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“Serious enough,” I reply, rubbing Otis behind the ears.
“What does that mean?” She already sounds exasperated with me. Mom doesn’t like any games either.
“You’re meeting her, aren’t you?”
“Would I be meeting her had her mom not died recently? Because initially, you wanted me to spend Thanksgiving with her so she wouldn’t be alone.”
I sigh, the pressure in my head increasing. “Look, Mom, I like her, we’re dating, and you do get to meet her. What more do you need to know?”
“Nothing, I guess.” I don’t have to look at her to know she’s not satisfied with that answer. “You rest. I’m going to ransack your kitchen so I can make a grocery list.”
“Do you like her?” I ask before she can get too far away.
“I don’t know yet.”
Well, that isn’t an acceptable answer. Mom needs to like her. Well, she doesn’t have to, but I’d really like her to. The last thing Deanna needs is another mother figure to dislike her. I don’t need to worry about Mom treating her badly or making snide comments or anything like that, but it would be bad enough for me if Mom didn’t like her. They haven’t spent that much time together yet, so I just need to make sure they do and that it goes well.
I’ve never been cooped up in the house this long before. Not involuntarily at least. I feel more antsy today since I know the team is in Canada on their road trip. I haven’t left the house except two or three times. I doze off, but when I wake up, I discover my mom has left for the grocery store. When I walk Otis, I see that she took my second vehicle, which doesn’t get driven as much as my truck. This seems like the best opportunity to leave.
I scribble a note saying I’ll be back soon and head out. It’s not until I’m almost there that I realize I’m driving to EJ’s house. Maybe Bree won’t be fussy today. Maybe Raelynn won’t be freaked out that I’m showing up unannounced. I knock on the door and almost a minute passes before she opens the door with Bree on her hip.
Her eyes widen. “Brayden, right?”
“Yeah. Sorry to drop by like this, but I needed to get out of the house. Can I hang here for a while?”
“Um.” She glances over her shoulder at something. “Sure.”
“You can say no, you know. I just wanted to see Bree, but if you’re not comfortable or whatever...” I let my voice trail off, remembering that she said I could be intimidating, even though that was when I had a busted lip and a quickly blackening eye.
“No, that’s okay. Come in.” She steps aside and I walk over the threshold. That’s when I see that she was glancing over her shoulder at the little boy peering over the couch. I forgot she had a son.
“Hey, Jackson.”
His eyes widen in surprise that I know his name. I’m surprised myself that I remembered it.
“This is Mr. Brayden, Jackson. He’s friends with Mr. EJ.” Jackson turns around and resumes watching the cartoons on TV. “Sorry,” Raelynn
apologizes. “He’s shy around new people. Did you want to hold her?”
“Yes, please.” I take Bree from her and move to sit in the living room.
“Do you mind if I catch up on some chores?”
“No, go ahead. I’ll find you if we need anything.”
“Thanks.” To Jackson, she says, “I’ll be in the kitchen, baby. Mr. Brayden plays hockey with Mr. EJ, so you’ll be fine.” That seems like such an odd thing to say to the kid, or maybe it’s not, because Jackson turns toward me at that.
He eyes me as Bree claps her hands to get my attention. I lay her on her back on my legs and play with her hands while her legs kick me in the stomach. She’s a giggling mess. I’m not even making funny noises like I normally do.
“Why are you not with Mr. EJ on his trip?” Jackson asks, his voice quiet.
I glance over at him. “I hurt my head in the last game.”
He gasps. “You’re Hayes! Number thirteen. You have a C on your jersey. Momma said she thought that means you’re the captain.”
“Yeah, that’s right. You like hockey?”
He shrugs.
