Page 61 of A Vegas Crush Collection #2

I invite Winter in, and we sit on the couch, the array of food on the coffee table in front of us.

After helping the kids fill their plates, they dive in like they haven’t been fed in days.

For sure nothing as tasty and as healthy as this spread.

It makes me feel fuckin’ sad. It also makes me realize something…

I am doing the right thing. Even if this is terrifying for me, it’s nothin’ to what’s been going on for these two little guys.

I tell Winter to help herself to anything she’d like, and she opts for some herbal tea and a muffin.

Pregnant women need food regularly throughout the day, right?

I don’t want to be a burden to her straight off the bat, but I’m guessing she only took on this case as a favor to Jack.

And I’m pretty fuckin’ sure being woken up in the middle of the night wasn’t on a pregnant lady’s list of shit to do today.

“Thank you. I just want you to know how much I appreciate your help, Winter. I don’t know where to really even start with this and Jack said he knew you so...” My words sort of peter out, pathetically, exactly like I feel right now.

“No worries, Tyler. This is my job and I love doing it. Helping families through tough times is what it’s all about, you know?”

I nod slowly a few times, unsure of what to even say. Right now, I figure it’s best for me to just listen to her and learn everything I can.

“So, the purpose of my visit is to assess the best course of action to take in the temporary placement of Haley and Logan during the absence of your mother. I’m here to talk to you and get a feel for your relationship with Haley and Logan and find out what your wishes are.

I’ll have to make a recommendation to the court, so this is the first step in that process. ”

“Got it.” I nod again, the limit of my ability to react intelligently, apparently. Fuck.

She smiles gently and takes a sip of her tea before reaching over to help Logan put some strawberry jam on an English muffin. Then she shows him how to use the napkin to wipe the sticky off his hands.

I almost have to blink back the tears that threaten to bust out of my eyes. The kids don’t even know the basic manners of how to eat a goddamn meal. Jesus.

“So, Tyler...the kids have shared some pretty concerning stuff with us since we brought them in last night.” She says this without judgment, but I still feel the heavy weight of it settling over me.

“I’m not sure I want to hear the details, but I doubt it’s much different than what I experienced growing up.”

“Multiple men in and out of the house. Drug use, though they don’t understand that’s what they’re seeing. Some instances of physical abuse and neglect. Often being left alone for hours on end, not knowing where Mom is. It’s been very scary for them.”

Hot shame and guilt fill every cell in my body. No different than what my youth was like, and it makes me feel like the worst person ever that I didn’t step in, didn’t do more to get them out of the shitshow life they’re trapped in.

Winter, who’s probably seen this sort of thing countless times, correctly reads my body language. “Hey, none of this is your fault, you know. You didn’t cause the situation.”

“I don’t know about that,” I say, rubbing my hands over my face.

I’m fucking exhausted, emotionally drained, and just feel like screaming to let out some of the tension.

“I could’ve stepped in a long time ago, I suppose.

I kept trying… got them a place to live but she trashed it.

Bought her a car, but she sold it. Everything I did, I thought I was helping, and she always told me things were better and I wanted to believe her. ”

“It sounds like you did more than most people might,” Winter says softly.

“So, the focus now is getting the kids into a stable environment. They need somewhere calm and consistent. You’re a professional hockey player.

And before I go any further, I have to give you this disclosure.

When I tell you I’m huge into hockey, you can believe me.

I’ve followed the Crush and knew who you were long before today.

My husband and I even met Georg and Pam Kolochev on our honeymoon.

We were at the same island with them and so.

..yeah, I already know who you are just from following the team and being friends with Georg and Pam.

Probably more than I should know about you if I’m being completely honest.”

“Yeah.” I know where this is going. “I do travel a lot, but I feel like I can figure this out. At least for the time being. I’ve got a nice place in Vegas with a bedroom already set up for them.

I eat healthy. There are good schools in the area.

I can hire someone to stay with them when I’m on the road. I’ll do a background check, whatever.”

“That all sounds great, but I can’t see just putting them on a plane today, Tyler. There are some legal hoops, some vetting, that we need to do.”

“Yeah, I get that I guess…it’s just that I have a job back there, you know? I don’t live here anymore. I can’t stay here indefinitely.”

“I know, and I think it will all be fine. What you’re offering is better than most of the alternatives. Even if it’s just for a few weeks or months while we find something more permanent. Or until your mother earns them back.”

“I can’t—I don’t see that happening. She gets clean for short spurts but never for long. Never permanently.”

“I have to confess, I googled you and had a look at what popped up…”

“And you found a bunch of pictures all over social media of me and women and booze?”

“Yep.” She grins at me but it’s not in a mean way, thankfully. Winter Blakney has got to be the coolest social worker in the whole fucking world. “You might want to tone that down going forward though.”

“Done. The kids are more important right now.”

Winter sucks her lips in and considers this—me—for a long moment. It unnerves me but I don’t flinch away from the scrutiny. She’s doing her job; she has to make a decision about me to recommend to the court. I get it.

“I’m happy to hear it, Tyler, but here’s another question for you. How is a twenty-four… five—twenty-something hockey player supposed to upend his life for two kids?”

“I’ll work it out. I don’t pretend to have all the answers about how I’ll work it out, but I know I’ll get there. Lots of the guys on my team have kids now. They learn how to be parents and play pro-hockey at the same time. Why can’t I?”

“Do you have a partner or spouse?”

“No, but I have friends. I have teammates who can give me advice and recommendations. I have a university education and a brain too, in spite of appearances. I’m financially stable.

I set up trust funds for the kids that no one even knows about so they can go to college one day.

I invest well and I don’t overspend. I can figure this out. I am committed to figuring it out.”

“Okay, that’s good. Any questions for me?”

I’m blank—fuck, what should I be asking? I look at Haley and Logan, who have sat quietly and eaten as we’ve spoken. I imagine this isn’t how they always behave, but what the hell do I know? Fucking nothing.

“Um, what grade is Haley in? I feel so stupid asking that, Winter, but I haven’t stayed close. Are they okay? Did a doctor check them? Do they sleep in beds? I used to sleep on a mattress on the floor for a while, so I don’t even know if Ma gave them beds…”

As I hear Winter’s gasp, my head snaps up to her.

“We’ll find out all of those things, okay? My heart just broke about your bed when you were small. Or lack thereof. We need to go to their home and investigate more. Then we can grab clothes and toys while we’re there. And just so you know, you’re saying all of the right things. Good job, you.”

I let out a sigh of relief so long and loud she laughs at me. At what must look like one shell-shocked dude in so far over his dumb, fucking, head, he’s underwater. But her laughter is kind, so I don’t mind a bit.

“So, here’s the gig. I need you to stay in Boston for a few days.

James, my husband, will get an emergency custody hearing set up and you’ll say everything you told me to the judge.

If he agrees, which I think he will, then we’ll get dispensation for you to take them out of the state, at least temporarily.

Then you can take them home with you to Vegas. ”

“Okay. I’ve already spoken to my coach. He’s going to frontload the rest of the coaching staff and our GM. I’ve been granted two weeks family leave to get the kids settled with me in Vegas. I’ll do whatever I need to do to make this work. Whatever it takes.”

“You’re saying all of the magic words I needed to hear from you, Tyler.

” Winter knocks me out with her million-dollar smile again and I know I hit the motherfucking lottery with her being our case manager.

Small world though that she knows Georg and Pam.

What are the chances of that? And bonus she’s a hockey fan, because I doubt someone older and more jaded would’ve given me chance to help the kids.

“I’m so grateful for your help, Winter. Thank you, thank you, thank you...for this. I won’t let them down.” I wanna hug her I’m so grateful, but I don’t. Not a moron.

“I don’t believe you will, Tyler Lockhardt. I’m an excellent judge of character, and I know a good heart when I feel one.” She taps fingers over her heart and gives me a nod.

“You know, you and the hubs will have box seats for any game we’re ever playin’ at The Garden, right? I gotchu.”

“And I’m sure this hockey fan will take you up on that offer whenever we can.” She claps her hands together silently. “Did I tell you my favorite saying, Tyler?”

“You did not.”

“Either you like hockey or you’re wrong.”

So. Fucking. Lucky.