Page 161 of The Home Game

They’d lost so much. Were any of them ready to risk losing more?

“What choice do you have?” Andrea asked and while the question was blunt as ever, his tone was still kind and understanding.

It was true. What choice did any of them have? That was life, wasn’t it?

It shifted constantly, ebbing and flowing like water. People came in and out of each other’s lives for reasons that seemed mysterious and unfathomable.

So what was Antoni doing holding back from friendships with Matty’s team and their families?

Maybe some of them would only be there for a short while. But that didn’t mean Antoni should shut out everyone.

Who would he be hurting if he kept the team and SAPs at arm’s length? The kids, mostly.

Antoni didn’t want that for them. And really, the kids needed to see him setting a good example. He’d hate it if they shut people out because of their own fear of loss. Because they watched him doing it.

He needed to do better, for all of them, himself included.

“You’re right,” Antoni said thickly. “You’re right.”

“Obviously.” Andrea snorted. “I’m always right.”

“Oh fuck you,” Antoni said, laughing a little through the emotion clogging his throat.

“So, crisis fixed?” Andrea asked, sounding smug.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll reach out to them. Oh, shit, traffic’s moving now. Gotta go!” Antoni jabbed at the button on the steering wheel to end the call, then drove forward, the line of traffic finally moving at a steady pace.

A glance at the clock told him he had enough time to make it home and pick up Reese but he promised himself he’d contact the SAPs about Thursday’s practice.

Antoni’s stomach churned as he thought about it, thought about the risk he was taking. Andrea was right but that didn’t mean Antoni felt ready for it.

He flicked on his righthand turn signal, eyeing the lane next to him carefully to be sure he had space to get over in time to take the next exit.

When Antoni glanced over to double-check, there was a white car beside him and he jerked the wheel, laying on the horn as the car cut in front of him and then into the lane to his left.

Heart pounding, he shakily navigated home, then sat in the garage for a moment to calm himself. He probably shouldn’t be driving when he was feeling emotional like this.

But there wasn’t time to linger on his feelings and he went in the house, greeted his dad, kissed the top of Alexis’ and Eli’s heads as they ate their pre-practice snacks, then grabbed Reese and was on the road again.

It wasn’t until he sat down in the pediatrician’s waiting area that he felt like he could breathe again. He pulled some plastic keys out of the diaper bag so Reese could entertain himself, and grabbed his phone.

Throat feeling suspiciously thick, Antoni sent a text to the SAPs’ group chat. I could use some help on Thursday evening. Would anyone be available to pick Alexis and Eli up from the house and take them to hockey practice?

And when, in moments, there were replies from several people offering their assistance, Antoni blinked back tears.

CHAPTER THIRTY

“Hey, handsome.” Matty slid onto the practice arena bench beside Antoni on Thursday evening. “Come here often?”

Antoni glanced over and his eyes widened, his face absolutely lighting up in a way that made Matty’s heart go soft and fond.

“Oh my God, you made it!” He cupped Matty’s cheek and leaned in for a brief but warm kiss.

Matty grinned when he drew back. “Of course I did. I told you I’d try.”

“Yeah, but I wasn’t sure …” Antoni bit his lip. “I know you had practice today and the team trip to the hospital to film your volunteering and …”

Matty reached out, tugging Antoni’s lip out from between his teeth. “Hey, I meant what I said. I’ll always come home to you and the kids,” he whispered. “And I’ll be here at their events as much as I fucking can, okay?”

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