Page 71 of Unmasking Love
I've seen other players bring their wives and girlfriends. Sometimes their kids tag along. A few pets too. The Renegades built a suite up in the corner with abar and comfortable seats. I want Harper to hang out there because I'm not sure this outfit is going to keep her warm at the rink.
"Since it's a weekend I bet there will be other families at practice." I tell her as we drive towards the facility. "You can sit with them up in The Corner. It's like a suite."
"Oh, okay, sounds good."
"I'll spend the first thirty minutes doing goalie drills in the annex rink but then we'll get together on the ice as a team and run more drills and probably scrimmage a bit."
"Fun." I reach across the console and take her hand to stop her from tapping her nails together.
"Ha, not really, it's no walk in the park. And, shit did you bring a book or something? This might get boring."
"I won't be bored." She says with a smile and I give her palm a squeeze.
Then the phone rings in her car and I see on the screen that it's her mom.
"Oh, uh, hold on. I can call her back later."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, well, let me just tell her I'll call her back." Harper says and she reaches over with her free hand to answer the call.
"Hey Mom, I'm driving, so I'll call you back later, okay?"
"Well, later I've got tennis at the club so let's just talk now," her mom says through the speakers. "This will be quick. Gerald surprised me with a trip to Tahiti for Christmas so we're going to be gone. I'm glad you and I have that weekend in the Keys or I wouldn't see you!"
"Yeah, good thing." Harper says unenthusiastically.
"How's your diet been recently?" Her mom asks and I raise my eyebrows.
"Uh, mom, not now, okay?" Harper says as she tries to pull her hand out of mine. I glance over at her to see she's flushed with embarrassment.
"Fine, but I've been sending Theo my food log and he made some adjustments and I've been feeling much better."
"That's great." Harper says and I can tell by the tight set of her jaw the comment is laced with contempt. "Mom, I gotta go."
"Fine, one last thing. Are you seeing someone yet? I don't like you being single."
I give Harper a quizzical look after that question but her eyes plead with me to bite my tongue.
Clearly Harper doesn't have the same supportive parental unit I do.
"Uh, yeah, I am." She says. "I'm actually headed to see him right now."
"Oh good! Thank god. Okay, well remember, it isn't using if it's offered." And I see Harper hang her head out of the side of my eye.
"Yep, got it. Okay, bye Mom." She says before she leans forward and hangs up the call. "Sorry."
"Don't be sorry, but, umm, do you want to talk about… any of that?" I ask because I want to talk about it. I have so many questions.
"Not really." Harper looks out the window. "It's complicated with my mom and she means well, in her way, but it doesn't always come across as nurturing."
"I got as much."
"It's fine." Harper says as she tries to pull her hand away again but I squeeze it, keeping it planted on her thigh trying to convey my support for her. I know building a relationship takes time but I’ve spent the last month supporting her and now I don’t have to hide behind the guise of friendship. I can do it as her boyfriend. She continues to stare out the window at the passing neighborhoods but pulses her hand back in mine three times and I smile.
"Will you come to the game on Sunday? I'm playing."
"Of course! I'd love to Aiden." And I can feel her smile light up the car as we pull into the parking garage at the practice facility.
