Page 97 of Interference
I look him in the eye. “That can all disappear in a minute. I have money. Money is paper that is meaningless if that’s all you have. Fame? I don’t want people knowing my name. I know all of you do, but for me? I want a small-town family life. I don’t want people stalking me and talking about how good I look humping the ice. For me, hockey is a hobby. It’s not my life.”
He looks shocked, but he nods. “Yeah. I guess that makes sense.”
Kellan laughs. “You don’t get it, but you’re still young. When you find the one, you’ll be willing to give it all up for her, too.”
“I hope I never find the one,” he mutters as he gets up and leaves the room.
“You scared the poor kid,” Kellan jokes.
I shrug. “I could have lost it all last year when I got hurt. If I had been depending on getting drafted to survive, that would have ruined me. The kid needs to realize that not everything is about hockey. He needs to put eggs in other baskets otherwise, he might starve to death.”
“You’re really not going to draft?” Wyatt asks.
I shake my head. “Nope. I’ll be honest, it didn’t appeal to me much before, but knowing I’m going to have a family now? I don’t want to be away from them.”
“What can we do?” Wyatt asks.
“Help out where you can? I know it’s a lot to ask, but when Em and I have to be in class or she has practice, can one of you help out? I’m going to ask the girls, too,” I tell them.
“You don’t even need to ask. I was thinking…she is due in March. Move her in here before then and get your room set up with a crib and all that. We can all take turns helping out easier that way. I can study while the baby sleeps or plays,” Wyatt tells me.
“Cora and I are totally on baby duty. She loves kids, so we will step in wherever needed. I know Grace would too,” Kellan adds.
“Peyton too,” Wyatt says.
“It’s not your kid, though. I don’t want you to feel obligated.”
“The fuck it ain’t our kid.” Kellan looks at me, all indignant.
“We are a family, which means that kid just inherited four crazy-ass uncles and three aunts that would do anything for them. There is no obligation. Honestly, you’d better put your name on the schedule because you might miss out on time with your own kid for the amount of time we will be stealing them.” Wyatt gives me a sharp look as if daring me to argue with him.
I smile. “I can’t even see you changing a diaper.”
He shrugs. “I’ve been practicing.”
“What?” Kellan says. “Fuck, where? I’m behind.”
Wyatt smirks at him. “I sought out the early development professor. Explained what I had going on, and she was happy to help.”
“Oh, I’m sure she was. Did she also help you with your cock?” Kellan asks him.
“That’s disgusting. She’s like eighty.” Wyatt scrunches up his nose.
“Come on, Kel. We all know our man is hung up on that one chick. What’s her name again?”
“I will cut your balls off and feed them to a goat,” Wyatt says so nonchalantly that it’s actually scary.
I think he really might do it.
“On that note, I think I’m going to bed. Have a good night, fellas,” I tell them, hopping up from the couch.
“Coward,” Kellan yells out as he continues to needle Wyatt.
I smile to myself as their voices fade.
I fucking love these guys.
twenty-five
