Page 125 of Game Changer
“I’m done here in twenty minutes,” Jax says.“Can you stay?”
The boys look up at me.“We’re staying longer than twenty minutes, right, Aunt Molly?”
“Er, yeah.”We haven’t actually seen much of the festival yet.There’s also an open scrimmage we could go watch with about half the players trying out for the team this year.“We’ll be here for a while.”
“I’ll text you when I’m done,” Jax says.
Steve’s mouth twists up overhearing this, then relaxes.“You two have some stuff to sort out, apparently.”
I’m so frickin’ grateful to Steve for not making this a hundred times worse than it already is, although I don’t condone his threat to break Jax’s nose.I shoot him a grateful smile as I shepherd the boys away so the people behind us can get autographs.
We pass a face painting session and the boys want the Aces logo painted on their faces, so we do that.Then Cam and Josh want mini donuts, and how can I say no to that when I love mini donuts myself?We’re munching on those as we enter the practice facility to watch the scrimmage.
We’ve just found our seats when my phone buzzes.I pull it out of the cross-body purse I’m wearing.It’s Jax.
Where are u?
Watching the scrimmage.
I’ll find u.
I don’t know if this is a good idea with my nephews here.What are we really going to be able to talk about?
I can’t sit still, shifting on the hard bench in the stands, my muscles quivery and twitchy.I see him enter the rink area, looking around.I lift a hand, and he spots us and heads our way.
There’s room for him on the bench if we shift over, so I nudge Josh and Cam to move down.They’re big-eyed as Jax bumps fists with them.
There’s a buzz of excitement around us as everyone realizes who he is.
“Mini donuts,” Jax says.“My fave.”
Cam wordlessly hands him the paper bag, and Jax takes one solemnly.“Thanks, man.”
I’m shivering, both because of the cold in the arena and my nerves.I’ve barely had time to process what’s happening.Why did I say what I did?Why didn’t I lie?Why did Jax say that?I don’t understand any of this.
“So,” he says in a low voice near my ear, “we’re busted.”
I clap a hand over my mouth to stop my startled laugh.“I guess so, yeah.”
“Sorry about that.”
“Why are you apologizing?You didn’t do it.I should be apologizing to you.You’re the one who has to work in an, um, awkward situation.”
“Seems like Steve is more pissed about me hurting you than about us being together.”
I suck on my bottom lip and turn my eyes up to him.“That’s what it seemed like.”
Steve’s already shown he’s not in love with me anymore, but it seems like maybe he still cares.That’s…nice.
“When do you get rid of the tadpoles?”he murmurs near my ear.
“Their parents get back around six tonight.I guess seven-ish by the time they get home from the airport.”
“Can I come see you after that?”
I swallow.“Okay.”
“I need your fucking address.”
