Page 82 of Body Check

“Well, I got him a fucking job with the Harriers.”

“Have you ever attempted to actuallytalkabout whatever it was that happened when you were teenagers?”

“A few times. It blows up in my face every time.”

“What about asking him to spend some time with you? What did you used to enjoy doing together?”

“Playing hockey.”

“Imagine that.” Dakota’s tone was dry.

Gavin shot him a half-smile. “I know, right?”

“Well, the holidays are coming up. What if you invited him to do something with you?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Maybe dinner on Christmas Day?”

“Maybe.” Gavin sighed. “Honestly, I was hoping you’d want to hole up with me for a few days during the break.”

“Uhh.” Dakota frowned. “Well, I have family stuff to do. I want to spend the holidays with Violet and Jeff and the kids.”

“Right. Of course. Honestly, forget I even suggested it. I don’t ever have plans, and I have the bad habit of assuming other people don’t either.”

“You don’t see your family?” Dakota sounded surprised.

“No.”

“You grew up in Pennsylvania, right?”

“Yeah. Outside of Pittsburgh.”

“That’s not that far …”

“My family doesn’t live there anymore. Honestly, they may be on the other side of the country. Hell, they could be living in Zimbabwe or Bhutan for all I know at this point. We—we haven’tspoken in years. I didn’t invite them to my wedding. Trust me, wedon’tspend the holidays together. Haven’t for years.”

Gavin stood because he couldn’t sit here feeling sorry for himself any longer.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Dakota said, reaching out to take Gavin’s hand. “I didn’t mean to?—”

“I know.” Gavin’s expression was somber as he glanced back. “I know you didn’t. I—this is hard for me. Things with my family have been a mess for nearly two decades. It’s not gonna get solved overnight.”

SEVENTEEN

The following day, as Dakota carried Daisy into the arena, he smiled at her excited chatter.

“Look, Unka Dak-Dak! Cwistmas Twee!”

“I see the Christmas tree,” he said. “And look, there’sSanta!”

The family lounge had been set up for the party, with Christmas décor, a buffet of delicious-looking food, and a guy dressed as Santa letting out jolly ‘ho-ho-ho’s’ as he sat on a throne near the tree.

“Cookies!” Daisy said, straining to get out of his arms and to the table set up as a decorate-your-own holiday cookie station. “Want cookies!”

“Uhh, maybe later,” he said, turning back to face Jeff and Violet, who were watching them with amused smiles on their faces.

“Oh, shut up,” he muttered.

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