Part of me wants to ask if he sucked in bed too but it’s none of my business. She had every right to sleep with whomever she wanted. Even though the thought of it makes me want to kick something.
“Want to go up to my room and watch TV for a while?” I ask, before hurriedly adding, “No pressure, just privacy.”
“I’m not afraid of you, Jordan,” she says softly. “And yes, I’d love to hang out for a while.”
It doesn’t look like Jude or Chloe is home, so we walk upstairs hand-in-hand. I open the door to my room and flip on the light.
“I haven’t done much in here,” I admit. “It’s a place to sleep and shower. I keep the rest of my stuff in the garage.”
She looks around with a smile. “But it’s still you. Big TV over the dresser with the gaming set up beneath it. Guitar in the corner. Not much else. I’m impressed that the bed is made, though.”
“Cleaning service comes twice a week—they were here today. The rest of the time, it’s not made.”
She laughs and sits on the edge of the bed. “It’s okay. When I move out of my house, I’m never making my bed again because my dad used to do inspections. He doesn’t anymore, but I still make it just because I don’t want him to walk by and find something to yell about.”
“Is he still yelling at you like you’re a kid?” I sink down next to her.
“To be fair, it’s not often. I’m not home a lot and if Charlie is in the room, he’s all about his grandson.”
I cock my head slightly. “Is that good?”
“I mean, it’s good that he loves him and spends time with him since his father is a deadbeat. But it’s kind of sad that it took a grandson to make him happy. Like having daughters wasn’t good enough.”
“I’m sorry.” I reach for her hand, and she shrugs.
“You know how it is with my dad. He’s strong and takes care of us, but it comes with a price—discipline and good behavior are the only things rewarded with attention.”
“Not love?”
“I don’t know that he’s capable of that kind of love. He loves us—God forbid anyone tried to physically harm one of us—but he’s not a man to show emotion.”
“I think there are a lot of men like that. Especially their generation. My dad absolutely loves me, and he says it, but he doesn’t often show it.”
She wrinkles her nose. “I don’t want to be with a man who can’t show it. Who won’t be happy if we have only girls. Who doesn’t think women are worthy of anything beyond being homemakers and baby incubators.”
“I don’t think that way,” I say thoughtfully, “but in some ways, anyone who winds up with me will have a tough time having a career.”
“Because of hockey,” she says, nodding. “That’s different. It’s not because you don’t allow it, but a sacrifice made by a woman who loves you so you can play as long as possible making good money that will provide for your family once you retire.”
I love that she gets it. That she gets me. We seem to be on the same page about everything. Granted, we haven’t discussed every single topic, but I can’t think of anything major we would disagree on.
“Would you be down for that?” I ask quietly. “Because there’s no guarantee I’ll spend my career in Florida. I could get traded to Buffalo or Alaska or Nashville next year. Or maybe somewhere in Canada.”
“Is your contract up?”
I shake my head. “Not this year, but next year. And even so, I don’t have a no-trade clause.”
She nods. “Well, obviously, if things work out with us, I’d go wherever you go.”
“What about your family?”
“If we get to the point of marriage and whatever, we have to do what’s right for us, for our little family.”
“I don’t want to go any further with this, what we’re doing, until you’re sure you’re down for the kind of life it’s going to be. I could get traded a lot. I could stay here my whole career. And if we have kids, it’ll be you dealing with them and school and everything related to the move every time it happens. I don’t know exactly how it works because I’ve only ever been with the Knights, but it won’t be easy. I could get traded on a Tuesday evening and have to report to the new city Wednesday.”
“I know. That doesn’t scare me.”
“What does?”
