Page 165 of The Home Game

Matty couldn’t stop smiling.

This was … God, this was the life he’d wanted. Stinky gear and all.

“Mr. Carlson?” a small voice called out behind him.

Matty turned to see a cluster of three little boys looking up, wide-eyed.

“Hi there,” Matty said.

“Could you—could you sign something for me?” one of the kids asked, looking so hopeful Matty didn’t have the heart to say no.

“Sure. One sec.” He turned to Antoni. “You mind?”

“Of course not.” Antoni gave him an understanding look.

Matty passed over Eli’s bag and his keys. “I’ll be out in a minute, okay?”

“Sure. No prob. You need a marker? I have some in my bag.” Antoni patted his leather satchel.

“Yeah, thanks.”

After that was taken care of, Matty crouched down and smiled at the kids. “What do you want me to sign and who should I make it out to?”

Of course, after that, a few of the adults wanted him to sign something too and it took him a while to excuse himself. Hopefully after a few more visits, people would get used to him being around and stop asking.

Still, he didn’t mind as long as people were polite and they weren’t seekers trying to get an autograph that they’d turn around and sell on eBay or whatever.

Smiling, Matty pushed through the doors and stepped outside, enjoying the cool, crisp fall air. Ooh, maybe they should take the kids apple picking this weekend. He had a home game on Saturday but maybe Sunday …

God, he was looking forward to being in Toronto for a nice long stretch.

He couldn’t wait to go home tonight, spend a little time with the kids, get them off to bed, then have some alone time with Antoni.

But he frowned as he drew closer to Antoni’s SUV and caught a glimpse of an older, well-dressed couple standing near it, lit up by the floodlights in the parking area.

Antoni faced the couple, his arms crossed over his chest, a scowl on his face. Alexis stood right beside him and Eli was tucked behind her, peering around her arm.

“Don’t you want to come on a trip with us, Lexie?” the woman coaxed and Matty’s frown deepened.

“Don’t call me Lexi,” she spat. “And no, we don’t. We don’t want to go anywhere with you.”

“But you’ll have a great time and you can miss school …”

“I don’t want to miss school,” Alexis said, glaring. “I want to stay here with Antoni and Matty. You can’t make us go, Grandma.”

Oh shit. Matty stepped forward, sliding an arm around Antoni’s waist in a silent show of support. Antoni leaned against him but he didn’t relax at all.

“Bill, Robin,” Antoni said firmly. “As I told you earlier, this is not the appropriate place to have this conversation. I’d prefer if we left all custody and visitation issues up to the courts but if you insist on discussing it with me, we should do it in private and not in front of the kids. If you want to—”

“Well, this is your fault that we had to come here. You won’t let us see our grandchildren any other way!” Bill protested. “We had to see for own eyes that they were safe.”

Antoni snorted. “Safe? You do realize the reason I won’t let you see them is because Bethany and Corey and the kids made it clear that you aren’t safe for the kids to be around, right?” Antoni asked. His tone was polite enough but icy cold.

Matty squeezed his hip, knowing how upset he must be. How worried for the kids.

“Not safe!” Robin gasped, wiping her eyes. “It makes me so sad to see the way you’ve brainwashed these poor children against their own grandparents.”

Alexis snorted. “Uncle Antoni didn’t brainwash anyone. I don’t like you and I don’t feel safe with you. I know exactly what you’d do. You’d hurt Eli again and I’m not going to let that happen.”

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