Page 61 of Puck Blocked
“It’s my job, one I need to keep up with,” I remind her. “I spoke with your dad by the way.”
Her body freezes. “You did?”
“Mhmm, I’m getting a courier to collect Sean’s boxes tomorrow.”
“Did you tell him? About me? About us?”
“No. I didn’t tell him that you’re here, or that you’re my wife. I honestly thought he might have brought it up himself. Seeing as it’s been all over the news. But he didn’t seem to know.”
“He won’t watch sports news. He hasn’t since Sean… He won’t even watch hockey anymore,” she says.
“Well, whenever you’re ready to tell him, I’ll be there with you and we’ll do it in person, but I’ll fly him here. We are not going back home.”
“I’m fine with never going back.”
“If you could have any car in the world, what would you pick?” I ask, changing the subject to something lighter.
“You’re not buying me a car, Luke. I don’t need one. I don’t even go anywhere,” Montana says.
“I am buying you a car. You can either have a say in the type by telling me your dream car, or you can just be surprised. Either way, you’re getting one. One day, you will want to go somewhere, Tanna. And when that day comes, I want you to have the means, the freedom to do so.”
“I don’t have a dream car,” she says, then seems to consider her options for a moment. “I guess it’s better if you just surprise me. But nothing flashy or over the top.”
“Nothing flashy, got it.” I smile, already knowing exactly what I’m getting her.
Chapter Thirty-One
I’m freezing. No matter how many layers I put on, I can’t get warm enough. But I don’t move. I stay rooted to my seat, watching Luke practice. Aliyah and Kathryn just left, mentioning something about taking Graycee shopping.
We’ve been home for three days. I went through all of Sean’s stuff from his dorm room yesterday. I couldn’t find anything that would lead me to where my mother is. I don’t know how he found her. Or why. I remember the note she left us back when we were kids, telling us not to look for her. That she didn’t love us enough to stay. She didn’t say those exact words, but the intent was there. If I had money, I’d hire a private investigator to find her. I need to know what Sean knew, and if he wasn’t responsible for taking his own life, I want to know who made him do it. Why he felt like he had to do it to protect me.
A body fills the seat next to mine and then there’s a blanket dangling in front of me. “You look like you’re freezing,” Liliana says.
“I am. How are you not?” I ask while eyeing the dress she’s wearing.
“I like the cold. Plus, I just take one look at Travis out there on the ice, his muscles flexing and bulking…” She smirks. “…and my entire body heats up.”
“Gross. Never say that shit again,” a voice says from behind us. I turn around, expecting to see Liliana’s cousin Enzo. It’s not him, but it is someone from her family. The resemblance is too uncanny for it not to be. But this guy looks like he should be in school. He’s young. “Hi, I’m Dante.” The kid holds out a palm towards me.
“Montana.” I smile, glancing at his hand before accepting the gesture.
“I’m her cousin, the best one,” he says as he drops his arm back to his side, turns to Liliana, and scrunches up his face. “Tell me again why we’re freezing our asses off to watch these guys practice?”
“Because I want to, and Pops says you have to follow me everywhere.” Liliana shrugs.
“You really never go anywhere alone?” I ask her.
“I do. But my dad’s being overly cautious right now. He gets like this after a shooting. His paranoia will wear off in a few months.”
“That’s nice, though. That he loves you enough to worry,” I tell her. Not all of us have that.
“I know,” Liliana says.
“Lil, you got any gum?” Dante asks, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around the back of her chair.
“In here.” Liliana passes him her handbag without taking her eyes off the ice. “Don’t interrupt me. This is the best part.”
She’s not wrong. Watching these guys stretch is something else.
