Absolutely not.
As captain I’m the leader, the one who gives advice and is there when anyone needs anything, but taking care of Maria’s boys…I don’t think I can do that. Partly because I want to keep a measure of distance from them, and partly because it means going to Maria’s house. Which means possibly seeing Maria. Which means reliving everything we did in her kitchen that night, and how I quickly pulled away afterward. We both did.
“Tuck?” Grant prompts gently. “I asked a couple of the other guys, but they all carpooled.”
“Um…” I rake a hand through my hair. I can’t say no. Not to them. Not to the boys.
Elena sneezes again, and the sound is small and miserable. Guilt punches me square in the chest.
Wait, are they trying to set us up?
Grant had played matchmaker with his son Ash and Gina. Sure those two really were made for each other, and are now happily married but that can’t happen with Maria and me. I narrow my gaze slightly, but Elena looks genuinely unwell. And now I feel like a complete asshole for even thinking they were up to something. Maybe the world doesn’t revolve around my drama.
“Yeah. Sure,” I say. “No problem. You guys head home. Get some rest. Hope you feel better, Elena.”
She gives me a grateful smile and leans more into Grant. “Thank you, Tuck. And please give my daughter a hug for me.”
My spine goes hockey-stick straight.
“What?”
She laughs, waving her hand. “Oh, I just mean, tell her I say hello. And tell her I’m sorry I couldn’t stay for tea and muffins after I dropped the boys off. I hope she didn’t go to too much trouble.”
Right. Tea. Muffins.
“Yeah. Sure. I can do that.”
“You good?” Jaxon asks quietly as they walk away.
“Peachy.” I shove my feet into my boots as Lucas and Josh skate toward us, still shoving each other like they’re four and six instead of fourteen and sixteen. Jaxon stands and I cast him a fast glance. “See you tonight.”
“Where are Grandma and Grant going?” Josh asks as Grant and Elena head out.
“I’m giving you guys a ride home,” I tell them. “Your grandmother isn’t feeling well.”
They nod and drop onto the bench, unlacing their skates.
“I’m starving,” Josh groans. “Can we stop for burgers?”
“If it’s okay with your mom,” I say carefully.
Lucas is already pulling out his phone. Efficient. Responsible. A lot like his mother. Josh, though, he’s staring at me, and I’m not sure I like the look in his eyes. It reminds me of the way Stella was watching me earlier.
“What?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Just…Stella.”
I groan. “Don’t listen to anything she tells you. I’m pretty sure she’s out to get me.”
He chuckles. “I was just thinking…why are you single?”
I blink. “Ah, what?” I ask, for lack of anything else. Why is everyone so interested in my love life—or lack thereof—today?
He snorts. “If I had all those bunnies crawling over me…”
“I’m not interested in any of the bunnies,” I cut in.
He pauses, considering that. “You like them older?”
