Page 49 of Rainbow Kisses

AHL. Then NHL. And then… that plan just exploded spectacularly when I had to play and deal with a drunk dad and my alcoholic sister and a toddler.

Fuck.

With a sigh, I got out, dried off, got dressed, and headed out to pick up Maddy before I had to play tonight. But I didn’t get all the way out the door.

“Hey, Brian, you got a minute?”

The Colonel’s voice stopped me in my tracks, and I turned with my hand still on the door, forcing my mouth to smile.

“Didn’t think anyone else was here,” I said as I walked back down the hall to where the Colonel was standing. He was dressed down, something you didn’t usually see in the arena. Track pants and a Penn State sweatshirt. He looked pretty damn good for his age, which was seventy-five, only a few years older than my dad, who looked like he was at least ten years older.

Not going there.

“Stopped in to do a little paperwork and heard you on the ice. Wanted to check in. See how things are going.”

More likely, he’d seen Rebel and I having it out on the ice and wanted to be sure we weren’t going to beat the shit out of each other.

“They’re going. Maddy’s settling in at school and the apartment is pretty great actually.”

Reston nodded, his gaze never leaving mine. “Good to hear it. And you and Rebel? Everything okay there?”

What the hell could I say? That I’d fucked up my relationship with his son by ratting him out to his father for the wrong reasons? That I’d been a complete fuck-up and didn’t deserve to be here?

“Honestly,” I shook my head, “I don’t think he’s ever going to forgive me. But we won’t let it spill out onto the ice.”

The Colonel sighed. “You know me well enough to know that’s not what I’m worried about. Rebel looked up to you just as much as he did his brother. Maybe more so because you weren’t his brother. I know you were just looking out for him back then. I think you two will find your way back to that friendship again. It’s just going to take some time.”

I didn’t want to disillusion the man whose name was on my checks so I just nodded. I wouldn’t be here all season, a fact that I was actively ignoring, so I didn’t think we had enough time to get back to our old relationship.

Pretty sure the Colonel didn’t believe that nod. I certainly didn’t. But he just nodded. “Okay, glad I caught you here. I know Maddy’s at the house to help with cookie making.”

I’d completely forgotten that’s what Maddy was doing with Rain this afternoon. So that I could get ready for the game.

“Reb and me,” the Colonel shook his head, “we’re not much for all the Christmas stuff. Left to his own devices, I think Reb would hibernate for the month of December except for hockey. Sometimes, I think I might join him, but that’s just between you and me. My wife and daughter love it, so…”

He let out a long-suffering sigh that made me grin.

“I haven’t really been around my family much to celebrate in the past few years, sir,” which made me either a shitty son or too wrapped up in myself to care. “But I think Maddy will enjoy it all, so thank you for including her.”

“Having young kids around has brought a little of the magic back to the season for me, I’ve got to admit. That Krista could make the Grinch cry tears of joy, I swear. And she’s been making a little headway with Rebel. We’re thrilled to have Maddy spend as much time with us as she wants.”

“I can’t thank you enough for that. I want to make sure Christmas is as good for her as it can be without her mom.”

“Will she be able to see her mom at all over the holidays? We always have an open house on Christmas day all afternoon and night. You’re welcome to join us.”

“No, the facility won’t allow us to see Lindsay until after we’ve done a mandatory group session. The next one isn’t until after the holiday. Don’t know what Maddy will want to do that day, but we’ll talk about it. Thank you.”

And I meant for everything, but I couldn’t continue to slobber all over the guy for taking us in.

“Of course.” The Colonel smiled, his face transforming. “Now, I’ve got a few more papers to sign, so I’ll see you later. And Brian…don’t beat yourself up too much. Work some of that shit out at the game tonight.”

“Hey, how’s it going?”

I could practically hear Maddy shrug through the phone line as I sat in the parking lot of the arena in my truck, letting it idle. “It’s all good. We’re in the kitchen making like a million cookies. This place is huge. I think they have more decorations than those places in the movies Mom makes me watch. It’s kinda a lot.”

I huffed out a laugh. “Yeah, I’ve been there at Christmas a few times. It’s like Whoville, just not as tacky. You having a good time?”

“It’s…different. I mean, everyone’s really nice and all, it just seems like a lot of work to make all these cookies and just give them away to random people.”

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