Chapter 30
CHAPTER THIRTY
Jack
I’m uncharacteristically nervous as I walk up to Abernathy’s front door, Maggie and Liam walking with me. I’ve been here a million times before, but I’ve never brought anyone.
When I texted Abernathy to let him know I’d be bringing two guests, one of whom is a child, he’d immediately called me back. “What? I saw rumors about you dating, but you need to fill me in yesterday.”
So I did. I told him all about Maggie and her deadbeat ex and picking up her kid last weekend and taking them out to the movies.
“I look forward to meeting them both,” was all he said in response.
I’m glad I told him all the gory details, though, because I know he’ll go out of his way to make Liam feel included, and he’ll for sure fill Tina in, and she’ll make sure Maggie is welcome as well.
Not that they wouldn’t otherwise, of course—they’re kind people and amazing hosts—but Tina’s the type to take in the lost and orphaned.
That’s why I get invites to their American Thanksgiving every year.
I go home for regular Thanksgiving in October, but that doesn’t make a difference to Tina.
American Thanksgiving is a time for everyone to gorge themselves with turkey, and she always has Nick invite the guys who don’t have anywhere else to go.
I’m not going to turn down a delicious home-cooked meal, so I always show up.
And over the years, I’ve gotten reasonably close with Abernathy and his family.
Nick opens the door when I knock, smiling and inviting us inside.
“Come on in. Most everyone’s here already.
” He looks at Liam and offers a closed hand for a fist bump.
“Welcome. My kids are younger than you, but there are a few others here around your age. A few are out back on the jungle gym. The littles are downstairs with the nanny. Feel free to explore. There are sodas and waters in the coolers out back.” To Maggie he says, “And don’t worry.
The adult beverages are in a different cooler that the kids can’t access easily. ”
Grinning, I ask, “Locke?”
Nick nods, returning my smile. “Of course.”
Maggie’s smiling, but her brows are furrowed as she glances between us. “You have the alcohol locked up?”
Chuckling, Nick says, “In a manner of speaking. Locke is our goalie. We keep the beers in a cooler that’s in a bench. Locke’s sitting on it. So you can only get one if you want to go through him. He’s friendly enough, but he’s not gonna let any kiddos get what they shouldn’t.”
Maggie laughs. “Got it. Sounds like a good solution.”
Shrugging, Nick leads us through the house to their spacious back patio.
“It makes it easier on everyone. The kids can play freely, and all we have to worry about is normal kid shenanigans and not little Timmy mistaking Daddy’s special juice for a soda.
Or whatever. We have wine in the kitchen, and Tina made a pitcher of margaritas too, if that’s more your taste. ”
“I’m good with just water for now,” Maggie says.
Once we’re on the patio, Nick steps up to a blue and white cooler, lifts the lid, and fishes out a water that he passes to Maggie.
“What about you?” he asks Liam, who’s hanging back next to Maggie like he’s not sure what to make of all this.
I wasn’t entirely sure he’d want to come based on what Maggie’d said when I first invited her, but she said he was excited when she made the offer.
I guess now that he’s here in this large house with a patio and yard full of strangers, he’s maybe rethinking his choices.
Maggie leans down and whispers to him, but I can’t make out what she’s saying. “I’ll take a water for him,” she says to Nick after a moment.
When Nick closes the cooler, I spread my arms and utter a shocked sound of dismay. “What about me?”
Rolling his eyes, Nick makes a shooing motion at me. “You know how things work around here. You’re on your own.”
“Rude,” I shoot back, and Nick cackles.
“Actually, I am being rude,” he says, holding out his hand to Maggie.
“I’ve seen pictures of you, and Jack filled me in a little about you when he said you were coming along with him, but we’ve yet to be formerly introduced.
I’m Nick Abernathy, the captain of the Emeralds, and the host of this little shindig.
Let me know if you need anything at all. ”
Maggie places her hand in his, smiling. “Nice to meet you. I’m Maggie, and this is Liam.” She gestures at her son. “Thank you so much for having us.”
“Tina!” Nick calls, and Tina looks up from her spot at one of the tables where she’s talking to Marissa, Dozer’s girlfriend.
He gestures for his wife to come over, and she stands, margarita glass in hand, and makes her way to us.
“Tina, this is Jack’s girl—” He falters when I clear my throat meaningfully, cutting a glance in Liam’s direction.
Last I knew, she’d only told Liam that I was her friend, not that we’re dating.
Clearing his throat, Nick recovers with a slight nod. “This is Maggie, Jack’s guest, and her son Liam.”
“Oh, wow!” Tina gushes, holding out a hand to Maggie, who shakes it.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard about you, of course.
” She seems to realize that might be strange as soon as the words leave her mouth because she covers her lips with the fingertips of one hand for a second, seeming to change gears.
“It’s so lovely to have you here. And Liam!
We have tons of fun things for kids. I think they’re playing hide and seek right now.
And later, we’ll get out squirt guns and maybe”—she darts a look around, leaning down so she’s closer to Liam and holding the back of her hand next to her mouth like she’s telling him a secret—“water balloons.”
That finally has Liam perking up. “Really?”
Straightening, she holds a finger over her lips. “It’s a secret, though. Don’t tell the others, okay?” He nods, a wide grin stretched across his face. “Do you want me to introduce you to the other kids?” she asks.
He glances at his mom, who gives him an encouraging smile. “That sounds fun. I’ll be over here if you need me, okay?”
“Okay,” he says, finally answering audibly, then he falls in step behind Tina, who threads her way through the crowd on the patio and takes him to meet the other kids.
I take advantage of his absence, and the shield provided by my teammates and their wives and girlfriends, to wrap an arm around Maggie. “He’ll be fine. He’s in good hands.”
Nodding, she uncaps her water and takes a sip.
“I know. I’m sure you’re right. Once he gets his bearings, he’ll be friends with someone new in no time.
That’s how it normally goes, anyway.” She wrinkles her nose, shaking her head.
“It’s just hard, you know? I want everything to be smooth and easy, and that’s just not how life works. ”
I make soft, reassuring noises and rub her back, unsure what to say, really.
I’m not a parent, so I don’t know what she’s going through.
I’m glad Nick and Tina are here, though.
I’m sure they can sympathize with the parenting aspect of her situation better than I can, even if they haven’t had to deal with her specific set of issues, like a deadbeat ex and custody battles.
“Let me introduce you around,” Nick says, pointing at everyone in turn and throwing out their names, rapid fire.
Everyone lifts a hand or nods in response, a few of my teammates eyeing Maggie in a way that has me narrowing my eyes at them, the rest all giving their polite attention before returning to their conversations.
Nick moves along, taking us to one cluster after another until we end up at the table where Tina had been sitting with Marissa.
Dozer’s sitting next to her, and he looks at Maggie with undisguised curiosity.
“So you’re the one who’s managed to capture Bouchard’s attention,” Dozer drawls after Nick’s made the introductions and excused himself to resume grill duty.
“I bumped into Jenkins the other day, and he was complaining you’d ditched him for a chick. ”
“I haven’t ditched him,” I protest at the same time Maggie says, “Oh, I’m just some chick, huh?”
Dozer cackles, enjoying how much he’s stirring up shit with just a couple of sentences. Asshole.
Marissa smacks him lightly on the arm. “Be nice,” she admonishes. “Maggie? Nice to meet you. Would ya’ll like to sit with us?”
“That would be great.” I pull out a chair for Maggie, leaning down to kiss her cheek before murmuring, “Dozer likes to talk shit, but he’s a good guy.
And Marissa’s nice, too. I’m going to get a drink.
I’ll be right back.” Straightening, I level a glare at Dozer.
“Listen to your girlfriend,” I bark, then turn and head to where Locke’s guarding the beer.
He watches me approach, taking a pull from his own bottle of pilsner—at least I assume that’s what he’s drinking. That man does love a good pilsner. And he’ll tell you all about it if you give him the slightest opening.
With a nod in Maggie’s direction, he keeps his ass parked on the bench and asks, “What’s the story there? I’ve never seen you bring a woman with you to anything, let alone a family function. And a kid? Did I miss something?”
I shake my head. “Not that I’m aware of. Unless you keep close tabs on everyone?” I make a gesture to encompass the part of the team that made it out today. “What have you been doing with your time off?”
Not dissuaded, he narrows his eyes. “We haven’t finished talking about you.” He gestures toward Maggie with his beer. “Fill me in, dude. Or get yourself a soda.” He nods at the other coolers by the door.
Sighing, I flip him off.
“Dude!” Barlow yells. “Kids!”
Nick swivels his head and glares at me. “You know we keep things family friendly here, Bouchard.”
I drop my hand. “Sorry, Dad,” I sing-song, and Nick rolls his eyes. To Locke I say, “I met Maggie during the playoffs. We started dating after we got knocked out.”
He narrows his eyes at that. “That was when that hit piece aired.”
Clenching my jaw, I jerk my chin in a nod. “Yup.” I don’t want to talk about that.
Locke grunts, but he finally moves his ass off the bench, moves the cushion, and lifts the lid to the cooler hidden beneath. “Take your pick. It’s a nice day for a beer and a burger.”
“Thanks,” I grumble, still annoyed at his interrogation.
I should’ve expected it, though. Nick’s reaction didn’t throw me off that much the other night, and I guess I’d hoped people would just follow his lead and be welcoming instead of giving me the third degree while Maggie’s waiting, stuck at a table with strangers.
It seems I didn’t need to worry about her, though. When I get back to the table, she and Marissa are deep in conversation about baseball, with Dozer watching on, affection stamped on his features when he looks at his girlfriend.
They got together in the middle of the season, and apart from one game that could easily be written off as a fluke, it didn’t seem like Dozer was at all distracted by her being part of his life.
The only reason I suspect that he was distracted by her at any point is because they were both deep in denial about their feelings for each other for months beforehand, and I’m not sure exactly how they overcame that issue, but they had some kind of fight in the middle of it.
Dozer was an asshole, and one game he played like absolute dog shit.
He said it was because he was having trouble sleeping, which I believe, but I think whatever happened with Marissa was the reason for the poor sleep.
Something to keep in mind, I guess. Make sure to take something to help me sleep if it’s the night before a game and I’m fighting with Maggie.
Also, don’t stay up all night having sex with Maggie the night before a game.
Somehow the second one seems the more likely option.
At this point, I can’t imagine having a fight with Maggie. What would we even fight about?