Page 74 of Game On

He shrugged. “Depends on how V feels. You?”

I shrugged.

“Bring, Lil.”

TJ’s ears perked up. “Oh, was that the cute blonde watching tonight? That your girl?”

I shook my head. “It’s not serious.”

TJ snorted. “Dude, I was the king of ‘not serious,’ and then I fell for Max.”

“Yeah, someone has to keep you in line!” Benny yelled from across the locker room.

I shook my head at them. They bickered so much, a lot of us were glad they didn’t live together anymore.

Mac eyed me. “Dude, you’re coming.”

“I can’t. I got⁠—”

Blaise cut a glare at me. “One, you have a nanny now. Two, you need to blow off some steam. So does Lil. Invite her, bro.”

“Fine, you fucking dicks,” I grumbled.

They all cackled like the assholes they were, and I walked out of the locker room, giving them the two-finger salute.

Blaise confused me with his flip-flopping about Lily. First, he told me to stay away, but now he was pushing me into a relationship. Lily understood the difficulties of being a parent. How you’d drop everything for your kid. I really liked her, and if things were different, maybe I’d consider making time for her, but a relationship wasn’t in the cards for either of us.

I tried not to think about it too much as I drove home. Mari was up watching TV on my couch when I quietly opened the door to my condo.

“Hey, how was he?” I asked as I took off my jacket and walked inside.

She made a face. “Rambunctious. I just got him to bed.”

I cringed. “Sorry. He gets that way when he watches me play.”

She grinned. “It’s cute. He loves you.”

I sat back on the couch beside her, slumping down on it as I thought about my schedule for the week. We were in Pittsburgh tomorrow and Columbus on Friday, and then we didn’t have another game until next Tuesday, but that was back home. I checked my calendar. Mac and his wife Natalia had planned their annual Halloween party so it didn’t fall on a game day.

“Do you have plans next weekend? My teammate’s having a Halloween party.”

“Oh!” she said with a hint of surprise. “Yes, of course, I can do that. Let me add it to my calendar now.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Mari, if you have plans, it’s okay. I’m not sure if I’m gonna go.”

She waved me off. “You should go and have fun. I know hockey and Liam are your life, but today you seemed looser, like a weight had been lifted. You’re gonna take my sister, right?”

I shrugged.

“Why not? You’re basically dating.”

I sighed. “Mari, we’re not… It’s casual.”

“Hmm. Whatever you say, boss man. Either way, I’ll take both of the kids if need be.” She stood up from the couch and put on her coat. “I’ll be back in the morning before you head out. I got you.”

“What would I do without you?”

“Cry!” she teased before she walked out the door.