“It was all Nadie, sir.” Cary shook his hand. “She comes by it honestly.”
Bert smiled. “Nice of you to say, but she’s more talented than all of us put together. I wish I could take the credit.”
“Did you have something to ask my dad, Cary?” she prompted.
Bert lifted his brow. “Oh, I see . . .”
“No,Dad. Not that.”
Tyler clamped a hand over her mouth, mortified. Was she about to die right here on the spot? Cary wasn’t asking for her hand in marriage—at least, not in front of her.
After an awkward pause, Cary said, “The song you wrote . . . the Christmas one?”
“‘Happy Merry Christmas?’” Bert asked. “What about it?”
“How would you feel if I recorded it? No pressure or anything.”
Bert placed his hand over his heart. “Son, it’d be a great honor.”
CHAPTER 38
CARY
The low hum of conversation filled the private suite, muffled cheers from the arena rising beyond the glass. Cary leaned back, beer in hand. “So, I hear you’re moving?”
Vegas took a sip of beer, eyes on the game. “Yeah. Got to thinking after we talked. My renters were leaving anyway, so . . . figured it was time.”
Cary nodded. “No, I think it’s great.”
Vegas finally glanced at him. “Are you still thinking about moving?”
Cary’s gaze drifted to Tyler laughing with her family near the bar. His mom stood nearby, smiling brighter than he’d seen in years. “Tyler really wants to.”
“So move.”
“To Winnipeg?” Cary scoffed, running a hand through his hair.
Vegas gestured toward his parents. “Your family’s close too. And no press hounding you here.”
Cary exhaled, rubbing his face. He knew all of that. Tyler wanted this. His mom would love it. And maybe, just maybe, he would too.
Vegas nudged him. “What’s stopping you?”
“Nothing, I guess.”
CHAPTER 39
TYLER
The next morning Tyler and Cary went to her nephews’ hockey tournament, and they cheered as each boy’s team won in their division. Of course the hockey moms lost their shit when they saw Cary, and he posed for selfies and signed autographs, much to the chagrin of the dads.
After the hockey tournament they went to Polo Park shopping center to pick out gifts for Marnie and Heather’s shower. Their due dates were coming up soon and she couldn’t wait to see her friends become mothers.
At the baby store, Cary insisted on buying everything left on the registry, including a few things he said were cute. She tried to put a few items back but he flatly refused.
When they were done shopping they hailed a taxi and stuffed the presents into the minivan.
“You don’t have to do this,” Tyler said. “You scored enough bonus points at the rink this morning.”
