Page 90 of The Tryout

I let out my breath, glad that I at least don’t have to worry about outing Finn in this conversation.

“You weren’t. I just didn’t know he’d talked to you. Didn’t want to be shitty, you know.”

Jamie knows.

“Oh, totally. Honestly, we should probably stop talking, because I bet you still know more than we do. But he was cute. Although I think it kind of made Ethan feel like a dad.”

I can’t help but laugh at that.

“Listen, Jamie, I’ve got practice in ten. Thanks for calling, and thanks for taking care of Finn.”

“Hey, I feel like I should be thanking you. You didn’t even know the kid at the beginning of the season, but it’s clear you’ve been really good for him. Hell, he wouldn’t even be in Minneapolis if it weren’t for you. So right back at you, okay?”

I hum in acknowledgement, then end the phone call, an unsettled feeling still sitting in my stomach.

I know Finn’s warning not to have too much fun without him was sarcastic, but I find myself struggling with him gone. That night, part of me desperately wants to go out with the boys after a disappointing loss, to grab a few drinks and see where the night leads me. But when I think of doing that, of going out and meeting people, maybe hooking up, my stomach turns again.

Maybe I’m coming down with something.

As I watch the younger guys head out, Novak comes up beside me.

“Hey, Rook, you wanna come over for dinner?”

I turn and raise an eyebrow at Novak.

“C’mon. You’ve been my defensive partner for almost two months and you still haven’t met my girls. I checked with Elena, she’s fine with it.”

I pause, mostly at the thought of another lonely night in the apartment. I take a deep breath before deciding.

“Okay.”

Thirty minutes later, I pull up outside the address Novak gives me. It’s a fairly non-descript house on a cul-de-sac in West Des Moines, big enough for a family but not ostentatious. Grabbing the flowers and bottle of wine I stopped to pick up, I walk toward the front door and knock.

Before I see anyone through the stained glass, I can hear them, shouts of joy that must be coming from one or more of Novak’s kids. Soon, the door is opened by a short, curly-haired woman holding a baby on her hip.

“Hi, Mrs. Novak?”

She smiles kindly at me.

“Call me Elena. Do you want to take the baby or the flowers?”

Looking at the baby, who is looking as skeptical as I’ve ever seen a baby look, my choice is clear.

“I’ll stick with the flowers.”

Laughing, Elena stands to the side, pointing me in the direction of the kitchen. There, I smell something delicious cooking in the oven. In the adjacent living room, Tomas is being attacked by two small children, one of whom is riding on his back.

Elena puts the baby down in a high chair and takes the wine and flowers. As she pulls down a vase and fills it with water, she gestures to the living room.

“The twins are Millie and Dia, the baby is Rosie. There will be a test later.”

I think she’s joking but silently repeat the names in my mind, just in case.

“Thanks for having me, I know it was last minute.”

Elena shrugs, pulling two casseroles out of the oven.

“We’ve been meaning to have you over for a while, but things have been a little chaotic. I just wish Finn were in town still.”