Page 50 of Tough Score

"You know he loves you. You're like the son he never had," she says "But I'm glad you're back in the stadium. We all missed you."

"I brought someone along with me that you've been begging me to meet," he says, his eyes turning to me.

"Keely! Finally," she says, reaching out with her hands to grab mine. "We saw you two sitting in your seats. The girls are all itching to meet you. Penelope wanted to run down to your row and pull you up to the owner's box to be with us, but we figured you needed to stay with Reeve," then her eyes move back to Reeve. "And holy cow… the fans loved seeing you in those seats. I think the cameraman panned to you two a hundred times. Our social media feed blew up when I posted a short reel, and Lake said it was a huge morale boost for the guys in the locker room to see you back."

"Thanks, Tessa, it's good to be back," he says and then smiles down at me.

"Okay, well, I need to deliver you to media," she says, looking at Reeve, and then turns back to me and squeezes my hands, "And the girls are already waiting over there to meet you," she says.

I nod, "We don't want to keep anyone waiting."

"Okay," she says, dropping my hands and then turns to walk back down the crowded hall. "Follow me."

People pat Reeve's shoulder as we walk by, and he receives smiles from people who are all so happy to see him back.

This is where he belongs, and I will make sure he stays here.

As soon as we get to the room where media is set up for the guys to come in for interviews, Tessa sends Reeve in as Briggs Conley comes out. Reeve gives me one last look before he dips in and my heart flutters because I'm the last thing he looked for before he went in.

Tessa doesn't waste any time as she pulls me down a different hallway but it's not long before I see three women standing together laughing. As soon as we get close, they notice us approaching.

"Look who I found?" Tessa says.

At first glance, I recognized Penelope Roberts.

Her long blonde hair, sweet smile, and the same gray-blue eyes that her father and GM for the Hawkeyes have. Plus, I saw all of her pictures in his office.

"You're Penelope, right?" I ask, reaching out a hand to shake hers. "You got me the interview with your dad and my apartment. I can't tell you how much I appreciate both of those things."

Her smile is bright and inviting as it beams back at me. "No need to thank me, I was just doing my job. I'm glad that Reeve is getting the help that he needs. The reports are that he's doing really well."

"He is. I really think we'll make the deadline for getting him back on the ice," I say and then my eyes move down to the next.

Autumn Daughtry.

She and Briggs Conley were all over social media last year as the "it" couple who weren't supposed to end up together because Briggs is her brother's best friend. And I love how they started a charity that helps young kids with childhood cancer.

"You're Autumn," I say, reaching out a hand to shake hers.

"Yeah," Autumn beams. "It's great to finally meet you. Next time you come to watch a game, let us know and we'll get you a pass for the owner's box."

I nod and then turn to the girlfriend, but then I realize that she's familiar too.

"Hi, I'm Isla," she says, swaying softly, and that's when I realize that she is very pregnant.

"Wait, I know you, don't I? You own Newport Athletics, right? I own like twenty pairs of your leggings," I tell her.

Her face falls just slightly and the rest of the girls eye her quickly. She recovers her smile quickly, though, and nods.

"Yes, I used to, and it's always great to meet people who love the brand. I actually sold off my shares of the company last year and started a new sports line."

"Wow, that's impressive. Congratulations," I say.

Penelope leans in. "And all while juggling a pregnancy and the cutest toddler that you'll ever meet. Isla is a superstar."

"And a toddler?" I ask.

"Berkeley, my three-year-old, is up with her grandmother in the owner's box, probably devouring every cookie in that place."