Page 138 of Goaltender Interference

Her lips tightened but she nodded. “Sure. That would be fine.”

Nolan glanced between them, frowning, and Viv smiled tightly at their son. “You go help Jesse keep an eye on your sisters, please.”

“Okay,” he said slowly, brow furrowed as he followed in Jesse’s wake.

With a jerk of her head, Viv walked around the corner of the stables and Connor followed.

It was shady there and he suppressed a shiver. Or maybe that was the frosty look on Viv’s face.

“What is this about?” he asked when she didn’t say anything.

“When were you going to tell me about Nolan joining a GSA at school?” She stuffed her hands into her puffer vest pockets.

“What?” Connor said, blinking. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

She sighed. “A GSA. Gay straight alliance, Connor.”

“Well, first of all,” Connor said slowly. “Ididn’tknow. Nolan didn’t tell me anything about it. Did he tell you?”

“No. I saw some paperwork on his desk.”

Connor wondered if she’d deliberately snooped, but that definitely wasn’t gonna be a helpful direction to take the conversation in. “And you’re upset about this?” he guessed.

“I think it’s something he should have discussed with us first.”

Connor shrugged. “Well, clearly he didn’t.”

“Clearly.”

“Look, there’s a gay kid on his hockey team,” Connor said. “He’s probably trying to be supportive of Jayden.”

“But people are going to assume things about him. And not that he’s beingsupportive.”

“So what if they do?” Connor said with a shrug. “If it doesn’t bother Nolan, it shouldn’t bother us.”

“The Church?—”

“I don’t give a damn about your church, Viv!” Connor snapped. “I understand it’s important to you but Nolan doesn’t feel the same way. He loves his Uncle Kelly and?—”

“This is exactly why I was so angry when Kelly came out,” she snapped back. “I knew things like this would happen!”

“Whatthings? Our son being compassionate and caring? Oh, how fuckin’ dare he.”

“That’s not what I mean, Connor.”

“Well, what do you mean? Because you got along fine with Kelly before you found out! You loved my brother. Hell, he was the ring bearer in ourwedding.”

“I think you’re—you’re encouraging our son to be open to things he shouldn’t be. Between Kelly and now Jesse?—”

“Oh, don’t you dare bring Jesse into this,” Connor snarled. “He’s donenothingwrong.”

“Hasn’t he? I’m sure he’s right in there too, pushing Nolan to join the GSA. I don’t like your roommate encouraging the kids to go behind our backs.”

“I highly doubt Jesse pushed Nolan intoanything,” Connor said. But now he had a good idea of what Nolan had come to Jesse about. He sure as fuck wasn’t going to mention that to Viv though.

“Well, clearly you don’t know much about what’s going on in your own house.”

Connor crossed his arms over her chest. “You know, Viv, when we were young, you were never homophobic like this.”

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