Page 91 of For the Win

“Yeah.Long story.Evidently, Dad’s still pissed about it.”

Then Mr.Wynn starts into a story about one of the years he won the Stanley Cup.It’s a little rambling and doesn’t entirely make sense, but I can tell that it’s based on something that really happened.Everyone listens and reacts appropriately, smiling and commenting, but I can tell their hearts are breaking.

And I kind of feel like that too, because I hate seeing Harrison hurting.I finish my meal, set my plate on a small table, and reach for Harrison’s hand.I curl my fingers around it and he reciprocates, twining our fingers together, and we sit like that.I want to think, from the way he’s clasping my hand, that I’m helping in some tiny way.

Mrs.Wynn serves birthday cake that I can see nobody wants to eat, but everyone’s acting cheerful.Matthew and Mark are quieter than the others, moving to sit beside their dad to talk to him in low voices while they pretend to eat cake.

“You okay?”I ask Harrison without looking up from my chocolate cake.

“No.”He slants me a crooked smile.“I’m fucked up.”

“I know.”I reach for his forearm and squeeze it.“It’s okay.”

“You ready to go soon?”

“Sure.Any time.”

He takes my empty plate a few minutes later and carries it into the kitchen.

Following him, I say, “We should stay to help clean up.”

“Yeah.”He surveys the mess of dishes on the counter.“Let’s get these into the dishwasher.”

We set about rinsing and filling the dishwasher.I toss crumpled aluminum foil and plastic wrap into the trash while Harrison finds storage containers, and we move leftover chicken and veggies into them and store them in the fridge.

Mrs.Wynn comes in as I’m wiping the counter.“Oh my God!”She stops and looks around.“Did you two do this?”

“Yeah.”Harrison smiles at her, drying his hands.“It was Arya’s idea.”

She moves toward me with arms outstretched and my heart swells as she hugs me.She draws back and smiles.“Thank you.I’m glad you came and I got to meet you.”

“I’m happy to meet you too.I do feel like I probably shouldn’t have been here for some of that family business.”

“It’s fine.”She glances at Harrison.“We need to think about how we’re going to deal with this publicly.I think we should consult with Murray.”

I have no idea who Murray is, but...wow.Bad enough they have to go through this, they have to go through it in front of the whole world.

“Yeah.”He nods.“I don’t think we need to do anything yet.”

Everly enters the kitchen too, followed by Wyatt.“Oh!I just came in to help clean up.”She surveys the room.“It’s done.”

“Perfect timing,” Harrison says dryly.

She rolls her eyes.

“We’re out,” he says.“Thanks Mom, that was a great dinner.”

He hugs his Mom while I hug Everly.

“Let’s do drinks and appies again one day,” she says to me.

“Absolutely!”

“The playoff schedule comes out tomorrow, and then we’ll know what our life looks like for the next couple of weeks anyway.”She slides an affectionate look at her boyfriend.“I’ll text you.”

“Sounds good.”

We say more goodbyes, then climb into Harrison’s SUV to head home.

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