Page 26 of On the Line

When dinner’s over, I offer to walk Lauren back to her car, which she parked about five blocks away. She insists she’ll be fine.

“Walking around the city by yourself at night with your kids in a stroller is inviting danger,” I say. Boston is generally a safe city, but I don’t take chances with the people I care about. “Please let me make sure you get back to your car safely.”

“Fine,” she agrees, even though I can tell she doesn’t want to. “I didn’t realize that all the on-street parking in this part of the South End would be resident only,” she says, “which is why I ended up parked practically in the Back Bay.”

“We have parking on the side of our house. Next time ...” I say, and she glances at me sideways in surprise. “Next time, one of us can move our car to the street and you can use one of our parking spots. I’m sorry Jules didn’t think to mention it.”

“She’s really sweet, by the way. So’s Audrey. You did a great job with them, Jameson.” I can’t tell her tone in the way she says this. She doesn’t sound shocked that I managed to raise two teenage girls when I was so young myself. She also doesn’t sound like she’s being patronizing. So I can only deduce that her statement is genuine.

“Thanks. The teen years were no joke, but we got through them okay.”

“I can tell how close you guys are.” She clears her throat. “I’m glad they have that with you.”

I glance over at her from where she walks next to me as I push the stroller, and her lips are turned down at the corners. “Why do you sound sad about it, then?”

“I’m not. I guess seeing you with your siblings is making me a bit homesick for mine, that’s all.”

I thought one of the reasons she wanted to move to Boston was to be closer to her own family. “Can you go home and see everyone?”

“Yeah.” She sighs. “But it’s an almost four-hour drive, which is really long with two toddlers, and I’m going home in a few weeks anyway for a family wedding, so I’m just going to wait and see everyone then. Plus, I have a house to move into this weekend, and I’m sure that’ll keep me pretty busy for the next few weeks.”

“And it sounds like you’re going to be looking for a job?”

“Jameson,” she says, grabbing my forearm as she stops walking. It’s like electricity is running through my blood as she looks up at me. “Thank you for that offer earlier. Really. I couldn’t say this in front of your sisters without them asking a lot of questions, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to work together.”

I stare down at those bright blue eyes and I know that, given our history, she’s right. But I push anyway. “And why not?”

“Because all we ever did when we worked together was fight.”

I’m tempted to joke and say it’s notallwe did, but I also don’t know if dredging up that night is a good idea right now.

“I think we’re both in different places now than we were then.”

She looks at the ground, then back up at me. “Maybe. But I still don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Just know that the offer is open, okay? If you don’t find what you’re looking for, maybe consider it.”

“Okay,” she says, and starts walking again. By the time we’re back at her car, both girls are asleep in the stroller. As she gets them buckled into their car seats, I load her stroller into the back of her SUV.

“How are you going to get them both inside, asleep?” I ask, trying to picture her carrying both of them while also unlocking and opening doors.

“I’ll manage,” she says, and the resignation in her voice has me ready to offer to ride with her to Paige’s and help her get her sleeping kids inside. “Thanks for tonight, by the way. I needed a night out so badly I didn’t even think twice when Jules invited me, and I appreciate that you didn’t freak out when you obviously had no idea I was coming over.”

Oh, I freaked out all right. And the fact that she realized I had no idea she was coming over is evidence that she noticed.

“You’re welcome at our place any time. For real.”

She gives me a smile as she opens her car door and slides into her seat. I stand there watching her pull away, knowing that she’s right about us not working together, and at the same time determined to see her secure in a new job and able to provide for herself and her kids.

* * *

“You played like an old man tonight,” I say to Colt as I slide into the seat across from him in the two-person booth at the back of the bar. He’s got his hat pulled low across his forehead like he always does when he’s trying to go unnoticed. As the longtime star goalie of the Boston Rebels, he’s one of the most recognizable faces in Boston. If people realize who he is, they’ll be flocking to him.

“Felt like an old man tonight.” He grimaces. “I was a fucking sieve.”

It was an unusually high-scoring game, and the Rebels won by one goal in the final seconds of the third period. “Luckily, so was the other goalie.”

“Goddamn Jenkins got a hat trick.” Colt narrows his eyes at me. “Don’t you fucking smirk like that. Just because you rep him too, doesn’t mean you should be rooting against me and your former team.”

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