Page 117 of Body Check

“The difference is you can’t shock me with anything you have to say about Gavin. I know the truth. I know how much he regrets what happened.”

“Regrets.” Thad sneered but he didn’t say anything else. The look of disgust on his face spoke volumes though.

“Yes,” Dakota said as calmly as he could manage. “Gavin hasregrets. And he’d like to apologize to you.”

“It’s a little fucking late for that, isn’t it?”

“No,” Dakota said firmly. “I don’t believe it is. Look, no one can force you to listen to what he has to say. No one can force you to forgive him. It’s your choice. But what if something catastrophic happened to one of you? What if there was another health issue or an accident or …”

For the first time, Dakota saw a real flicker of vulnerability in Thad’s eyes, so he pressed on.

“None of us know what the future will hold. Do you really want to spend the rest of your lives—however long they are—hating your brother? Or do you want to find some peace?”

Thad rubbed at his neck, another gesture eerily similar to Gavin’s. “I—I don’t know.”

“Look, Thad,” Dakota said softly. “The trip to the ER scared the shit out of Gavin and made him re-evaluate a lot of things in his life. He’s not expecting to have a relationship like the one you had when you were growing up or to forget everything that happened since. All he’s asking from you is a willingness to sit down and have a conversation. A willingness to listen when he apologizes.”

Something—some emotion—flickered across Thad’s face too quickly for Dakota to read. “Forwhat?” he asked tightly. “What does he want to apologize for?”

“He wants to say how sorry he is he let you go to prison rather than take responsibility for what he did.”

Maybe Gavincouldhave done more, but he’d been so young, reeling from his brother’s confession. It was easy to imagine how overwhelmed he’d been. How the situation must have felt out of his control. And in the end, it might only have served to land both brothers in prison. Cost both of them their dreams.

Thad laughed hollowly, tipping his head back in an expression that reminded Dakota so much of Gavin this time it was physically painful.

“He still doesn’tgetit, does he?” Thad asked. He lowered his head, shaking it in disgust. “And he never fucking will.”

“Then helpmeunderstand, so I can get through to him,” Dakota pleaded.

“I’m not angry at my brother because I went to prison for him,” Thad said, his gaze boring into Dakota’s. “I’m angry at him because the moment I did, he fucking forgot I evenexisted.”

“So,” Declan O’Shea said, staring at Gavin over the crisp white tablecloth at the seafood restaurant in Back Bay. “What did you want to speak to me about?”

Gavin hesitated. “Well, I need your advice.”

His head had been whirling with everything going on in his life and he needed to talk to someone who understood the hockey world and the team. Talking to Dakota was helpful and he’d been doing plenty of that in the past few days, but he needed more.

He needed a mentor.

And since Norm was gone and Gavin’s father had made it obvious he wanted nothing to do with him, Declan was the perfect candidate.

He’d begun the O’Shea hockey dynasty in Boston and helped raise four strong, talented, good-hearted sons. If there wasanyonewho could help, it was him. Though, maybe Gavin should have thought about reaching out to his wife Catherine as well, since she’d been the one home with the boys …

“What would you like advice on?” Declan took a sip of his whiskey.

“Uhh, well, a lot of things,” Gavin admitted with a rueful laugh.

He went on to tell Declan about his role in the robbery—because he was tired of having the stress of that secret hanging over his head—the heart issues he was concerned about, dating Dakota, and his plan to step down.

Declan didn’t say a lot as Gavin talked, mostly nodded and listened attentively as they ate their dinner. But when the conversation and the meal were over, Declan leaned forward, crossing his hands. “Well, you’ve certainly given me a lot to think about.”

“I should have told you the truth about my past sooner.”

Declan waved that off. “Look, I was a bit of a hellion myself in my youth. I understand.”

“Taking part in arobbery?” Gavin asked quietly. “Somehow I doubt that.”

“No, I can’t say I did that. But it sounds to me like you tried topreventone from getting worse,” Declan pointed out. “And things went spectacularly wrong.”

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