Page 13

Chapter 13

Farther away than you think

Braydon

Jayna’s parents were coming to watch a game. They had enough money and flexibility to make it, while my folks were still arranging time off. I was nervous and worried that I might embarrass Jayna, when she was doing so much to help me, so it was time to get a new suit. I needed one anyway, now that I was with the Blaze, just to keep up.

After practice, while everyone was still pulling off their sweaty gear, I took a breath and asked, loudly, if anyone knew a good place to get one.

Conversation stopped and every eye turned to Cooper. He looked at me and nodded. “We’ll go after lunch.”

Shit. I didn’t mean to bother the team captain.

Petrov leaned over. “Is good to buy with Cooper.”

Really? It felt presumptuous to me.

* * *

Cooper was at the players’ entrance, talking on the phone when I came out to the parking lot. He lifted his chin at me. “We’ll find you a suit today, but how about we also get something tailored for you?”

I could imagine how much getting something tailored would cost. “Um, I mostly want something for when Jayna’s parents are here for the next game.”

He rolled his eyes and spoke into the phone. “Sorry, it’ll be a rush job. Dark blue, I think—this one will need to be versatile. We’ll be there in ten.”

I rubbed a hand on my pants. “Are you sure? You could just tell me a place to go.”

He smiled. “I lead the team both on the ice and in dressing. That suit you wear has been giving me nightmares, so I’m not sure you can pick out something appropriate.” He shrugged. “So far, it’s not looking good.”

He insisted on driving and led the way to a black Bentley. I eyed it enviously. Maybe someday…

He chirped a fob and I climbed into an incredibly comfortable seat, even at my size. Once we had seat belts on, he steered the car out of the lot and into the streets, familiar with the car and the route.

“Things are going well with Jayna?”

I didn’t expect he’d ask me about the dating thing. “Yeah. It’s going great.”

He shot me a glance. “Not sure what’s going on there, but I invited you to Seb’s place that night and you didn’t show. Which makes me wonder why you were so pissed that she went to the party.”

My mouth dropped open, but I had no idea what to say.

He lifted his hand. “I don’t know what the story is, and I don’t need to. I trust Jayna. Just, if you ever need to talk, I’m here.”

“Thank you,” I managed.

“Saw you had practice with the Bonfire. Faith give you a hard time?”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “Nothing I didn’t deserve.”

“I had doubts about you, Mitchell, after that video. But maybe it was just a mistake.”

“It was. Definitely. I haven’t broken my two-beer rule since because I’m obviously terrible when I’m drunk.”

“Probably good to stick to that. Here we are.”

We pulled behind a store somewhere downtown—I hadn’t been watching where we went. Cooper turned off the car and then led the way to the back door. It was opened before we got there.

“Mr. Cooper, so nice to see you.” The man was short and elderly, but his eyes were bright and curious as he looked at me.

“My teammate here needs something to impress his girlfriend’s parents, and obviously he has to up his game for the Blaze.”

The man ran his eyes over me and I had to fight not to squirm. “We have work to do. Come.”

* * *

Jayna

Braydon got tickets for my parents after I assured him I wanted him to. They weren’t going to change, not after all these years. Nothing I achieved in my hockey career would offset my gender. Wayne, playing in Germany, was the one whose hockey career mattered to them. They were the family I had, so…getting them tickets, having them come to a game to watch my boyfriend, should take care of my dealings with them until our fake dating was over. Seeing them fawn over my “date” would rub on my last nerve, but I could use them to promote our dating narrative. Most of the time I spent with them I was irritated with no upside.

They’d flown in from Winnipeg the afternoon of the game. I was tied up with work so I arranged to meet them after. They’d fly home tomorrow morning. Perks of a successful real estate business.

Braydon had heard what they were like so he wasn’t going in blind. I wasn’t sure exactly how they’d act, since I’d never dated a hockey player before. Could be embarrassing.

In the current standings, with a month to go, the Blaze held one of the playoff spots. And barring a last-minute collapse, they should be playing in the postseason. They weren’t likely to win the division, but they might be able to get home ice advantage for the first round or two. This gave the team a chance to get used to the new goalie situation without the same pressure as if they were contending for one of the last playoffs spots.

For the game tonight Petey was scheduled to start, with Braydon backing him up. The team they were playing from Jersey had little chance of making the playoffs, but the points from a win would help the Blaze in their standings. As expected, Petey played the full game, and Braydon sat on the bench making notes.

I did my job—posting throughout the game, watching the press conferences and putting clips up on social media. Once that was done I went down to meet Braydon in the friends and family room. It was mostly cleared out by that point, but Braydon was talking to Ducky while he waited for me.

“Ready?” I asked.

I was wearing pants—I didn’t like exposing my knee in a skirt unless I had to, and March weather in Toronto was a fickle beast. Mostly, it would feel too much like catering to my parents. I had my cane, though I could go without it for longer stretches now. As a compromise, I’d worn a soft sweater in light blue, since my mother was likely to comment on whether I was keeping my hockey player boyfriend attracted. She’d already been gushy and pushy on the phone, and I was kind of enjoying imagining the call when I told her we’d broken up. Petty, but still…satisfying.

Braydon looked nervous, foot tapping and hands tugging on the sleeves of his shirt. He had on a new suit, one that fit him better. I was sure the guys on the Blaze had advice on where to get a suit to fit a hockey player’s body. They had a reputation as a well-dressed team, mostly thanks to Cooper.

When Braydon saw me in the doorway, he let out a breath. “Do I look okay?”

Define okay. The suit emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist, with that hockey player ass covered by the jacket. Thick thighs and long legs. His blond hair was slightly damp, lying darker than usual in what was obviously a new haircut. The only thing marring his appearance was the worried look in his blue eyes.

Color me dense. He’d done all this to meet my parents. Even though this was a fake relationship and he’d never need to talk to them again, he’d made a real effort. Something inside me swooned but I stiffened my spine. This wasn’t real, and I didn’t date hockey players. Just because he was a nice guy didn’t mean I had to…feel things.

“Yeah, you look fine.” And I didn’t emphasize the last word, even if it would have been accurate to do so.

Braydon pulled on his collar. “Should we go, then?”

I snapped my gaze away from him and pivoted toward the hall to the parking lot. “You can drive?”

He nodded. We’d chosen a place a little north of the arena—far enough away to not be swamped by fans who’d been at the game, not too far from my parents’ hotel, and near a subway stop so I could get to my place easily. It was a pub-style bar/restaurant, so we could find something simple to eat without being stuck at a long dinner after the game.

Braydon offered to let me off at the door, but I preferred to stay with him. He found street parking half a block away. The big piles of snow were gone, so walking was easier and I left my cane in the truck. Braydon offered me his arm. Normally I’d refuse to look like I needed help, but tonight I was playing the part of girlfriend, so I smiled and accepted. When we entered the restaurant, I was still hanging on Braydon’s arm. My parents were waiting near the bar, and my mom, spotting us, smiled ear to ear.

I braced myself. “They’re over there.” I tilted my head.

“You look like your mom.” Braydon leaned in to speak in my ear, over the chatter of the restaurant, and my mom’s smile grew even bigger.

Guess it wouldn’t be difficult to convince them we were really dating.

I let Braydon lead me over. “Mom, Dad, this is Braydon Mitchell. Braydon, these are my parents, Dave and Joan Templin.”

Braydon took my dad’s outstretched hand and shook it. “Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“Forget the sir, I’m Dave.”

“And I’m Joan,” my mom added. “It’s so nice to meet you.”

The hostess interrupted, indicating our table was ready. We followed her, weaving through the crowd to a table at the back. Braydon held out a chair for me, and I sat down across from my mother.

“Thank you for getting us tickets.” My dad leaned across the table. “Always a treat to watch a game. Too bad you didn’t get a chance to play.”

I gripped the menu before me with clenched fists. I’d offered them tickets to see my games but it had been a couple of years since they attended one.

Braydon pressed his thigh against mine as he opened his menu. “I’m new, and I have a lot to learn. It’s a real education just to watch the game from the bench.”

My dad’s approval of that answer was obvious. “Humble and willing to learn. More players should have that attitude.”

I stiffened. Was he saying I should have that attitude? How the hell would he know what my game was like, since he rarely saw me play? Or had Wayne stopped accepting all the offered advice and criticism?

The waiter came by and we ordered drinks. I stuck to water, while Braydon asked for a soft drink. My dad suggested beer, but Braydon refused because he was driving. Yep, he was perfect for my parents. My mom kept glancing between the two of us, assessing how serious this was, and how close she was to her dream of having an NHL player in the family.

Farther away than you think, Mom.

We picked through the menu to decide what to eat. Braydon ordered grilled chicken and vegetables. Dad followed. Because it was what he wanted or to bond with Braydon? Mom ordered a salad, but I chose a wrap.

“Sure you don’t want a salad, Jayna?”

I forced a big smile. “No, the wrap is good.”

“You’re not playing anymore. You aren’t burning up those calories.”

My smile dropped. “I’m still working out and doing rehab.” But I was less active than I used to be, and for a moment, I wondered—was I putting on weight?

Braydon put his hand on my leg. I met his gaze and he let it drop down over my body and back up. He winked, a reassurance that I didn’t need to worry. My cheeks flushed, but I felt stronger as the waiter left, and I didn’t cave.

“You know,” my dad said, and I knew what was coming, “I almost played. In the NHL, I mean. Did Jayna mention that?”

Like I would tell everyone that Dad was “almost” drafted.

Braydon sidestepped that land mine. “So, hockey runs in the family?”

Dad’s chest puffed out. “It certainly does. My father played in the big leagues?—”

Three whole games, if we were being accurate.

“—and a lot of people thought I should have been drafted. Came close. And Wayne, of course, was drafted. He’s playing in Europe now.”

“Jayna mentioned that.”

“I’ve been telling him to listen to his coaches, giving some advice—I think he could make it yet.”

Braydon nodded. “That would be great. And of course, Jayna is an incredible player.”

There was a moment of silence, since my parents hadn’t expected that. They didn’t expect my fucking boyfriend would know and admire my play. That was my family issue in a nutshell.

My mother spoke first. “Of course she’s done well. It’s not the NHL, like you’re doing now, but?—”

Braydon shrugged. “I’m just playing backup because a couple of guys got hurt. But Jayna—she won an Olympic medal. If I won something like that, my parents would have it framed on the wall right inside the door, so everyone had to see it when they came over.”

My gold medal was at my place. Along with all my other trophies and medals. I’d left some at home when I moved out, but the next visit home they’d been packed up in a box. I took the hint.

My dad was happy to shift the conversation down the direction of professional players being allowed in the Olympics. Braydon said things like, “Oh, I see,” and nodded a few times which was all my dad needed.

To make sure Braydon wasn’t forced to listen to my dad show off for the whole meal, I asked about Wayne. My dad could give a play-by-play of his last game, including commentary about what Wayne had either done wrong or should do better. Since Braydon was a goalie, the advice didn’t apply, so he just listened and nodded some more.

“Now, son,” my dad said, and I stiffened.

What?

“I hope you don’t mind me calling you that, but we consider you family.”

What the ever-loving hell? A week ago they didn’t know who this guy was and now he was family?

“I watched that game you played, carefully, and have a couple of observations, if you don’t mind.”

Oh, no. This was too much. “Dad, he has coaches.”

Dad gave me his sour lemon face. “Good players are always open to improvement.”

Really? He never gave me any of his observations. Guess I wasn’t a good enough player.

Mom interrupted. “It was too bad you weren’t allowed to finish that game. I understood why you were upset in that video. I didn’t expect an NHL team to pull a stunt like that.”

I inhaled a sharp breath. A woman playing in an NHL game, my teammate playing in an NHL game, and my mother called it a stunt? I grew up with their attitude, but it still hurt.

Braydon raised his brows. “I’m embarrassed about what I said that night. It was never about Faith as a hockey player. Faith played a great period and didn’t let in a single shot.”

My dad scoffed. “It was obviously set up for that. You earned the team the win and everyone agreed to let her have an easy go to look good.”

Braydon shook his head. “Maybe it looked different on TV, but from my seat those were real shots. And Petey went down in warm-ups, so there wasn’t a lot of time to set anything up. I was impressed with how well Faith did.”

“You’re a team player, Braydon. That’s a good trait.”

Of course the guy couldn’t be giving his honest opinion, just the one the team made him, because my dad, despite the evidence of his own eyes, could not accept a woman playing as well as a man. I wanted this dinner over. I needed time before I faced my parents again. Maybe a few years?

The server arrived with our meals, and I had no appetite.

Braydon asked my dad what position he played, and I tried to tune out the familiar stories as Dad told him about his glory days and how not being drafted was a huge oversight by the professional scouts.

I should have kept my mouth shut, but I couldn’t. “Braydon wasn’t drafted either.” He’d still found a way to make it.

My father wasn’t deterred. “It’s good that they’re more open to checking out prospects who slip through the draft now. If Wayne works a little harder, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him back here.”

Wayne had all the assistance my parents could afford to give him already, but I stuffed some fries in my mouth to keep quiet.

My mother picked delicately at her salad. “You must enjoy having Jayna at your games.”

I was at the games to work, but…sure. As long as I was there for my man.

Braydon shot me a look. “It’s nice, but it’s only been a couple of times. I was playing in Hamilton, and she works with the Blaze and Bonfire, so she’s not at the Inferno games.”

“I’m sure she’ll be there now if you go back down.”

Oh, would I? “I still have to cover the Blaze and Bonfire games. It’s my job .” The Bonfire only played on weekends, and the Inferno played most of their games then as well.

“Jayna, you need to get serious about your life. You’ve had fun, but now it’s time to guarantee your future.”

I dropped my fork. The future they wanted me to guarantee? Was to tie myself to the male hockey player beside me.

Me playing hockey? Was being irresponsible and selfish.

Braydon and Wayne? Just needed to work hard.

I shoved back my chair. “I’m leaving.”

“What’s wrong?”

I didn’t answer, just grabbed my coat from the back of my chair. Mom and Dad would tell themselves that I was dramatic and needed to grow up. They’d never acknowledge that they were being hurtful.

Braydon stood as well. Couldn’t blame him—he didn’t know the family drama he was dropped into and he’d probably been wanting to flee since we got our drinks.

“Jayna,” my mom hissed. “Don’t make a scene.”

My dad shook his head. “Sorry, Braydon. Jayna can get a little emotional.”

I blinked a few times. Why I wasn’t immune to them by now, I didn’t know.

Braydon turned to face my parents. His lips were pressed tightly together, as if he’d been holding back.

He grabbed my wrist, preventing me from leaving. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, and I only just met you, but Jayna is a talented professional hockey player, one of the best, and is doing a great job on media for the Blaze. She knows more about hockey than a lot of my teammates and has dealt with my stupidity with understanding and patience that I don’t deserve.”

I froze, hardly able to believe what I was hearing.

“She’s been battling a horrible injury, and I’ve never heard her complain, though she loves hockey as much as anyone I know. I’m incredibly lucky to spend time with her, and she’ll make any future she wants because she has skill and determination and earns the support of everyone she works with. I don’t know why you aren’t proud of that, but that’s your loss.”

He tugged on my wrist, and led me away from the table where my parents sat, speechless. I’d never had anyone support me like that. I had so many mixed-up feelings right now, but after that takedown of my parents? I wanted to climb him like a tree.