“Of course. But a good parent would have made that decision for you. The way Bodi did for me. He didn’t get help for himself, of course, but again—he was still a teenager too. He did the best he could. And I was always his priority.”
“I don’t think I’ve been anyone’s priority since my mom died,” I whisper.
“Bodi is making you a priority.”
“In some ways, yes. But hockey has to be his priority. And I understand that.”
“Well, yes, to a degree. But don’t let him—or anyone else—minimize your importance in their life. He needs to prioritize you as much as he can outside of hockey. That’s the only way things can work out.”
“I don’t want my father to send him down to the minors or whatever. I mean, yes, he’ll still make the same money, but how will that make him look to other teams? And what would it do to his self-esteem? He’s finding his groove in the NHL—I don’t want him to lose it because of me.”
“Why is your dad such a jerk?” she mutters.
“Gosh, it sounds like you know him,” I say, laughing.
She chuckles. “I don’t but I’ve heard enough about him from both you and Bodi to worry. That he went after Vik in particular is both unnecessary and ugly.”
A touch of guilt hits me as I realize I didn’t even ask him about the game when I called—or comfort him for the loss.
“Ugh. I’m already dropping the ball as a girlfriend,” I say. “I didn’t even ask about the game.”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, especially after a frustrating loss, the last thing they want is to talk about it. He was probably grateful to have something to think about other than your dad’s tantrum.”
I hadn’t considered that but I still feel bad.
It’s always all about me. My issues, my concerns, my everything.
And Bodi never complains.
I have to be more cognizant of this.
I don’t want him to feel like I don’t care.
Because I do. More than I’ve ever cared about anyone. Life has just gotten complicated since we met.
“Don’t worry about Bodi,” she says after a moment. “He understands what you’re going through.”
“I still need to be present for him, though. It can’t be all about me all the time.”
“Well, yes and no. Bodi, like most men, is a simple guy with relatively simple needs. General affection, kindness, attention, and sex. Each of those things can be different for every guy, but at the end of the day, Bodi isn’t needy or insecure. He’s just been waiting for the right woman to be the yin to his yang.”
“You think that’s me?”
“It seems like it. I’ve never seen him like this about a girl—he’s gone for you, Jayne. It’s early days but I see it in his eyes when he talks about you. Hear it in his voice. You both just need a little time to figure out the details.”
I really hope she’s right.
Since the team has most of the next day off, we invite Rome and Billie to come to the hotel for dinner. The team is still on lockdown, so to speak, but Bodi having his sister in his room doesn’t seem like the worst transgression.
“I’m so glad you guys could come,” Bodi says. “I hate that we couldn’t go out somewhere but this is nice too.”
“We’re just glad to be able to spend time together,” Billie says. “With me working sixty hours a week and Rome traveling all the time, it’s hard to find time to see you.”
“I’m probably going to retire in a year or two,” Rome says. “But we won’t have this schedule forever.”
He’s a big guy, at least three inches taller than Bodi and a good thirty pounds heavier, all of it muscle. I know he’s thirty-five because Bodi told me so, and he looks it, but he’s also handsome. And there is no doubt in my mind he adores Billie. Just the way he looks at her makes me want to smile.
“When the time comes, the cost of living is cheaper in Atlanta,” Bodi says solemnly. “And I bet that diner you’re thinking about opening would do great in Peachtree Heights.”
