Page 75 of The Home Game

Eli said yes and even Alexis nodded.

“Cool. How about we grab some takeout on the way there and have a picnic dinner?” Matty glanced at Antoni. “I dunno about these guys but I’m getting hungry.”

Antoni laughed. The best he could tell, hockey players were just like toddlers. They needed afternoon naps and to be fed every 3-4 hours.

“Sounds perfect.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

By the time Matty drove them back from their picnic and playing at the park, the kids seemed happy and tired.

Antoni looked more content than Matty had ever seen him.

“School tomorrow,” Antoni reminded them as they walked into the house, arms filled with back-to-school supplies and clothes. “Alexis, Eli, pack your lunches and backpacks, then take your showers. If you want to wear any of these new clothes to school tomorrow, leave them out for me to wash, okay? I’ll put a basket in the hallway you can dump them in.”

“Okay,” they both said.

“River, I need to get you bathed.” Antoni shot Matty a look. “I hate to ask but …”

“Gimme the baby,” Matty said. “I’ll watch him while I help with lunches.”

“You sure?” There was guilt in Antoni’s eyes that Matty wanted to make disappear.

“I’m sure,” he said firmly. “Baby me.”

Antoni laughed and nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

Antoni went to help River with her bath and when they were gone, Alexis started pulling food out of the refrigerator.

“You’re good for him,” she said thoughtfully as she grabbed the new lunch bags they’d bought this afternoon. “Uncle Antoni, I mean.”

“You think so?” Matty asked. He took a seat at the island and plopped Reese on his lap.

“Yeah,” she said. “He laughs a lot more. And he doesn’t seem so stressed out.”

“It’s good,” Eli said firmly.

“Good,” Matty said because he didn’t know what else to say. He watched Alexis assemble a cheese sandwich and put some sliced carrots and cucumber into a container with some hummus. “Hey, do you get bored eating those all the time?”

She shrugged. “Yeah, sometimes. But I don’t want to stress Uncle Antoni out by asking for a bunch of vegetarian stuff.”

Matty nodded. “I get that. But if you’re playing hockey, you’re going to need more protein. How do you feel about hard-boiled eggs?”

“I like them.”

“Cool, I’ll make a batch tonight,” he said. “And we should talk about bean and rice combos, maybe.”

“Yeah?”

He nodded. “I have some recipes from the team chef. And he can get me some more. High-protein veggie stuff can be awesome.”

“That would be great. Thanks, Matty.” She shot him a fleeting smile. “I’m gonna get my crap ready for tomorrow unless you need anything, Eli.”

“Nah, I’m okay,” they said.

Eli moved a little slower, but when they had their lunch assembled, Matty smiled at them. “Any requests for your lunches?”

“I like those mini cheeses in the wax,” Eli said. “And baby oranges.”

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