Page 57 of Clear Shot

“You guys thinking about kids?”

“Uh, no. Not really.” I try to keep my tone light. “That’s not on the radar.”

“Totally get it. Jude and I aren’t either. We’re both way too busy. And there’s nothing wrong with prioritizing your career, you know?”

She continues to chatter as she gathers up some supplies for me—a towel, a few alcohol wipes, and some other random items she puts in my arms.

“Thanks,” she says when someone calls to her. “I have to run.”

I go back into the room where I left Aiden and Donny, and find them on the couch, Donny on Aiden’s lap, head against his shoulder, seemingly fast asleep.

Despite what I’d just told Chloe, my heart flutters a little when I see them.

Aiden looks right at home holding the little boy in his arms, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

And it breaks my heart a little to know that he’s going to deprive himself of something so beautiful.

Chapter 20

Aiden

The next twenty-fourhours are absolute chaos, and we don’t even have time to go back to the apartment until I get the call that the team is meeting in Montreal for the next set of games the day after tomorrow. All home games for the week have been postponed but now that I have to travel, I have no choice but to head back to the apartment to try to get some of my stuff.

We’ve been staying at Remy’s simply because it’s easier and he has access to supplies that no one else has but it’s been exhausting. The super at my building left me a message saying I need to call him but there just hasn’t been time.

Hana, Jordan, Felix, and I have been volunteering at local shelters and soup kitchens, trying to help as best we can. Clearing debris, serving food to people who lost everything, and doing our best to help those who are less fortunate.

And now that I have to leave, guilt settles in my gut like a heavy cloud.

Not only do I feel guilty about my cushy life playing sports, I’m not sure how I feel about leaving my wife in the midst of the mess Hurricane Katherine left behind.

We haven’t discussed our new intimacy—there hasn’t been time for anything—but I’m sure it’s been on her mind as much as it’s been on mine.

I slow down as we pull up to my building and stop the bike out front.

The remote-controlled gate I normally go through to get into the parking area is gone, the doors that lead to the underground parking garage are wide open.

“That’s not good,” I mutter under my breath. I gun the engine and drive inside but stop almost immediately.

“Hey, Aiden.” The building superintendent waves as I get off my bike.

“What’s going on, Harvey?”

He shakes his head. “Parking garage fared okay but there’s a lot of damage to the apartments. Some of the storm shutters were old and the wind ripped them right off the building. Your side was impacted.”

“Shit.” I grab Hana’s hand and head for the entrance to the building.

“Elevator’s out,” Harvey yells after us.

Great.

I guess six floors of stairs is a good way to get some cardio in, but I turn to Hana.

“You good with the stairs?”

She nods. “Of course.”

We head up and I’m a little tentative as we get to my floor. Doors have been boarded or taped up, and we breeze past neighbors moving furniture, boxes, and handfuls of personal items.