Page 10 of Game Changer (Wynn Hockey #5)

Jax shoots his grandpa a concerned look. “How’s he doing?”

Everly’s eyes shadow and her lips droop. “Okay. Sometimes good, sometimes…not.”

Right. It had slipped my mind that her dad has Alzheimer’s. “I’m so sorry about your dad’s illness,” I say quietly.

“Thanks. It’s been hard.”

“Yeah, we should get together,” Jax says. “We need to talk.”

“You sure?” Everly eyes him skeptically. “You didn’t seem to want to have much to do with it.”

“I was on the other side of the country,” Jax replies, with a hint of defensiveness.

I touch his back to show my support.

“Uh huh,” she says skeptically.

“You’re here now.” Riley defends him, narrowing her eyes briefly at Everly.

Hmmm.

“Yeah,” he says shortly, then sips his wine. “We can get together any time.”

“I’ll arrange it,” Everly says tersely.

Dinner is served then, so we all move to the gigantic dining room with a table as long as a runway. I pause next to Aline. “I didn’t realize this was a sit-down dinner. I do apologize for showing up uninvited.”

“It’s fine.” She’s so gracious and sweet. “We’re happy to have you. Here, you can sit next to Jax.”

She probably had to reconfigure her entire table setting because of me.

Oh wait—she didn’t know Jax was coming either.

Nonetheless, shame curls inside me at my selfish entreaty for Jax to bring me here.

Well, actually, I didn’t need to come to the party; I would have been fine exploring the resort.

He was the one who insisted on not leaving me alone my first night.

Still, I feel a bit ill-mannered. I resolve to leave Jax to his family visits for the rest of our stay here. There’s a lot to do at the resort and I’ll keep busy.

“So, has my family convinced you that I’m right about them?” he asks in a low voice.

“They are…a lot,” I admit. “But I like them.”

“Ooookay.”

I nudge him with my elbow. “Come on. You like them too. You love your sister.”

“Yeah, she’s okay.”

I laugh.

Conversation buzzes around us. I find myself watching Bob Wynn, how he doesn’t seem to pay attention to the conversation, noting how Chelsea sticks close to him, and the determinedly cheerful expression she wears.

Sadness swells in my chest for both of them.

Well, for the entire family, but right now I’m imagining what it’s like for a husband and wife to be losing half of their relationship.

I look down at my plate. One more reason to never have a relationship.

I’m an outsider for much of the talk; there are family reminiscences, some of them a bit snarky, stories and jokes. But I listen and laugh and occasionally Jax leans closer to explain something to me.

After dinner, Jax and I take seats in the living room near Bob Wynn, and listen to the conversation he’s having with Mark and Matthew.

It’s…heartbreaking.

And I can tell Jax is hurting too.

They talk about the Condors’ season and Bob nods and smiles and makes a comment that’s completely unrelated.

He tells a story about someone, I don’t even know who, which goes on for a good two or three minutes, but makes no sense whatsoever.

It’s words, and he sounds clear and confident, but they’re not put together into anything meaningful.

I sense Jax’s frustration, but somehow I know it doesn’t help to tell Bob he’s not making sense, or ask him if he remembers the first time Jax scored a goal.

He can’t remember and it’s not fair to ask him.

I don’t have experience with Alzheimer’s, but I smile when Bob smiles, and make appropriate comments during the story as if it makes sense.

I meet Chelsea’s eyes. She’s used to this, I can tell. She gives me a faint smile, almost apologetic but tinged with sadness, and I return the smile with a minute shake of my head to say it’s okay.

Ash is leaving, so people stand and mingle about to say goodbye.

“You and Harrison live together. Why didn’t you two come in the same car?” Everly asks Ash.

“First rule of Wynn family gatherings,” JP says. “Always bring your own car so you can leave when you want.”

Everyone laughs.

Ash points at him in agreement.

“It’s true,” Jax says in my ear. “You ready to go?”

“Any time you are. I’m just tagging along.”

“I’ll have lots of time to visit with everyone,” he says. “I think I need to…go for a walk.”

I nod, and we take our leave too, with lots of hugs and intentions to make plans. I’m touched when Riley says, “I hope I’ll see you again.”

I shrug and peek over at Jax. “I hope so too. We’ll see.”

Everly, Lacey and Taylor make similar comments, suggesting a girls’ night while I’m here.

It sounds fun and amazing, and I could use some girl power support right now, but I’m not really part of this family.

I’m only Jax’s friend and I’ll probably never see them again, but I make non-committal comments and then Jax and I head out.

“Holy shit,” he says.

“You okay?”

“I don’t even know.” He rubs his mouth and pulls out of the driveway. “There’s dysfunctional, and then there’s whatever the fuck we are.”