“Because so much has happened between us.” A look of anguish takes over her face as tears flood her eyes.
Kenna steps around me, stopping when she gets to the door of her ensuite bathroom. “I just need us to focus on Cadence right now, Griff. We haven’t talked in two years. Even though there were times tonight when it felt like no time had passed at all, that’s not the reality of the situation. I need reliability. Cadence needs consistency. The version of you that I last saw in Boston is neither of those things. I’m willing to be proven otherwise, but it will take time. There’s also the fact that you broke me when my heart was already broken.”
I’m at a loss for words. I knew I broke the only beautiful thing left in my life, but realizing everything I missed out on, and all of the pain I caused Kenna because I was too scared to lose another person I love, it damn near brings me to my knees.
Kenna cuts off my spiraling thoughts. “Goodnight, Griffin.”
I nod my head and find my words. “Goodnight, Sunshine.”
With that, I head down the hall to my room. She’s right; we need to focus on Cadence right now. We also need to get reacquainted with these new versions of each other. But I’m under no illusion that what we had between us is over. I’m going to prove myself to her. I’m ready to fight for the life I want—a life with my two girls.
26
November
The plane’s tires touch the tarmac, and I rush to take my phone off Airplane mode.
Once I have service again, I see a photo has come in from Kenna. I click and zoom in on a photo of Cadence and Ranger snuggled up and sleeping next to one another on the couch.
Sunshine:
*photo message* She rebelled against our naptime routine . . . she’s lucky she’s so cute!
Me:
I wish I could be snuggled up with them right now. We just landed in San Jose.
I pocket my phone when she doesn’t respond after a few minutes. I’ve become desperate for any communication from Kenna.
“How’s it going, Turner?” Thomas Jones asks as we’re lining up to get off the plane. Everyone calls him TJ or Jonesy. He’s one of the oldest veteran players on the team and someone I’ve looked up to even before I signed with the team.
“It’s going really well, Jonesy.” I take my phone out of my pocket and show him my lock screen. It’s a photo Kenna took of Cadence on my shoulders from Halloween. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Jonesy sinceI got back to town last night. We had our game tonight, then boarded a plane to San Jose right away for our game tomorrow night.
“When we played in Minnesota, I found out I have a daughter. Her name is Cadence, and she’s nineteen months old. That’s the reason I was out for two games.”
“Shit, rookie. What have you made of that news?”
“I’m not a rookie anymore. And while it shocked the shit out of me”—I pause with the biggest smile on my face—“I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”
“Is the mom a puck bunny, or did you know her? You’re from Minnesota, right?”
“McKenna is definitely not a puck bunny. We lived next door to each other practically our whole lives. Cadence came from two people who were in love.”
I still love her. I’ll never not love her.
He takes his hat off and scratches his scalp. “So, how did you just find out you’ve got a kid together?”
“Let’s just leave it at I was at the lowest point of my life, and I take full responsibility for being the reason behind me missing out on the first year and a half of my daughter’s life.”
He slaps me on the back. “Congrats, man. She looks adorable, and fatherhood suits you. Is the mom planning to move to Colorado?”
I shake my head. “No, McKenna goes to school in Minnesota. She plays volleyball for Abbott University. Her whole family is there. Actually, her twin brother is a rookie for the Wolverines, Carson Wilder.”
“Ah fuck, rook. Are you trying to tell me you’re going to end up signing with Minnesota after your rookie contract is up? Hopefully, I’ll be retired by that point.”
“I have no idea. What I do know is that it’s hard being so far away and missing out on even more time than I already have. How do you do it with the long road game stretches?”
Jonesy is thirty-five, and he and his wife, Becca, have four kids. If anyone can give me advice, it’s him.
