“It gets harder the older they get. JJ is ten now. Becca is busy traveling all over with the kids for his hockey tournaments. It makes it really hard to want to continue to play when I’m missing out on so many moments back home with them.”
He must sense the anxiety rolling off of me from his words, so he gives me some words of encouragement. “What I meant to say was that Cadence is so little, she won’t remember that you were away. I suggest a lot of FaceTime calls. Pay for them to come visit when they can, and look into getting a place there for the offseason if she isn’t able to move to Colorado.”
I would never ask Kenna to give up her dreams and move away from her family to be closer to me. This is my burden to bear. I just have to make the most of it, as Jonesy suggested. I’m willing to make sacrifices if it means there are fewer obstacles standing between me and Cadence.
My phone vibrates with an incoming text just as we’re getting off the team bus at the hotel. It’s late, so I’m surprised to see it’s from Kenna.
Sunshine:
Just them?
My eyebrows shoot up so fast I think I may have pinched a nerve in my face. Is she . . . is she implying that I should want to snuggle up with her as well? Fuck, how do I respond to that? Of course, I wish I could be with Kenna. She will always be the one that got away. And I’ll always be the idiot who pushed her away because I was too scared to taint her.
By the time I close the door to my hotel room, I bite the bullet and hit send on my response.
Me:
Family snuggle session? Definitely count me in.
Sunshine:
Don't say that. Not when I've dreamed of you saying things like that for the past two years.
I was damned if I did and damned if I didn’t. Before I can think of how the hell to respond to her text, a FaceTime request lights up my phone.
McKenna Wilder is FaceTiming me at 1 a.m. her time. Nothing good can come from hitting accept. But what if something is wrong with Cadence?
I quickly hit accept. “Is everything okay with Cadence?”
Kenna’s answering giggle-fit puts me at ease that Cadence must be okay. Though, now I’m confused as to what’s got her giggling like that.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Care to fill me in on what’s so funny?”
“I just realized what time it is!” She wipes tears from under her eyes. “At this time, you probably think I’m booty calling you. I’m not doing that. But I do have a great ass. Don’t you agree?”
I run my hand over my face, but she catches my answering groan.
“I’ll take that as a yes. I had a couple of glasses of wine with Brooke tonight. Wine makes me so horny, did you know that? Of course, you don’t know that. You left me high and dry before I developed that acquired taste.”
“I very clearly remember a bath and wine glasses when we were together. I know what you’re like when you drink wine, Sunshine. What I don’t know is why you decided to call me if you’re horny.”
She scoffs. “Forget I called.”
“McKenna, please don’t hang up. I’m sorry. It’s just confusing when you say we can’t blur the lines.”
“I still have it, you know.”
Her change of topic throws me off. “Have what?”
“That present you got me on my nineteenth birthday. The one you said I should use whenever I’m missing you.”
Is she talking about the vibrator I got her?
“It’s pink, made of silicone, and oh my god, does it work wonders.”
“McKenna,” I say her name like a warning. I’m hesitant about where to go from here. She’s clearly buzzed, and this feels like we’re playing with fire.
“Oh, come on. Have a little fun! Am I turning you on, Griff?”
