Page 10 of Pucking Strong (Jacksonville Rays #4)

E lin ?gren sits across the table, her fingers cupping a mug of coffee.

Her blue eyes are sharp as she holds my gaze.

She’s been my lawyer for eight years. Usually, she’s navigating hockey contracts and endorsement deals.

Family law is a first for us. We’ve been arguing on the phone for the last four days as she prepared my custody plan.

It was finally time for us to meet in person.

The hospital cafeteria buzzes with early morning activity. Most of the tables are full, with more people coming through the doors in search of coffee or a pastry. Somewhere in this hospital, Karolina is finally getting her leg wrapped in a cast. It’s the only reason I agreed to meet with Elin now.

I’m loath to leave Karro, even for a moment. I don’t want her to be alone. In truth, I don’t want to be alone either. Not today. Not now. At this very moment, my sister is being cremated.

As tired as I’ve been, I tossed and turned all night, my short moments of sleep plagued with dreams of screeching tires and crunching metal.

I’ve been dreaming of car accidents since the day I received the phone call.

With Karolina’s screams echoing in my ears, I got out of bed, passed Teddy asleep on my couch, and went for a run early this morning.

He’s been a godsend. These last four days, he’s hardly left my side.

While I’m busy caring for Karro, he cares for me, offering me food and encouraging me to stretch my legs.

He stays with Karro when I have to take calls from my lawyers, my parents, my agent, the doctors, the team.

He makes her laugh, using silly voices for her bear.

At night, we go back to my apartment and pass the time quietly.

It feels strange to open my life to him in this way.

No one has ever been in my apartment except for Petra and Karro.

We order in food, and he explores my bookshelves or watches TV on a low volume.

More often, we both just part ways and crash asleep, starting it all over in the morning.

Well, he sleeps. In fact, he snores. It’s faint, but I can hear it. I lie awake on my back each night, staring up at the ceiling, mind racing, heart aching, and listen to the whisper-soft exhales of the man asleep on my couch.

Teddy sits next to me now, sipping his coffee.

I can’t help but glance over at him. He usually wears his hair pulled back at work.

This is the first morning he left with it down.

I’ve never really seen locs up close. Each strand falls well past his shoulders.

They’re darker at the root, lighter at the tips.

Some look almost golden in this morning sunshine.

His knee bounces under the table, distracting me. Reaching down, I place my hand on his thigh. He jumps with surprise, but his knee stops shaking. I turn my attention back to Elin. “Please, continue.”

“I’ve reviewed all similar cases from the past three years, and it comes down to this,” she goes on.

“In the eyes of the Swedish government, you are asking to remove an injured child from her home country, a country where she receives excellent healthcare. That’s the immediate pressing concern.

In the long term, you would also deny her a Swedish education, access to her Swedish culture and language.

And with your demanding work schedule, you offer her no stability, no daily support.

She’ll spend more time in the care of strangers than she will with you. Can you deny any of this?”

“Perhaps while I’m in season,” I admit. “But when the season is over, I always return to Sweden. For holidays too. And we’ll speak Swedish together at home.”

Elin considers for a moment. “I’m just not convinced it’s a winning case to secure her immediate custody.

There’s still the issue of you being gone more than you’re home.

And do you have anything arranged for her yet?

School? Medical care? Any kind of live-in support?

Will they speak Swedish? Otherwise, how will she communicate with them? ”

I fight the urge to groan. “I’ve told you.

I can’t arrange anything without first having proof of custody.

I’ve been spinning my wheels needlessly for days, fighting with everyone from nursing companies to the Rays HR department.

They all say they can’t make a move without something signed proving I have custody of Karolina. ”

Teddy slides his coffee mug aside. “I’m sorry, I feel like I have to cut in here. It’s Elin, right?”

She nods.

“Well, this all just seems crazy to me, Elin. I mean, Karlsson should get her.” He jabs a thumb at me for emphasis.

“He’s the next of kin and he wants to take her.

He has the means to provide an excellent life, either here or back in the States.

Heck, her dolls will live better than me, and I’m a freaking doctor. ”

Dropping my hand from his thigh, I survey him.

He’s been so passionate about this. Am I really surprised?

He worked with children in rehabilitation.

And he mentioned he’s a family man. He has three sisters, and they all have children.

It makes sense why he’s so good with Karro.

He’s had plenty of practice, certainly more than me.

In this moment, I can only feel grateful.

This has all felt so bleak, but his strength is giving me strength.

“What about what Karolina wants?” he goes on. “Do you think she’d rather go live with strangers in a foster situation or with her dear Morbror Henrik? Would staying in Sweden really make up for the trauma she’ll experience being taken away from him now?”

Finding my voice, I sit forward. “I fail to see how anyone could care for my niece better than me. My financial disclosures alone should reassure the court that I’m capable of providing for her. More importantly, no one will love her more than me. She is my heart. She’s mine , Elin.”

With a patient sigh, Elin sets her coffee aside. “If you wish me to press your case, I will do everything in my power to see that you win.”

I raise a brow. “But?”

“But I’m a pragmatist,” she replies. “I want my clients to have all the facts so there are no surprises. Disappointments, yes. If you lose, it will be disappointing in the extreme. But it will not be a surprise.”

“Total freaking bullshit,” Teddy mutters.

I’m inclined to agree with him.

But Elin is the one who has all the research.

She knows the legal precedent here. She wouldn’t be pushing me like this if there weren’t a real chance I could lose.

She reaches into her bag and pulls out a folder.

“We’re ready with our plan. I can file today.

But I urge you to first consider looking at these before you make any final decisions that may affect her life … or your own.”

A sinking feeling of doom settles in my chest. “What do you mean?”

She holds my gaze. “In this moment, two things are happening at once. You are grieving your sister, while making plans for your niece. One relies on emotion, but the other must be handled objectively.”

Next to me, Teddy stiffens. “And what? You’re worried he can’t do two things at once?”

She’s quiet for a moment. “I’m worried your grief may be clouding your objectivity, yes.”

I cross my arms, glaring at her.

“Accepting a child into your life is no simple feat,” she adds. “And you’ve always been something of a lone wolf, Henrik. Frankly, I question whether you’re prepared for this.”

I’m reeling with this truth. It’s been on my mind, but Elin just gave it voice. Teddy’s hand is quickly at my shoulder. “Jesus,” he hisses at her. “Want me to hold his arms back so you can just punch him right in the fucking face?”

“You’ve been my client for nearly ten years,” she goes on, looking only at me. “I’d like to think we’re friends too. Will you hear these words from a friend?”

My heart is racing, stomach churning, but I nod.

“A child needs more than financial support to thrive. Especially an injured child, a grieving child, a child ripped from her country and her language, a child in need of building an entirely new support system while her sole caretaker is away more than he’s home.”

“But he loves her, and she loves him,” Teddy challenges. “That has to count for something, right? I mean, the rest is just details. It’s fucking geography.”

“There are many forms of love,” she replies. “Sometimes, truly loving someone requires knowing when to put their needs first and when to let them go.” With that, she sets the folder on the table between us.

My gut clenches tight. “What’s that?”

She splays her hand over the folder. “These are foster family applications—”

“Are you shitting me?” Teddy cries. “You brought those here? Now?”

“As I said, we are out of time. You may call me insensitive, but Henrik must know the full range of his options. Only then can he make the most informed decision.” She turns back to me.

“Sweden has a robust foster-to-adoption program. All these families have been thoroughly vetted. They’re prepared for just this kind of situation. ”

“What situation?”

“A situation where a family member forgoes custody but wants to stay in contact. You could still see her,” she assures me.

“No one would ever question your right to a relationship with her. But you wouldn’t carry the burden of care.

You would be free to continue to live your life on your terms as her uncle, not her guardian.

These families are ready to take in a child.

Everything would be in place for her, Henrik. It would be seamless.”