Page 38 of The Home Game

“I think so,” Antoni said. “Honestly, I’ve been so overwhelmed lately. I … it’s so much. Worrying about finding a new place to live and bills and the thing with the van … I was pretty much at my breaking point.”

“We would have been happy to give you more money—”

“I know,” Antoni assured her. “And I appreciate it. I do. But you already do so much for me. I don’t want you to have to eat into your long-term savings. This would be—moving into Matty’s place is better, I think. For all of us. I’ll be able to show the courts that the kids have a stable place to live. Matty’s giving us a really good deal on rent so I’ll be able to get the engine replaced on the van and get the kids back-to-school stuff and feel like we’ll be able to … get on track for the first time since Bethany and Corey died.”

He wasn’t entirely sure if he was trying to convince his parents or himself that this was all true. But it felt true. It felt like Matty was offering Antoni the only way out that didn’t lead to him keeling over from stress in the next few months.

It felt like Matty was saving him from drowning.

“Well, if you think it’s the right move for you and the kids, then of course we support it,” his mom said. “But if for any reason you need to leave, you let us know, okay?”

“I will,” Antoni promised. “But just think of it this way. We’ll be living two streets over. That’s going to make babysitting and getting the kids off to school so much easier for all of us, right?”

“True,” she admitted.

His father beamed. “Wow. I can’t believe my son is moving in with Matty Carlson!”

Chuckling, Antoni shook his head. He was so damn predictable.

“Do you think he’d talk hockey with me?” Enzo asked hopefully.

“Probably,” Antoni said with a laugh. “But let’s not scare him off just yet. I really need this to work out. For all our sakes.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Once Matty got the all-clear from Antoni that he’d passed the background check with flying colors, he walked through the neighborhood to Dustin and Charlie’s place.

He’d texted them to let them know he was coming over and had gotten a reply saying they were out on the patio, but because Matty had learned his lesson the hard way last year, he knocked on the door and covered his eyes before he opened it.

“I’m here!” he called out. “If you’re naked, put some fucking pants on!”

Matty would still never forget the sight of them going at it on the couch. There were some things a man just did not need to see his captain doing.

There was no answer though so Matty carefully peeked through his fingers to see that the coast was clear, then jogged down the stairs to the basement. Through the wide glass patio doors, Matty could see Dustin and Charlie cuddled up on a swing. They were both fully dressed so he dropped his hand with a relieved sigh, then stepped outside.

Dustin and Charlie stood.

“Hey, everything okay?” Dustin asked.

Matty smiled because Dustin was such a worrywart about the team but Matty kinda loved that about him. He gave Dustin a big hug. “Yeah, it’s all good. Just wanted to run something by you and talk to Charlie about design stuff.”

“Okay.”

He turned to Dustin’s husband, smiling fondly. “Hey, Charlie.”

“Hi, Mattykins.” Charlie rose on his toes to kiss his cheek and Matty gave him a big squeezy hug that lifted him off his toes because Charlie wasn’t tall but he was so feisty and sweet and himself. Matty really loved him for Dustin. For all of them, really.

“How are you?” Charlie asked brightly.

“I’m good,” Matty said, stuffing his hands in his back pockets, not quite sure how to start this conversation.

“Well, sit!” Charlie said. “Would you like something to drink?”

“No, I’m okay.” Matty took a seat on a nearby chair and when Dustin and Charlie were arranged on the swing again, Matty looked over at Charlie. “So, I want to ask you a favor.”

“Me?” Charlie asked, looking surprised. “Sure.”

“I know you’re busy with other projects and you just remodeled my place over the summer to get it ready to sell but … I might need to hire you to do more work.”

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