Page 26 of You, Again

“Do you have kids?”

“No.”

“Do you want kids?”

Vinnie took the twenty-question treatment in stride. “Yeah, I think so. Someday. I’ve been traveling a lot, and that’s not easy to do with kids.”

“That’s no excuse. Plenty of hockey players have families,” Ronnie pointed out. “And what about that pretty redhead who’s always photographed with you? Isn’t she your girlfriend? What’s her name? Sierra or—”

“Sienna. But we’re friends. That’s all.” There was a finality in Vinnie’s tone that didn’t invite further questioning on the subject.

Seven-year-olds didn’t always pick up those cues, and I knew from experience that Mary-Kate assumed any single man might be a potential mate for her gay uncle. Even Vinnie. Not okay. I couldn’t risk her going there…especially after he’d resurrectedthatnight from the dead. Talk about awkward.

I opened my mouth, a witty segue on the tip of my tongue, but Mary-Kate beat me to it.

“I don’t like hockey,” she announced.

Bold words in present company. I met my brother’s gaze and bit back a grin. We were used to Mary-Kate’s proclamations and strong views, but it probably wasn’t cool to openly diss someone else’s career and passion, though.

Ronnie mussed his daughter’s hair. “Hey, Mary-Katie-kins, we don’t—”

“Wacka-wacka-what?” Vinnie blinked in exaggerated dismay and held his free hand up like a stop sign. “Hate hockey? How? Why? When? Who says that?”

Mary-Kate giggled at his over-the-top performance. “I do. It’s too dangerous.”

“Well…okay,” he conceded. “It can be a little dangerous, but so is walking down the street. It’s a wacky world out there, MK. You gotta be a fighter. Please tell me you know how to skate.”

Her ear-to-ear grin split her cheeks in two. “Yes. Who’s MK?”

Vinnie pointed at her. “You, smartie pants. If you skate, you can play. Do you have a girls’ team here?”

Ronnie plucked his daughter out of the hammock and drew her to his side, resting his hand on her shoulder. “Our Pee Wee league is co-ed and—”

“The boys are too rough,” Mary-Kate intercepted. “Tyler Adams pushed me and almost split my eyeballs open. That was the last straw for me.”

“Oh, man, that’s when it gets fun. I hope you popped him one,” Vinnie said.

“I couldn’t. I was gushing blood everywhere. Wasn’t I, Uncle Nol?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it was gory.”

“Yeah, well, if you fall off a horse, you gotta get back on it,” he advised.

“That’s what everyone says.” She spared her dad and me a meaningful glance. “But no, thanks.”

Vinnie released a comedic long-suffering sigh just as Ronnie declared it was time to say good night.

“I’ll make you deal. A real horse ride in exchange for a real hockey lesson.” Crickets. Vinnie tugged my wrist, spilling my water as he draped an arm over my shoulders. “Your uncle will help. We’re coaching together this summer, right, Nolan?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Right.” He messed up my hair, snickering when I elbowed him. “So…what do you think, MK?”

She bit her bottom lip. “No, thank you.”

“Well, the offer stands if you change your mind.”

Ronnie bent to kiss the top of his daughter’s head. “Time to say good night, peanut.”