Chapter Thirteen
TREY
My duffel bag sits by the front door next to Vivi's overnight bag. Mine packed for three days on the road, hers for three nights here with Adeline.
It’s crazy how fast time is flying by. With only four weeks left until Jameson is supposed to return, it feels like time is on team Jameson.
"And then we need to return these books to the library," Adeline says, pulling out a stack from her backpack to show Vivi. "It's my favorite place in the whole world. Mom used to take me every week in Florida."
The mention of Sarah catches me off guard.
Adeline doesn't talk about her parents often.
I know it's painful for her to discuss, but I think she worries about me too.
Sarah loved reading, and she passed that onto Adeline.
The library was something they did together since she was little.
I've tried to make sure that she has access to the library whenever she wants to go.
"Then we definitely need to go," Vivi says, her voice gentle. "Maybe we can find some new ones too?"
Adeline's whole face lights up. "Really? Can we get ice cream after? Like Mom and I used to do?"
"Of course," Vivi says with a smile, setting a plate of eggs, bacon, and sliced strawberries. "Maybe we can add it to our weekly schedule if you want."
"Are you sure you're good with everything?" I ask, though I know she is. She's handled everything we've thrown at her like the professional she is.
"We're fine," she assures me. "We're watching the San Diego game at Penelope's with all the girls on Thursday night. Apparently, she's ordered enough food to feed half of Seattle."
"That sounds about right." I smile, remembering how Penelope always goes overboard for away game viewing parties. And with us playing our biggest rivals, the San Diego Blue Devils, I have no doubt Penelope is going all out. "Just…call if you need anything."
"We've got it handled, I promise. Now go. You'll miss wheels up."
I bend down to kiss the top of Adeline's head. "Be good for Vivi."
"I'm always good," she protests.
"Uh-huh." I ruffle her hair, earning a squawk. "Love you, squirt."
"Love you too." She hugs me tight. "Score a goal for me?"
"I'll do my best."
At the door, I pause. Vivi stands in my kitchen, Adeline beside her talking about what they are going to make for dinner. They look like they belong there. Like this is how every morning should be.
"Trey?" Vivi's voice pulls me back. "You're going to be late."
"Right." I grab my bag. "See you in three days."
The drive to the private airport passes in a blur of Seattle rain.
"There he is!" Aleksi calls as I walk across the tarmac to catch up with them, my shoes splashing in the shallow puddles. He and Scottie are already heading for the plane, bags over their shoulders.
"Hey man," Scottie calls over his shoulder.
"Thought you were going to miss the flight," Aleksi teases.
And then I see Aleksi's face, shiny yellow masks under his eyes.
"What's that shit on your face?" I ask.
Scottie rolls his eyes. "Don't ask," he mutters under his breath.
Hunter runs across the tarmac to catch up. I guess I wasn't the last one to show up.
"They're under-eye masks. My mom sent them from Finland. They're twenty-four karat gold. A foolproof skincare regimen is important." Aleksi pats his bag defensively. "Don't worry, I brought enough for all of you."
"All a man needs is his Dramamine and an ocean waves soundtrack," Scottie counters, already wearing his noise-canceling headphones around his neck. "I'll be sleeping like a baby before wheels up. Wake me up when we land."
Hunter pats Aleksi's arm. "I'll try them. Peyton has some like these. We wear them on our weekly movie nights."
Aleksi beams back, happy to have an ally. "Hold on, I'll get a set for you now." He rifles through his bag as we all keep walking and pulls out a small package for Hunter. "Here you go."
Hunter takes no time pulling the sticky golden eye masks off their sheets and places them under his eyes like he's done it a hundred times before. Then Hunter turns to me with a wide grin.
"How do I look?"
"The gold really brings out the color in your man bun," I tell him.
Aleksi pats Hunter's shoulder. "Let Hart have his laughs…and his crow's feet."
Scottie chuckles and then pulls his noise-canceling earphones over his ears as he goes first, taking the steps up the jet.
Hunter goes next but turns back to Aleksi behind him before taking his first step.
"Give me a pair of those for when Scottie falls asleep.
Let's see how well his Dramamine works," Hunter whispers, already planning his next prank—Scottie his next victim.
I follow them up the stairs, finding my usual seat across from Slade Matthews. Our captain looks up from his tablet as I settle in.
"How's Adeline doing with Vivi?" he asks.
"Good." I stow my bag. "They're getting along great," I say, and then flop into the aisle chair.
"Yeah? Heard about the press ambush after our last home game." He sets his tablet aside. "And about you being her getaway driver from that wedding."
I freeze. "How did you—"
"No secrets in the Hawkeyes family." He shrugs. "But that shouldn’t be a shock to you by now."
To be honest, people knowing about me being the getaway driver doesn't affect me at all…but for Vivi, it might be a different story if it makes it outside of the team.
"I was in the right place at the right time," I say, because it's the truth.
"That might be true, but you don't have a poker face at all when it comes to her. You've got it bad. I should know what it looks like." His voice drops lower as other players file past. "Just don't forget that she's still wearing Holiday's ring."
The reminder feels like a blade between my ribs.
"Four weeks," I say quietly. "Then she marries him."
Slade studies me for a long moment. "You're going to let her walk away like that?"
"What choice do I have? The situation's…complicated."
"I had a complicated situation with a coach's daughter who thought I blackballed her from her Olympic dreams. You don't have to tell me about something complicated. Still, life's too short to have big regrets like letting the right person go."
The captain cuts us off, announcing our departure. Right now, the only thing I should be thinking about is beating Boston tomorrow and then San Diego in three days. Everything else will have to wait.