“Oh my god!” she cried. “Congratulations! When are you due?”
Dylan could hardly spit out the words. “September. I’m only six weeks along. I got pregnant around New Year’s. Good thing I quit drinking on Christmas.”
“You didn’t quit drinking. You had an extended hangover, if memory serves.” Her voice became concerned. “How do you feel?”
“I’m nervous, but I feel pretty good.” Dylan paused. “Any chance you can be here for the birth?”
“I can guarantee it,” she confirmed.
As soon as the game ended—of course Winnipeg won—Cary zipped up his jacket. Tyler had insisted on driving him to the airport; she’d promised Kim she would.
“Ready to go?” he asked, jingling her key fob in the air.
“Sure,” she said, though the word barely made it past her lips. She didn’t move from the couch.
“Babe?” He stepped closer. When she dropped her head into her hands, he crouched in front of her. “What is it?”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, swiping at her cheeks with the cuff of her shirt.
Cary handed her a tissue. “Are those happy tears for Dylan or . . . ?”
“They are.” She heaved, drying her eyes as she strained to focus. “But I’ve missed so much of Nadie’s and my nephews’ lives. I want to go home.”
“For good?”
“Eventually.” She nodded, blowing her nose. “I don’t have any work there, but—”
“We’ll figure it out,” he promised, wrapping his arms around her like a security blanket.
She buried her face into his jacket. “I won’t see you for a whole month.”
Who was she turning into? Some needy chick?Gross.
“It’s less than a month,” he said. “And if it’s too much I’ll fly back for a day or fly you to wherever. I’ll do anything to make this work.”
“I feel silly.” She dabbed her eyes with the crumpled tissue.
“I’m just a phone call away,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring. “And if you can’t reach me, text Vegas. He’ll know where I am.”
She sat up straighter. “Vegas knows?”
Cary smiled. “He figured it out at the hockey game.”
“I had no idea.” She paused, then added, “You probably shouldn’t play poker with him.”
Maybe that’s how Vegas got his nickname.
CHAPTER 28
CARY
After checking in at the airport, Cary called Kim from Air Canada’s Maple Leaf Lounge.
“I got her back!” he said while signing an autograph. “And my flight’s on time. See? No worries.”
A miracle, considering it was Air Canada. There was still half an hour until boarding—plenty of time for them to fuck it up.
“Dude, I won’t be happy until you land,” Kim said, her voice thin. “But you sound like your old self again.”
