“Eli.”
My lips curve up into a grin. “I’m here for you and Ryan. Whatever decision is best is the one we’ll make together. If it means we have a long-distance relationship until I can get a transfer to a team in Texas or until you’re comfortable moving here, I’m good with that, too.”
Her eyes widen at the same time her lips part. “Are you serious?” she asks.
I almost laugh but decide against it. “Sunshine, whatever you want, whatever you need, it’s yours. Mean that to the depths of my fucking soul.”
Wrenly’s lips curve up into a real smile. It consumes her whole face, and I know that I’ve said what she needed to hear. Changing the subject, I ask her if she’s going to be watching my next game, well, the next one I’ll be able to play in, and she promises that she and her dad have already talked about it and will be streaming it on their living room television.
“No more fights, though,” she warns. It’s a stern warning, but it doesn’t hit the way it probably should because she’s wearing a smile as she says it.
Letting out a chuckle, I shake my head a couple of times. “Sunshine, I cannot make a promise like that. But what I can promise is that I won’t start any shit, and I won’t get ejected again.”
She rolls her eyes to the ceiling and then lets out a harrumph sound before her gaze shifts to meet mine again. “Eli,” she warns.
The rest of our conversation is easy. We don’t talk about the tough stuff. She tells me about her flight and about settling back in. Ryan climbs up into her lap, and I’m able to see him for a moment before they have to end the call to eat dinner.
When I set my phone down, I’m filled with an emptiness that surrounds me. I’m alone, really fucking alone, and I’m realizing it for maybe the first time in my life. Sure, I felt lonely after Luke and Clara moved out, but I didn’t feellonely.
I do now.
They weren’t here for long, but Wrenly and Ryan filled this house, and I miss them. I’m not sure if I could even do a long-distance relationship. I already want them back here, and they’ve only been gone a day.
TWENTY-FOUR
ELI
I hate playing away games.There is something said about the home team advantage. I feel like it’s real. This is going to be a tough game, and I have something to fucking prove with it, too. I need to be the best player and teammate I can be. This is the last game, the one that decides if we make it to the next step or if we’re done for the season.
I cannot fuck this up, no matter how badly I miss my woman and son.
They’re mine, too. Both of them. And as each day passes, I realize that it doesn’t matter where I live or what team I play for as long as I am with them.
They are what matters.
I love the men on my team. They’re my family, but Wrenly and Ryan are my life.
Gathering my shit, I head down to the lobby to meet everyone else. We’re going to load up on the bus and go to the arena together. Tugging my ball cap low, I throw my bag over my shoulder and walk out of the room, but not before I send my woman a text message.
MISS YOU. GETTING READY TO WARM UP.
WRENLY: We have the game on. Ready to watch you play and win!
IN IT TO WIN, SUNSHINE.
She sends me an emoji with floating hearts around the smiling face, and for whatever fucking reason, that sends my heart racing. Then she does one better and sends me a selfie of her and Ryan in their Cleveland Vortex gear that I outfitted them with when they were here.
PERFECTION.
Shoving my phone in my pocket, I close the hotel room door behind me and head down to the lobby, where I know everyone is waiting for me. Daniel is the first one I see. He lifts his hand, waving me over to their group.
Half the team is already there. Luke and Pavel have their heads bent and are talking about something, but I have no fucking clue what.
“What’s up?” I ask, jerking my chin toward Pavel and Luke’s focused and seemingly private conversation.
Daniel shrugs his shoulder. “No clue. They have been talking to one another like that for at least five minutes. I can’t tell if it’s a serious conversation or if Luke is just trying really hard to concentrate with Pavel’s accent.”
I snort. Either could be true. Pavel is usually understandable, but every now and then, when he’s passionate about something and gets on a roll, we just stare at him because we can’t make out a single word in the Ukrainian accent.
