“What did you just say?” She opens her mouth to say something, but I interrupt her. “Oh, that was a rhetorical question. I heard what you said. Were you eavesdropping?”
I could hear how low the tenor of my voice was. But it didn’t matter to me when she could share what she heard and recorded in a second, laying waste to all the efforts I put in to keep it a secret.
It might seem childish to hide something like this, but I have not always been the popular kid. I was also a scrawny little kid who was bullied for being the way I was. I spent years trying to hide the fact behind the popular hockey player persona. People don’t always appreciate and admire differences.
So, I did the only logical thing I could think of. I threatened her. Not my finest moment, I admit. Striding to stand close to her, so there was hardly any room even for air between us. Which, in hindsight, was not a good move because all it did was make me notice her freckles, which she tried to hide with her makeup.
And when her coffee-colored eyes with flecks of gold and green–exactly like the one I accidentally spilled on her years ago–flit between my eyes and lips, I lose my Goddamnmind, asking her to use her words.
Words I would very much like to either kiss or fuck right off her lips. And because I’m about to do just that, I take a hard turn and stalk out of the room like my ass is on fire. Well, more like my whole body is with how the heat crawled over me, standing so close to her I could almost taste her.
Before I do something I know I’ll regret, I try to create as much distance between us as possible and distract myself until my dick gets the message and deflates.
God must have decided to show me some mercy because I find my parents getting out of their SUV in the parking lot. Yeah, that ought to do it.
My sour mood gets a little better at the sight of them. I jog up to them, and their faces light up at the sight of me.
I’m surprised when Andie steps down from the back seat. I didn’t expect my sister to attend the event, occupied with her own teaching stuff. But I’m glad she did.
I tightly hug my mom, resting my chin on her head as the tension gradually bleeds out. She barely reaches my chest, but her personalitywould never let you underestimate her. June Moore is a force to be reckoned with, even at five-foot-two.
She doesn’t know how to sugarcoat things, and so she has often made me question if she’s my mother or the brother I never had.
I can still see a few black hairs shining through the mass of gray bob cut. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes indicate just how much she likes to laugh.
She squeezes me. “Ah, it’s so good to see you. We hardly get to anymore.”
My dad comes up and side-hugs me once mom takes a step back. “She’s right, son,” Jonah Moore seconds, as I glimpse into the same eyes as mine.
Guilt churns inside of me. They’re right. I’m lucky enough to be drafted into the team of my home city, and I should do better, and I tell them so.
“Oh, it’s fine. We know you’re busy,” he dismisses it with a wave, patting my back a couple of times.
Mom raises an eyebrow at both of us. “He can be busy after he meets us at least once a week. Right, darling?” she asks me, daring me to refuse her.
I chuckle at her attempt to intimidate me. Pulling her close to me, I sling an arm over her shoulder. “You’re right, Mom. I’ll do that,” I agree as we head inside, seeking shelter from the chilly air. My answer makes her happy, and her happiness makes me happy.
I stay back and look at Andie and raise my eyebrows at her when I don’t see her follow. “Why haven’t you hugged me yet?”
Andie walks into my open arms with a laugh. “Hey, Z.”
“Hey, kid,” I say as I bear hug her. Even though she’s twenty-three, to me she’ll always be the kid who used to follow me around like a puppy. I can’t believe how much she’s grown. “How have you been?” I ask, hating how much I miss out on during the regular season.
She pulls away as we start to walk inside. Nodding her head, she reveals, “Yeah, I’ve been good.” She puts her arm around my waist as I drape mine over her shoulder, walking behind our parents.
“I missed you,” I say, planting a kiss at her temple.
She squeezes my waist. “Me too.”
* **
“Oh, June. You flatter me,” Noah chuckles with a shake of his head when Mom fawns over him and his goaltending skills. A hundred goalies on one side and Noah motherfucking Miller on the other. There’s no one like him, and I’m so fucking glad I don’t have to play against him.
After showing my parents and sister around, I’m currently standing with them and some of my teammates near the ice. At one corner, there’s a table with hot cocoa, some sweets, and cookies.
Some kids skate with some of the other players, as the cool wind blankets us all.
Dad pulls Mom under his shoulder, keeping her warm, thinking no one took note of that. But one look at Andie and my friends’ faces and I know they see what I see, too: love.
