Page 72 of Goalie Interference

The words stung. Not that I’d been working all night, but Cash didn’t think I had a real job. Diane was right. I enjoyed working in the carriage house, but people thought it was just a hobby. I needed to make it obvious that this was a business.

It was tempting to let it go, but trying to keep up the lie would take a lot of effort and I was tired of it. “I am busy, but I don’t need to pull all-nighters. Not now, anyway.”

He smirked. “So you and the hockey player? What does Ollie think of that?”

“Ollie has no say in what I do.” My voice was sharp, and Cash caught it.

“Are you and Ollie not getting along?”

Cash had missed a lot this fall. “He’s seeing someone.”

The amusement left his face. “Is that a problem? Are you still in love with him?”

I rolled my eyes. “No, he can see anyone he wants. But I found out by accident when I went to the team’s Christmas charity thing with Remy, and Ollie was there with her.”

“That would be a little awkward, but is it why you’re pissed?”

“I really didn’t care that he had someone new, but when I found out she had a couple of kids…” Cash was the only one who knew about that problem, other than Ollie and me, andnow Remy. My current hurt and anger at Ollie meant I wasn’t as worried about that information spreading as I had been.

“That’s a shitty thing to do.”

Some tension eased out, since Cash understood why I was really upset. “Exactly. Finding out like that pissed me off. Oh, but there’s a silver lining from all this.” I spoke sarcastically but Cash took it in a different direction.

“You’re free to bang the hockey player now?”

I wanted to argue but yeah, that was kind of true. I didn’t feel guilty, where I might have otherwise. Though I wasn’t sure Remy wanted Ollie to know what we were doing. “No, better than that. He’s bringing her to Christmas.”

Cash’s mouth opened, closed, then he finally spoke. “You gonna take the hockey player along too?”

I shook my head. “No, I’m going to have the hockey player and his friend, and anyone else I think of, here for Christmas.”

Cash’s eyes widened. “You’re gonna blow off family Christmas?”

Butterflies were dancing in my belly. This was a big break from what I’d always done, but Christmas with the family wasn’t a warm and fuzzy Hallmark event. I’d spent years on the periphery until I married Ollie.

“Remember last year’s sushi dinner, when Dad and Joanna went to see her family right after the meal? Leaving Ollie and his parents and us to watch football?”

“But we always get together.” He tried a pout, but it didn’t work on me.

“Except for those couple of years when you were skiing or whatever?”

He shrugged. “I was working in Europe. Coming home didn’t mesh, what with jet lag and travel time.”

“Whatever. I’ll stop by before, drop off presents, but I’m going to be here instead on the day.”

“They’ll talk. Say you’re still hung up on Ollie so that’s why you skipped out.”

I wasn’t sure I’d be missed, to be honest. “Maybe. But I don’t think anyone will notice that much. And really, I don’t enjoy the day, don’t want to see Ollie with her kids when he wouldn’t consider adopting kids with me. So why should I? Be honest, Cash. I won’t really be missed.”

His shoulders slumped. “Sorry, Soph. It shouldn’t be like that.”

“But it is. I don’t know if anything can change Dad or Ollie’s dad, but it definitely isn’t something I can do. I’m going to try something else for the holiday.” Something I might enjoy.

“I should stay here with you.”

“Now that would cause an upset.”

“What would?” A voice came from the doorway. Trinity leaned on the frame, in a gorgeous deep blue robe, makeup perfect, hair tousled like she’d just woken up. But based on my own experience, I’d say that was as deliberate as anything else.

---