Page 58 of Pucking Fate

I’m grateful for their thoughtfulness. “Thanks. I could also use the company.”

“Finley already out for the night?” Preston asks as he leads the way to the kitchen.

“Yes, you just missed him. He might still be awake…”

“No, that’s okay. Let him sleep. We’ll see him tomorrow. That is, if you don’t mind us staying in my old room?”

“No, of course not. It’s your house, your room. You can stay here whenever you want.”

A short while later, we settle into the living room, each of us with a pint and a spoon, and for a moment, I feel like I can breathe again. But as soon as we dig into our ice cream, Preston’s sharp gaze fixes on me.

“So,” he starts, leaning back against the couch. “How are you really doing?”

I hesitate for a moment, not sure where to begin. But then I remember how comforting it was to talk to my brother earlier, how much I trust him, and the words just start spilling out.

“Finley had more questions tonight,” I say, my voice a little shaky. “Then he said he would rather go live with Christian.”

Preston’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise, and Elle’s eyes widen as well. “And what did you tell him?” Preston asks.

“I told him that wasn’t going to happen,” I reply. “He doesn’t understand why Christian and I don’t live together like all his friends’ parents. Or why we can’t move to be near him.”

Elle frowns, her face full of sympathy. “I’m so sorry, Maya. Those are big questions for such a little boy.”

“I know,” I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “I just… I told him it was complicated. I don’t want to confuse him, but I also can’t explain it to him, not yet. Maybe not ever.”

Preston puts his pint with the spoon sticking out of it on the coffee table to lean forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “What about you? Where are you at with all of this?”

I pause, feeling the weight of his question settle over me. “I don’t know,” I admit quietly. “Part of me is relieved that it’s all out in the open…”

“But you’re scared of what happens next?” Elle finishes for me, her voice gentle.

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yes. I’m scared,” I say, giving my brother a pointed look. “Even if I was ready to give Christian another chance, I know I couldn’t handle the away games that are about to start, wondering if he’s hooking up with women while he’s away.”

Preston is silent for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “You’ve been through a lot, Maya. No one would blame you for being cautious. But… do you really think Christian will hook up with strangers as soon as we hit the road?”

I look down at my already half-eaten ice cream container, as if the pieces of cookie dough hold the answer. “I honestly don’t know. I hope he wouldn’t, but hope won’t help me sleep at night or help me trust him while he’s gone.”

Elle reaches out and takes my hand, her touch warm and reassuring. “Maya, you don’t have to jump right into anything. You and Christian could take it slow, see how it goes…”

Preston nods in agreement. “And you can do that without Finley finding out you two are dating or whatever. I know you worry about what happens if it fails, but what if it works out? Then Finley would get to know his father even more, and you three could all live together one day as a family.”

I swallow hard, feeling the weight of their words. I know I should try to focus on the positives, to be optimistic, but I’m a worrier. It comes with the territory of being a mother. “It’s not that easy.”

“It is that easy,” Preston says, his voice soft but steady. “But you’ll never know how easy and great it could be if you let the fear win.”

I close my eyes, feeling the tears welling up again. It’s terrifying, this idea of letting Christian back into my life, of opening up to him again. But maybe it’s time to stop running from this relationship. Maybe it’s time to take that risk—for Finley’s sake and for mine.

“I’ll think about it,” I say quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. “And I’ve decided…if I get the job I interviewed for here, we’re staying. If I don’t, we’ll move to North Carolina.”

Preston nods, a small smile playing on his lips as if contemplating tracking down the hiring manager to dissuade them. “Good.”

We sit there in silence for a while eating our ice cream, the weight of everything still hanging in the air, but somehow, it feels a little lighter with Preston and Elle here, and with a plan for how I’ll make such a huge decision that could completely change my and Finley’s lives.

25

Christian

The sun is warm but not too harsh, and there’s a soft breeze blowing as I push Finley on the swing at the park.

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