Page 35 of Lemon Cake

Before Gemma could answer, Laila and Rider appeared through the door. He looked handsome as ever, hair dripping wet and his clothes clinging to his body in a way that should have been illegal.

“Rider!!” Dan shrieked, throwing his arms around his favourite linebacker.

“Hey there, little man.”

“We saw you out on the field!”

Rider grinned and knelt down to be eye-level with Dan. “Did you have fun?”

“Yes! We ate nachos and I had sweet tea and chocolate!”

Rider gasped in mock horror. “I’m jealous!”

Dan sneakily looked past Rider to the locker room door. “Are the other players still there?”

“They are. Do you want to go inside and meet them?”

“Yes!”

Rider laughed, a sound that warmed Gemma’s heart. “Let me meet your mom first and say hi to your auntie, okay?”

Dan nodded and waited—impatiently—as Rider stood to greet Gina. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Gina.”

“It’s nice to put a face to the name.”

Rider then wrapped his arm around Gemma and kissed her forehead. “You look gorgeous as always.”

“Well thank you. You look quite handsome yourself.”

He chuckled, leading the two of them inside behind the impatient child. Leather seats lined the long space that held built-in lockers decorated with red and white. The teammilled about, engrossed in casual conversation.

Rider kept a tight grip on Gemma’s hand, leaning across to Gina. “I have a jersey for him as a surprise, but I wanted to make sure it was okay with you first.”

“Only if you’re prepared for him to never take it off.”

“I thought it would be fun for him to get it signed by the players.”

“He might even make Gemma sign it. Did she tell you that he framed the picture you signed for him. He kisses it goodnight every evening.”

Rider laughed, unable to hide the flush creeping over his cheeks. He stopped by a locker with his name engraved above it, where he had placed a small jersey. When he picked it up, Gemma’s heart cracked. On the back washerold jersey number.

“Look!” Dan cheered, holding the fabric up in his hands. “It’s the number eighty-six!”

Gina leaned in and distracted Dan so he wouldn’t see Gemma’s tear-filled eyes.

Rider pulled her into his chest, smothering her tears. “I didn’t mean to—”

“I know. It’s super sweet.”

Dan slipped into the jersey and then grinned up at them with a marker in his hands. “Can you two sign it?”

Gemma reached for the pen, scrawling across the fabric before handing it over to Rider. Then Laila took over, guiding Gina and Dan around the room where the players seemed more than happy to sign Dan’s jersey.

“I didn’t know you had a twin.”

Gemma turned at the voice, seeing Braiden approach. “Hi there.”

“What’s his name?”