Page 83 of My Wife
JESS
Liam is out latewhich is not at all like him. I imagine him brooding in a dimly lit bar over an amber-colored drink with ice cubes in it.
Fast asleep, KJ is probably dreaming of puppies and playdough. I wish I could say I was halfway there myself—I’ll keep the puppies. Could do without the playdough. I’ve been finding little dried pieces of it everywhere, including in my hair. Instead, I’ve been stewing on the sofa.
That rascal has no right to tell me what to wear. But that’s the least of it. We were there because we had important news to share. The man’s priorities are off.
All he thinks about is hockey this, hockey that. All hockey all the time.
I text Cara, wondering if Pierre is like that too. Not that I’m thinking about having anything more than a working relationship with Liam. The janitorial job in the locker room isn’t looking so bad. Unless the entire team are clones of number forty-five.
Me: Ellis had a temper fit in the hallway earlier.
Cara: I heard. I was going to call.
Me: Why is he so moody?
Cara: Well, you were wearing someone else’s jersey.
Me: First, I was showing team spirit. Second, he explicitly told me NOT to wear his jersey.
Then again, I have been intent on breaking his stupid rules.
Cara: That tells you everything you need to know.
Before I can ask her to elaborate, the key sounds in the lock. I startle as if caught doing something naughty. Gathering my things, I make a beeline for the door.
Liam with his massive frame blocks it and doesn’t say a word.
“Pardon me, I’ll begetting out of here, Mr. Ellis,” I say, parroting his dismissal earlier.
He doesn’t budge.
I usually give him a rundown of what he missed while gone. Maybe he’s waiting to hear it. I remind myself to be professional. “There’s a celebration cake on the counter. I hope you eat all of it and get a stomach ache.” My tone is normal even though the words are anything but, yet they just spilled out of me.
His eyebrows lift as if surprised to hear me say something that’s not sweet.
Lifting my gaze to his and doing my best to straighten to my full height, I punctuate my comment with a sunny smile.
He rubs the back of his neck and winces. “I messed up.”
Dropping back slightly with surprise, I nod in agreement. “You did.”
“I wasn’t ready. No one knows.”
“No one knows that hockey’s biggest baddie is a dad?”
Liam’s expression tightens as if stubbornly trying to fit into a pair of skates he’s outgrown. “It’s none of their business.”
“I don’t understand why it’s a secret. KJ is great.”
He mumbles something that sounds like, “I’m not.”
“What about your family?”
“Were you listening?”
I narrow my eyes at him, prepared to explain why we showed up at the arena even though I now regret it. Even though I don’t feel like I owe him an explanation. “We received the results of your son’s audiology testing today. Got really good news. I couldn’t get ahold of you. We told Grandma Dolly, baked a cake, and wanted to surprise you.”
