Page 93 of Waiting Game

“I don’t have any answers, but maybe you and she need to talk about that?”

His back’s to me by this point, but I see him lift an arm and swipe at his face with it. “Talk about what?”

“About what she’d want you to do in her stead.”

His shoulders hunch. “You mean, like, school for London?”

“I meaneverything.Does she want to write a letter for London’s birthday every year? Does Lacey want to make videos to pass on her guidance? Does she want to tell London how to deal with periods? I don’t know, man, but you need to come up with a plan. It’ll help you feel more in control.”

“I think it’s time you took some family and medical leave, Ruben.” Liam finally wades into the conversation.

“What, so you can get rid of me and kill time until the trade deadline? Don’t make it out like you give a fuck.”

“Of course I do,” Liam snaps.

“You think I give a shit about hockey?”

“No, and I don’t expect you to. Anyway, you know Gracie loves Lacey. I’m well aware of what she’s going through. I wish there was something else I could do, but I think Cole’s right, man. I think you need to be spending this time with her and not wasting it on slinging hockey pucks around a rink.”

I arch a brow at such sacrilegious talk, but Liam changed after he was kidnapped. It isn’t news to me that hockey stopped being his everything. I just didn’t think he’d saythatto Kerrigan.

The other man swipes a hand over his face, his thumbs digging deep into his eyes.

“You won’t get this time back, Ker— Ruben,” I correct, keeping my voice low too. “Liam’s right—why waste it here? You know Gracie will hold a place for you. She’s not like the other GMs.”

I’m not sure why but that seems to get through to him.

“Hockey’ll… I need hockey. For, you know, after.”

“And you’ll have it,” Liam assures him.

Kerrigan sucks in a watery breath as he turns and stares at his captain. That’s who he’s seeing. Not the guy who’s probably given him crap on the ice or the dude he doesn’t particularly get along with.

In times of trouble, it’s the ‘C’ patch we always look for.

“You mean it?”

“Gracie won’t have a problem going to bat for you.” His smile is sheepish. “She’ll enjoy knocking some heads if that’s what's needed.”

“R-Right. Okay.” He cuts a look at me. “Sorry about the…”

Tugging at the neckline of my tee, I shoot him a cheerful grin. “I’m used to it.”

Liam snorts. “Yeah, he is.”

As Kerrigan starts to walk out of the kitchen, I grab his arm and draw him in for a hug. He stiffens automatically, but in his ear, I rumble, “Enjoy this time with her. It’s not as long as you should have had together, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of what youdohave. Be there. That’s all she needs. You can’t fix her. You have to accept it like she’s having to.”

He surprises me by relaxing then tightening his arms around me in a deeper hug.

Then, he stuns me more by sobbing his heart out in my embrace. My mouth works, reacting instinctively to the sound of his grief, but all I can do is hold on tight and be there for him.

Liam releases a deep exhalation at the sight but leans against the door, letting Kerrigan grieve while preventing other teammates from entering the kitchen.

I clap him on the back when he pulls away.

“Thanks, man.” He slouches off, clearly embarrassed, head low.

I watch as Liam picks up the slack, talking about guiding him to Gracie’s office.

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