“Did you have morning practice with Owen?”
He meets my gaze, and I know he doesn’t want me here. “No.”
I know Aviva doesn’t think I see her smack him, but I do as she adds, “He goes this afternoon.”
Callie sets down the plate for me, and I squeeze her wrist. “Thank you, my love. You didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to,” she says, moving her hand out of mine to cup the back of my neck. She rubs the knot in my neck and then smiles before grabbing her plate. I pat the side of her thigh as I grab my fork and dig in.
“Wow, this is fantastic,” I say with a mouthful. “I didn’t think anyone could make French toast better than my mom. Don’t tell her I said that,” I add quickly, and Aviva grins at me.
“Owen has said the same thing,” she laughs. “It’s Nico’s specialty.”
“He makes it for me when I’m home,” Callie adds. “It’s my favorite.”
“I can taste why. It’s really good.”
Nico doesn’t say a word, just digs into his own food, making everything super awkward and loads of fun.
Not.
Aviva cuts up some fruit for Vance and asks, “How was the drive?”
“Awesome,” I say around the bite I just took. “We had a blast. Congratulations, by the way. If I had known, I would have gotten you something other than wine.”
“Thank you,” Aviva says with a wide grin. “I’ll drink it as soon as I have him.”
“Another boy? I bet you guys are stoked.”
When Aviva smiles at Nico, he actually smiles back. “We are.”
“Have you decided on a name?” Callie asks, and Aviva rattles off a few with the approval of Nico, though he doesn’t verbally contribute. Just head nods or shakes. It’s so tense, and I feel sick. It’s very obvious he doesn’t want me here, and trust and believe, I am ready to leave. Now.
Before I can plan my escape, Aviva says, “You know, Callie hasn’t told me your major, Evan.”
I look at Callie, and she shrugs. “I don’t even know,” she laughs, shaking her head. “I mean, I know it’s athletic training, but is that the major?”
I grin. “That’s what I came to Bellevue to do. But I’ll be getting my degree in therapy, and I’ll focus on sports. I already have a lot of credits in sports therapy, the physical side, since I never really knew what I wanted to be. I just knew it would be in sports. It’s helped a lot now that I have everything in the works. I’m lucky that a lot of my classes apply.”
“That’s wonderful. So the goal is to be…?”
“A sports therapist, focusing on mental health.”
“That’s wonderful,” Aviva gushes. “When Callie went to the gym here, they had one on staff, and then we hired the one at Bellevue.”
“Yeah, that’s what she said. It was actually Callie who kind of pointed me in the right direction.”
Callie glances at me. “Really?”
“Yeah. When you told me you had therapy for sports, I decided I wanted to be that someone for a kid who struggles. Since I never had that option.”
Callie’s lips curve up, and her eyes sparkle. She presses her hand to her chest and sighs. “I feel so special.”
“You are,” I say with no hesitation, and I feel Aviva’s gaze on me. I don’t look at her, though. That affirmation is only for Callie. She leans into me, and I lean back, sharing a smile.
“So, it’s safe to assume you’re done with hockey?”
Nico’s words plague me, and I hate that I allow them to. I don’t want to assume he’s taunting me, but it almost feels as if he is. I move my gaze from Callie’s to his, meeting the lion head on. “I am. I don’t have the passion for it that I used to.”
He moves his fork along the plate, his eyes flicking over mine. “How’s Owen taking that?”
I push my shoulders back. “He’s being supportive, as he always has been.”
“Last time I talked to him, he made it sound like you’d be back in no time.”
The doubt is there, and I know I can go through every single negative thought in my head, telling me Owen lied about accepting my decision, that he’s mad, but I know the truth. “I just told him yesterday I wasn’t coming back.”
I can feel Callie winding up beside me. Her annoyance is rolling off her in waves.
“That’s gonna be hard for him to swallow since I know how badly he wanted you back.”
I feel myself wanting to run from this conversation, from his judgment, but I won’t let him win. “I doubt it will be. He was really open and supportive.”
“As anyone would be, knowing you chose your mental health over a sport,” Callie says sharply. “I know I’m proud of you.”
I know if I look at her, I won’t be able to control my emotions. I keep my gaze on Nico’s, staring him down, waiting for his next jab.
“And your parents? Especially your dad. He raised you to be the passer for Owen, didn’t he?”
The insecurities are growing, knocking down the wall I’ve worked so hard to put up to protect myself. I lick my lips, swallowing hard as I form my words. I want to yell, I want to cuss at him, but I won’t disrespect Callie or Aviva.
“How is your mom?” Aviva asks at the same time Callie says, “He raised Evan to be happy with who he is!”
Here we go.
I pat Callie’s leg, but she’s pissed.
“Just as you helped Aviva raise me to be the same. They love him because he is theirs, and all I want is for you to do the same for me. Welcome him because I love him and he loves me. Nico, what more could you want?”
“Callie, baby,” I try, but she’s not listening.
“Nico, please,” Aviva tries, but Nico is just as wound up as Callie is.
“You don’t even know what love is, Callie. You’re just fucking around.”
I hold up my hand. “That’s not true at all. We are very much more than that.”
No one is listening to me, though.
“I don’t know what love is? Are you kidding me? I told Aviva to give you a chance because I believed you loved her and me. But I don’t know anything about love? That’s bullshit, and you know it, Nico.”
He pauses for a second before he starts in again. “Fine, maybe you do, but I want you to choose someone who deserves you!”
“Who is that? Please, tell me who you think that person is? Because I don’t think your vision of that guy even exists.”
“I’m sure if we wait ten years or so, he’ll come around.”
My jaw drops with Aviva’s. “Nico, come on!” Aviva scolds, but Callie, she’s fuming.
“That is the stupidest shit I’ve ever heard!” she hollers, her eyes wild. “This is who I choose. This man. This strong, gorgeous, kind man.”
“You deserve better!”
“I know what I deserve, and it’s him!”
“So, what is going to happen when he gives you up like he did his career?”
“Um, what?” I ask, but I don’t even know why I’m talking at this point.