Page 11

CHAPTER 11

Zoey

I chastise myself for missing Matt after we go our separate ways. With Maggie and Henry working during the day, I have the house to myself, and I’m not a huge fan of the quiet. It makes me want to crawl out of my skin. I watch TV and read books, but sitting at home by myself has it really hitting that I have no idea what I’m doing with my life. I’m not attending classes, and I’m not working. I don’t know what I want to do now. Do I go find a job serving just to keep myself busy and to find a source of income?

I’m so glad I told Liv I’d go to the guys’ game tonight. Getting out of the house and spending time with my friends will hopefully help pull me from this funk. When I get to the rink and see Hannah holding Jayden and Matt nowhere in sight, something in me twists. I don’t know why. I should be happy Matt’s not relying on me once again to watch Jayden, but I also enjoy the feeling of being needed. I smile as I join the girls, and my heart skips when Jayden spots me and is immediately reaching for me.

I enthusiastically take him from Hannah, and the four girls grin at me.

“Someone is growing attached,” Hannah says.

I respond to Hannah but speak to Jayden. “Oh, who wouldn’t grow attached this adorable little guy? Aren’t you the most adorable little dude?

Jayden giggles, and my smile grows.

“Does that mean you’re growing attached in… other ways?” Eliza asks.

I stop bouncing Jayden for a second before resuming. I won’t admit it to them, but I am, and it sucks. No matter how much I tell myself I’m a relationship girl and Matt likes the fun flings, when I see him with Jayden, or he brings me my favourite type of coffee when we meet early when he coaches, or I see how good he is with his team, I can’t help but want to be around him more.

“No,” I say, avoiding eye contact. “I just can’t help falling for this adorable little guy.”

Liz doesn’t say anything, but Hannah hums in a way that says she doesn’t believe me.

Wanting to change the subject, I turn to Bailey and ask, “So, where’s Charlie tonight?”

“She’s with Grandma. Caleb’s mom asked to take her for the weekend.” She’s grinning from ear to ear. I know how alone she felt before she met Caleb and she all of a sudden got the four of us girls and his family. Bailey fit in immediately with us. She was hesitant at first, but Liv wore her down and we all fell in love with her and Charlie.

“So, in other words, you and Caleb won’t be leaving your bed all weekend,” Liv says with a laugh, and Bailey’s cheeks pinken.

“Caleb and I will be enjoying time together,” she says, and we all know what she means.

“Well, you can’t get any more pregnant,” Hannah says.

I laugh. “What do you think got her into this position? Caleb’s mom was probably offering to babysit all the time, hoping she’d get another grandkid.”

Bailey’s jaw drops, and I see the wheels turning in her head. The rest of us can’t help laughing.

“Oh God, she really did, didn’t she?” I ask. I was only half joking, but this is hilarious.

“I think she might have,” Bailey whispers.

When the guys come out of the dressing room, Bailey calls Caleb over. “Do you know why your mom was always offering to babysit?” she asks.

“We think she was doing it to help facilitate another grandkid,” Hannah adds.

Caleb grips the back of his neck. “She may not have offered all those times, I may have asked,” he admits.

Hannah bends over, laughing. “Man, you really wanted to get Bailey pregnant,” she says through her laughter.

“We had already agreed to try. I was just putting in some extra work,” he says, beaming with pride. “And look at us, it didn’t take us long after agreeing to try. I’d say that just means I’m an overachiever.”

“That you are,” Liz says.

He flashes us a grin before joining the guys on the ice.

“So, you had decided to try?” Hannah says as she turns to face Bailey.

Bailey nods. “The night we got engaged, Caleb said he wanted more kids with me. He wanted Charlie to be able to be a big sister and he was ready to grow our family. We threw out my birth control that night.”

Liv reaches over and squeezes her arm. “I’m so happy for you guys. And now your new little one can grow up with Cate and Jayden, built in friends. And Charlie is going to make an amazing big sister.”

A tear escapes, and Bailey wipes at it quickly. “Thanks. Ughhh, I’ve been so emotional with this pregnancy. I’m glad this little one”—she rubs her hand over her stomach—“will have all of you and have so many kids to run around with.”

“Aunty Hannah is looking forward to spoiling all these little ones.”

“What about you and Grayson?” Bailey asks.

She smiles softly. “Kids are not in the cards for us right now, and that’s okay. We’re content being the fun aunt and uncle and spending time with your little ones. Maybe one day, but we’re not in any rush.”

“Kids aren’t for everyone and that’s okay, as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters,” Liz says.

Hannah beams. “I’m so happy. Grayson and I are planning a trip to Willow Valley for Christmas, and I think Dad’s going to join us. I’m excited to see his parents’ place in the snow and build a proper snowman. The snow here is so damn wet it never really works, but Grayson has assured me we can make them there.”

“You’re not going to be here for Christmas?” Liv asks with pouty eyes.

Hannah wrings her hands in her lap. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to tell you. I know we usually do friends Christmas on Boxing Day, and you guys should still totally do that, and we’ll be back for New Year’s, but we both really want to spend the holiday with his parents. He hasn’t gone home for Christmas in years.”

“I get it,” Liv says. “But we call dibs on you for New Year’s. Josh and I will host again. We’ll do dinner and snacks and then watch the ball drop. We’ll make sure we have the guest rooms set up for the kids so they can sleep.”

We all nod, and Hannah says, “Promise.”

The game moves pretty quickly tonight, with very few whistles or penalties. Jayden is strapped in the baby carrier, and I have him facing out so he can see what’s going on. When Matt is on the ice right in front of us, he reaches for him as he babbles.

I point to Matt and say, “Is that dada? Yeah, that’s dada.”

Jayden continues to babble as we watch the game, and when it ends, Matt makes his way towards us. His smile widens as he looks at Jayden and me. As soon as he stops in front of us, he bends to Jayden’s eye level. “What’s up, little man? Did you have fun with Zo?”

Jayden babbles at him.

“Oh, that’s good,” he says as if he can actually understand what Jayden is saying, and my smile grows. He leans and kisses Jayden’s cheeks. “Be a good boy for Zo.” He stands straight and looks at me. “Thanks for hanging with him.”

“Well, who could say no when this cutie is reaching for them?”

“Seriously, Zo. I appreciate it. He’s obviously recognizing you, which just tells me I have you around a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I love having you around, more than I can say, but I don’t want to be taking advantage.”

I rest my hand on his arm. “Matt, I promise you I’ll tell you when it’s too much. I’m actually quite enjoying spending this time with Jayden. Helps me not focus on my personal crap.”

His eyes are soft as he stares at me for a few seconds before nodding. He leans back down and kisses Jayden’s cheek. When he stares into my eyes as he stands straighter, I swear he’s going to kiss me, and my heart beats faster. His eyes flick over my shoulder, and he pulls back. Disappointment radiates through me, and I mentally slap myself.

Matthew Carter doesn’t do relationships, and why would he want me when he can have any woman he wants?

I plaster on a smile as I grab Jayden’s hand and wave at Matt as he makes his way to the dressing room.

I spin around and face the girls and quickly say, “So, food? I’m starving.”

They agree, and we grab our stuff and head upstairs to the restaurant. The first thing I do is order myself a stiff drink. The second it’s delivered, I down half of it.

“Whoa, slow down girl,” Liz says, and I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand.

“I’m good, just thirsty,” I lie through my teeth.

Thankfully, our waitress comes by to deliver our orders, and the guys join us.

As I pick a fry off my plate, Hannah asks, “How did your date go?”

My eyes flick to Matt, who is sitting beside me. “It was fine, but I won’t be seeing him again.”

I’ve had this conversation with Liv already and was planning on telling the rest of the girls, but at a girls’ night, not in public.

“Why?” Liz asks.

I stick a fry in my mouth, hoping to buy myself some time because I’m not sure how to say it with other people around. Unfortunately, Liv beats me to the punch. “He wasn’t into her… tastes.”

I kick her under the table, thankful Josh is holding Cate now.

“Owww.”

I glare at her, eyes flicking to Josh and the rest of the guys.

“Tastes?” Grayson asks. I see the mischievous look in his eye and know he’s stirring shit. Hannah covers her mouth as she holds back a laugh, because she knows exactly what Liv means. The girls know I enjoy certain things when it comes to the bedroom, and one of those things is I like to take control and maybe dish out some praise. I learned real quick that’s not something Dean would be into.

“It’s nothing,” I say.

“Oh, Zoey, are you into some kinky shit?” he asks, and the girls burst into laughter.

I’m not going to back down, because he should know his wife talks. We’re her best friends, so of course we know some of the shit they’ve done. I lean forward on the table and stare him directly in the eye. “Grayson, Grayson, Grayson.”

He leans in as he stares me down, too, not backing down.

“I wouldn’t say kinky, unless you think your wife calling you a good boy is kinky.”

He immediately leans back in his chair, mouth open a tad.

“I’d be careful about poking fun at me, because I won’t back down. I’m not ashamed, but I also know little things about you guys from your wives. See, girls talk. We have all shared things with each other.”

“There’s no way she’s shared that much,” he says, skeptical.

“How should I prove it? How about the spot by the pond at your parents, or Caleb and Bailey’s wedding?”

“Those were good, I stand by those,” Hannah says.

“What the fuck don’t you share with them?” he asks.

She shrugs. “Not much. Honestly, we have a great sex life. Would you rather me be complaining”—she leans into him—“or sharing that my husband keeps me satisfied?”

He leans in and whispers something in her ear, and she blushes. “Okay, so if you’re not ashamed, what tastes was he not into?”

I ponder how to word it delicately. “He’s very… I don’t know, old school in his thinking. Very much someone who would not be willing to relinquish control.”

Matt starts coughing as he puts his drink on the table.

“You okay there?” I ask, humour filling my voice.

“Yeah. Yup. Just went down the wrong pipe.”

I shake my head before taking a bite of my burger. “He just ended up not being my type.”

“Well, why don’t you let me set you up with this guy I met at this teacher development seminar I just went to. He teaches high school math here in the city and seemed nice. I can send him an email and see if he’d be interested in something,” Liv offers.

“Is he anything like the last guy you set me up with?”

About a month ago, Liv tried to set me up with one of the new teachers at her school and that did not end well either. The guy ended up trying to mansplain everything to me. I ended up excusing myself to the washroom during one of our dates, sneaking out of the restaurant, and texting him that I had an emergency to attend to.

“I had no idea he was like that, and no, from the conversation we had at the seminar, he did not seem like a mansplainer.”

“There’s a new doctor at the hospital I can set you up with, too. He’s cute,” Hannah says.

“Dr. Bardot is cute?” Grayson asks, sounding offended.

“Oh, don’t sound so butt hurt. You know I love you and find you much better looking. As I’ve said, you’re stuck with me.”

Grayson looks at her with hearts in his eyes. “I would never say I’m stuck with you.”

“Someone has gone soft,” Caleb says, holding back a laugh.

“Well, you guys were right. When you find the right person, you’ll do anything for them.”

“Is there a reason you two are trying to throw men at me?”

“We just want you to be happy. We know you’re looking for something long term, so we’re just helping you find someone,” Liv says.

“Okay, I’ll meet the math teacher.” I relent, knowing her heart’s in the right place. And I would love to find a fulfilling relationship.

“Amazing! I’ll email him tonight and let you know what he says.”

The conversation moves on, and we finish our dinner. The entire time, Matt is acting weird. I can’t put my finger on it, but he seems to be more reserved and distant, which isn’t him. He kisses his sister on the cheek and gives a brief goodbye before waving to the guys and telling Liv he’ll see her tomorrow before taking Jayden and leaving.