Page 134 of Pucking Daddy

It rings once. Twice.

Then—

“Thomas Vance,” a voice barks on the other end. The General Manager of the Metro Raptors.

Jaxon’s posture shifts, almost imperceptibly.

“Hey, Thomas. I’m calling to let you know I won’t be making the Chicago game. I wanted to tell you myself. I’ll inform Nate, Simone, and the team, but you should hear it first.”

Silence.

Then, “What?” Thomas sounds like he misheard. “What do you mean you’re not making the—Jaxon, we’ve got—”

“I know exactly what we’ve got,” Jaxon cuts in, still calm. “I also know I have a court-ordered home evaluation that day. I’m staying. This matters.”

A sharp exhale cuts through the line.

“Important?” Thomas repeats, his voice going dangerously quiet. “You think this game isn’t important?”

Jaxon doesn’t flinch. “That’s not what I said.”

“No, what you said is you’re choosing not to show up,” Thomas snaps. “For a game that could determine our playoff position. For a team that relies on you to lead them.”

My stomach knots as I watch Jaxon, knowing how hard this must be for him. He loves his job!

“I’m choosing to be there for my daughter,” he says evenly. “There’s a difference.”

A humorless laugh comes through the phone. “There’s always a difference when you’re the one making the call, isn’t there?”

Jaxon’s grip tightens slightly around the phone, but his voice stays level. “This isn’t up for debate, Thomas. I’m informing you, not asking for permission.”

On the other end, something shifts. The air changes, even through the phone.

Thomas lets out a slow breath, like he’s trying to rein himself in and failing. “Do you have any idea what this looks like? To ownership? To the press? To the locker room?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re still doing it anyway?”

“Yes.”

Silence stretches, long and heavy.

I can practically feel the weight of everything Thomas isn’t saying pressing down through the line.

When he speaks again, his voice is colder.

“Then let me be very clear with you, Jaxon. Actions have consequences. You don’t just walk away from your responsibilities without it coming back to you.”

My heart stutters.

“Understood.” Jaxon sounds unshakeable.

“And when this season’s over,” Thomas continues, “we’ll be having a very serious conversation about your future with this organization.”

“I figured as much,” he says.

Thomas exhales sharply. “You better hope this is worth it.”