Willow has raised her teenage nephew, Aiden, since he was five years old and her half sister dropped the kid off on Willow’s doorstep. So much changed for our friend that day. I’ve only seen her in person a handful of times since then because I’ve been traveling for hockey, and she has a kid to raise.
Christ, I’ve missed her. Texts and calls don’t cut it like being near her does.
Have her blue eyes always shone like that?
“Is everything okay there?” Gideon asks, and I frown over at him.
“What do you mean?”
But Gid doesn’t answer—he just watches Wills, and she bites her plump lower lip and looks at the floor.
“Is Aiden giving you trouble?” he persists.
I narrow my eyes but wait for her to answer. The three of us don’t keep secrets from each other.
“He’s a teenager,” she says with a shrug and swallows hard. “Teenage boys are supposed to be trouble. You two caused your fair share, remember?”
“Yeah, and we had Dad to knock our heads together to keep us straight.” I lean forward in my chair. Gideon and I were hell on wheels when we first got here, but Dad set us straight quickly and never hesitated to remind us to keep our shit to a minimum.
She shrugs again. “I don’t know. He’s been a handful. I don’t like some of his friends. But it’ll be okay. Today isn’t for teenager drama. It’s for us, grieving the only father the three of us have known.”
I frown and drink my whiskey and then glance at Gid, who’s also frowning. Why do I get the feeling she’s evading?
My phone rings, and when I see that it’s Andy, my agent, I reject the call and set my phone aside.
“For fuck’s sake.”
“What’s wrong?” Gideon asks.
“It’s Andy. Heknowsthat I’m in Montana for my father’s funeral, and he’s still bugging the shit out of me.”
“I’ve always hated that guy,” Wills says.
“What does he want?” Gideon’s voice is hard. It’s always hard, just like the steel in his blue eyes. The way he sets his jaw.
Gid is a badass. And he has to be. He’s in the Secret Service. He protects the most important people in our country.
“You know that my contract with the team ended at the end of the season?”
“Sure.”
“He wants me to commit to another contract. I haven’t listened to his messages, but I’ve seen the texts. It’s about the money.”
“He makes a shit ton of dough when you sign the next contract.”
“Yeah, well, that’sifI sign another.”
That has him and Willow both raising an eyebrow in surprise. “Don’t tell me you’re thinking about hanging up your skates.”
I tip my head back, rest it on the back of the chair, and sigh.
“Christ, I’m tired.” I swallow and look over at Gideon, then at Willow. If I can’t talk to these two about what’s going on, I can’t talk to anyone. “Ilovehockey. I’m not tired of the sport. The thought of not playing anymore, well.” I shake my head. “It’s like being told that I have to cut my own heart out.”
“Then what is it?” Willow asks.
“I’m so fucking tired of being that man’s ATM machine. He’s shit when it comes to money, and he’s always sure to tell me that he needs my deal to keep him afloat.”
“What the hell?” Gideon scowls at me. “Hell no, man.”
