Chapter 38
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Alexei
Jason and I both arrived at the same time at Theo Kershaw’s house. He had convinced me to guest on Conor’s podcast, and I would only agree if he was also present.
Together, we climbed the steps to the front door. “Remind me why I am doing this again.”
Jason grinned. “So you can give people a chance to get to know you in the off season.”
I would be more open if I wasn’t so tired.
My father had managed to shake off his supposedly powerful sedative and headed to the kitchen to make toast a little after four this morning.
I awoke to the smell of burning and managed to avert disaster before the house went up in flames.
It took two hours to get him back to sleep.
“Speaking of getting to know people, how about you bring your father over for dinner sometime this week?”
I rubbed my mouth. It was time he knew.
“My father is not well, Jason. He has Alzheimer’s.”
My friend looked stricken. “Naz, I’m so sorry. Is this a recent development?”
“He got the official diagnosis about ten months ago, but he has been showing symptoms for several years. I have a nurse for him during the day, and I care for him nights and weekends.” Though I questioned how much “care” he was truly getting.
“I am not sure he would do well with people he does not know. He barely understands the people he does know.”
“Shit, Alexei, that fucking sucks.” He gave me a hug. One thing I would say about Jason, he was unafraid to show his emotions. “Whatever you need, you’ll tell me, okay? And if you want to skip out of this podcast fuckery, I can make your excuses.”
“No, I think it would be good to get my mind off stuff.” I couldn’t even begin to start with what was happening with Lauren.
Walking into the Kershaws’ basement, we found Conor involved in some complicated setup with iPhones, cameras, microphones, and ring lights.
“Gentlemen, finally. Have a seat on the Confessional Couch and prepare to discuss the moral issues of the day.”
“The moral issues?” I shot a sharp glance at Jason as I sank into the sofa. “What does that mean?”
My friend smirked. “You’ll see.”
“Don’t worry,” Conor said. “We’re not live. I have a guy who edits it for me.”
“That would be me. I’m the guy.” Conor’s twin, Landon, walked in. But for his glasses, there was barely a whisper of difference between them.
“The dating app developer?”
“You need a date?”
Jason snorted.
I glared at him then turned back to Landon. “No, I do not. Just wondering how successful it is considering Lauren is no longer with her boyfriend.”
“I can’t guarantee a hundred percent happily-ever-after, but she said she’d try it again. As long as I have repeat customers, then I can’t complain.”
Try again? Not on my watch. “Interesting business model. Happiness not guaranteed, but there is always another fish flopping about on the beach.”
“Hey, I’m thinking of giving it a go,” Conor said. “I’d like to meet a girl who’s not after my body and signing bonus.”
These children and their technology. Who needed apps when you could get drunk and accidentally married to the woman of your dreams?
“Okay!” Conor clapped his hands together. “Hey, everyone, welcome to another edition of Dirty Puck Talk, the fastest growing hockey podcast in North America. As always, this is not suitable for work or young, impressionable minds. As one of our 1.2 million subscribers, thanks for joining us.”
One point two million subscribers? The guy played professional hockey. Where did he find the time?
“So on today’s show, we have a new addition to the Chicago Rebels. Alexei Nazarov is a two-time Cup winner, recipient of too many awards to count, and claims he’s never seen or listened to this show. Welcome to Dirty Puck Talk, Nazarov.”
“Thank you. I am indifferent to being here.”
“Excellent. My other guest is Jason Isner, who you all know is my uncle, and not only recently delivered the Cup for the Rebels but also had a hand in delivering his own kid in the owners’ skybox during Game 6.
He’s finally woken up from his post-playoffs, post-baby birth coma and come to chat with us. Hey, J.”
“Hey, Connie.”
“Awesome! So, usually we’d do check-ins with our guests and a weigh-in on an Am I the Dick ethical or moral dilemma, but today I’d like to jump in first with the Q of the Day.
” His expression turned serious, like an old-school news interviewer.
“How close is this Chicago Rebels fan fiction to the real thing?”
“I haven’t read any of it,” I said, recalling how much it bothered Lauren. That cheered me. “Isner?”
“Hell yeah. I’m always checking up on how my alter ego Mason Listener is doing and what sort of sexy shenanigans he’s getting up to. Wouldn’t say the activities are familiar, but that guy has no problems with the ladies.”
Conor grinned. “What does your baby mama think?”
“She agrees that the author has a great imagination.”
“So the latest installments are right up to date with the Rebels’ real-life trade decisions.
We have new Renegades player—Renegades being the proxy for the Rebels—Rex Maximov who bears an uncanny likeness to a certain Russian-born power forward.
Sexy Rexy is in a relationship with his agent, and there’s speculation that the agent is based on Summer Landry, who happens to be a real-life hockey analyst, now agent, over at The Yates Group.
She also happens to be dating my brother Hatch, and not his fan fiction avatar Thatch Cockslaw.
I know, kind of twisty, but keep up, everyone.
” He turned to me. “So, Nazarov, does Hatch have anything to worry about?”
I rubbed my jaw scruff. “Rest assured that I will not be getting into a fight with your brother over Ms. Landry. She seems like a nice person, but my attentions are focused elsewhere.”
Conor perked right up. This was likely his goal all along, and I had sleepwalked into his trap. “So you’re already dating in Chicago? Or doing something long-distance?”
“Neither, and that is all I am prepared to say.”
“Maybe a different agent is on your radar.”
A snort from Jason punctuated that statement.
“Tell me more, J.”
“Nothing to tell,” he said. “When Naz has something to report, he’ll let you know.”
“So Chirp Queen has the inside track?”
“Chirp Queen?”
“That’s the handle of the fan fic author.
I’m guessing it’s a woman because the sex scenes aren’t cringe.
” Conor drummed his finger on the table.
“Pretty hot, actually, and we all know that male authors are constantly winning those awards for bad sex writing. I’m thinking she works for a hockey org, maybe even the Rebels. ”
“Because she made up some on-the-nose names that sound like Rebels players?” Jason shook his head. “Anyone could do that. Doesn’t make them an insider.”
Conor looked thoughtful. I suspected, in his case, this was synonymous with “dangerous.”
He spoke into the microphone. “Well, Chirp Queen, if you’re listening and you’d like to be interviewed on Dirty Puck Talk, we have ways to guarantee your anonymity. DM us on our Insta.”
Landon groaned. “Now you’ve done it. You’ll have every huckster sliding in claiming to be him, her, or them.”
“We shall see! Okay, J, let’s talk about my baby cousin Cammi. So she’s barely two months old, but given the high IQ of her mother, I’m guessing she’s almost at the talking stage. How worried are you that your genetics are going to fuck it up?”
After the podcast, during which Conor tried and failed to extract more information about my dating life, Jason cut out quickly to get home to Franky and Cammi but not before assuring me he was on Team Nazarov for any help I needed with Sasha.
Heading upstairs, I found Theo Kershaw in his kitchen, making lunch.
“Hey, Nazarov! So they wrangled you into guesting on this thing?”
“Your kid has a knack for talking nonsense at a million miles an hour. I wonder where he gets that from.”
Theo laughed. I had always liked the legendary defenseman. His long career had recently ended, but from what I could tell, he was settling into retirement well and looked just as comfortable in these domestic surroundings as he had once looked on the ice.
“Want a sandwich?”
“I have some errands to run. Another time, perhaps.”
“Sure. More for me and—hey up, this guy!”
I turned just as Gunnar Bond walked into the kitchen. I hadn’t seen him since the day he showed up to take over at Lauren’s sick bed. Given the state of play with my wife, I would have liked to talk to him, but not with Theo present, so instead I nodded at them both and headed outside.
I didn’t get far.
“Nazarov.” Gunnar caught up with me on the path to the street where I’d parked my car.
“Bond.”
His expression was stone-faced, and I readied myself for a lecture or something worse.
“How are you?”
“How am I?”
“Lauren told me about your father.”
I didn’t expect that. I wasn’t sure what to say. I hadn’t asked her not to share it, but it was still weird to hear anyone else bring it up.
“I am … okay. I have a nurse who watches him when I can’t. He has good and bad days, but it’s to be expected.”
“My mother had it—she’s passed now. Six years.”
“I’m sorry.”
He nodded. “She and my father lived in Finland, so I felt pretty helpless for a while.”
“Know what that’s like and I’m on site. I’m not sure I made the right decision to come to Chicago. He doesn’t know anyone here, but his quality of life was already suffering in Seattle. I couldn’t leave him, but perhaps I should have stayed.”
“Any other family?”
I shook my head. “And I don’t want to burden anyone else. That’s not why—” I was about to say I wasn’t here to drag Lauren into my messy circumstances, except that was exactly what I was doing.
“Heard you’re part of the family now.” He sounded more amused than upset.
“Not for long, I expect. Lauren would rather it had never happened.”
He waited a beat. “Do you have time for lunch? Theo makes a decent grilled cheese, though to hear him say it, it’s Michelin-starred quality.”
I thought about what was waiting at home. Maya didn’t need me, and right now, I wasn’t sure my father did either. It might be nice to sit with legends and talk hockey for a while.
“Lunch would be good.”