Page 72 of Playing to Win

“Do I have a new boyfriend now?” Jayna teased as she entered the room. She held Hailey in her arms. Her eyes met mine, and that smile was still on my face.

Faith shook her head at her daughter. “I invited the old one. What are you up to, Hailey?”

Hailey pointed at me. “Don.”

“Don?”

I shrugged. “That’s what she picked up from Braydon.”

Jayna laughed. “It’s better than Po.”

“Where’d she get Po?”

“Tempo.” Jayna sat in the other free chair. Hailey wiggled down and went back to her hockey figures.

Jayna looked mostly okay. She was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved Bonfire T-shirt. Her curls were smoothed out and she was wearing makeup. But looking closely, I saw the rigidity in her posture, the smile that was a little forced.

There was a ding from the oven. Hunter looked over to the kitchen. “Food’s ready. What does everyone want to drink?”

* * *

It was a good evening.Good food, good company, good talk. We avoided the topic of hockey to focus on getting to know each other. Faith and I monopolized the conversation. I was curious about what we had in common, in spite of growing up in separate countries. We both hated math when we were in school and liked tennis better than golf. She talked about college, and how she and Hunter got back together when they both played there.

Jayna and I sat beside each other. It wasn’t hard to act like we were together. I liked touching her—even just my arm resting over the back of her chair. That might cause trouble in future, but right now, while I was distracted talking to Faith, I acted like a boyfriend without thinking. Jayna didn’t move away or glare at me or pinch my leg under the table. It was like, for this meal, we were really dating.

After Hailey went to bed, we could have more mature conversation.

“I had issues—real trust issues—because of my dad.” Faith nudged her husband, who returned after putting Hailey to bed. “I thought Seb had cheated, which was a hard no. And he was on the hockey team, so a lot of girls were interested in him. That triggered all my fears.”

Hunter tugged her tight. “I wasn’t interested in any of them.”

Faith snorted. “When I got to school you had a girlfriend.”

“You wouldn’t talk to me for a year.”

“You worked it out?” I asked. Obviously, they had, but…

Faith nodded. “I was behaving like my mother, and I refused to do that. I could either give up on ever having a partner, and lose that whole part of my life, or I could trust Seb.”

He nodded. “And you talked to someone.”

I cocked my head. “Like, a therapist?”

Faith sighed. “I wanted to do it on my own, but for my sake, and Seb’s, I had to work out the shit my parents had done to my brain.”

They certainly looked solid together now. “Your parents aren’t happy?”

Faith twisted her lips. “I don’t really know. What they have together isn’t healthy, but they won’t change. Dad cheats, Mom looks for evidence, they have a big fight, and start all over again. I tried to get her to leave but she wouldn’t consider it.”

Seb rubbed his hand over her arm. Faith relaxed into his hold. “How about your parents—are they good?”

I didn’t have to think about that answer. “Yeah. Dad married Mom when I was about three, so I don’t remember when he wasn’t with us. They don’t have a lot of money, and they worked second jobs to support my hockey. But they were still happy.”

Faith smiled. “That’s great. You know what a good relationship looks like.”

Hailey appeared in the doorway. Hunter sighed. “Knew that was too good to be true.”

Faith got up. “I’ll try this time.”

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