Page 36 of Starting Over with You
He thinks that over as I start to tape my shin guards in place. When I slide my Hat Trick Heroes jersey over my head, he sighs deeply again. “I don’t know, man. His parents are batshit.”
“That’s family. Look at mine.” I stand to tie my girdle. “Plus, Kara isn’t that bad.”
The mention of Jackson’s mom has Liam staring at me, unamused. “She made it her goal to beat me at everything. The only thing she couldn’t beat me at was hockey.”
Kara and Liam went one and two in our class rankings. She beat him by .05 points, and he has held a grudge ever since. He beat her in the spelling bees, but she beat him at the science fairs. They ran for student government, and each year was a knock-down, drag-out fight. They would spread rumors about each other and do anything to get one up on the other. It was insane, and everyone knew to give them a wide berth when they’d start battling. It’s kind of funny that their kids have hooked up, with how badly they battled as kids.
“Yeah, but Jackson isn’t his mom. He really likes Chelsea, dude. Don’t you want your girl to have someone who adores her?” Liam thinks that over, and I slap his shoulder. “Give him a chance this weekend.”
By the way his face twists, I’m pretty sure he has no intention whatsoever of giving Jackson a chance. I can only shake my head. “Think of Chelsea,” I try, holding his gaze as I put my helmet under my arm. “You’re her best friend, her world, and it’ll kill her if you don’t get along with the guy she loves.”
Liam looks away, taking a pull of his beer. Without looking at me, he grumbles, “I’ll remind you of this when Skyye brings home a guy.”
I scoff. “Hell, if he can make it through Missy, Kenni, and Sadie, I’ll welcome him with open arms.”
Liam laughs at that, and I tap my beer to his before draining the bottle. I hand it to him and then grab my sticks before heading out of the locker room. Over my shoulder, I yell, “Good luck this weekend, and I don’t mean for the team.”
Liam’s laughter meets my back as I make my way out into the rink foyer. The place isn’t packed like it is on Saturday nights, but there is still a good crowd. We’re playing the Blue Line Bandits, and their families tend to show out. Most of my guys are single, so we don’t have much of a following. I nod toward some of the townsfolk and send a wink to where the Belles are set up at their table. It’s only Bea and Kitty tonight, and they wave sweetly at me.
Before I can wave my gloved hand at them, I hear my sister’s voice. I look over to find her scolding her husband, who towers over her in his skates. He has on his blue-and-black Blue Line Bandits jersey and is leaning on his stick as she lets him have it. “You can’t tell her daddy about what we do!”
Matt looks bored, but no one can miss the hearts in his eyes that he has for my sister. “He’s my boss. I had to tell him why I was there.”
Sadie glares, her wild mane of curly brown hair bouncing along her shoulders as she shakes her head. “Did you have to report anything? There was no arrest.”
Matt grins, his eyes darkening a bit. “Oh, but there was the use of handcuffs once I got you home.”
Sadie’s face turns bright red, and she smacks his chest. “Matt!”
He takes her wrist, pulling her into his chest before cupping her face. He strokes his thumb along her jaw before leaning in to whisper something against her lips. I watch as my sister’s anger dissolves and the sweetest smile comes over her lips. A happiness that only Matt can give her fills her face, and I can’t help but smile.
“Get a room!” I yell at them as I walk by.
I’m met with laughter before Sadie grabs my jersey to stop me. She goes up on her toes to kiss my cheek. “Thanks for the other night.”
I give her a small side hug, squeezing her tightly. “No problem.”
“I heard Kenni got your truck cleaned out.”
I nod. “Yeah, and my hat.”
Sadie pulls in her brows. “What was wrong with your hat?”
“She puked in it,” I say with a wide grin that has my sister gawking at me.
“And you’re smiling?” she asks incredulously. “You love that hat!”
“She needed somewhere to puke.”
She eyes me, her eyes sharp and judgy. She tilts her head. “Just a reminder, she’s newly divorced, your daughter’s aunt, and my best friend.”
I wink. “I know exactly who Kenleigh Colburn is.”
And still, I want to know every single thing I’ve missed these last nineteen years.
Most of all, if she still tastes the same.
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