Page 98 of Honey Undone
JENSEN
A present
We had gotten the photos back from the photographer for the new calendar, and the shot of Van and I was insanely embarrassing, but Adeline would die for it. Van hung over me with two water bottles squirting it into my upturned mouth, both of us drenched in water and covered in sand.
I’m printing this and hanging it on my wall.
Don’t you dare.
“Mom?” I dropped my baseball bag at the front door, shoving my phone away and wandered through the house exhausted from the midday practice before tomorrow's series started. It was going to be one of the hardest ones we’d have to play this season, but we all believed that if we overcame this, pulled out a series win. The rest of the playoffs would be a wash.
“Here!” Mom yelled, from somewhere in the house.
“You know this house is too big if I can’t find you after searching three rooms,” I said, finding her on the floor in her office surrounded by paperwork and two open laptops. “What are you doing?”
“Running a billion-dollar hotel franchise, Kai,” she grumbled, flipping over her phone when it started to ring.
“Not important?” I asked, lowering to the ground, being careful to avoid all her work, and sitting with her. I’d spent years of my childhood doing myschoolwork on the floors of hotels and offices across from her while she ran her business. It had always been our time together.
“Not more important than you,” she said, looking up from her work. “Shouldn’t you be at physio?” She asked, brushing her hands through her hair.
“Doc moved me around to make space for Josh before tomorrow's game. I’m low priority,” I responded with a soft smile.
“Your knee hasn’t been sore?” She asked like I knew she would. I shook my head and it was the truth. Three years ago I hurt it playing recreation hockey and it never healed properly. We only did therapy to keep it loose for ball.
“What’s with the small talk?” I tapped her foot with mine.
“I can’t ask my son normal questions now?” She tilted her head to the side.
“When have you ever?” I laughed leaning back on my arms.
“Don’t give me attitude boy,” she scolded with a soft laugh. “I should be asking you what’s with the impromptu visit.”
“I can’t visit my mom now?” I countered and she threw a pen at me. “Alright, alright. I need to hash something out.”
“I feel used,” Mom smiled but rose off the floor to grab an old notebook from the top drawer of her desk. “We haven’t pulled this out in a while.” She waved it at me and sank back to the carpet. Mom’s approach to a problem was always logic, while Dad was the guy I went to when I wanted a yes or some good old toxic positivity.
“Last time was when I had to make a decision about what I wanted to play,” I said.
“Hockey or baseball,” she said, flipping it open. “I’m glad it was baseball, hockey gear stinks and you always have such a lovely tan.”
“Okay, this time it’s a little more serious than a tan,” I sighed.
“Is this about the very pretty, very intelligent girl you brought into my house last Sunday?” Mom scribbled across the top of the page.
“You can’t write stuff until I tell you the problem,” I scoffed and she just raised an eyebrow at me. “I mean it is about her but…”
“If you’re just about finished tip-toeing around the conversation…” she teased. “What’s wrong?”
“I like her.” I shrugged and it caused her to laugh.
“Is that all?” She teased.
“Come on, Mom,” I wet my bottom lip. “I mean like it started because she’s hot—”
“Malachi,” she huffed.
“It’s true, you’ve seen her…”
