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“I’m only here to talk to you in person. We don’t need attorneys, Briar.” His voice is gruff, and I see the dark circles under his beautiful grass-green eyes. Just like his son’s. “Please, Briar. I just want to watch him.” He turns to the ice, and his eyes focus on Orion, who is staring at Remington.
“Remi is his favorite hockey player. They’ve never met. Only Chase and Elias knew about Orion, but not that he was your son. Oh, and Yvonne knew him too. He called her Grandma and calls Elias Grandpa. Not because of Chase but because Yvonne called me her daughter.” I don’t want him to hold anything against Chase. Chase was there for me and Orion so many times when we needed him.
“It doesn’t matter. He should have said something.”
“He didn’t know. I swear. I lied to him. Told him it was a guy back East when I was at MIT.” I plead with Thor.
“But he suspected. He told me.” Thor hasn’t taken his eyes off Rion. “How long has he been playing?”
“He’s been on skates since he could walk.” I can’t hide the chuckle. “Chase said he had to at least like hockey to be a part of this family. We didn’t know he’d be a natural at it.” I pause as I look out at my son, who is back on the ice again. “He’s been advanced. Because of his size, they can allow him to play with the older kids, but I worry still.”
“I should’ve been told.” I can hear the hurt in his voice.
“I tried. Believe me, I tried.”
“I saw the evidence, but you should have tried harder. I deserved to be a part of his life too.”
I turn to look at him in profile. In the couple of days since he found out about Orion, it appears that he’s aged. I notice the gray at his temples that’s been there for a while, but he looks older. He looks beat down.
“I want him to know me,” he says. “I want to spend time with him. You need to tell him who I am.”
Hearing that pain causes my heart to crack, and I give in to him. “Give me some time. I’ll tell him, but not tonight.”
“Okay.”
We stand there in companionable silence, watching our son.
“Can I spend dinner with you?” He still hasn’t looked at me, and it leaves me at a loss.
“He’s going to dinner with the coach and his teammates. Call me tomorrow, and we can set something up.”
I step away as the kids make their way off the ice. Remington comes to stand beside me as we wait for Orion to come out of the locker room after he changes. Everyone is staring at us, and I know it’s because of Remi standing there and probably Thor too. Both of them are famous in their own right, and both of them are considered to be two of Seattle’s most eligible bachelors. The moms are checking them out, and the dads are checking out Remi.
Kids start to come out and then my little man. He’s lugging his bag and drops it but keeps ahold of his stick as he looks at Thor.
“I know who you are. Uncle Chase says men who make women cry, like you made my mama cry, need to get their butts kicked.”
“Orion Rowan Bennington, watch your mouth.” I move toward him.
A ripple works through my body as Thor places a hand at the small of my back, stopping me. We’re drawing everyone’s attention. I try to ignore them, but it’s so hard. I’ve hated people looking at me. It’s why I made the decision about BUTEE years ago.
“Orion, you’re right,” Thor says as he leans down and looks him in the eye. “I shouldn’t have made your mother cry. I’m sorry.” He turns to look at me. “I’m sorry.”
His words wash over me, and I feel like I’m drowning in everything I’ve done. The guilt is almost too much, and I swallow so I don’t have to speak. I nod at him, breaking eye contact to focus back on Orion.
“Hey, you’re Remington Oakley. Mom said she knew you.”
Remi moves forward. “Hello, little dude. You can call me Uncle Remi. That was a nice poke check. You’ll have to show me how to do that sometime.”
“No way. I’ve seen you do better ones. Mama lets me watch your hockey games. How’s the shoulder and head?”
Orion is in his element right now. He loves everything about hockey. I worry I’m going to struggle getting him to attend college instead of going pro if he keeps up this love for it. After watching how Remi’s own father is, I know I won’t push Orion if he doesn’t want to continue.
“My shoulder is healing up. As for the head, it’s getting better but taking its time. I liked the deke you did. If you want, I can help you with that too.”
“Really?” Orion whips around to look at me. “Mom, can I? Please?”
“Soon. You have dinner with your coach. Don’t forget.”
