Page 46 of Christmas Cheer

I still stick my hand out in a firm handshake when he reaches us. “Hey man, how’s it going?”

“Great. Phenomenal.” He offers his hand to Keira. “Hey, I’m Travis McCloud.”

“Oh shit, McCloud, right.” He was a senior in the same division as me my freshman year. I don’t even recall what school he went to, but we met on the field a few times. “Sorry, man, I didn’t recognize you. This is my girlfriend, Keira.”

Keira smiles politely and offers him her hand. “Nice to meet you, Travis. Do you play for the Adlers?”

“Yeah, I’ve been here a couple years now. Didn’t make the draft, figured it’d be a cool experience, you know?”

“How are you liking it so far?” I ask innocently, already having a rough idea of what he’s going to say.

“Been great. Having the time of my life, loving Germany. But it’s time to go home, you know?”

“That I do, man. That I do.” I grin at Keira and pull her in, jostling her a bit but not too much, just enough to throw her off guard. “I think the little lady here wants to make it our forever home, though, so I’m looking at the Adlers for long term. Plus, when the baby arrives, our hands will be too full to think about leaving for, gosh, eighteen years, right? Keira and I both moved around a lot when we were little, and it sucked. I don’t want to put our kiddos through that.”

“Oh, you’re expecting? Congratulations,” McCloud says reflexively. That’s just what you say regardless of the scenario. But his felicitations melt into concern. His cringe is one of embarrassment. “Look, when they told me the other day that you were thinking about joining the roster, I figured it was sowing wild oats or whatever. I had this whole thing prepared for you tomorrow, almost grabbed it when I saw you standing here. But this isn’t a place to stay. Not someone like you. They’re saying you’re a shoe-in for first round draft pick.”

I nod in agreement. “Right? She loves to razz me about it, but I’m kind of a big deal.”

“I don’t love to—” Kara huffs before cutting herself off with, “You are a big deal. That’s what I’ve been saying.”

I lay a wet, noisy kiss on her temple for show. “Thanks, sweetie. And I’ll be a big deal here, too.”

“It’s not going to be the same, though,” McCloud points out, not that he needs to. “This is a hobby here. I know it’s not my place; I just don’t want your talent wasted here.”

“It won’t be wasted. It’ll make Keira happy. She loves it here, and she loves her job here. Happy wife, happy life, am I right?”

“Err, yeah. I guess.”

I clap McCloud on the back. “Good seeing you again, buddy. We’ll be back tomorrow to go over all the stuff you had prepared for me. Can’t wait to see it.”

Chapter 17

Keira

Happy wife, happy life.

Did he really say that?

I’m not comfortable arguing with Evan on public transit, especially when I’m going to yell at him about how inappropriate it is for him to just show up like this and make all these proclamations.

I am so freaking far from being his wife.

And he’s doing that same nonsense he did our last day together in Wilmington, acting like everything’s normal when it’s anything but. His big smiles, his positive support, his fatherly pride. It’s all so much. Too much.

And every single one of his touches has me feeling fuzzy. In Dr. Harrington’s office? I got teary-eyed over the ultrasound, but I wasn’t looking at the screen. I was looking at him marveling over the image and grilling the doctor every step of the way and asking questions about what he can do as my partner to support me, but he isn’t even here.

How can he support me when he isn’t here?

Why am I even thinking about it when I don’t want him here?

The most I’m willing to say on the subway is, “I have every right to be mad at you.”

“You do,” he agrees.

“If I never want to see you again, that’s my right.”

“I’m going to be in my daughter’s life.”

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