Page 33 of On the Line

I almost blurt outShe does, but it only matters if she reciprocates my feelings. And she made her choice a long time ago.I catch myself just before I admit how much it still bothers me that she chose Josh. Instead, I say, “She just lost her husband. There’s nothing going on between us. Just drop it, Audrey.”

“If you say so.” She reaches over and pokes me between the ribs trying to get a smile—or probably any kind of reaction—out of me.

“I’m headed to the locker room,” I tell her. “I have to change and catch a flight.”

“Remind me where you’re going this time?”

“Denver. Trying to get one of my players into a mid-season trade that’s in the works.”

“Oh yeah? Which one?” Audrey asks. She’s almost as disinterested in hockey as Jules, but at least she’s trying to learn more about it because of how much Graham loves it.

“A guy named Drew Jenkins.”

Graham’s skate slips out of Audrey’s hand and clatters against the black plastic seat below. “All right,” she says, picking the skate up. “You’ll be home in time for Graham’s school concert Tuesday night?”

“Yep. Wouldn’t miss it.” I mean, twenty four-year-olds singing for half an hour ... it’s bound to be amusing. “Oh, and I need a favor.”

Audrey raises an eyebrow. Normally, she’s the one asking for favors.

“Lauren is looking for someone to watch the girls so she can go back to work. You heard about the job with the Rebels?”

Audrey nods.

“Is Tammy doing anything now that Graham’s in preschool?”

“She’sretiredJameson.” After retiring from being a preschool teacher for thirty years, Tammy was Graham’s nanny for four years. She was the savior who stepped in and watched Graham while Audrey finished the fifth year of her architecture program and then the three-year internship that was required before she could get licensed. She stayed on last year when Audrey and Jules officially launched their all-female construction company, rebranding our father’s company and calling it “Our House.” So this is Tammy’s first actual year of retirement.

“Yeah, but do you think she’d be interested in watching Lauren’s girls? They’re so easy compared to Graham.”

“You make him sound like he’s a maniac or something.” Audrey grits her teeth together. She’s doing a great job as a single mom, but Graham has so much energy that some days it takes all three of the adults living in our house to parent him.

“He’s just energetic. But Lauren’s girls are pretty calm. They still nap. Maybe she’d be interested, even if just until they’re old enough for preschool?”

“I can ask,” Audrey says. Even though I’m the one who initially found and hired Tammy, she and Audrey grew pretty close. She’s practically family now, as she’s essentially Graham’s stand-in grandmother.

“If she’s interested, would you suggest her to Lauren? Don’t let her know it was my idea.”

“And why not?”

“She doesn’t want my help. She wants to do everything on her own, but she’d probably take your help if you offered it.”

Audrey’s skin is creamy, but her cheeks are always rosy, and they push up toward her eyes when she can’t contain her smile. “You really like her, don’t you?”

“I’m just trying to help her get her feet under her and start over,” I say, hoping that once I know she’s settled and can take care of herself, I’ll be able to walk away knowing I did what I promised I’d do.

“Mm hmm,” Audrey says, nodding vigorously just to show me how full of shit she thinks I am. “You better get going so you don’t miss your flight.”

I wave goodbye to my family and call up to Graham that I’ll see him at his concert in a few nights. I don’t make eye contact with Lauren on my way out, because I don’t want her face etched in my mind any more than it already is.

* * *

I’m finally walking into my hotel in Denver after a tense day of negotiation. Boston’s looking to trade one of its better players for two newer guys from Colorado, and even though Drew Jenkins wants in on the deal, it’s not going to happen.

I tried. But he’s asking for more than what Boston can give and they’re going with different players. I don’t often lose, but in the end it’s a money game and Boston’s salary cap won’t allow them to pay Drew what he’s worth. I have about thirty minutes to figure out how to break this news before I meet him for dinner.

I check in with the concierge and ask them to arrange a car to take me to the restaurant after I go upstairs and grab a quick shower, but as I’m walking toward the elevators, my phone rings. When I see Lauren’s name flash on my screen, I detour back to the couches in the lobby.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

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