Page 110 of Unraveling Rain
I stand to shake his hand, but he waves it off with a chuckle and pulls me into a hug.
“So nice to meet you, Rain. I’m Randy—but please call me Gramps.”
I glance at Xander, who just shrugs.
“I already call your grandma Granny,” he says.
I chuckle, and we all sit back down.
Gramps serves himself a plate, and we fall into an easy rhythm of eating. Then, with the same directness I’m starting to associate with him, he speaks again.
“I’m assuming since you’re back in training, the injury is a thing of the past.”
Xander nods, still chewing.
“Well, that’s good,” Gramps says. “Now, I want to know—what’s next? Are you retiring after this season?”
The table goes quiet. Even the ocean seems to hush.
It’s clear everyone’s been waiting for the answer.
Xander lowers his fork, his voice softer now. “Well, no… I want to win the Cup, Gramps. It’s the least I can do to honor you.”
His words hang heavy. His usual confidence is gone, replaced by something quiet, almost ashamed.
My heart squeezes at the sight of him like this. He’s so much more than a championship ring. I place my hand on his thigh, and he covers it with his own.
Gramps scoffs. Sam shakes his head.
“What are you talking about,mijo?” Sam says. “Don’t you know how proud we all are of you?”
Kristine nods in agreement, her expression tender.
“And that’s great, Dad,” Xander says finally, “but… I still feel like I’ve let everyone down. Including myself.”
Silence falls over the table again. No one reaches for food. No one speaks.
Xander exhales, eyes on the half-eaten food in front of him.
“Yes, I know it sounds stupid,” he says quietly. “But it’s the truth. You both won the biggest tournaments in your respective sports. Made a name for yourselves. What do I have to show for myself? That I’m Sam González’s son? That I’m Randy Wozniak’s grandkid? I want to be Xander González, National Hockey Cup champion.”
I squeeze his thigh beneath his table. Hewillwin. I saw the way he threw himself into rehab to get back on track. He has what it takes.
“I like that hunger, Xandy,” Gramps says with a warm smile. “But never think you have to do it to please your family. We love you, and we’re already proud of you. Now… if you want to do it to impress a girl—well…”
I bark out a laugh, and after a beat, the whole table joins in.
“I can assure you,” I say, still smiling, “he has impressed me enough already. He met my entire family, survived a sibling inquisition, celebrated St. John’s Day with us, and let my Granny do a full-on healing ritual for his collarbone.”
Xander lifts my hand and presses a kiss to my knuckles. “Hey, now. Don’t make fun of Granny’s ritual. She said I was going to be the next hockey champion—and I believe her.”
I shake my head, smiling.
“Oh, that’s so interesting,” Kristine says, eyes lighting up. “You’ll have to tell me more about it later.”
The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur of laughter, delicious Caribbean food, and easy conversation. We talk about my family, their family, everything in between. It’s incredible how we all click, like I’ve known them my entire life.
Eventually, Xander stands and stretches. “Okay, familia. Rain and I are going for a walk, but we’ll stop by tomorrow before we leave.”
