Page 40 of Meant for Mayhem

Leena shrieked with delight and sprinted toward her when Mom came around the corner. She locked the brakes on her wheelchair and opened her arms, laughing when Leena climbed into her lap with the confidence of someone who’d done it a hundred times before.

Shannon’s attention followed them, watching Leena wrap both arms around my mom’s neck and squeeze. Despite everything life had thrown at her, Mom had never once let anyone wonder if they were loved, and it was impossible not to love her back.

Once Leena settled against her, Mom released the brakes and rolled toward us. Her smile stayed fixed on me until her gaze landed on Shannon standing beside me. It lingered for half a heartbeat before dropping to where our hands were still linked.

“This is Shannon,” I said, deciding there wasn’t much point easing into whatever came next.

“And who is Shannon?” my dad asked in Finnish as he stepped into the room behind Mom.

“Someone important,” Mom answered before I could, her eyes still focused on Shannon. “Don’t be rude, Jari.”

She continued toward us, Leena bouncing happily in her lap.

“Hello, Shannon. I’m Helena.” She offered her hand with an easy smile. “And this is my husband, Jari.”

Shannon shifted enough to shake her hand, mine still wrapped around her left. I hadn’t meant to hide her wedding ring, but maybe buying us another minute wasn’t the worst idea.

“It’s nice to meet you both.”

Dad’s eyes narrowed as he looked between us.

“This is your friend?” he asked in Finnish. “How long have you known her?”

“Long enough.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“And I don’t owe you one.”

His expression only hardened, arms folded over his chest. “I didn’t raise a fool, Mikko. This isn’t the time for a woman, not when your career is on the line.”

Shannon stiffened beside me, her hand practically vibrating in mine. She couldn’t understand him, but from the way he spat the words, the meaning was unmistakable.

He was disappointed in me, and he didn’t like her.

Too bad I’d done this song and dance before.

“I’m sure Shannon would prefer you switch to English if you’re going to insult us both.”

My mom was on the verge of tears, the same way she was every time Dad and I butted heads like this. But how was I supposed to look him in the face when he hadn’t chosen me for the Finnish Olympic team last winter?

I wasn’t good enough then, and I sure wasn’t good enough now.

Maybe I never would be.

“How long have you known my son?” Dad asked.

Shannon smiled politely, an odd look on the fearsome woman I’d seen bring grown men to their knees. “We met during the winter Olympics earlier this year.”

Mom drew in a breath, her eyes watering as she looked between us. “A sign, Miksu.”

Dad’s jaw tightened, and so did my hand in Shannon’s.

“That’s right,” she said. “Mikko told me you were both Olympians. That’s how you met. I forgot that connection.”

She looked up at me, her dark brows raised, looking for my approval. I gave her the smallest nod, reassuring her she was doing great.

With a grin, Shannon looked back at my parents and said, “So now Mikko needs to make the national team, and the legacy’s complete, right?”