Page 11 of Pucking Your Best Friend

“Of course, I’ll try to come,” he replied immediately. He might be an idiot sometimes, but he knew how to distinguish important from unimportant. “I just need to check if I have a game that weekend.”

“Hm.” His mother sounded extremely dissatisfied. “Can’t someone else play your position?”

He stifled a laugh. “It doesn’t work that way, Mom. But I promise I’ll check today and text you.”

“You better promise you’ll come! Even if it’s only for the evening. The celebration lasts from Friday to Sunday. You should be able to manage one evening. And we haven’t seen you in ages.”

He let out a burst of air. “Yes, yes. Definitely.”

“So, you’re coming?” she asked hopefully.

It would make her happy if he said yes right now… “Yup.”

“Ah, wonderful! Nell, he’s coming!”

“Well, it’s about time,” his eldest sister’s voice rang out in the background. “I only ever see the idiot dancing across the screen like he’s all that, flaunting his millions just because he’s pretty good at hitting a piece of rubber with a stick. He desperately needs a reality check, so he knows he’s nobody special. I’m happy to help.”

He rolled his eyes and smiled. He knew his family was damn proud of him, no matter how often they made fun of his job.

“Oh, shush. Enough already,” her mother scolded her. “If you’re always so mean to Matt, he’ll stop coming…and, Matty, you are welcome to bring someone with you,” she continued innocently as he pulled into the Hawks parking lot. “A steady girlfriend, perhaps?”

Yup. His mom was subtle. “There is no steady girlfriend.”

“That’s because you work too hard,” his mother enlightened him reproachfully. “If you had a normal job, you would have been married long ago.”

He snorted. He doubted that very much. He just wasn’t good at maintaining a relationship for long.

“Maybe,” he replied vaguely. It wasn’t worth discussing the subject with his mom. “But my job is my job.”

“Yes, and you’re doing a great job, honey,” his mother replied dutifully. “Okay, so no girlfriend.”

“He should bring Maddie!” Nell’s voice sounded muffled. “He’s more bearable when she’s around!”

“Oh, yes,” his mother said, jumping on the bandwagon. “Bring Maddie! We always enjoy seeing her.”

He rolled his eyes. It had been a big mistake to introduce them to each other. Maddie, however, had once laughed in the background while he was on the phone, so he had had to explainquickly that he wasn’t hiding a relationship from his family. Afterward, Nell and his parents attended one of his hockey games where Maddie was also present…yes, it had been a no-brainer. Naturally, they liked Maddie; everyone liked Maddie.

“I’ll ask her, but she’s pretty busy,” he replied vaguely.

“Nonsense. She works so hard, she needs a break — and where better to take a break than at a winery in Napa Valley?”

Well, she had a point. “I’ll ask her,” he repeated.

“Wonderful. We’re looking forward to it.”

“Yep, me too. Anyway, I have to go now, Mom. I have to get to practice.”

“Oh, then I won’t keep you any longer. Say hello to everyone for me.”

Matt grinned. His mother always did that: greeted everyone. It didn’t matter if she knew them or not. “Sure. You too, okay?”

“I will. See you then, Matty. Remember, I’m counting on you!”

He sighed and hung up. He knew he wasn’t visiting his family enough. It was a seven-hour drive and his schedule was impossible! Still, somehow he would make certain he didn’t miss their silver wedding anniversary.

He got out of the car and grabbed his hockey bag out of the trunk when his cell phone rang again. Good God, she couldn’t be serious!

“I’m coming, Mom!” he answered, irritated.

---