Page 19 of Center Ice
It’s funny how we’re already falling into the same patterns as college—him trying to goad or annoy me to get a reaction, and me secretly loving the attention and the banter.
“Good. Because this is actually a business meeting.”
He lifts one eyebrow, and I can tell how hard he’s working to hold in a laugh. “A business meeting? Are we discussing ourmutual assets?”
“In a way, yes.”
“So you see our son as an asset?”
I groan, even though I know he’s teasing. “You know that’s not what I mean. But if you want to be involved in Graham’s life,then we have to agree on some ground rules. I think it makes sense to look at this like a partnership.”
“A partnership,” he repeats, nodding slowly as it sinks in.
“Yeah. Where we both want what’s best for Graham, and that’s the basis for our decisions about how this goes.”
“That’s fair,” he says, right as our waiter arrives to take our drink order. Once he leaves, Drew asks, “So how do you think this should work?”
I’ve actually given this a lot of thought over the last few hours.
“From my perspective, I think it would be ideal if you got to spend some time with Graham, get to know him a bit, before we tell him that you’re his dad.”
“You afraid I’m going to change my mind?”
I set my elbows on the table with my arms folded across the space in between. “I think it’s a possibility.” Pausing, I assess the look on his face. “Don’t look at me like that. Right now, anything’s possible, because you don’t even know him yet. Maybe you two won’t click.”
“Whether we click right away or not doesn’t change the fact that I’m his dad, Audrey.” Drew’s voice is a tad exasperated. Good, I appreciate seeing that he actually wants this. Even so, I need to proceed with caution.
“I know it doesn’t. But if you change your mind, I don’t want him to know what he’s losing or missing out on.”
“I’mnotgoing to change my mind.”
“You don’t know that, Drew. You haven’t been a dad before. And you’re walking into this when he’s five, not when he’s a baby.”
He raises his eyebrows at that, and instantly I feel the accusation, because whose fault is that? Mine.
“I see the guilt in your eyes, and I wish you wouldn’t do that. Audrey,” he says softly. I hate the way I love the sound of myname coming from him. “We both made mistakes. And now we need to get over that and move on. We can’t keep rehashing the past. We need to move forward, thinking about the future. Can you do that?”
I’m surprised that he’s not more upset. “Yeah. The only thing we need to think about moving forward is what’s best for Graham. I have thoughts on the best way for you to meet him.”
“Yeah?” There’s an excitement in his eyes that almost has me smiling.
“Jameson coaches Graham’s hockey team,” I say. “Practices just started back up. I know athletes are always looking to do volunteer work in the community. Maybe you could tell him you’re looking to do some community service, and ask him if he knows of any youth hockey programs you could work with. Hopefully, he’ll volunteer his own team and you don’t have to bring up that you know he coaches.”
“Okay. I’m not sure how well I’ll be able to get to know Graham in that circumstance, though.”
“Maybe after practice, I can invite you to get donuts with us or something?”
“And that won’t be suspicious?”
“We don’t have to leave the rink together or anything. And we’re friends from college, remember?”
“Friends, huh?” He winks at me.
“That’s our story. We became friends when I tutored you, but we lost touch after you graduated.”
“And what happens when everyone learns the truth?”
“Eventually, we’ll need to come clean about the whole story, I guess. And when we get there, we’ll figure out how to do that.”
