Page 73 of The Home Game

“He could get traded,” Antoni pointed out.

“Look at you throwing out sports lingo already.” Her eyes danced with amusement. “We’ll make a hockey fan of you yet.”

“Shut up,” Antoni said, laughing. “Don’t call me out like that, Mom.”

She pursed her lips but she was laughing too. “I’m just saying …”

“I know. But like … shit happens,” Antoni pointed out. “We discovered that the hard way with Bethany and Corey.”

She sobered. “We did. And yes, sometimes things happen that we have no control over. I understand why you’re wary.”

“It’s been a little over three weeks since we met and”—Antoni checked the time on the microwave—”less than 24 hours since we officially moved in and already I …”

Already he wanted to throw himself at Matty and show him exactly how appreciative he was for all that he’d done. And hell, sweet gestures aside, Antoni was incredibly attracted to Matty.

His looks and his personality.

“I don’t know,” Antoni finished with a sigh. “I feel happy to be here, happy to be around Matty. It’s just a little scary trusting that it’s not all going to disappear.”

“I get that. And taking it slow is never a bad thing. It’s smart that you’re worried about the complications and how it could impact the kids.”

“I just don’t want to fuck this up,” he admitted.

“That’s what being a parent is. Sometimes, you’re just gonna fuck things up. But you love those kids and you’re doing as much as anyone can to learn from your mistakes. And that’s all that really matters.”

“Thanks, Mom,” Antoni said thickly. “I appreciate the pep talk.”

“Any time. But now, I believe you have back-to-school shopping to do?”

“Ahh, yeah. We need to get going as soon as the kids wake up from their nap.”

“Your dad and I already said goodbye to the kids so we’ll get out of your hair now. If I can pry your father away from Matty, that is.”

Antoni chuckled. “How embarrassing was he?”

“Oh, horrific. I’ve never heard him babble that much, even on our first date. But I do love him so I suppose I’ll eventually let him live this down. In another thirty years or so.”

Antoni grinned. His parents had met in college. Apparently, his father had taken one look at this mother as they passed in front of the library between classes and vowed that he’d marry her.

Thirty odd years later, they were still going strong.

It was the sort of love he’d always hoped to find.

With some effort, they finally got Enzo pried away from Matty and Antoni said goodbye to his parents.

The kids were just starting to wake up from their naps so, together, he and Matty got them wrangled.

River was sleepy as Antoni helped her into her car seat in the SUV and he crossed his fingers that she wouldn’t fall asleep on the drive to the store.

“You can drive,” Antoni said, nodding at Matty who had just strapped Reese into his car seat. “I need to review my lists.”

“Okay.” Matty smiled. “Everyone buckled up?”

“I am!” Eli said and Alexis gave them a distracted wave, face already buried in her tablet.

Antoni let Matty know which store to go to first, then pulled up a list on his phone to be sure he hadn’t forgotten anything.

He’d gotten lists from Alexis and Eli’s teachers and the people at River’s preschool.

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