Page 253 of Playing the Pucking Game
Alison groans. “I just hate seeing my boy getting bad press.”
Clark leans over and squeezes her hand. “He’ll sort himself out,” he assures her.
“Enough about your brother. How are you enjoying your job, Parker? Is it everything you always hoped it would be?”
“It’s a lot harder than I thought. Who knew hockey players were such divas?” she teases. “But I love it. It’s hard work, but it’s so rewarding. Watching the guys overcome injuries and then seeing them out on the ice...it’s incredible.”
“We’re so proud of you, PK,” Clark says, his eyes full of love for his daughter. “I’d have killed to have a trainer as dedicated as you back in my day.”
“She’s the best there is,” I say, earning soft smiles from both Parker’s parents.
The conversation continues to flow easily from hockey and Parker’s job to Alison and Clark’s travels.
The food, as always, is incredible.
The evening is everything I expect it to be, and thankfully, nowhere near as anxiety-inducing as Parker was expecting.
After making plans to see them both again, we say our goodbyes and head for the car.
“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” I say, starting the engine.
“I can’t believe they knew.” Parker laughs.
“Your parents know you well. Never forget that.”
“Do you think that means Rett knows?”
I laugh. “No.”
“But he might.”
“Babe, trust me. He doesn’t.”
“How are we going to tell him?” she asks, chewing on one of her nails.
“Stop worrying. Even if he isn’t impressed, what is he going to do about it? He’s in Seattle. It’s not like he’s in LA and has to see us hanging out together. Or worse, catching us doing anything.”
“He would kill you.”
“He’d get over it. Like your mom pointed out, it’s not like he hasn’t got his own drama to deal with.”
“My brother is a dog,” she states.
“He’s just living his best life. It’ll hit him eventually.”
“What will?” she asks.
“The need to settle down,” I explain.
“Is that what happened to you?”
“I mean, nothing literally hit me. But I started to realize that nothing meant anything. The hookups, the girls...they were meaningless. Pointless.
“Honestly, I think watching Kodie and Casey fall in love helped. For the first time, I got a front-row seat to what life could be like if I went down a different path. Suddenly, it didn’t seem so scary.”
“What if you change your mind?”
“What?”
