Page 17 of Starting Over with You
“It isn’t,” I stress. “You two are set for life, and that makes me happy.”
“Mom,” Flint says, his voice full of emotion, “you should get the money for everything that happened.”
“I don’t want it,” I tell him, and I feel that in my soul. “I don’t want anything from that man but you two. That’s all.” I know they want to say more, but I don’t let them. “Make sure you read everything they put in front of you.”
They agree, and my heart slows only a little bit as Flint reminds me, “We’ll see you at our first game and talk every day.”
We hang up after I beg them to be safe and to call me once they arrive in Connecticut. The traffic starts to clear, and because I’m a glutton for punishment, I restart the theme song of this trip and sing my heart out. This heart of mine is heavy, but like the song says, I feel a lot freer. Though, the boys knowing the truth doesn’t settle my soul the way I thought it would. I thought it’d be the final step to give me peace, but it isn’t.
I don’t know if I’ll ever have peace again when it comes to Stratford.
Asshole.
Everyone likes me more than him? I just can’t understand why that would upset him.
Probably because his penis is small.
Or romance books are ruining me, and now I think all 6’4” men are slinging anacondas between their legs.
CHAPTER
SIX
Dean
Fable Cook has a wide grin on her face as she comes toward me, bundled up in what I assume is her husband’s Ice Thistle hoodie since it’s ten sizes too big on her. I smile back as I give her a kind side hug that I’m sure will still piss Jett off. He doesn’t like anyone touching or being near his wife, not that I blame him. She’s a knockout, but also, he’s waited twenty years for her, and he won’t lose her again.
He told me that last night because she smiled at Liam.
Dude is obsessed.
I hate how jealous that makes me.
Fable’s green eyes are animated as we part. “She landed her axel today, and I may have cried.”
My chest puffs with pride as I cross my arms over my chest, the air of the rink exceptionally cold since it’s warm out. “Did you get video?”
“I did. She has it to send to you.”
“Fantastic. She’s thriving, and it’s all thanks to you.”
Fable looks a bit shy, but we both know she’s amazing at what she does. She was a gold medalist for years and then moved to coaching. I doubt she thought she’d be coaching when she ended up in Thistlebrook, but not only is she killing it, she’s growing the program like crazy. We have kids coming from other rural communities just to skate with her. She has started a cheer skating team for the high schools, and everybody is so very proud.
I know I am—of her and of Skyye.
“I think she might try out for captain,” she says with a wink, and my lips curve up. “Which I think she’ll do wonderfully at.”
Don’t get me wrong; I wanted my baby to be the next Chelsea Cutler. Go on to play for some awesome women’s hockey program. But my girl wasn’t really into it. Now she’s a full-time figure skater with dreams of skating for Disney on Ice, and she’s also helping with the tiny tots classes, making her own money, and always smiling.
I think that’s my favorite part.
“I’m excited to see it all play out.”
“She’s a great girl, good head on her shoulders.”
I smile proudly. “Yeah, Missy and I were hellions, but we did right with her.”
Fable beams, but her smile falls seconds before Jett moves between us, pushing me in the process. I can only laugh. The guy used to hate everyone, and I swear he didn’t know how to smile before Fable came back. Now, he smiles for no reason. Or there is a reason, and I sure as hell don’t want to know it. “I saw you hug her.”
