Page 189 of The Home Game

Antoni tucked the photo book away, washed his face, drank some water, then helped with dinner.

Matty got Reese to bed while Antoni did the dishes, then sat at Antoni’s feet while he read River her bedtime story.

They said goodnight to Eli and Alexis, then retreated to their bedroom.

“You doing okay?” Matty asked, gathering him close.

“Yeah.” Antoni took a deep breath. “Honestly, I think I needed that little breakdown.”

Matty hugged him more tightly and Antoni buried his face against Matty’s chest, breathing in the scent of him. “I think you did too.”

“Thanks for being there for me while I went through it.”

“Baby,” Matty said, his voice so tender Antoni would have cried if he wasn’t completely drained. “I’ll always be there for you. You and the kids.”

“I know.” Antoni kissed the Fisher Cats logo on his hoodie. “And I know your team will too.”

“Of course.” Matty fell silent but he fidgeted a little so Antoni knew that something else was coming and he waited patiently.

“Dom wants to apologize to you.”

“Yeah?” Surprised, Antoni drew back far enough to look Matty in the eye. “For what?”

“Being a suspicious dick,” Matty said with a scowl.

“Ahh.” Antoni put the pieces together. “He thought the bank deposits were something shady?”

“He thought you’d been paid by JockGossip.”

Antoni snorted. “Right. Because I love having my private life talked about by the greater Toronto area. And photos of our family taken at the fucking pharmacy.”

“I know, right?” Matty grimaced. “Which, he realizes that now.”

Antoni narrowed his eyes. “Matty, did you make him feel guilty when you found out the money was from Corey’s life insurance?”

Matty held up a hand, his fingers a few millimeters apart. “Maybe a little?”

Antoni snorted. “You’re terrible.”

“Ehh, you like me. I can’t be too bad.”

“I more than like you, big guy,” Antoni said, getting his hand under Matty’s hoodie and poking him in the side.

Matty squawked. “You better.”

“So, I guess if Dom wants to apologize, that’s fine,” Antoni said with a shrug.

Antoni suspected he might not be as forgiving if he knew what Dom had actually said about him but he didn’t, so he was going to let bygones be bygones.

Matty hesitated. “Dom has … he has some good reasons for being suspicious. I—I can’t tell you what they are because it’s personal to him but I will say someone important to him did him really dirty and that’s why he was acting that way.”

“Ahh. Well, I can understand that. Maybe we could have him over for dinner or something?”

“Yeah, that sounds good. We’ll figure out a time soon.”

“Perfect.” Antoni stepped back but he caught Matty’s hand in his, tugging a little. “Hey. Come to bed with me?”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” Matty ripped off his hoodie, flinging it across the room.

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