“Be for real,” Brooke said, her voice firm but gentle. “After Dad left, who held this family together? Who made sure Mom was okay, who kept the yard straight, or made dinner? That was all you.”
He remembered those days—the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders like a physical thing. The late nights, the early mornings, juggling practice and part-time jobs and family obligations.
“I did the laundry. I drove you to practices. We all pitched in. But you were barely more than a kid yourself,” Brooke continued, “and you really stepped up. You became the glue that held Mom and me together. And you know what? You’ve been doing it ever since. With your team, your friends, and yes, even with these kittens.”
Gale swallowed hard, feeling the sting of tears at the backs of his eyes. “I’m so fucking scared, Brooke,” he admitted. “I’m scared of turning into him. Of walking away when things get tough.”
Brooke reached out, placing a hand on his arm. “Listen to me, and listen good. You are not Dad. You’re not Little Mama. You never have been, and you never will be. Do you know how I know that?”
Gale let out a shaky breath. “But what if I mess up?”
“Then you’ll fix it,” Brooke said simply. “That’s what you do, Gale. You fix things. You make them better. It’s who you are.”
A tiny mew from the carrier drew both their attention. Gale reached out, unlatching the door. Two small kittens poked their heads out, blinking up at him with wide, trusting eyes.
“Hey, Biscuit. Hi, Deke,” Gale said softly, scooping them into his hands. They fit perfectly in his palms, tiny balls of fur and warmth. “Hi, girls.”
Brooke smiled, reaching out to scratch the kittens behind their ears. “Looks like someone’s made their decision for you.”
Gale looked at the kittens, then back at his sister. “You really think I can do this? All of it?”
“I know you can,” Brooke said confidently. “But more important, I think you want to. Am I right?”
Gale nodded slowly, feeling a resolve settle in his chest. “Yeah, I do. I want to try my best.”
“That’s all anyone can ask for,” Brooke said. “So, what’s the plan?”
Gale chuckled, the sound more genuine this time. “Well, I guess step one is ordering more litter and cat food.”
“And step two?” Brooke prompted.
Gale took a deep breath. “Step two is be open about Harriet. I want...” He took a deep breath. “I think I’ve been in love with her since forever.”
Brooke gave a small nod. “I know I’ve always tried to protect you, but never against someone like Harriet. She would never look at you except for the right reasons.”
Gale felt a warmth spread through his chest at her words. “Thanks, Brooke. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Probably sit in dark rooms talking to kittens more often,” she teased, standing up and offering him a hand. “Come on, let’s get these little ones settled. I have a feeling you’ve got a big day ahead of you tomorrow.”
As Gale rose to his feet, kittens still cradled against his chest, the truth hit him differently than it had before. Yeah, Harriet hadlied—had known they were matched and kept it from him. His first instinct had been to see it like his father’s betrayal, which had left him scrambling to pick up the pieces.
But this wasn’t the same thing. He could see it now in the way she’d looked at him, terrified and wanting and trying so damn hard to protect herself. Like looking in a mirror, really. How many times had he choked on the ice this season, not because he couldn’t make the play, but because he was so fucking scared of letting everyone down that he couldn’t breathe?
Everyone’s got their shit. Their scars. Their reasons for building walls. Sometimes lying isn’t about hurting someone else—it’s about being too scared to believe something good could actually last. He got that now. Really got it.
Because Brooke was right. He wasn’t his father. And Harriet wasn’t someone trying to hurt him—she was just someone as scared as he was, fighting her own battles. He was Gale Knight—hockey player, cat dad, and a guy who was starting to understand that maybe being brave isn’t about not being afraid. Maybe it’s about being afraid and trying anyway.
And right now, what mattered was giving these kittens a home, and showing Harriet that sometimes the scariest things—like telling the truth, like letting someone in—are worth the risk.
As he followed Brooke to the kitchen, Biscuit and Deke purring contentedly in his arms, Gale made a silent promise. He wouldn’t run. He wouldn’t give up. He’d stay and fight, no matter how tough things got.
Because that’s what family did. And somehow, someway, he’d make sure Harriet knew she was part of that family too.
Later that night, Gale’s living room had become a war zone. Not the blood-and-guts kind, but the fur-and-chaos variety. Biscuit and Deke, those orange terrors masquerading as adorablekittens, were currently engaged in what could only be described as feline parkour.
He was contemplating the merits of kitten-proofing every square inch of his home when a knock at the door surprised him. Apparently everyone was swinging by today.
He opened it to find Harriet standing there. She looked like she’d been put through an emotional wood chipper, her usually pristine appearance now disheveled. No ponytail. Her hair hung loose and her shirt was untucked.
