32. Silas
The Shack is half full this afternoon with most of the staff choosing to sit inside while I opt for the patio.
Heaters glow along the edge of the elevated platform.
The air is sharp, cold, laced with the scent of woodsmoke.
Wesley’s arranged Halloween decorations to hang from the rafters.
Mostly little plastic pumpkins that light up after sunset.
There’s an annual Halloween event tonight including hayrides and other family friendly activities that my brothers always try to get me to come out for—either to help set up or get fans to show up and create buzz. Probably the latter since they never seem to want my help with anything.
But since the fall holiday lands weeks after season kick off, I never make it into town.
Even today, it’s the last thing on my mind as I scroll through more posts of Storm and me at the game.
I never pay this much attention to social media.
Not even when my fall aired. But this—this is bothering me.
I was relieved Storm took it so well. And to be honest, the fact that she’s sticking with me despite the exposure, sends a thrill through me like I never imagined.
I wrap my hands around the now-lukewarm mug and bring my phone to my ear.
As usual, Harvey picks up on the second ring.
“Silas, I told you, I already tried, but they’re not budging on moving up those tests.”
“Not calling about that,” I mutter.
He exhales. “This about the girl?”
“Yes. It’s everywhere, Harvey. I’ve had girls in my seats before—why isn’t this dying down?”
“Not ones that had your eye all night.”
Silence stretches as I look out into the fields. The stables my eyes always gravitate to. Wherever she is.
And I see his point.
He sighs. “Look, you know how this works. Until something bigger hits the media, they’ll be all over this one. Just don’t bring her around anymore and problem solved.”
My chest tightens at that. “This one’s serious, Harvey.” Might as well rip off the Band-Aid now and tell him.
Another beat. “Then tell her and her kid to get used to it.”
I frown. “Her kid? There was nothing about her kid online. How do you know she’s got a kid?”
“Because I know Chase’s brother has only got the one. So I did some digging of my own.”
I growl.
“For your benefit. See how much I’ll need to keep at bay when questions come up.”
“Could’ve just checked with me.”
“Could’ve, but where’s the fun in that?” I hear the grin on the other line. “All right, keep it cool. I’ll make some calls and keep it boring. So long as you know, getting the media to back off means painting her as a nobody. So you might wanna give your girl a heads-up.”
I swallow against the pressure in my chest.
“Silas?”
“Yeah,” I manage.
He sighs. “You’re making this really difficult, you know that?”
“I do. But I also know your five percent on my contract got you pretty far, so you’ll figure something out without diminishing her to nothing.”
He exhales loudly. “Don’t stress it. I’ll see what I can do.”
“It’s all I ask.”
“One more thing. The kid’s father—not in the picture, right?”
My grip tightens on my phone. “Why’s that relevant?”
“It’s not yours, I know that. Nothing feeds reporters more than a mystery dad. What are we dealing with?”
I stare out at the mountains, jaw set. The cold biting a bit harder. “Deceased.”
“You don’t sound so sure.”
I’m not.
“The less we both know the better,” I say, trying to convince myself more than him.
“Silas.”
“If you do this right, it won’t come up,” I growl.
“You losin’ brain cells living over there? Of course it’ll come up. Figure out what you want me to say and let me know. I’ll handle the rest.”
It’s a first for Harvey to hang up on me and not the other way around. I sit there for a moment, letting the cold settle into my bones and giving up on my coffee.
I promised Storm I wouldn’t ask. But hell, I didn’t know what we were when I made it. I was just desperate for a chance. For her to let me in.
Seems unfair to ask again now that she has. The last thing I want to do is blindside her with the one topic that sent her running from me when I first found out.
The sound of a door swinging behind me pulls me from my thoughts and a tall figure steps in beside me. Dallas places a pint glass of ale in front of me before taking a seat across the wooden table with one of his own, blocking my view.
I push my cold coffee aside and wrap my hands around the cool glass.
“Figured you’re not planning on making good on your word to go have a few with me, might as well sneak one in.”
“I’ll make good on it.” I set my phone aside. “Just got a lot on my mind.”
“Hate to point out the obvious, but that’s sorta the point of getting beers with your brother. Maybe I can help?”
I shake my head. “Thanks, but my agent’s on it,” I say flatly.
“Not that kind of help, Silas,” he rasps.
I take a sip and look past him.
“But all right, fine. Let’s talk about that. Know you were back at the arena last week. Watching instead of playing. How’d that feel?”
I turn a hard glare at him. “Dream come true.”
I’ve got to say, out of both my brothers, Dallas is the most patient—which only adds to my frustration because he acts like a goddamn therapist, just waiting for me to burst. He leans back and takes a sip too. “Standin’ next to some pretty important folks there, so I’d say so.”
“That’s not exactly the suit I wanted to be wearing,” I mutter.
He leans in like we’re getting somewhere. “I know that. And I’m sorry you’re going through this. And I know this is going to come back to bite me, but why didn’t you listen to me last year? You told me you’d get that shoulder checked out and you didn’t.”
“It’s not my shoulder, it’s my bicep.”
“That you tore because of the pressure from your shoulder,” he practically hisses. “Silas, this is your career, you can’t hide or ignore shit like that.”
“It’s easy for you to say,” I snap. “You have all this. You break an arm, you don’t lose your whole world. I do.”
He’s quiet for a moment, watching me. “You’re right. I can’t imagine what’d it be like if someone took all this away from me.” He twists his glass. “But it wasn’t that long ago when I did lose my whole world.”
I sigh to myself. Millie.
“It’s not the same.”
“Maybe not for you. But I didn’t want to do anything else. Didn’t want to work, talk to people, finish the house I was buildin’ her. I was dead inside.”
I’m not about to repeat that it’s not the same thing because looking back now, he was dead inside. No one could get through to him. Convince him there’s life after Millie when all he wanted was to be buried next to her.
“Look, I respect hockey is your life and we’re all proud of your success. But you’re not dead without it. We’re still your family. Still here for you.”
My nod is small, unconvincing.
“Why do you feel so out of place here?” he asks.
I look around the fields, remembering my talk with Dad. Understanding his reasons. But also knowing that wasn’t the case with my brothers.
“I know you got back on your horse,” he continues. “It’s a helluva start.” He glances at my arm. “When you’re a hundred percent, I can teach you more—everything you want to know.” He glances away. “What I should’ve done when you were still interested.”
I scratch my chin. “I’m good, thanks. How ’bout we just stick with what you do best these days.
Criticize me for never coming around, what the media’s saying about me, fact that I can’t lasso a basketball hoop much less a moving horse.
” I shrug and adjust in my seat. “Every family needs a joke. Might as well be me.”
Dallas scoffs. “Wish I could say I’m sorry, but it brought a lot of laughs when we needed it.”
I frown at the honesty behind it. Never thought of it that way.
“Look, I’ve got to go check on the set-up for the festival tonight. How ’bout that beer tonight? I’mma need it after all this.”
“Not tonight.”
“We don’t have to talk about why you don’t like me—we can talk about Storm.”
I chuckle and take a sip. “Like there isn’t a lecture hidden there.”
“Wh—I don’t lecture you.”
I glare at him.
“All right fine, so maybe I do. But I was only going to ask how . . . things are going.”
I don’t answer that loaded question. Instead, I take the opening to thank him. “They’re going. And thanks for giving her the cottage, I feel better with them there.”
“I didn’t. You did. Sure are doin’ a helluva lot for her and Max.”
“I care about them.”
“So do we. But we’re not givin’ away hundred-thousand-dollar cars.”
I glare up at him. “You know what I mean.”
He considers it for a moment, with a distant look that reminds me of Dad’s the other day. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”
He stands. “Been seein’ updates on my feed about you two. It’s out there. Sure you know what you’re doing?”
“Is this concern for me or for Storm?”
“Neither. Storm’s a big girl. She’s handled a broken heart before.”
“Your confidence in me is overwhelming,” I mutter.
He chuckles. “Just be careful.”
“No one cares more about Storm and that boy than I do.”
He nods. “I believe it. I’ll see you tonight.”