Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 88646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 295(@300wpm)
It wasn’t easy being a second-year rookie in the NHL and a father of three. Yet, unexpected things in life can be the blessing you never knew you wanted. We wouldn’t change anything about how our life fell into place.
Kurt lets her go and races back to the rock where the others are waiting for him. He’s wearing flamingo swim trucks that come down past his knees and a long sleeve white swim shirt. His longish hair sticks out everywhere under a floppy Capitals hat.
Kara is poised to jump in, but he hip checks her out of the way and dashes off the rock in front of her. He lives for thrills. He may act like me, but he looks like Julia with his sweet brown eyes and dark hair. But Kara and Kelli? Those two have my signature hair. Kara is the “mom” of the triplets—she was born first—while Kelli is the quiet genius behind their plots to overthrow the parentals.
Kara shakes her fist at Kurt when he pops up from the water. I can’t hear what she’s saying but I’m sure it’s all about rules and “know your place” and “I was born first so I’m the oldest” kind of thing. I’m still chuckling as Julia turns to me and puts her hands on her hips.
“Are you listening to me?” she asks.
“Hmm,” I say I take her in. She’s wearing a red bikini, huge sunglasses, and a big floppy hat. She looks like a movie star hiding out at an exclusive beach resort. Damn, I love her. She’s talented; she’s caring; she’s hot as fuck. I’m living the dream with her and my Triplets of Terror.
“Have I told you you’re beautiful today, my love?”
She rolls her eyes. “Not since this morning and don’t use “my love” on me. You’re trying to soften me up.”
“Never,” I say. “Is it working?”
She tosses an empty water bottle at me, and I laugh as I dodge it.
We’re at a cabin that Z and Sugar own. We flew into Nashville a week ago, hung out at their house for a few days, then caravanned the few hours to get to Ellijay, a quaint town nestled in the mountains. Bordered by a creek on three sides, their house is big enough for us to vacation with them plus toss in a few more people. We’ve been coming here for three years, and it’s perfect for a late summer getaway before the preseason starts.
“Eric? I’m serious. No axes.”
I grin. “Come on now. They have cages between each throwing lane and even a special section just for kids. The Terrors are always throwing stuff in our house. At us, at each other.” I waggle my eyebrows. “They’ll love it. Tell her Z.”
Z pauses as he pulls his oldest, Evander, out of the water. He gives me a look like he was hoping I didn’t need his help. The plan was to bring this up when Julia and I were alone, then get her to talk to Sugar, but this morning she kept asking what we should do tomorrow when it might rain, and I decided to go for it.
Z turns to us with an expression of serious contemplation. “We talked to the manager yesterday. He said they have a league for kids as young as seven. The axes are smaller. I think it will be cool.”
Sugar scoots up in her lounge chair and tilts her head forward to look at Z over her sunglasses. “Evander won’t be seven until October and Nash is only four. None of the kids are old enough. I don’t think you two were thinking at all.” She blows him a kiss.
He grins. “Well, what I meant was, seven is just the league age. The manager said if we sign a waiver, any age can throw.”
“See. All taken care of.” I smile at our wives like that should settle the matter.
“Ha,” Sugar says. “They’ll let you sign a waiver, which absolves them of liability. It doesn’t mean it’s safe. It means the owners aren’t morons.”
“Come on, babe, don’t go all lawyer on us. It’ll be fun,” Z says as he bends down to give her a little kiss.
She nudges him away with a laugh. “You’re as bad as Eric. Stop trying to sweet talk me.”
He brushes his hand over her shoulder in a caress. “Would I do that?”
She smiles slyly. “Maybe.”
“Later, I’ll tell you all the words I know and they won’t be sweet,” he says in a low voice as he plops down next to her and they hold hands in between their chairs.
Julia smiles. We’re used to their PDA and I guess they’re used to ours.
The kids swim over to the edge of the creek and haul themselves out, tossing off life jackets and googles. They dash in our direction.
I hand Kara her Thor towel, Kelli her Wonder Woman, and Kurt his Star Wars one. Z hands out towels for Evander and Nash.