Page 43 of Taming You

“Want to help frost them?” she asks, and I’m immediately off the couch and joining her. Decorating cakes, cupcakes, and cookies was something we did a lot when I was younger. None of the boys were interested in sweets, except eating them, so it was something for just the two of us.

Henry joins us in the kitchen, letting us know dinner will be here in thirty minutes. He comes behind us, wrapping an arm over each of our shoulders. “Look at my girls.” He kisses both our cheeks. “I missed seeing you guys do this together.”

I smile at them both. “Me, too.”

Maggie and I finish decorating the cupcakes just in time for dinner to be delivered. While we finish cleaning up, Henry gets everything set up in the dining room. We talk and laugh while we enjoy dinner. Once we’re all finished, I take a long sip of my wine and turn to Henry. He sobers when he sees my expression.

“What’s wrong, Zo?”

I take a deep breath and say, “I don’t want to be a lawyer.”

He looks shocked for a second, and then he relaxes back into his seat. “Okay. Do you know what you do want to do?”

I spin my wine glass between my fingers and dip my head. “No.”

He nods. “That’s okay, Zoey. You don’t have to have everything figured out right now. Part of being an adult is figuring it out.”

“You’re not disappointed?” I ask.

Shock fills his expression, and he shakes his head. “Of course not. Why would you think that?”

“Because you did so much to help make sure I got into a top school and was able to get my degree. You sacrificed so much when we were younger, and now I’m throwing away a degree that took a lot of time and money.”

“Oh, Zo. I’m not disappointed.” He reaches out and takes my hand. “You’re my little sister. Everything I did for you and the boys was a sacrifice I was willing to make. And you’re not throwing away your degree. You gained experience. Just because you don’t want to be a lawyer doesn’t mean you won’t put your degree to good use. Take some time to figure out what you want to do. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you’d like.”

I push out of my chair and wrap my arms around my brother, and his immediately come around me, holding me to him tightly.

“You’re the best big brother. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Zoey.”

He gives me one more squeeze, and we separate.

“Now, I think I’d love one of those delicious cupcakes in the kitchen,” Henry says.

I nod and grab the plate full of them and bring them to the table. I feel so much better having had that conversation with Maggie and Henry. Nothing is fixed. I still have no idea what I want to do, and I still feel lost because of it, but I’m not worried about disappointing him now.

We enjoy a night in before Henry and Maggie call it a night. I follow not long behind them, curling up with a book before falling asleep.

CHAPTER 16

Matt

Irub my eyes as I try to wake myself up this morning. Jayden has been unusually fussy the last two nights and hasn’t been sleeping, which in turn means I haven’t been sleeping. It’s Saturday and we have plans at my parents for a family brunch, which I’ve never been so grateful for. As much as I love my son, doing this solo is not the easiest thing, and being able to pass him off to Mom or Gianna for an hour will be amazing. I make sure to pack extra clothes as he’s been drooling over everything. I’ve lost count of how many times a day I’m wiping his hands off because he keeps sticking them in his mouth.

He fusses in the car and nothing seems to make him feel better, but there isn’t much I can do when he’s in the back and I’m driving. As I’m pulling up outside my parents’ place, my phone dings with a notification. It’s one of the sports reporting apps I have, and I go to close it out when Josh’s name appears in the brief summary on my screen. Shocked, I open the article.

NHL Commissioner and Board of Governors approve the sale of the Vancouver Cyclone.

In today’s NHL news, the sale of the Vancouver Cyclone to Joshua Lincoln of Lincoln Enterprises has been approved by the NHL Commissioner and the Board of Governors. The sale of the team for the amount of $1.5 billion marks the change of an era in the Vancouver hockey market.

I sit and stare at my phone, not able to read any more. My best friend bought our favourite hockey team and never said anything to me about it. My sister never said anything about it. I go through the motions of gathering Jayden and our things and making our way into the house. The door is unlocked, so we walk straight in. Gianna spots us and has Jayden out of my arms before I can even say hi.

I move into the living room. Josh and Liv are already here, and Mom is holding Cate. I kiss Mom on the cheek and shake Dad’s hand before turning to my sister and best friend.

“Any news you’d like to share?” I ask.

Josh grabs the back of his neck as he mutters, “Shit.”

---