Chapter 30
Jordan
As we get close to the end of the regular season, I’m starting to focus more on hockey and less on Victoria.
As much as it pains me, I have to give hockey everything I’ve got.
I also have to talk to Coach Petrov about this situation, because he’s one of the people who wasn’t just there for the blow up that happened four years ago, he was also very clear about me getting involved in drama once I came back to the team.
So, I get to the arena early and go looking for him. He’s usually here early too, and this is the time that he has his open-door policy, where we can go to him about literally anything.
Sure enough, the light is on in his office and he’s sitting at his desk reading something on his computer. I knock lightly even though the door is open, and he glances up with a smile.
“Hey, Jordan. Come on in.”
“Hey. You got a minute?”
“Always.” He nods.
I close the door behind me and sink into a chair from him.
“Everything okay?” he asks.
“Yes. Everything is great. I just…” I hesitate. It’s hard to articulate what I want to say even though I rehearsed it in my head dozens of times over the last couple of days.
“Just spit it out,” he says knowingly. “Whatever it is, it’ll be okay.”
“Victoria and I are back together.” I blurt it out because it seems easier than trying to dance around the issue.
He stares for a beat, and then his brows knit together.
“Victoria…as in, the Victoria?”
I nod.
“I heard that you were involved with someone but that detail didn’t get back to me.”
“Most of the guys don’t remember her or weren’t here when everything blew up.
The ones that were have been respectful of my privacy.
But I wanted to come clean because it’s serious and I’m here to give you my word that there won’t be any bullshit this time.
We’ve both grown up, she’s about to graduate college, and the plan is to move in together this summer. ”
He nods. “Okay.”
That catches me off-guard. “Okay? That’s it?”
“What did you expect? That I would ream you a new one or forbid it or something?”
“No, but I thought…I don’t know.” I meet his gaze. “I thought you might be disappointed in me.”
He immediately shakes his head. “No. God, no. I’m a little concerned, definitely, but you’re a grown man who’s shown a ton of maturity the last two years.
You’re an asset to the team and someone I consider a friend.
I also know how much you loved her four years ago.
And sometimes, your first love is your true love.
My son Anton and his first love broke up but then found their way back to each other.
Now they’re married with three kids. I have a feeling it’s going to be four. ”
I smile. “We ran into each other at a club and some guy was hassling her. I intervened and then we talked.” That’s a simplified version but he doesn’t need the details.
“I took her to breakfast a week or so later and we talked about everything that happened, got some closure about the baby we lost…and I realized I wasn’t over her. ”
“And she feels the same.”
“Yeah, she does.” I pause. “The thing is…”
“Uh oh.” He leans back in his chair. “Go on, tell me.”
“Her dad still doesn’t like me. They had me over for dinner, and there were all kinds of rules and curfews put into place. It’s annoying as fuck.”
“How old is she now? Twenty-two? Twenty-three?”
“Twenty-two. She won’t be twenty-three until November.
She graduates in May with a degree in accounting.
I mean, she’s an adult. But she also loves her parents.
She doesn’t want this to be the kind of thing where she has to choose between them and me.
And I get it. I’d hate to lose the relationship with my parents. ”
“So, you’re going to have to win him over.”
“I don’t know how to do that, Coach.”
“It won’t be easy.” He shakes his head. “But it can be done.”
“I’m all ears if you have advice.”
“Obviously, you need to be respectful. Get them good seats to some games, especially the playoffs. Play by their rules for now. Do lots of little things for Victoria that make her life easier, if you can, so they can see you not only can take care of her but that you want to.”
“Okay.” I nod.
“Anything else?” He almost seems amused as he asks the question.
“She’s coming on the road trip to New York, and I didn’t want you to see her and feel like I’ve been hiding something. Well, I guess I have, but I wanted to be sure before I came to you.”
“I appreciate that. Don’t worry about me. I want you to be happy. I do need you to be extra careful with her dad. We don’t need that bullshit during the playoffs.”
“Absolutely not. I’m giving her a little space to deal with it and figure out how or if she’s willing to push back.”
“And if she’s not?”
That would be a disaster, but I’m not going to admit that out loud.
“I don’t know. She’s asked me to be patient while she works on things at home, so that’s what I’m doing.”
“There’s nothing wrong with going slow.”
“We’ve already lost four years.”
“You had four years to grow up,” he corrects me.
“To figure out who you are and what you want in life. It appears that you still want each other, which is great. So, give her time. Parental guilt is bullshit, in my opinion, but they’re her parents.
I get it. And by giving her time, maybe her father will see the man you are. ”
“The trouble is, I hardly see her. She goes to school and works full-time. I’ve got hockey and practice and everything that goes with it.
Now that he won’t let her sleep over and we have a freakin’ curfew, I don’t know how to have an adult relationship when we’re being treated like we’re still teenagers. ”
He seems thoughtful. “Yeah, that’s definitely problematic.
I think what it’s going to boil down to is her setting some boundaries.
Yes, she’s living at home, but she’s an adult about to graduate college.
And let’s be clear—he can threaten to kick her out, but how is that really a thing?
She has you. He has to know you can take care of her. ”
“I don’t think her father believes I really love her. He seems to have this idea that she’s nothing but an easy lay or something. Totally ridiculous since, you know, it’s not that hard for me to get laid.”
“He’s a girl dad. I understand the fear but you still have to let your children live their lives.
I have a daughter and she hasn’t started dating yet, but when the time comes, I’m going to be strict but fair.
I’ll have to meet the boy, I may want to meet his parents.
There will be a curfew. I don’t know at what age I’ll let a boy drive her somewhere yet.
But my belief as a parent is that you have to give them the ability to grow and learn.
I’ll trust her unless and until she gives me a reason not to.
At twenty-two, I’d like to think I won’t be all up in her business. ”
“That sounds incredibly fair. Unfortunately, that’s not the situation with her dad.”
“Look, here’s my advice for what it’s worth.
Make sure any woman you settle down with prioritizes your relationship.
Yes, family is important. I’ll never say otherwise.
But if you marry her while her father continues to hate you, you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of misery.
Especially if she’s determined to stay close to them.
Think long and hard, Jordan. I’m sure she’s lovely and I have no doubt she loves you.
The only question is whether or not she loves you enough to make a big sacrifice.
Unless her father is a complete douche, he’s going to come around.
“Imagine when there are grandchildren in the picture—I think he’s being a hard ass now because he can but once she puts her foot down, he’ll back pedal. From what I remember, he’s a bit of a bully and bullies usually back down when someone stands up to them.”
That’s a point I didn’t consider until now.
“Thanks, Coach. I appreciate you. More than you know.” I stand up and reach for the door.
“Oh, I know.” He chuckles. “And Jordan?”
“Yeah?” I pause, glancing back over my shoulder.
“I’m happy for you.”