“It’s about time you came out with us. Mexico’s not going to know what hit it,” Lance said, and they walked off together.
“Those two terrify me,” Hartman admitted. “I’m not going to ask you to keep an eye on them. That’s not your responsibility, but if you happen to be around, could you maybe stop them before they land themselves in prison in a foreign country?”
I chuckled. “I’ll do my best.”
Brandon shook his head. “I know I’m the old man, but I don’t remember ever having their stamina. Even in my prime, I could only handle one night of what they do for weeks on end.”
Erik shook his head. “I never thought I would say this, but I don’t miss those days.”
A few of the guys laughed with him. Before Erik met Maddison, Coach Romney’s daughter, he’d been worse than Mikey and Lance, but he was reformed. Back in the day, he was the playboy of the NHL and said life couldn’t get any better, but watching him now, I knew he’d been wrong.
I’d been a quiet spectator for the past several years as more and more of them settled down and met their wives. The happiness they radiated was something I’d secretly longed for but couldn’t have. I didn’t have the time or mental space to waste on finding a woman. Relationships weren’t anywhere near the top of my priority list.
Until now. For the first time, I was free to consider what I wanted my life to be, who I wanted in, and what would bring me joy again.
It’s time, Jake. Live your life. Be happy.
My mom’s last words ran through my head on a constant loop anytime I wasn’t actively thinking of something else. She wanted me to move on. Apparently playing in the National Hockey League for the past five years wasn’t enough. She said I was holding back, caring more for her than I was myself. She wasn’t totally wrong.
The conversation went on around me, and I rubbed my sweating palms on my jeans. I shouldn’t be so intimidated, but this was a first for me. I didn’t hang out with the team, not like this. I trained, practiced, played games and then was at my mom’s side. The only time I left was for official team functions. I didn’t go out with the guys for drinks or dinner. I didn’t go on their trips or show up for their parties. Mom told me I should. She practically begged me to go, but there was no way I was giving up a single second of being with her to hang out with my teammates. It wasn’t worth it.
But it was time now. They’d given me the time and space to grieve, but Olli called me this morning to tell me that he and Emma were hosting a dinner and asked me to come. The Fury was one of the most tight-knit teams in the league. They were truly a family and wanted me to be a part of that, to embrace it.
“You okay, Jones?” Jason whispered.
I shook away the thoughts and nodded. “Yeah, man.”
“I know Hartman told us not to bring it up, but I am really sorry about your mom. I can’t imagine how hard that was for you.”
I felt the honesty in his words. “It was difficult toward the end.” I paused and tried not to think of my mom in those last days. How small she’d been. How fragile. How defeated.
“If you ever need someone to talk to, know I’m here.” He hit my knee with his fist lightly, and I nodded. His discretion was appreciated. He and I had been playing on the same line together for most of the last season, and he was one of the few I’d consider myself close to, relatively speaking. It meant a lot that he even offered.
“Thanks.” It was getting easier to talk about. My throat didn’t tighten anymore when someone mentioned her. The doctors and in-home nurses told me I was lucky to have so much time with her to say goodbye. She first got cancer when I was about seven, and beat it. But when it came back six years ago, she knew it was different this time. She followed the treatment plans, chemo, and radiation. She gave it her all, but the cancer kept spreading. The only good news was that it was slow. Her team of doctors did everything they could to make her comfortable and give her as much time as possible.
So maybe that was lucky. I had time with her, but I also had to watch her fade away. Go from getting on the ice and helping me practice, to cheering in the stands, to watching my games at home, to not being able to get out of bed.
We got to say goodbye. I got to hold her hand as she finally let go. That was a blessing I knew other people wished they had. I was grateful for that, but it didn’t help with the guilt.
I was living. She wasn’t. That’s all it came down to.
2
Dani
I stood behind a marble pillar of the Cancun resort and rubbed my temples. Was this really what I wanted to do for the rest of my life?
“Dani, the cake.” Maggie’s frantic voice had my eyes snapping open. My intern was never frazzled. Like me, she knew how to stay in control at all times. If she was worried, something was terribly wrong.
“What about it?”
She hesitated, fear in her eyes. “It fell.”
“What?” I asked in a voice far too calm for the storm raging inside me.
“The father of the bride was in the back, checking on the food, and he walked into it.” She glanced around, making sure no one else was within earshot.
“Show me.” I followed silently behind her with a fixed smile on my face. Ever the serene, prepared woman I presented to the world. Inside, the warm, humid air was getting to my head and making my light pink dress stick to my back. I didn’t need a crisis on top of everything.
When we stepped through the kitchen doors, out of sight of the wedding party on the patio, I sprinted to the half-destroyed cake on a back table.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see it.” The babbling man’s face was red, either from a sunburn or too much champagne. My vote was on the latter.
“Don’t worry. We’ll take care of everything. Please, go enjoy,” I narrowed my eyes at Maggie, and she ushered him out of the kitchen while I stared at the disaster. The four-tier monstrosity had been flown in from the bride’s favorite bakery in New Orleans. Half of it was untouched, but the other half was smashed and crumbling.
“What can I do?” The resort’s pastry chef, Robbie, halted next to me, taking in the mess.
I shook my head, ideas running through my mind faster than I could speak. We could redecorate the ruined half and have it be a bride versus groom theme. It wasn’t a look I particularly liked, but some brides did. Or we could make it look like you were supposed to see inside the cake, like a geode. If all else failed, we could cover it with flowers.
The wedding theme was focused on the beach and tropical setting, so I decided. “Get as many fresh flowers you can and refrost this side, then put the flowers on. I’ll delay as long as I can.”
He nodded. “On it.”
Hopefully, the bride and groom and guests were enjoying the open bar enough that they wouldn’t notice the unexpected change. As long as the cake looked good, I’d be able to spin a story making it seem like it was all intentional. Like the bride got special treatment. Something to save the day and leave them smiling.
“Dani,” Maggie whisper-yelled when I stepped out of the kitchen and back outside where the reception was in full swing.