Page 77 of Forbidden Hockey

“My son would be pissed, too, if I tried to sabotage his relationship.” But I wince. I have done that. Not in the monumental way he has. Um, or well, I guess I have beaten a few guys up.Sigh.Okay, so I’m an overprotective dad, but my son was abducted for fucksakes. That deserves a pass, doesn’t it? I’m not sure, but I can’t find the fucks I give, so I ignore the little voice of regret that tries to get my attention.

Great. Now I need to know what reason he could have for taking the harsh actions he did to make sure he’s the unreasonable one, and I’m not.

“Not surprised you’ve heard. Those boys are a tight-knit group.”

I’m doing my best to stop referring to them as boys because of Dirk, but the internal cringe happens against my will due to his moniker as my brain helpfully supplies the last time Dirk and I were together, my dick firmly in his ass.

I offer a curt nod.

“Do you think there’s any hope for repair? Rhett’s pissed. I was thinking about cutting off access to all his family accounts. I’d hate to do it, but I’ve got to do something, so he’ll be forced to talk to me.”

“Rhett’s an adult. You’ve got to let him make his own decisions.”

Maxwell laughs and then laughs some more. When he sees I’m not laughing, he stops. “Oh, you’re serious.” He pauses. “Is that what you do, Nolan?”

Mentally filing through my track record isn’t good, but then I come up with Syd. I’ve mostly stayed out of that one. Given, I may have had my “brothers” look into him, and I might know he’s a good guy, but I won’t mention that.

“My boy’s dating someone right now. I don’t love his choice, but it’s his choice.”

Maxwell sips his soda, thinking. “Rhett was my prodigy. He was supposed to marry the cream of the crop. I don’t know if I like Logan. He grew up in a trailer.” Maxwell wrinkles his nose. That man was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

“So did I, and you’re getting your advice from me. Listen, Elkington, you’re going to ruin your relationship with your son if you keep scheming. Is that what you want?”

He taps his fingers on the bar top. “No, which is why I’ve already sent an apology letter. I’ve allowed them to keep their marriage if they choose.”

It pains him, but I guess it says something that he’s doing it.

“Then why rock the boat? Leave it, Maxwell. You wanted my advice? There it is. Let them live their life. This too shall pass.”

He downs his soda, pulling a wad of cash from his wallet. “How much? Will a couple hundred cover this?”

“That burger is twenty-two bucks, the soda’s on the house.”

He tosses the pile of cash on the counter anyway. “Consider the rest a bonus,” he looks around, “for your silence.”

Before I can tell him I don’t need to be paid off, he’s gone. He probably wouldn’t have believed me anyway.

What in the fuck was that? I don’t know, but I hope he doesn’t come back.

Chapter

Thirteen

Christmas Break

Dirk

Imight kill my friends. Casey and Sutter are sorta finally getting their shit together, but actually admitting they’re boyfriends might come as a deathbed confession. I saw the way Dash sunk his claws into Stacey at the Christmas get-together, staking his territory. All the life he’s been missing all season returned to him instantly, as if it had never left. As if he saved the best parts of himself for Stacey.

After a dinner with Hunter—in which he grilled me on my love life while I ground my teeth to dust—I head to the place I’ve been thinking about since I got back into town.

Trav’s.

Stacey and Dash—yeah, as a pair because they’re attached at the fucking hip—were with Trav for dinner while I was with Hunter, but they’re on their way home. God, they’re fucking annoying. Just … get together already. I’m happy to bash their heads together if they need it.

The door to the restaurant’s been left open for me. Trav’s at the bar with a fresh pint.

“Pub’s closed,” he says, even though he knows damn well it’s me. He’s fucking with me.