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“He is.” I slowly nod, my smile stretching. “He’s your kid.”

“I still can’t believe it,” he admits, his eyes growing damp as a mixture of emotions conforms to his features. “It’s crazy, you know?”

“I know.”

“Would the two of you want to come to the next playoff game that’s a home game?” He pauses, nervousness encapsulating him. “I don’t know if you have plans or anything...”

My heart clenches in my chest, the same moment my stomach does a somersault. “We would love to.”

Matteo’s footsteps are heavy on the stairs as he comes bounding down them, the sound breaking up our conversation. He comes racing into the kitchen and pauses in the doorway when he sees the paper and pen on the counter. "Are you guys drawing?" he says, excitement in his voice. “I want to draw too.”

Carson looks at me, then down at the papers, and back at me. “Can I do this on my computer and send it to you and we’ll go from there?”

I nod, watching him as he turns back to Matteo. "Come on, bud," he says, pulling out a seat for him. “Come draw with me.”

“I’ll get some crayons,” I offer, leaving the two of them as they settle into an easy conversation again. I linger in the doorway a moment to just watch the way they interact. It’s as if they’ve known each other this entire time. There’s such an ease and comfortableness to them, as if their souls are tethered.

There’s an undeniable connection between Carson and Matteo.

And I can’t wait to watch it grow.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CARSON

“Hey Dad,” Rowan says with a smirk as I walk over to him and take a seat on the bench beside him. They have a home game tonight and if they win this one, they win this series.

Since I’m injured, I’m not traveling with the team, but I’m still expected to be here on game days. Even if I wasn’t supposed to be here, I still would be. This is my team.

I slowly look around the room, my eyes scanning over Nash and Lincoln, over my brother Caleb and Rowan before I lift my gaze to the logo on the ceiling.

This is my family.

“I wish I were able to go out on the ice and battle with you guys tonight,” I tell Rowan, my voice low as I drop my attention down to my dress shoes. It feels weird sitting in the room with them, still dressed in a suit, while they’re all getting ready to go out without me.

“It fucking sucks, but it’s not your fault,” Rowan says, clasping his hand over my shoulder. “We wish you were about to play too, but shit happens. You know how it goes.”

“I know,” I agree, nodding reluctantly. It’s the cold hard truth about playing a contact sport, but it doesn’t change the way I feel about it.

Caleb steps in front of me as Rowan removes his hand from my shoulder. I slowly tip my head back to look up at my brother. His expression is hopeful and he gives me the smallest smile that I would have missed if I weren’t staring at him.

“How are you, Cars?”

“I’m good,” I tell him, tipping my chin down before raising it again. “As good as I can be.”

“Having you here makes things feel normal. The energy has been off in the locker room without you,” he says, his voice reaching me through the rest of the commotion in the room. “It’s not the same without you on the ice, but you need to focus on healing so you can get back with us next season.”

“If they’d let me play, I wouldn’t let this stupid thing keep me from being out there,” I admit, raising my stupid broken wrist to show him. There’s a heaviness on my chest and I need it to disappear immediately.

Caleb gives me a look of disapproval. “You need to stay off the ice, Carson,” he scolds me with a shake of his head and fist against my chest. “Do not fuck this up and ruin your entire career.”

An exasperated sigh escapes me, my shoulders deflating. He’s right. This isn’t worth fucking up my entire career. There will be other chances at the playoffs. I’ll get to play with them again as soon as we get back into the groove after the off-season. “Okay.”

“Did Andi and Matteo come?” Caleb questions me, abruptly changing the conversation. My brother and I talk daily, even if it’s just a quick text to check in. It became a habit after Caleb lost Amelia. I didn’t want to crowd him at the time, but I needed to know he was okay.

I nod, a few pairs of eyes slide in my direction as I respond. “They were in the wives room and I’ll be meeting them upstairs for the game.”

“I’d like to meet them soon,” Caleb adds, a gentle smile lifting his lips again.