“Well, it’s true,” he insisted. “At least you call us, Penelope, and visit. Gareth wouldn’t have any contact with us if it were up to him!”
“Bullshit!” Gareth snapped. “You’re my damn parents, of course I want contact. If you can promise we’ll stay well away from the subject of hockey, I’d have absolutely no problem eating at your place! God, if you promise you’ll leave me alone at work, I’ll sign a contract stating that I’ll call once a week and eat with you twice a month and…”
“Deal,” his father interrupted loudly and…was the bastard smiling?
“Deal?” Gareth echoed. “That’s it?”
“Yes,” he said simply. “And I’m truly sorry about what I said to Ms. Barrow. I didn’t realize you had feelings for her, although that doesn’t excuse my behavior, of course.”
Gareth narrowed his eyes. “Mom already gave you a piece of her mind for your choice of words, didn’t she?”
“Extensively, yes,” he replied. “She’ll be happy that I’m really going to stop working and that you’ll be coming over for dinner more often.”
Gareth snorted. His parents were really something else entirely. He’d only believe his father would stop interfering with the Hawks when he saw it, but all in all…his heart felt lighter than it had in a long time.
At least, as long as he completely ignored the Hazel-sized gap in it. Too bad that was impossible.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Aunt Hazel, that’s my ice cream! Dad, she’s eating too much!”
“Melody, learning to share is important,” Moreau muttered.
“But later, Uncle Austin will want some too, and then there won’t be any ice cream at all!” his five-year-old daughter replied in a panic.
“Don’t worry, Mel. Hazel’s the only one here with a broken heart. I don’t need ice cream.”
“My heart isn’t broken!” Hazel replied with her mouth full. “I’ll just text Anna to buy more ice cream, okay?”
The girl next to her sighed with relief. “Okay.”
The corners of Hazel’s mouth twitched, even though she really wasn’t in the mood to smile.
“What does broken heart mean?” Mel added.
Okay, the corners of her mouth had another bout of weakness.
“A broken heart happens when you do something really stupid. Like sleeping with a business associate known for having no feelings…”
Moreau gave Fox a warning look.
Austin cleared his throat. “…It's going to the playground. And then wondering why he was only there for the slide, and not for you.”
Melody frowned. “Huh?”
”Gareth wasn’t just interested in the slide! And he has feelings,” Hazel replied irritably. She suddenly felt the need to defend Gareth because people were too quick to judge him. “He basically told me he didn’t care about the playground! That he only cared about me.”
“What?” Austin frowned. “I thought you were crying because he dumped you?”
“No!”
“Then why?”
“Because he…he doesn’t take the contract seriously anymore.”
“What kind of contract?”
“The…playground contract.”
