Mercifully, the distraction worked. Kaira’s patience with Christmas shopping far exceeded her patience for back-to-school shopping, likely because Eaton Centre was decked out in lights and garlands with children’s displays everywhere. She certainly spent more time composing her own Christmas wish list than helping Rowan cross people off his. But a peppermint hot chocolate at the end of the trip and a promised dinner of her favorite pasta kept her happy.
At six o’clock, the timer on Rowan’s phone went off, reminding him of their other appointment. He directed Kaira to the bathroom to wash her hands and get the pasta sauce off her face while he pulled out her iPad and set up the call with Jordy.
He didn’t mean to hit the Call button, but his fingers slipped when he was setting the iPad on its stand. The familiar ring of FaceTime echoed through the kitchen for less than a second before Jordy answered.
“You look like shite,” Rowan said before his brain could catch up with his mouth.
“Thanks,” said Jordy dryly. “I missed you too.”
On the plus side, at least Rowan hadn’t sworn in front of the poppet. He pushed down on the hopelessly lovelorn part of himself that wanted to read into Jordy’s confession. “Um. Long few days, I suppose.”
“You could say that. We had morning skate today and I was up three hours before that because my body’s still on Torontotime.” He sneezed, scrunching up his face and making the dark circles under his eyes all the more pronounced. “And I think I caught a bug on the plane.”
“And you have to play tonight?” Rowan asked, aghast.
Jordy gave him a rueful look. “You would too, if they paid you tens of thousands of dollars for it.”
For ten thousand dollars, Rowan would bathe in Vick’s VapoRub and stuff his nose with cotton balls to play a game, so he didn’t argue. But that meant he didn’t have anything to say, suddenly, to keep his mouth from saying all the other things that wanted to spill out.
I love youandWhy did you invite me here?andWhy don’t you love me back? How could you give me a taste of this life and take it away?
Why am I such a stupid git?
His mouth opened. “Listen—”
Jordy must’ve had the same idea. “I’m sorry—”
Before things could devolve, Kaira returned, mostly sauce-free. “Daddy!”
Rowan had meant to quietly exit stage left and allow the two of them to talk one-on-one. But Kaira had other ideas. She climbed up onto his lap and held him hostage while Jordy gave her a tour of his hotel room, including the view of the water out the window.
“I’ll send Rowan the picture I took this morning,” Jordy said. “I saw a whale!”
Kaira gasped theatrically. “Iwant to see a whale!”
“You will,” Jordy promised.
After that, Rowan did his best to tune out the conversation, as Kaira and Jordy made plans for after the school year—plans that didn’t involve him. Plans that could’ve involved him, if he’d been willing to throw away everything he’d worked for and put his heart in a meat grinder, besides.
Sunday, Anna arrived, and though Rowan found her pleasant, energetic, and kind, Kaira didn’t have much interest in warming up to her. Since she’d be Kaira’s nanny for little over a month, Rowan supposed that didn’t matter.
“She’s fond of you,” Anna said Sunday night when Rowan returned from putting Kaira to bed. She was sitting on the couch reading something she’d plucked off Jordy’s bookshelf.
“I’m still a poor substitute, I’m afraid. You should see her with her father.”
“I will, when I bring Kaira out to Vancouver at Christmastime.” She put the book down. “It sucks to have my contract cut short, but I’m getting a month’s severance and a free vacation in Vancouver, so it could be worse.”
“And in the meantime there’s that soaker tub,” Rowan pointed out.
“God,yes,” she said, practically jumping to her feet. She picked the book up again. “I’m just going to… well. Read in the bath.”
“Good night,” Rowan told her.
The house suddenly felt too empty. Rowan turned on the television just for the noise and accidentally fell asleep.
DESPITE THEfact that he rounded out his first game as an Orca by chugging a bottle of Nyquil and passing out for twelve hours, Jordy was pretty sure it was a success.
The Shield might have touted him as one of their superstars, but while he was the most decorated defenseman in the lineup, they hadn’t lacked in talent. The Shield had a string of solid d-men of various ages. They would be fine without him.
