13. Dakota

Braxton picked me up as promised and drove us downtown to the food kitchen. It had been two days, but I was still in shock that this was how he chose to spend his morning and early afternoon on Thanksgiving. There had been subtle hints he wasn't like the rest, but I still never saw it coming. Maybe I hadn't wanted to see it—a defense mechanism of sorts.

But now, there was no denying that Braxton was a good man, profession be damned.

Helping me out of the car, the picture of the perfect gentleman, he kept hold of my hand as we walked down the sidewalk to the entrance to the building. I'd be lying if I said I didn't like the feel of his warm palm against mine. It provided a comfort I didn't know I needed and now craved.

Pushing on the door, he held it open for me to enter before him. The bustle of activity shocked me the second I stepped inside. We'd gone from city sidewalk to busy kitchen in the blink of an eye.

People who I assumed were fellow volunteers were hard at work. All hands were on deck, and I wondered how many would be fed today in this location. I knew firsthand how much these meals meant to people down on their luck and struggling for one reason or another.

A woman saw us standing in the doorway and rushed over, a smile on her face. "Well, look who it is!" Her eyes cut to me. "And you've brought a friend."

Braxton placed a hand on my lower back, addressing the woman. "Heather, this is Dakota. She asked to join me today, and I know you'd have my head if I turned down an extra set of hands on the busiest day of the year."

Heather beamed at Braxton before turning that smile on me. "Welcome, Dakota. And he's right. Extra hands are always appreciated. Especially today."

Smiling back at her, I replied, "Happy to help."

"Wonderful." She clapped her hands. "Let's get you both to work. The doors open at eleven, and there's still tons to do before then!"

Leading us to a workstation where we'd be peeling potatoes, she handed us both aprons before pointing out the sink to wash our hands. When we returned to the stainless steel table, a giant bowl of potatoes was waiting, with empty bowls to put the peeled ones that other volunteers would take to be boiled before mashing.

Donning the apron, Braxton rolled up the sleeves of his sweater before getting right to work. I got caught up in watching how he moved with practiced ease, gliding the peeler in even strokes along the potato before dropping it into an empty bowl.

Sensing my eyes on him, he turned, flashing me a smile. "Enjoying the show? I thought you came here to help."

Blushing, I avoided his gaze, instead fumbling with my apron strings. Setting about peeling my first potato, I remarked, "This isn't your first time, is it?"

I caught the shake of his head from the corner of my eye as he answered, "No. I've been coming since I arrived in Hartford. This is my fifth Thanksgiving."

Turning to face him, my potato forgotten, I asked, "Do you know how much these meals mean to those who need them?"

Braxton tilted his head. "I have some idea. Most are quiet, but a few are overly expressive in their gratitude." He shrugged. "It doesn't feel like enough. I can tell many of them are homeless, and I wish I could do more."

The breath froze in my lungs at his words. He wasn't doing this for publicity. He genuinely cared.

Quietly, I said, "To them, this meal is everything."

"Yeah?" One of his dark eyebrows rose.

"Yeah," I confirmed. Taking a deep breath, I offered a piece of myself—one I'd only shared with Bristol. "My mom, she was too proud to take the help of others." Braxton's amber eyes held mine, imploring me to continue, so I did. "Things were rough after my dad . . ." I couldn't finish that sentence, and God bless him, Braxton didn't press me to. "Anyway, we scraped by but went without a lot of luxuries. A big Thanksgiving dinner was never in the cards. Maybe that's why I like the meal I brought to Natalie so much. It was close enough to the real deal that I didn't miss it. So, if you ever think this isn't enough, just know it is and more."

Wiping his hands on a towel, he reached up to cup my cheek, and I let him. "Thank you for sharing that with me. I know it couldn't have been easy."

He had no idea that my walls were crumbling. Or maybe he did, and that's why he was so gentle with me now.

I couldn't help but wonder if my mom was watching on. Or if, perhaps, she'd placed me directly into Braxton's path, knowing he would be the one to defy expectations, the one who would patiently wait to make it past my prickly exterior.

I barely knew him, but something told me that what we shared—even limited as it was—wasn't typical. Bristol had brought plenty of guys home over the years before shacking up with Nix, and most of them had been after one thing and one thing only—sex. Braxton was genuine, taking his time getting to know me, even as I pushed him away. Sure, he had those flashes of flirtation, but they were always light-hearted. I never felt pressured to give him something more, something I wasn't ready for.

Braxton Slate might very well be the real deal. And God, if that didn't scare the living daylights out of me.

Arriving at the Slate residence, Braxton parked at the end of a long line of luxury cars lining the driveway. Nervously, I wiped my palms against the dark denim of my jeans as he rounded the hood and opened the door for me. Taking my hand, he helped me out of the vehicle before searching my eyes.

It must have been evident that I was apprehensive walking into a gathering where I was the outsider, so he gave a reassuring squeeze, reaching up with his free hand to tuck the curls framing my face behind my ear.

He smiled at me as his soothing voice offered comfort. "It's just friends, remember? And if at any point you become uncomfortable, say the word, and we'll leave. I mean it."

Dropping my gaze, I gave a slight nod, releasing his hand to reach into the backseat to grab the small cooler with my offering for the meal.

My anxiety shot through the roof when Braxton gestured toward the double front doors of the massive home. Taking a tentative step forward, I was wound so tightly that when he placed a hand at the small of my back, I jumped, mumbling a quick, "Sorry" when his brows drew down in concern.

Braxton rapped his knuckles against the giant doors but didn't wait for a response before turning the knob and ushering me inside.

I didn't know what I'd been expecting, but it wasn't the palpable warmth audible from the entryway. Laughter and love hung in the air, settling over me like a weighted blanket, easing any fears of my presence being an intrusion on this friend group.

"Come on." Braxton latched the door behind us, guiding me closer to where the voices sounded, several conversations layering over each other.

Breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth, I calmed my racing heart as the family room, filled with smiling faces, came into view.

Hannah spied our arrival first, calling out, "My naughty new bestie is here!"

All heads turned in our direction, and the heat creeping onto my cheeks blazed like an inferno. I only recognized a few faces, and Hannah ensured I made a hell of a first impression.

She ran over to hug me, her blond giant of a man trailing. Pulling back, she smirked at Braxton, remarking, "Well done."

Shuffling his feet beside me, I couldn't spare him more than a glance before Hannah took my hand, tugging me toward her man. "Dakota, meet Cal."

Smiling lovingly at Hannah, he offered his hand to shake. "It's nice to formally meet you, Dakota. Allow me to apologize again for her behavior at the spa. She gets a little unruly from time to time."

Hannah's hand reached out to smack his chest. "Don't apologize for me! I'm not sorry."

"You never are," Cal muttered before winking at me. "Nine times out of ten, she misbehaves to provoke a reaction from me."

Nodding enthusiastically, Hannah confirmed, "It's true." Leaning in, she whispered, "And I bet you know just how good those punishments can be."

Cue the flaming face again. I was used to Bristol's sexually suggestive mouth, but she had never been quite so bold in public. Hannah was a breed all her own. This was her world, and the rest of us were simply living in it.

Natalie's voice cut through to my right. "Hannah, leave the poor girl alone. Braxton can't afford to have you scaring this one off. I like her."

Set slightly at ease, I turned to face our hostess, who beamed at me before throwing her arms around my neck. "We're so glad you could make it." Releasing her grasp, she gestured to Braxton. "I told this one not to take no for an answer."

Peeking at the man by my side, I asked, "Is that so?"

He shrugged with a smirk, teasing Natalie. "Don't you have enough sisters?"

Winking, she replied, "There's still one open spot left."

Stunned, I stared at the pair of them.

Were they implying what I thought they were? Braxton and I had met only a couple of months ago. Had the thought really crossed people's minds that we were already in it for the long haul? Or at least, they were hopeful that we might be?

How could they be so confident when I was still reeling, trying to figure out what Braxton and I were? Yes, there were butterflies in my stomach when he flashed me that perfectly imperfect crooked grin. Yes, I thought about him when he wasn't around. And yes, he was tearing down the walls I'd built about my heart brick by brick. But none of that equated to a relationship.

Then, a thought struck me. What if Braxton already felt as though we were a couple? What if I was the last to realize I was already his?

That I want to be his.

Out of nowhere, a potential future with a man I barely knew flashed before my eyes. Spending nights together talking, sharing our deepest secrets and fears. Me attending one of his games to support what he did for a living. Baring my soul, allowing him to read my writing, and eventually finding our way to a place where we couldn't live without the other.

I'd figured I might meet a man someday and open up my jaded heart to love, but Braxton had blown in out of left field. I never saw him coming until he snuck up on me, and I felt powerless to put the brakes on now. We were rolling down the track too fast, and I wasn't sure I wanted to get off this train.

The man in question's hand landed on my shoulder, saying to Natalie, "Dakota insisted on bringing something, even though I told her we would have enough food to feed an army."

Brown eyes sparkling, Natalie exclaimed, "Oh! I've told everyone about the casserole you made for us. I'm sure whatever you brought will be another hit!"

I couldn't help but smile back at her; she exuded such kindness. Lifting the cooler, I explained, "I know it's seasonal, but key lime pie is always an instant classic in my book. There's so much savory on Thanksgiving that I figured having a little sweet and tart to cleanse the palate would be nice."

Natalie gushed, "That sounds amazing! Did you make it?"

Braxton answered for me. "She sure did." He squeezed my shoulder. "It was her mom's recipe."

A sympathetic smile graced Natalie's lips. "I'm sure you're missing her today."

Dammit. Why were these people so nice? Tears burned behind my eyes as I furiously blinked to keep them at bay. My voice was whisper-quiet in my reply. "Yes."

Taking the cooler from my hand, she disappeared without another word, and Braxton pulled me into his arms, sensing my need for comfort. How did he always know exactly what I needed?

Dipping his head to my ear, he asked, "You okay?"

Nodding into his chest, I took a shaky breath. "Yeah. Holidays are hard."

Pulling back, he thumbed the moisture from my cheeks. "She can never be replaced, but this found family is pretty great. As you can probably tell, they're already holding a spot open for you to join it."

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "Maybe. Gotta get through the trial run of a major holiday first."

"Be yourself. That's more than enough."

Jaxon's voice broke through the bubble of our private yet public interaction. "Dakota. So glad you could join us."

Stepping out of Braxton's arms, I took a calming breath, throwing on a smile to greet his brother. "Thank you so much for having me."

Waving a dismissive hand, Jaxon's crooked smile matched that of his brother's. "The more, the merrier. As Braxton mentioned, we always have too much food."

Stepping forward, Jaxon pulled Braxton into a hug. As they broke apart Braxton teased, "Nice of you to put a shirt on this time."

Smirking, Jaxon shrugged. "I'm a dad first. You know that."

Okay, Braxton's older brother is kind of adorable.

The story Braxton shared with me that night in the hospital had stuck with me. The one about Jaxon taking in Natalie's older kids and claiming them as his own. There were no doubts I was looking at a good man—more than that, a good father—and from what I could tell, he was Braxton's benchmark.

And, damn, if that's how nicely Braxton's gonna age? Yes, please.

"These things can be intimidating the first time," Jaxon explained. "My first Christmas with this group wasn't the smoothest, but it was worth it. They're some of the best people I've ever known, and they love hard. You won't find a more supportive family."

Braxton looped an arm around my waist, asking, "Want a drink before we make the rounds?"

Leaning into his muscular body beside me, I shook my head. "No. I'll psych myself out if we put it off too long."

"Fair enough." He led me further into the room, and we stopped before the people scattered across multiple couches and seated on the floor.

Everyone's eyes were locked on us, and I wanted to hide behind Braxton but forced myself to be brave. I could do this.

Without hesitation and with a hint of pride in his voice, Braxton introduced me, "Guys, this is Dakota." Everyone smiled back at me, offering waves, as Braxton moved around the room, offering so many names I knew I wouldn't be able to keep them all straight.

He gestured to a broad black-haired man and a full-figured redheaded woman. "First, we have Liam, Natalie's brother-in-law, and his wife, Amy, who is Natalie's oldest friend. They used to live here with her after the divorce but now live next door." Oh, I remembered a mention of that. They must have the baby Natalie had mentioned having the same birthday as Max.

Next came the bottom-heavy blonde nurse I'd met in the hospital and a shorter but muscular man with reddish-brown hair. "I'm sure you remember Liv." She gave me a bright smile. "And this is her partner, Benji. He plays for the Comets on the same line with me and Jaxon. They have a little boy, Knox, running around here somewhere."

A dark-haired couple was seated on the ground with a baby girl eating her toes between them. "Then, we have Lucy, Natalie's sister-in-law, her husband, Preston, and their baby girl, Hazy." I couldn't help but smile at the chubby baby with pink cheeks.

"Nice to meet everyone," I offered, overwhelmed but gaining confidence with every passing minute.

"How about that drink now?" Braxton said in my ear.

"God, yes," I breathed out.

"That's what I thought." His tone held a trace of laughter. Squeezing my side, he added, "You did great by the way."

"Thanks." I let him lead me to a wet bar off the side of the kitchen.

He gestured to the various bottles and asked, "What'll it be?"

"White wine is just fine."

"You got it."

Reaching down, he opened a wine chiller beneath the countertop, grabbed a bottle, and held it up for my inspection. With me nodding at his choice of a Pinot Grigio, he plucked a stemless wine glass from the cabinet and poured a healthy amount. When he offered me the glass, I took a sip, letting the flavors burst on my tongue and settle any nerves that remained. Braxton grabbed a beer for himself, and we returned to the living room.

As he pulled me to sit with him on a chaise lounge, I remained silent, watching the exchanges between friends and lovers.

Most of the couples were in each other"s space as if they couldn't bear the thought of not breathing the same air. There didn't appear to be any hesitation regarding public displays of affection.

Hannah brazenly sat on Cal's lap, running her hands over his muscular arms while she spoke to her friends.

Liam kept a firm hand on his wife's leg at all times, his eyes never leaving her for more than a moment, almost as if he were a guard dog, always on watch.

Jaxon's arms were looped around Natalie's waist from behind, and he kept dipping his head into the crook of her neck.

Preston and Lucy lay on the ground, side by side, tickling their baby's tummy and laughing at her squeals before sharing a look of pure, unfiltered love.

Liv was curled into Benji's side as she held baby Max. Their tones were hushed as they stared adoringly down at the newborn, but I could have sworn I heard Benji muse, "I can't believe how small they are."

Quietly, I asked Braxton, "So, what are their stories?"

Grinning, he teased, "Is this your author brain working overtime?"

"Maybe. I don't often see love so blatantly on display like this in real life. It makes me curious how they all came together."

Chuckling softly, Braxton mused, "They are giving off strong couple goals, aren't they?" Dipping his head beside my ear, his voice lowered to barely a whisper. "Best to start at the top. That would be Natalie and Jaxon. They are the keystone couple. Everyone else is tied to the pair of them in some way."

Nodding, I prompted, "She was married before, right?"

"Yeah, that's where this gets interesting. She married—no joke—a prince right out of high school."

Stunned, I pulled back to meet his eye to make sure he wasn't fucking with me, but he simply nodded his head in confirmation.

"Wow," I breathed out. "Who would leave a prince to start slumming it with a hockey player?" I teased.

When I sat back, he explained, "It wasn't the fairy tale most would imagine. I never met the guy myself, but from what I've heard? He was a real piece of work. Put her and those three kids through the wringer."

I could relate to having a crappy high-profile dad.

"How long were they together?"

"Married ten years. Believe it or not, Jaxon was in love with her from the day they met as teenagers, but she was already married and had her first baby. Somehow, he managed to get his chance with her right after the divorce. And when I say chance, I mean they hooked up and she got pregnant. Jaxon spent the better part of a year convincing Natalie that he wasn't going anywhere and would wait until she was ready, no matter how long it took. Without Charlie, who knows if they would even be together today. Which would be a real loss because he fucking worships her, and she believes he's the white knight that he is."

Huh. What if my mom hadn't been so adamant that my dad was coming back all those years? Would she have found her Jaxon? Someone who could've loved me as their own child? My heart ached with the possibilities lost.

"That brings us to Amy and Liam," Braxton continued, and I shifted my eyes to the beautiful redhead with her hulking husband, who had eyes only for her. "Liam was Natalie's brother-in-law during her first marriage. If you wanna talk prince with a hero complex, that's him. He needs to save everyone. That's how he ended up married to Natalie's best friend. She needed help—a husband—for a promotion at work, so he offered up his services. Didn't take much time for that marriage to become very real. And it's a good thing, too, because he used to be such a broody asshole, and she's softened him. But don't get me started on how fiercely protective he is of anyone he loves. It's only gotten worse since Amy got pregnant and their son, Nate, was born."

Braxton gestured to the couple on the floor with their baby. "After that came Lucy and Preston. Lucy is Liam's little sister, and Preston was his best friend growing up. But from what I gather, Lucy and Preston never got along. And that didn't change once their marriage was arranged by her grandfather, the King of Belleston—that's the country in Europe where they're from."

I gawked at him. "Stop it."

Holding two fingers up, he swore, "Scout's honor."

"People really still do that?"

He shrugged. "Apparently. I've heard some epic stories about how they tortured each other for months, trying to get the other to call off their arrangement. But both of them were too stubborn and neither budged. Somewhere along the way, hate turned into love, and Preston has been the biggest supporter of her fashion brand, Addy June."

"Oh, I think I've heard of that." Not that I could ever afford designer prices, but Bristol always had an eye out at consignment shops for rare finds, and I could have sworn she brought one home a few years back.

"The most epic of all would be Hannah and Cal." Braxton chuckled under his breath. "Hannah has been Natalie's best friend since high school, and until last year, Cal played for the Comets. And oh boy, are they fire and ice. She spent years pushing his buttons, and he would do the same right back. I've mentioned that Hannah is our coach's daughter, but I didn't explain that the unbreakable rule was that you didn't touch his daughters. And no one was willing to test if he was serious."

I had a feeling I knew exactly where this was headed. "Let me guess. Hannah wasn't one to take no for an answer."

"Bingo. Urban legend has it that Cal left a voicemail on her phone telling her just how crazy she drove him, and that was game over. Hannah made it no secret she was after a player, and when she realized she could break one, he became her target. They kept their relationship secret for a long time, but the truth can never stay hidden for long. Coach was pissed, but Hannah got her way in the end."

"That leaves one more couple."

"Benji and Liv," Braxton confirmed. "Now, they're a fairly new couple and even newer to this group. Well, at least Liv is. Benji's been on the Comets for years. We only met Liv in September."

That didn't make any sense. The night we met in the hospital, she acted as if she'd known everyone for years, including Braxton. She seemed excited that she had been able to assist in the births of two of her friends. How could that be if she was just as new to this group as I was?

"Wait. I thought you said they have a kid?"

"They do. Knox is eight, but Benji didn't learn about him until this past summer. Went home to run a hockey clinic after they won the championship and ran across Knox. Liv never told him that she was pregnant when he left to play juniors, and last summer was the first time he came home since then. I guess she never moved on, and Benji was determined to win back his first love. So, here they are, a happy little family."

"Unreal," I uttered in amazement.

This family was a walking list of romance tropes! You had royalty, sports, accidental pregnancy, marriage of convenience, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity, arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, brother's best friend, secret baby, and forbidden romance. I could easily write five or six books from inspiration gathered in the last fifteen minutes.

That begged the question. What trope would Braxton and I be? Obviously, sports, but it had to be more than that.

Virgin, you dummy.

I nearly groaned as the realization hit me. Braxton had been so patient with me, but I wondered if that might be the straw that finally broke the camel's back. As an athlete, surely, he had experience, and if the road took us down that path, would my naiveté prove to be too much for him to handle? Watching loads of porn was enough to write super-hot sex scenes, but I was fairly certain it wouldn't overcome practical inexperience. I mean, how many men went down the porn rabbit hole and were still terrible lovers?

Before I could fall too deep into the depths of despair regarding a relationship I wasn't even sure would come to pass, a woman with silver hair pulled back into an elegant French twist entered the room, a black-haired baby held in her arms, which she promptly eased into Liam's open arms.

Nodding in her direction, I asked, "And her?"

"Liam and Lucy's mom, Crown Princess Adelaide. In informal settings, she goes by Addy. She's been here visiting since the boys were born, but she'll have to return home soon."

Natalie had mentioned she was close with her ex-mother-in-law the last time I visited. I couldn't even begin to imagine. As soon as my dad left, we never heard from his family again. How you could throw away blood like that, I would never understand. In the end, I was probably better off, as they were no better than fair-weather fans, only sticking around when times were good.

This family had no idea how lucky they were to have each other.

Max began to fuss in Benji's arms, and he jumped up, joking, "That's the alarm signaling it's time to pass him back off to his parents."

Everyone laughed, including Natalie, who cradled her baby boy close to her chest, shushing him gently. Peering down at the infant held in her arms, she mused, "I still can't believe how much he and Nate look alike. They're not even related but could pass for twins."

Hannah snickered. "Nate looks like he ate his twin."

Cal tickled her side as a low rumble came from deep within Liam's chest in warning. Braxton wasn't kidding when he said that man was protective; he couldn't even take what was clearly a joke.

Undeterred, Hannah kept going. "Seriously. I give him a month before he's bigger than Hazy."

Lucy fed into it, lifting Hazy next to where Liam held Nate. The baby boy wasn't far off. He was a hefty little thing for being only a month old.

Cuddling her daughter, Lucy looked down at her nephew. "I think you're right, Nat. All three of these little munchkins bear a resemblance."

Amy placed a hand on her husband's arm. "I think their black hair is making everyone think that. Liam was disappointed when Nate didn't come out with red hair."

Hannah chimed in. "What did you expect? We all know how strong those Remington genes are."

The lighthearted atmosphere shifted, and a ripple of unease rolled through the room at those words. It was so palpable that I couldn't suppress a shudder.

What the hell just happened?

Turning to Braxton, his face reflected my own confusion. Hannah leaned over from our right, whispering, "Did you feel that, too?" When I nodded in confirmation, she smirked. "Don't worry, I'll fix it.

Straightening up on Cal's lap, I watched on in fascination as a wicked gleam entered her eyes and her lips curled into a grin.

Oh, this is going to be good.

Taking a deep breath, Hannah declared, "At least he escaped becoming a member of the Fire Crotch Club."

Liam nearly forgot he held a baby as he lunged for her, and Hannah squealed, placing Cal's body in front of her own like a shield.

Snarling, Liam's nostrils flared. "You've taken it too far this time, Hannah."

Peeking out from behind Cal's back, she replied, "Tell me how well that situation worked out for Amy."

"Okay! Everyone back down." Amy stepped up to her husband, tugging on his arm. When he didn't budge, she said softly, "Honey, you know she loves to rile you up. It's Hannah. She doesn't have a malicious bone in her body. It's all shock factor."

Hannah held her hands up. "You make it so easy, Liam. Chill out once in a while, and I might target someone else."

I stared wide-eyed at the exchange. Hannah clearly had no regard for her personal safety, as she had intentionally provoked the second largest man in the room—the only one larger being the one she currently hid behind.

Natalie leaned over the back of the couch where Braxton and I sat, a smile in her voice when her head came between us. "Welcome to the family, Dakota. I can't wait til you find your voice and start sparring with the rest of us."