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Chapter Fifteen

Travis

M allow’s family was…something else. Like, the first night, to celebrate his homecoming, they threw a barbecue in his honor. I lost track at about fifty people, but apparently two hundred and two showed up.

Nana was in her element. She directed her many minions to do all the cooking, food organizing, and beach activities as the sun set over the ocean.

I didn’t remember ever seeing such stunning colors. But then, when had I ever paid attention to the sky? Occasionally, Dodge would nudge me and I’d look up from my work to see a beautiful sunrise or sunset. Most of the time, though, I kept my head down and did my work. The more ties, the better.

Now, though, with the pink, purple, yellow, and scarlet skies—along with beautiful puffy clouds—I could acknowledge what I’d missed in my life.

Tiki torches were lit and Nana insisted I sit next to her as a group of the men did some funky dance. Then the women did some neat stuff as well.

Isaiah tried to explain the significance of everything.

I did my best to understand, but the magic of the moment carried me away.

Nana tapped my arm as another dance ended. “Have you had enough to eat?”

I patted my stomach. “Completely full.”

She tisked. “Need more food.”

I’d already put on about five pounds since meeting Mallow and Maria. And yes, she’d have fattened me up even more if she could.

Every night she wasn’t working, she invited us over.

Mallow would gently extend our regrets about half the time, knowing she was run off her feet at work and not wanting her to fuss over the two of us.

Still, as each visit passed, I felt more and more like I had a second mother. My mother’d been estranged from her parents—after she got pregnant with me and hadn’t told them—so I’d never known my grandparents.

Now, with Nana by my side, I longed for what could have been.

And celebrated what was.

“I’m okay with the amount I’ve eaten.”

Her nose twitched. “Stomach still upset from the plane? Tomorrow we’ll get some more fruit into you. To calm your stomach.”

I didn’t remember fruit as a remedy for an upset stomach, but I sure as shit wasn’t going to question Nana’s wisdom.

She leaned over. “Isaiah is so very much like his father.”

I stilled.

“A better man, though.” She sighed. “I loved my son, but he wasn’t the most responsible of men. I understood why Maria didn’t want to come back to live with us after he left.”

Maria had been visiting New Zealand when she’d been wooed by Mallow’s dad. They’d married and had Mallow. She’d stayed in Christchurch until her husband had taken off with another man. She’d filed for divorce, packed up Mallow, and headed back to Canada. Mallow was a dual citizen.

“I think…” I cleared my throat. “She once said she’d loved him.”

“Smitten.” Nana smiled. The fire sparked light in her dark-brown eyes.

Eyes so like Mallow’s. “They shouldn’t have married.

Too young. Too impetuous. But neither could be talked out of it.

When she left, my heart broke. I might have twenty-one grandchildren, but Isaiah always had a special place in my heart. ”

Which blew my mind. Not the special part—that was a given.

Especially with his gentle personality. No, the fact Nana had six children, twenty-one grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

So far, as she liked to say. She’d confided she wanted Isaiah to have children, then casually asked if I wanted them as well.

I nearly choked on papaya juice. I’d sputtered. Settling had taken a while because, as I watched Mallow surrounded by all the kids, I could totally see him as a father.

As I thought about my solitary life, I couldn’t envision a family.

Probably should’ve had that conversation before you moved in, eh?

Yeah, yeah. No probably about it. If we’d been a hetero couple, that would’ve been top on the agenda. Being gay didn’t really absolve us of the tough stuff. I’d just been so damn eager to share my life with him. I’d never considered my life might involve so many…children.

Becca was already dropping broad hints about us babysitting so she and Roger could get some alone time before the next child arrived. Their youngest was still in diapers—which terrified me. I had to google how to put a diaper on a toddler.

Fascinating.

And something I never saw myself doing. Nope, that would be Mallow’s job. And I’d rope Cassandra into helping me keep the little ones occupied.

See? I had everything worked out.

Except…my heart.

“I’m going to bed.” Nana squeezed my arm.

“Do you need an escort home?” Somehow, the three houses on either side of Nana’s were owned by various members of her family. Tonight’s party was at Peter’s and he lived one door down from his mother.

I wasn’t certain how I’d feel about Maria living in the condo next to ours. But I’d welcome her—especially if Mallow was happy. Anything to make Mallow happy.

“Paul will escort me.” She snapped her fingers, and a nephew approached.

“Hi, Nana.”

“I’m ready.”

“Of course.” He offered his arm. He was…

I scratched my chin. Nope, I couldn’t remember whose child he was. I needed Mallow to make a whiteboard with all the family. Well, maybe not all two hundred and two.

Nana eyed me for a long moment. “You’ll do.” Then she and Paul were gone.

Everyone waved and a few family members hugged her, but soon enough she’d disappeared.

Mallow dropped into her vacant chair.

“Isn’t that sacrilege?”

“Shh.” He grinned. “I won’t say anything if you won’t.”

“Isn’t that my line?”

“Nana loves me.”

“That she does.”

“She wants me to move home.”

“You are half Kiwi.” The thought of losing him, so soon after I’d found him, nearly broke me.

He shifted uncomfortably. “I got a call today.”

I blinked. “When?”

“You were passed out on the bed. I happened to be awake, so I snuck out of the room to check it.”

This is bad. He didn’t want to tell me and…it’s bad. “And? Don’t keep me in suspense.” I tried to laugh at that.

It sounded forced.

Apparently to both of us because he winced.

“The coach of the All Blacks wants to meet me.”

“The…” I scrunched my nose. “That’s the New Zealand rugby team.”

“Yeah.”

“The best team in the world.”

“Uh…” He pursed his lips. “The New Zealand Women won the 7s.”

“And Canada took silver.” I sat a little straighter. See? I was paying attention.

“Women and men are currently third. But like we’re less than two points out of the top spot.”

“And Canada?” Apparently I hadn’t been paying enough attention.

“Women are second and men’s…” He sighed.

“Ah. So playing for New Zealand?”

“The All Blacks? Dream come true.”

“When’s the meeting?”

“Two days after Christmas.”

“Where?” My gut churned.

“He happens to be in Christchurch.”

“Well, do you want me to drive you?” A big joke because people here drove on the wrong side of the road and, although I was pretty adept at things, shifting with my left arm intimidated me. There, I admitted it—I wasn’t keen to drive. Pretty much a first.

“He’s not going to ask me to join the squad.”

“But he might ask you to try out.”

“I’m Canadian.”

“You’re half Kiwi.”

“He probably just wants intel on the Canadian team.”

“Which you won’t give him.” I might not know everything about my boyfriend—but I knew that much.

He snagged my hand. “He’s not going to ask me.”

“You don’t know that. You’re one of Canada’s best fullbacks.”

“Who has to work a second job to pay the mortgage. I’m not even a full-time player.”

I scowled. I hadn’t realized how little some athletes were paid. I’d heard the salaries for professional hockey, baseball, basketball, and football players and had assumed other athletes were at least making enough to live off.

Spending time with Mallow had taught me how far off those assumptions were. “Are we arguing?”

He leaned over to press a kiss to my cheek. “It would be, like, our first time. So let it not be about something we can’t change.”

Could we really not change it? “If they ask you to try out, you need to. If you make the squad, you have to move here and play for them. Even if you’re on the bench a lot at the beginning, I think you need to do this.”

He held my gaze. “Do you want me to move?”

My scowl deepened. God, is he really this dense? Not even factoring that I wouldn’t have a home if he moved here, I didn’t want to lose him. I’d only just found him. “I want you to be happy. If that means playing with one of the best teams in the world, then I’m supportive.”

“And if that means languishing with a lesser-known team?”

“You’re not exactly languishing. You play almost every game. You’re integral to the team. You’re—”

“Going to take the meeting because one doesn’t turn down a meeting like that, but I am also not interested. You’re right. I’ll be a benchwarmer at best. That’s if I even move up onto the squad.”

I didn’t say you’d be a benchwarmer. You’d be the best fullback on the entire fucking team . Except I didn’t know the depth of the bench. He’d talked about the All Blacks before. Had even said there was a series about them. We’d planned to watch it when we went back to Canada.

“He did procure two tickets for a game before we go home. In Wellington. That means more flying.”

The urge to hurl overwhelmed, but I fought it down. “Whenever, wherever. I’m there, okay?” Because what was a little barf between lovers?

His eyes glittered—much as his grandmother’s had. “Yeah, sounds good.”