“She sounds great. I’m sure she really misses you.” Her voice is soft and dreamy. “Will you and Matty be going back for Christmas this week?”
“Not for Christmas, but when we play Dallas in a couple weeks for sure.”
“Do you miss it?”
“It's still early. I have to admit it does feel nice to stretch my wings a bit. It’s hard to not have that help though. I’m not sure how you’ve done it alone.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I regret them. My hand rubs my forehead as if I could wipe the memory of that idiotic comment and start over. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insinuate you didn’t have help just because you’re divorced or— “
“No, don't be sorry. You’re not wrong.” She gives me a sad smile. “I was alone in it long before my marriage ended. It took me a while to see it. And a few lessons in tough love from Emalyn.”
She smiles a genuine smile at whatever memory that brings to her mind.
“Y’all seem close.”
“Of course, she's like, my soulmate.” Allison grins at that as she watches for my reaction. I just shake my head with a small huff.
“Ronan seems to think that position is taken.”
That gets a glorious giggle from her. One that has her throwing her head back and displaying her perfectly straight teeth.
That sound just does something to calm the buzzing in my ear. It’s satisfying. Like that feeling after the Zamboni has polished over new ice and you’re the first one to skate on it. New slices in the ice on each glide of your skates. Or the perfect sound of a stick hitting the puck into the net and the lighting of the net signalling a goal.
“Tate? Did you hear me?” She asks, that angel soft voice of hers flowing through my headphones.
I realised for the second time I was in a trance.
“Oh uh...” I scramble for an explanation for my staring. She’ll either think I'm rude or a creep.
“Sorry, I was just thinking I could really use some help planning team dinner tomorrow. Apparently, it’s supposed to be a Christmas teamdinner. They conveniently left that out when they stuck it on me.”
“Oh, I used to love doing that!” She sighs wistfully. Then waves her hand through the air dismissing whatever nostalgia was remaining. “I could get your house all set up and catered dinner if you’d like.”
“Cater? They want me to barbecue.” I scoff. “I didn’t know catering was allowed. Even if it was, I'm sure my momma would be disappointed in me if I wasn't a good host. I mostly need help to keep it from getting… I don't know, boring, I guess.”
“Geez, I haven’t had any barbecue in so long. I used to really love these pulled pork baked potatoes that this restaurant in the city sold. I’d drive in the middle of the night to get them when I was pregnant.” She gets a glint in her eye that has me grinning.
I love a woman passionate about food, even if she tries to mute it.
“Well, then, you’re gonna love what I'm whipping up. You’ll have to stay for dinner too. And help me keep these jerks entertained.” I try to hide my excitement at Alli being in my house. Staying for team dinner and helping me plan it.
I’ve never brought women around, never brought anyone home. There were lots of guys in my old team who had families though. Their wives would be serving wine and greeting all the guests.
I never felt like I was missing out exactly. Matty came first, then my career only because it provided for my son. Anything and everything else came after. Something was shifting inside me since the move. Maybe I could see that for myself someday with… someone. Or maybe I was too set in my ways. Not many women want a man who not only has a son but also travels so often for work.
“Hey, one of those jerks is her little brother!” Ronan scares the shit out of me when he leans across the aisle and the empty aisle seat next to me just to grin at the screen. He gives Allison a wink. A pink flush appears across her cheeks and down her neck.
“So? I know you’re a hooligan.” Her face twists into a playful outrage, though she’s hiding her smile. “Not to mention, he was only my foster brother for like 6 months because he almost burned the house down.”
“What’d she say?” Ronan asks pulling at my headphones like that will help him. I swat his hand and he swats mine back like we are teenage girls instead of professional hockey players.
“They’re not that kind of headphones, idiot.” I roll my eyes. Apparently, I hit a nerve because Ronan gasps dramatically with a hand on his chest. I hear someone mutter “here we go” from in front of me. Maybe Fitz. Or Ripley.
“I’ll have youknow” Ronan stabs a finger into my chest.Hard. I rub at it with a slight pout. Allison giggles on the video call, melting my heart. “Just because I didn’t graduate high school doesn’t make me anidiot. Plenty of successful people have GEDs. Matter of fact, there areplentyof successful high school and college dropouts…”
His rant continues, talking about the start some people get in life, how not everyone can be born on a farm like a precious spring lamb. That earns a scoff and an eye roll from me.
“You’re preaching to the choir, man.” I wave a hand dismissively. Ronan's gaze turns assessing. I ignore him in hopes of getting back to a conversation with the gorgeous woman on the phone, but when I look back at the screen, her eyes are closed.
She must’ve propped me up on a pillow because she has both hands under her cheek now. She’s breathing softly, her chest rising and falling in each breath. I say goodnight anyway and hang up.
