Page 113 of Revenge Puck

“It’s the truth. The team can’t score shit without me.”

“You haven’t scored much shit lately, have you?”

“And whose fault is that?”

“You really regret ending things with Elle?” I ask, changing the subject.

“Hell yes. Don’t you?”

“Yes.”

I don’t ask if he agreed to me playing for the Bobcats because it might mean seeing more of Maya.

It doesn’t matter, and it’s not going to happen. No official offer from the Bobcats means it’s Cali or bust for me. Tommy said they weren’t nearly offering as much as the Grizzlies, anyway.

“Your phone number still the same?” I ask Christian as I pull out my cell phone from my jean pocket.

“Yeah.”

“Then give me time to talk to my sister in person. Could be later tonight before I have an answer.”

“Whenever is fine,” he replies. “Do you have any pictures, you know, of him?”

Opening the photo app, I scroll through to the photos of Finley’s most recent birthday party, which has some of him on the ice too.

“Here. You can scroll.”

“Thanks,” Christian says as he takes the device and stares down at the first image. His blue eyes shimmer as if he’s about to bawl like a baby. Then he laughs and presses his fist between his teeth. “Holy shit. He already plays hockey?”

“Of course he does, on the ice a little and video game as much as Maya lets him. He wants to grow up and go pro like his uncle. He’ll be thrilled when he finds out his dad’s a pro, too.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, I do. And if you hurt him in any way, especially if it’s by walking away after meeting him, I really will murder you by slicing my skate across your throat.”

“Shit,” he says as he continues to occasionally swipe images. “Always or never a father, huh?”

“You better be damn sure before you decide,” I warn him. “There’s no going back after you meet him. Not unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless you want to meet him as a friend of mine and not as his father.”

“You mean…don’t tell him who I am?”

“At least not at first.”

“I don’t know if I could do that.”

“It would give Maya a chance to make sure you’re gonna stick around. That could work best for everyone.”

“Everyone except for me! What happens when he finds out I’m a fucking liar?”

I jerk my phone from his hand and tell him, “You were the one worried about how he would feel about you being a loser, remember?”

“Just talk to Maya and let me think about it.”

“Fine.”

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