4 - The Carlin Family Way
Spencer's PoV
"Is she nice?" Wind blew her soft curls around as we waited in the school yard for Lucas.
"Very." I smiled and took a sip of my coffee. I had allowed Dylan to shower quickly and gave her some of Lucas' old clothes to wear. She looked a little healthier with her hair shining in the sun and her face was rosier.
"What does she like to do?" Dylan asked, swinging her legs back and forth while we sat on the swings. She took a sip of her iced tea and smiled at me gratefully for the hundredth time that afternoon.
"Lucas loves to draw," I smiled as there were pictures everywhere in her room and on the fridge, "and she loves to play hockey."
"Hockey?" Dylan's eyes lit up and she jumped off her swing, looking at me with those huge brown eyes, "I love hockey!"
"You do?" I smirked and stood up as the school bell rang, indicating that school was now out for the day.
"I used to skate with my mommy all the time and she bought me a small net and stick. We'd watch hockey together almost all the time!" Dylan bounced up and down, holding her iced tea tightly against her chest.
"Well, then you and Luc will get along just fine." I smiled and wrapped my arm around her small shoulder.
"Mom!" Lucas came running up to us and stopped, tilting her head to the side while she looked over the smaller brunette. "Hi!" She smiled softly.
Dylan cleared her throat and shuffled closer to me. "Hi."
"Luc," I smiled and knelt down, "this is Dylan. She's going to be staying with us."
Lucas looked at me with some confusion before her eyes lit up. "Really?"
I nodded and smiled as Lucas grabbed Dylan's hand. "You are going to love living with us. My mom is pretty much cooler than all the other mom's here. She likes to watch movies with me and she even plays games. Oh and in the summer, we swim off our dock and she takes the boat out so we can go fishing, do you like to fish?"
I chuckled as I walked behind the two, holding hands. Dylan mentioned she never fished before and it made Lucas squeal; excited to show her new friend something different.
"So, who wants ice cream?" I smiled as we all settled into the Blazer.
"Me please!" Lucas smiled and I winked at her through the rear view mirror. "You want ice cream? We could go to Dairy Queen or go to Rapture. That's where my mom's best friends work. And my babysitter, she's awesome."
"We'll go to Rapture," I offered and started to make my way downtown.
//
Ephiny eyed me up suspiciously as she watched Lucas and Dylan read quietly in the corner. "How do you do it?" She whispered, wiping off a table. "Lucas is the most behaved little girl I know and then you go and get yourself another little girl who's just as polite?"
I smiled and shrugged, chewing on my toothpick. "Luck."
"Yea," she snorted and shook her head, "Jaiden was never that well behaved at that age."
"Oh come on," I chuckled, "Jaiden was the most well mannered ten year old when I moved back. You're just used to her rebellious teenage times now, that's all."
"Please knock some sense into that girl." Ephiny begged me.
"Hey," I held my hands up and smiled softly, "Jai takes really good care of Luc when she's watching her. Aside from the horror films she lets her watch," I chuckled, "but you've got nothing to worry about."
"Jaiden!" Lucas screamed excitedly and flew into the seventeen year old's arms.
"Ugh," Jaiden laughed and hugged the blonde. "Okay kid, I've got a bone to pick with you," she wagged her finger playfully, "you told your mother about our late night film festival."
"Sorry." Lucas shrugged. "You know I can't lie!"
I smirked. "I've taught her well." I winked and Jaiden rolled her eyes at me, grinning.
"And who is this cutie?" Jaiden looked at me as Dylan ran to my side, holding my hand. She bent down eye level with the girl and smiled. "I really like your bracelet." She pointed to the small black piece of jewellery that the little girl had refused to take off.
"Thanks," Dylan smiled shyly and held out her hand, "Dylan Avery."
Jaiden smiled and took the small hand. "Jaiden Wynters."
"Lucas Carlin." My daughter grinned and Dylan laughed with her.
"Well, since we've all been introduced, why not sit down and have something to eat." Chase came up behind her wife, wrapping her arms around her waist.
"What did I tell you about that PDA?" Jaiden stood up and scowled at her parents. "You ruin my rep!"
"Rep?" I raised an eyebrow. "You were the one caught making out with Jyll last week right across the street."
"Not that kind of PDA!" Jaiden smirked. "Parent Display of Affection."
"Oh." I nodded slowly and rolled my eyes.
"Whatever," Jaiden waved her hand and looked down at Dylan, "if you ever want cool people to hang out with, you just look me up, kid." She winked and walked towards the back, disappearing out of sight.
"I like her." Dylan grinned and looked around everywhere. "I like it here."
"Good," Lucas smiled and grabbed the smaller hand next to hers, "because we like you too, right mom?"
"Right." I nodded and shared a small smile with Chase and Ephiny.
//
"Wynters! Pick it up!" I hollered over my clipboard and paced the rink as my team fought for the puck. It was only practice but it was still crucial to make sure you were playing your best. I blew my whistle and the team came skating towards me. "Okay, that's it for the day, Wynters please make sure you're always on the defence."
"Got it Coach." Jaiden nodded out of breath and took off her helmet. "If you need to go 'back to the office tonight', I can take care of the girls at the café." She offered quietly.
"That won't be necessary," I smiled and padded her sweaty head, "it's Dylan's first night with us, I don't think I'll need you for a while."
"You sure?" Jaiden grinned, raising a perfectly sculpted dark eyebrow. "I know your 'office visits' are quite the uh, activity."
"Jai," I warned lightly and pulled her aside, "look, you and your parents are the only ones that know about my 'office visits', please keep your voice down."
"Okay, but I don't understand why you and Aimee hide your relationship," she shrugged, "it's not like you're in the closet."
"We're not in a relationship," I said and gathered up the spare pucks and watched as Dylan and Lucas ran onto the ice to help clear off the cones, "we're just having fun. I'm not looking for a relationship and neither is she."
"Cool," Jaiden shrugged and smiled softly, "well she's hot so, yea, I'd tap that."
"Wynters, go shower." I pushed her towards the locker room and she just snickered and walked away.
Aimee Smith and I met a few months back at the pool. She was introduced to us by Ryn and even though we hit it off right away, we both decided that a relationship wasn't what we needed at the moment. She had just gotten out of a five year marriage and wanted to have a bit of fun, and well, I didn't exactly complain.
"Mom, when is it my practice time?" Lucas slid on her feet and stopped like a pro in front of me.
"Next, once the older girls are out of the locker room, I want you to go get ready." I smiled and knelt down to Dylan's eye level. "Would you like to stay with me or go with Luc?"
"Luc." Dylan didn't even hesitate on the answer. She smiled and patted my cheek as she took off behind my daughter and continued to pile up the cones.
"See you Coach!" Jaiden smiled as she squealed when Jyll came up to her and twirled her around. Once the rest of the older team finished up, Lucas eagerly grabbed Dylan's hand and grabbed her to get into her gear.
"Coach Carlin, what a surprise."
I spun around fast and dropped my clipboard, looking into familiar grey eyes. Eyes that I haven't seen in over a year.
"What? Are you going to stare at me like that all evening?" Alex smarted off and took off her sunglasses. "Give lil sis some love, woman!"
I smiled and hugged her, squeezing her. God, I missed her. "What the hell brings a big rock star like you, here?"
"Can't I visit my sister and niece?" Alex grinned and licked her lips. "It feels weird being in an arena."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really? Aren't you kind of engaged to a hockey player?" I chuckled and she grinned goofily.
"Yea, but still, I haven't seen Tracey in two months and the times we do see each other, we're kind of in a bed." She shrugged.
"Huh," I smirked and pulled her back into a hug, breathing in deeply, "I've missed you."
Alex pulled back and cupped my face, "I've missed you too. I'm sorry I didn't call before coming here."
"Please," I laughed and smiled as parents started to bring in their children for practice, "you don't need an invite."
"Auntie Alex?!" Lucas came out in her gear and smiled big as she hugged my sister. "Sing!"
Alex laughed and shook her head. "Maybe some other time. Wow," she looked over the smaller blonde and then looked back at me, "you look just like your mother, only cuter."
"Auntie." Lucas laughed and pointed to Dylan. "Hey! This is Dylan Avery! Mom and I are gonna keep her."
I tilted my head slightly as Dylan frowned for the first time, her eyebrows furrowing in a soft confused look.
At that same moment I noticed the same look pass over Alex' face and it was my turn to frown in confusion. Finally, my sister stepped forward and smiled at the tiny brunette, "well then, welcome to the family."
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