Page 14 of Almost Ours
Then it hit me. Small town. Everyone knows everything before you’ve even unpacked your toothbrush.
Nina smirked at my realization. “Welcome to Brookhaven, where your new job, grocery list, and shoe size are public knowledge by noon.”
I huffed a laugh. That explained a lot.
Just as we reached the corner, the boys stopped dead in their tracks.
“Mom!” Connor turned his head toward me so fast, I thought he might get whiplash. “Liam just told me they have a hockey team here! Can I play? Please?”
I opened my mouth, already bracing to let him down gently, but Liam had already turned to Nina.
“He should join, right? He could totally play with us!”
Nina smiled. “Of course he should. The kids are great. Coach Shane’s… let’s just say he’s an acquired taste.” She rolled her eyes.
Connor was practically vibrating. “Please, Mom? I miss it so much. I miss the team and the rink and–I just want to play again.” His voice wavered just slightly, a crack that revealed how much he was holding back.
I sighed, my stomach twisting with guilt. “The season has already started, bud. I’m not sure it’s possible to join now.”
“They always have room,” Nina said with a shrug. “And even if they didn’t, Shane wouldn’t turn a kid away. He’s a pain, but he’s not a monster.”
Connor looked hopeful, but I wasn’t finished. “It’s not just that, Connor.” I said gently. “We didn’t bring your gear, remember?”And I can’t afford to buy all new stuff right now.
“I forgot,” he mumbled, his face falling. “Yeah. Never mind.”
I swallowed hard, the guilt thick now. Nina jumped in before the silence could settle.
“Patti at the rink has a whole stash of used gear in the back. She’s basically the queen of hoarding but in the most helpful way possible. If we swing by before practice one day, she’ll get him suited up.”
Connor blinked at her. “For real?”
“Absolutely,” Nina said confidently.
I hesitated, torn between worry and the joy on his face. “Are you sure?” I asked Nina quietly.
She placed a gloved hand on my arm, her voice gentle. “This is what we do here. We take care of our people.”
I let out a slow breath and nodded. “Okay. We’ll go next week.”
The boys exploded into cheers, dog piling into the snow, their energy uncontainable.
I glanced over at Nina, who was watching them with a fond smile. “So what’s the deal with Coach Shane?”
Nina let out an exasperated sigh. “Oh, where do I start? Shane and I go way back. He’s been getting on my nerves since we were teenagers, and he’s only gotten better at it with age. Smug, irritating, Hockey-God complex–take your pick.”
I smirked. “So just a mild dislike then?”
“The mildest.” She deadpanned. “I swear the man lives to push my buttons. The other coach, though, Ryan…” she trailed off. “He is definitely not bad on the eyes. Shane on the other hand… he’s the most infuriating human being on the planet. And the worst part is, he knows it.”
I laughed and she cracked a reluctant smile. “He is a great coach and the kids adore him. I just… I try really hard not to throw things at his head in public.”
“Noted,” I said, grinning as we watched the boys finish their snowman.
Nina checked the time and called out, “Alright, kid. Time to head home.”
Liam groaned but didn’t argue, brushing snow off his coat as he trudged back toward us.
Connor turned to me. “We’re going over to their house tomorrow, right?”
