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“Yep, it was him.”
I showed Andrew the text, grinning when he needed to hold my phone at arm’s length because he was too stubborn to go get his reading glasses from his office. When my boss/new dad started scrollingupthrough the messages, I snatched the phone from him.
“Dads don’t do that.”
“The nosy ones do. It’s just pictures of the pre-season game promo. You guys don’t talk?”
“We’ve been busy.”
“So? I was an AHL hotshot, and I still found time to take Diane for dates three times a week.”
“You’re an anomaly.”
“I’m a dad,” he replied, absolutely beaming.
CHAPTER20
ZACH
I had never seenthe arena so packed.
I hadn’t seen Jessa in three weeks.
I had heartburn looking at the crowd as we skated around, warming up.
We were playing against the Springfield Falcons, a team who was always down to play, especially for charity.
Fans were just happy to be back in the arena. I could see a few groups of kids wearing minor hockey league jerseys, and I was thankful they were here supporting one of their partners.
Not seeing Jessa for three weeks had been on purpose. I needed to focus, needed to play the best I possibly could, and I needed to have my head in the game, not the clouds.
Being sexually frustrated didn’t help, either. But that wasn’t her fault. Her mess, maybe…
Nope. Don’t go there. Don’t go there.
We got off the ice and headed toward the dressing room, and I saw him out of the corner of my eye. My grandfather.
He stood awkwardly in the hallway, hands in his pockets, and when he looked up at me, he looked…sad?
Grandpa Stanley nodded, and I moved toward him, already grimacing. What was he going to say now? Why the hell was he here? I didn’t need him playing head games with me right now. There was too much on the line.
“Zachary.” He cleared his throat. “How are you?”
“Good…” I replied cautiously. “How are you?”
“Big crowd,” Pops mumbled with a nod. “Heard this was all your idea.”
“What?”
Pops nodded again. “I know you wanted me to stay away, but I…” He shook his head. “Couldn’t. I’m sorry. I came to every single practice, and I’ve watched you improve. I wasn’t alone in the stands. I met a sweet girl who runs a program that sounded pretty damn familiar…”
No.
“Power Play. I remember when your mom got you into that program. She was proud as a peacock to do it all on her own. Nana and I…we offered to help, but your mom was always so damn stubborn. Just like you.” Pops paused and he took a slow breath. “I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you. You don’t deserve it. You’re doing an amazing job, Zachary, and you deserve to hear that every once in a while.” With a sigh, Grandpa Stanley nodded toward the ice. “Heard you got this crowd in here to help Power Play.”
I shrugged. “It wasn’t all me.”
“Don’t downplay it. You did this.”
