Page 89 of Tight Spot

Like me, when Cole wasn’t playing football, he was watching hockey. Tennessee might have been kicked out right before the playoffs this year, but the Stanley Cup semi-finals were still going strong.

“Florida is surprising the hell out of everyone. Up two to nothing against Minnesota right now.”

Minnesota kicked Tennessee out of the playoffs to win the last wild card spot. The fact they were still in it had everyone debating if they were going to have a mass implosion and completely fall apart or take it all. Carolina Ice Kings made it to the semi-finals and everyone had projected them to win it all originally, but Minnesota gave them a surprise four-game sweep to end up in the finals.

“That’s not what brought you here tonight,” Cole said. He took a pull of his own beer, one arm flung to the back of the couch.

He looked as casual as he always did, and he’d give me time. “You can though, you know.”

“I can what?”

“Come over anytime to watch a game. Hang with Jasper. You don’t need to have your life falling apart to need company.”

Damn. Straight to the heart.

“My life isn’t falling apart.”

It so was.

“All right.” Cole took another drink of his beer. “Nice suit you have on, by the way.”

The smartass fucker.

I opened my mouth to come back with a sarcastic retort at the same time the slider door opened. Jasper flew out, Eden following with a gentle smile.

Jasper flung himself at Cole, completely ignoring me. “I wanted to come say good night.”

Cole planted Jasper on the couch next to him, and wrapped an arm around his son, kissing the top of his head. “You brush your teeth and take your shower?”

“Yep. Eden made me do it.”

“I’m such a monster,” she playfully mumbled, standing close to me.

“Feeds you vegetables, takes you to school, makes you clean your room, she’s horrible,” Cole teased his son.

“She’s the best.” Jasper smiled before turning a pout toward his dad. “And it’s not nice to call people names, Dad.”

Cole ruffled his head and gave him a gentle shove. “I’ll work on it. Get to bed. Love you.”

“Love you too.” He climbed off the couch and came to me. “Love you too, Mr. Butler.”

I held out my fist. “You too, kid. Sweet dreams.”

He ran inside, slamming the door behind him.

“Sorry about interrupting.”

“Nothing to be sorry about, babe.”

“Can I get you guys anything? Food? More drinks?”

Cole leaned back with a grin that I was pretty certain Eden saw a lot and liked even more. “I’ve got all I need, honey.”

“All right.” She gave him a wink, rested a hand on my shoulder as she passed me and once the door was closed, I turned to Cole.

“You’re a lucky man.”

“Fuck that. And you know it. You know the shit we went through, not only with each other but with Marley and Selma. I could have lost the best thing to ever happen to me in a snap. We’re not lucky. We worked for what we have, still do.”

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