Page 97 of Penalty Kick

Dash knew for a fact that Cruz, Felicity’s and Gunnar’s infant son, was a champion sleeper. It was a point of pride with Gunnar, especially since Cowboy and Theo's newborn daughter, Dulcie, hadn’t gotten the memo quite yet. Gunnar never let the opportunity pass them to rub it in that Cruz could, and would, sleep through almost anything. One of these days, Dash was sure that Cowboy was going to smack his best friend upside the head when he said it. He could just only hope he was there to witness it.

Glancing at his watch, Dash wondered what he was supposed to do. Gunnar had told him to be here at two when he’d texted him about wanting to talk. Here it was, two o’clock, and there was apparently a sleeping baby contending with getting this started. That was the last thing Dash’s nerves needed. He was already every kind of anxious a person could be. Forget winning the Fremont Cup, the league, or any of the other big games he’d played in. Those jitters were nothing compared to this. This was like all those events had combined, creating some sort of super knot that was sitting in his gut, making him want to both puke and pass out.

But it was time to man up and do this.

The door swung open, a bright-eyed, smiling Felicity framed by the doorjamb greeting him as he reached for his phone. She waved him in, pulling him into a hug as he crossed the threshold, just as she did every time he was here. His nerves wavered for a moment as she embraced him, letting himself relax. She and Gunnar might be his bosses, but they were also family. Countless hours had been spent in this house with them, Talia by his side, celebrating big and little life events or just hanging out.

That was what he wanted for forever. That was the reason he was here now.

“Gunnar’s in the kitchen,” Felicity said. “I’m going to go take a nap while Cruz does. We have a big night with his first Southland Holdings carnival, and I don’t want either of us to be cranky. Behave yourselves—if I hear either one of you raise your voice, shit will get real. And I don’t have time for that.”

“Understood.” Dash nodded, knowing that she was not joking. He didn’t want either of them to be cranky either. Carnival or otherwise. What he needed to say wasn’t going to result in anything other than civilized conversation. At least, he hoped it wasn’t. The reason wasn’t much of a secret—everyone knew it was coming. Although that didn’t mean that Gunnar wasn’t going to somehow get worked up. This was just the kind of thing that might push him over an edge.

Weaving his way through the living room, he headed to the large, open kitchen that was located in the back of the house, overlooking a large pond that was surrounded by trees. Dash had loved that view since the day he and Talia had helped Felicity and Gunnar move into this house. There was a tranquility to it that always managed to take over whenever they would sit on the back deck. No matter what was going on, hanging out back there had a universally calming effect on everyone.

“Hey,” Gunnar greeted. “Want a beer?”

Dash shook his head no. He didn't trust his shaky hands with any kind of glass right now.

“I know why you’re here,” his coach continued.

Mierda…

Dash swallowed hard, taken aback by Gunnar’s forwardness. The reason might not have been a secret, but he hadn’t expected that comment either. Actually, what he had been expecting was for Gunnar to make him work for it. To let him wriggle, like a worm on a hook, drawing out the moment until it was so long and awkward and neither of them could stand it anymore. Followed by some lecture about all the ways he would make Dash pay if he were to ever hurt Talia—similar to the one that had been bestowed shortly after that game three years ago. Apparently Gunnar was going to a different approach.

“You…you do?”

Gunnar nodded, cracking open a beer for himself. “Robert called the other day. Pretty sure he hung up with you and then directly dialed me.”

“Oh.”

What else was there to say? Cat was out of the bag. All the way out.

When he decided it was time, he knew he needed to talk to both dads. Talia was certainly closer to Gunnar than she was Robert, but her relationship with the man who raised her had taken on a new form these last few years, and they now shared a bond that was unique to them. Dash loved that she had both men in her life, even if it did make things a little extra complicated at times. Such as this.

“I suppose I did not ask him to keep it to himself. Seems like an obvious thing to do to me, but I suppose not to all.”

“He’s excited. We both are.”

Dash wasn’t sure he heard the man correctly. Gunnar was…excited? This conversation was not going to plan at all.

“You sure you don’t want that beer?” Gunnar asked with a laugh.

“It might be a good idea.”

Gunnar nodded, producing the beer out of nowhere. “Let’s go sit outside so we don’t risk waking anyone. He might sleep like a champ, but Effie hasn’t been, nervous about if the carnival is going to be too overstimulating for Cruz. A cranky wife is much worse than a cranky baby.”

“Not bringing him is not an option?”

“So she can then spend the night worrying about him not being with us? Not a chance.”

Dash tilted his head in a nod, understanding Gunnar’s point. He followed his coach onto the deck, the thick summer air surrounding them as they parked themselves in a pair of Adirondack chairs that gave them the perfect view of the pond. A rustle of the leaves was the only sound, the slight breeze helping calm Dash a little more. He had no idea what Gunnar had up his sleeve with all this.

“Not every day your little girl finds the love of her life, you know.”

“I do not have one of my own…yet…but if I am someday blessed enough, then I’m sure I will understand.”

“Oh, you’ll have one. She wants a whole gaggle, so I hope you’re prepared.”