baby, "He looks even smaller with your gear on."
Christian chuckles turning back towards the ice. He steps out first before turning to me to make sure I make it out okay.
Coach Colson comes walking over, "Aw, let me see the little fella."
Christian slightly tilts Max upward so Coach can look at him. Pretty soon a couple of the other players are also gawking over him.
"Alright, give 'em some space." James pushes his way through with a sleeping Adelyn on his shoulder.
Kelly appears in front of me, "Are you guys ready? One picture is all we need."
I nod, letting out a small yawn.
A photographer comes walking over and Christian readjusts Max so his face is hidden. He wraps his arm around my waist, tugging me into his side. I lean into him as I hold Charlie with both of my arms. She was asleep so it's easy to keep her face out of the camera. I still cover the side of her face with my hand just to be safe.
"Ready? One.. Two." The camera clicks before he even gets to three and then he pulls his camera down.
He shows the screen to Kelly who nods in approval, before he shows us the picture, and we agree that it looks good.
We bid our goodbyes with the photographer, who promises to have the pictures sitting in our email inboxes by the time we get home.
"Let me give you my keys and you can go get the kids settled in my car while I change and shower." Christian says before walking into the locker room. Not even ten seconds later he comes walking back out, "I'll be no more than five minutes."
I nod, taking the keys from his hand and pecking his lips once.
James comes walking out as Christian goes in, "Let me help you."
"It's okay, I got it."
"Brin. I'm parked right next to Christian, let me push the damn stroller."
I sigh, "Fine."
We talk the whole walk to the parking lot behind the arena. James then demands that he buckle Charlie in while I handle Max and the stroller.
"Thank you!" I yell for the third time as he gets into his car with a chuckle.
"See ya at home?" I ask as Christian approaches.
"Are you sure you don't want me to get it?", he places his hand on top of the car, leaning against it.
"It's fine, you know I don't mind late night errands."
Christian gives me an unsure look before saying, "Okay just, be careful."
"I'm not even getting out of the car. Nora is bringing it out to me."
He nods, "Okay. I'll text you when we get home."
I place a quick kiss on his lips, "Please do. I'll be there soon. Twenty minutes tops!", I yell as I walk to my car.
"Call me if you need anything."
I hit the unlock button on my keys, "We both know I'll call you the minute I get in the car."
"Ah yes, a wonderful trait from your mother."
I chuckle, climbing into the Grand Wagoneer and heading towards the hospital.
I had apparently left my badge here after my last shift and was too busy with the baby to ever come get it- and Nora kept forgetting to bring it- so, I told her I'd stop by and grab it after the game.
"Thank you. You're an angel."
"Tell that to my husband." She throws over her shoulder as she walks back inside.
I pull out of the hospital parking lot and before I know it, I'm parked in the garage and getting out of the tall SUV.
"Christian?", I yell quietly, "You upstairs?". I walk through the kitchen and past the living room to the stairs. I step onto the first step and freeze. I backtrack and stop in the doorway of the living room.
Next to the couch is the semi-permanent crib, with an asleep Christian laying in it. His head is turned to the side as his legs are up, hanging over the side of the crib. Max lay asleep on his bare chest, the two of them breathing evenly.
I pull out my phone and snap a couple of pictures before deciding to wake Christian up.
I knew he'd wake up in the middle of the night, due to not fitting in the crib, and be mad that I left him there.
I gently scoop up Max which wakes Christian.
Good to know he's alert even when he's sleeping. He's kinda like a puppy dog in a sense.
"Morning Sleeping Beauty."
Christian grumbles, rubbing his eyes with the bottom of his palms. "What time is it?"
"Almost midnight."
He nods, lazily climbing out of the crib. "I want a kiss, baby." I giggle, leaning up on my tippy toes and placing a soft kiss against his lips.
I let out a yawn after I pull away, "I'm gonna put him down. Then I'm putting myself down. You got the lights?"
Christian nods, padding into the kitchen to turn out the light above the sink before coming up the stairs.
I quickly wash off my makeup and throw my hair up into a bun before slipping on crème and black polka dot pajamas and climbing into bed.
I lay my head on Christian's chest as he scrolls through sports stats. "Let me see which pictures your posting."
Christian's hand lands on my back as he his hand slips under my pajama shirt. I watch as he exits out of the ESPN app and opens his pictures.
He'd already put emoji's over Max and Charlie's faces, "I need a caption. You're captions are always cute and punny."
"I'm a punny person. Do you want to tell people his name yet or wait?" I look up at Christian.
"Eh. Make 'em suffer a little longer."
******
brin.brooks: life lately🤍
view all 47 comments
officialchristianbrooks: imagine not having a wife who is a milf... can't relate.
elsierennard: my absolute faves
norahowell.94: the hottest mom out there
norahowell.94: POV: i've seen their beautiful faces. HA
kelsey.ann: so precious
isaac.mayfield: congrats
viviiii.cameron: so cute!
7 minutes ago
******
officialchristianbrooks: jr.forward player in the making 🏒⛸️
P.S. - Don't ask what his name is, please. We'd like to keep that between our friends and family.
view all 103 comments
brin.brooks: the sleeping pictures get me every time 😩
officialjamesrennard: imagine having cute kids.. I can relate. You can't. JK i love your kids.
- officialchristianbrooks: have you seen your child? she's only cute bc she has none of your genetics
ryanwestofficial: congrats man!
eastonmaxwellgoalie: congrats, big time!
elsierennard: so friggin' cute, i'm dying over here
emerycam: cuteness overload. aunt em is coming soon, promise!
- brin.brooks: so glad you can comment on my post 😐
howell.logan: happy for y'all!!
11 minutes ago
******
Word Count; 2,408
Christian asleep in the crib with Max>>>
A/N:
Okay, I'm taking a vote!
Would you guys like a sequel to this book about Emery, Brinley's sister?
Comment Yes or No.
I want your honest opinions.
Some books are meant to just be a standalone, some are meant to be a series. And I'm honestly really torn on this matter so I need your help.
Also, Happy Valentine's Day!
Or, if you're single and spending the night watching rom-coms: Happy Galentine's Day!