Page 319 of Faking the Goal

God, I do.

But the thought of selling this apartment... the café she'd poured her heart and soul into for years... it sits like a rock in the pit of my stomach.

"But the café..." My voice catches. "Mom, you love—"

She gently cups my cheek before I can finish, her thumb brushing across my skin the same way it did when I was a little boy.

"I love you more."

The words hit me harder than anything else she's said tonight.

"And besides..." Her shoulders lift in the tiniest shrug. "When all of this is over and you become an NHL superstar, you can buy it back for me."

I stare at her for a second.

"...That's your retirement plan?"

"It sounds perfectly reasonable to me."

A surprised laugh escapes Miho through her tears.

"I like this plan."

I huff out a laugh of my own, shaking my head.

"So I'm your investment now?"

"You've always been our investment," Mom says matter-of-factly.

Miho nods enthusiastically.

"The return better be good."

Despite everything hanging over our heads... despite Dad... despite the impossible decisions waiting for us... the three of us laugh.

It's quiet.

A little weary.

But for the first time since walking through that door, it almost feels like we're going to be okay.

The familiar vibration against my thigh pulls me out of the moment.

I frown.

My phone has been buzzing in my pocket for a while now. I vaguely remember feeling it once... maybe twice... but everything with Mom and Miho had been so overwhelming that I'd barely registered it.

Then it hits me.

Taylor.

"Fuck," I mutter, fishing my phone out of my pocket. "It might be Taylor. She's probably wondering where I am."

"Taylor?" Miho echoes, immediately perking up. "Who's Taylor?"

Mom's lips curl into a knowing smile.

"Oh," she says, the warmth returning to her eyes for the first time all evening. "She's your brother's girlfriend."