Chapter 47
forty-seven
Jeremy
Tonight’s game is going to feel weird without you.” Jax sits down on the bench in front of his locker.
The guys are in the locker room preparing for their first game of the season tonight, and I’d be lying if I said sitting in here, not getting into uniform, is weird.
“Well, I’ll be rooting you on from the sidelines.” I pat his back. “And maybe afterward we can go out to celebrate your win.”
I think deep down we all know I have no plan on going out to celebrate their win.
“If we win,” Brooks says, grabbing his skates out of his locker.
“We’ll win.” Zeke pulls on his socks. “We always do.”
“That’s not true. I think we lost like two games or something last season,” Declan teases.
“Not the one that counted.” Zeke winks, and I roll my eyes.
“They all count. I’d like to see Rockford win back-to-back championships.”
“Without our secret weapon?” Fletcher asks. “You’re the reason we won the championship, Jere.”
“Just cause I scored the game-winning goal doesn’t mean we made it to that game because of me. You guys carried the team last year, and you can do it again.”
“Damn straight.” Zeke claps his hands together. “We got our amazing captain, and our amazing secret weapon who will carry us there from the sidelines.”
“I’d be happy to.”
“I just wish you could play with us next week.” Cam comes around the corner and sits on a bench nearby, lacing up his skates. “We have our away game against O’Connell, and it would be fun to kick his ass on the ice again.”
“You guys will just have to do it for me.” I chuckle. “I’ll watch the game from Greystone with the girls.”
“You could always come with us,” Fletcher suggests.
“If I didn’t have to be back in physical therapy four days a week, I would think about it. But I don’t think it would be good for my back to go on those long road trips.”
Especially because I don’t plan on starting back up on my pain meds. I’ve been taking over-the-counter pain pills since my surgery, and I feel as though it’s done the job.
“Hey, I've got to tell you, guys, something.” Brooks pulls his jersey out of his locker and tugs it over his head. “I’m popping the question next week.”
We all freeze.
We all want Brooks to be happy, and he knows that, but I don’t think any of us thinks proposing is a good idea. And it’s not because of who he’s proposing to, I just don’t think they’re ready for that. We’re all still so young.
“Oh.” Fletcher puts on his shoulder pads, staring at Brooks as he does. “That’s exciting.”
“I know you guys don’t think it’s a good idea, for a few reasons, I guess, but I promise you, we’re ready. We love each other, and there’s no saying we need to get married tomorrow. I just want her to know I’m committed to this. To us.”
“If you’re happy, man. That’s all that matters.” I give him a small smile.
“Thanks, Jere.”
“I'd better be the best man.” Jax drops both hands onto Brooks’ shoulders.
“Whoa, I don’t know what gave you that fucking idea, but it’ll obviously be me,” Zeke argues. “You’ll be Declan’s best man, that’s not fair to be best man twice.”
“Whoa, what makes you think I’m picking that loser to be my best man?” Declan’s face twists. “How do you know I won’t pick my future brother-in-law?”
“I’m all good.” Cam chuckles. “I don’t need to be in the running for that.”
“You realize he has three brothers, right?” Fletcher asks. “It’ll probably be one of them.”
“I’d rather swim in the lake in the middle of a polar vortex than have one of my brothers as my best man.” Brooks shakes his head. “I love them to death, but we’re not that close for them to stand next to me on my big day.”
“So, we’re back to it being me.” Jax smiles.
“No… we aren’t.” Brooks gives him a shove.
“What we should be back to is you assholes getting ready.” I push up on my crutches and stand. “I’ll see you out there.”
“See you out there.”
They’re good.” Tristyn leans into me, whispering in my ear. “Not that I thought they wouldn’t be, but wow.”
“Yeah. They’re the best guys I’ve ever played with.”
We’re sitting on the sidelines with Henry and the girls. We’re halfway through the third period, and we’re winning two-zero.
“That could be you one day, Henry.” Ember leans over in her chair so that he can hear her.
“Really?” Henry’s eyes go wide.
“Yeah, we’ve seen you play.” Brinley leans over, tugging the sleeve of her jersey down as it rises. “You’re better than my brother was at your age. Way better. And he’s the captain.”
“Are you saying I could be captain?”
“That’s exactly what she’s saying.” I reach over and squeeze his forearm.
“You know, none of this would be possible without you.” Tristyn lays her head against my shoulder, her eyes glued to the game.
“You coming to a Rockford game?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “Henry playing hockey.”
“You do realize you signed him up for the summer camp at the rec center, right?” I ask. “You didn’t even know me yet. I just helped him find all his potential.”
“You also paid for his classes.” Tristyn doesn’t look at me, but she also doesn’t look mad.
“H-how?”
I don’t know if I was ever going to tell her about that. I guess she eventually would’ve figured it out when another summer camp came around, and Henry couldn’t participate for free, but I don’t know how she found out.
“When?” I add.
“I’ve known for a little while.” She finally looks over at me. “You do realize I handle everyone’s checks and paperwork, right? I thought they were underpaying you.”
She chuckles.
“You’re not mad?”
“Why would I be mad? It was the nicest thing someone ever did for me. You knew I’d be too proud to accept the money and, well. I actually don’t know what led you to pay for the classes, but thank you.”
“It was back when I thought Henry was your brother,” I admit. “It didn’t feel right having you pay for his classes, not when you were already dedicating so much of your time to him.”
“And once you found out he was my son?”
“You have two mouths to feed.” I shrug. “I just had me.”
“I love you; you know that?”
“Ditto.”
I kiss the top of her head and wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her into me.
“Can we come to all the home games, Mama?” Henry turns toward Tristyn.
“We’ll try, baby.”
“I love hockey.” Henry scoots forward, basically sitting on top of the glass. His eyes are glued to the players as they skate by.
“I’ve created a monster.” Tristyn shakes her head.
“No, you created a future hockey star.” I poke her arm.
“I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”
“Well, you’ll have to get used to it. I don’t see that boy walking away from this.”
She takes a deep breath, studying Henry as he watches the players.
She mumbles, “That’s what I’m afraid of.”