“Daisy, did you not listen to me? I sucked. I didn’t get past freshman year.”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. I bet you had a ton of puck bunnies lined up anyway.” I wiggled my eyebrows and he pursed his lips.
“Puck bunnies? What exactly are ‘puck bunnies’?” He smirked as he leaned closer. I huffed and rolled my eyes.
“Hockey groupies. Girls who get hot and bothered watching you play with your hockey stick, and then try to play with your other stick after the game.” Evan choked on his beer as he chuckled at me. It was so good to see him laugh and relax a little. Evan put his arm around me and kissed my forehead.
“Sorry, Daisy. No puck bunnies. If there were, they were after the guys who actually got to play, not the last resort line.” He kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear. “What am I going to do with you?” I rubbed his leg and turned to kiss his lips.
“Question is what am I going to do with you? The power of suggestion has me all squirmy.” His chest shook from laughing at me.
“You okay?” I rubbed his neck and he leaned into my touch. Evan nodded.
“Yes. I’m sorry I’ve been a weirdo all week. I just wish Dad felt better about moving.” The smile ran away from his face as he lowered his gaze to his lap. “I try to take care of him, but all I do is make him miserable. Maybe if I hadn’t gone away to school, wasted my time with stupid things like hockey, he wouldn’t be in this mess.” I lifted his face so he could look at me.
“Your father would have drank regardless, and I have never known anyone who takes care of their parents the way you take care of him. You’re a wonderful son, and no offense, more than he deserves after what he’s put you through all these years.”
Evan looked down and nodded. “It’s been rough. He wasn’t always like this. He lost Mom, without warning, and just couldn’t handle it. I do all of this for the father I remember, maybe he’s still in there somewhere.” The vulnerability in Evan’s expression made my heart break in half.
“I feel awful for him, but he had a son to take care of. My father died when I was a baby, but my mother had to find it in herself to pull it together for my sake. Granted she’s made being overbearing an art form, but she did what she had to do. You were all alone. That upsets me so much.” Evan took my hand and laced our fingers together.
“I wasn’t all alone. I had Jack, and your family.” He shrugged. “Some people can handle tragedy, some can’t. My mom would be pissed at him, but would never want me to just leave him. I’ve been wondering what she’d think about all of this.” His voice trailed off. I yanked our joined hands to pull him closer.
“She’d think you were an amazing son and be very proud of you. And I’m going with you to move him in. I can handle myself.”
A loud crash came from the ice and drew our attention. Helmets and punches flew and I bounced in my chair like a kid. I glanced over at Evan; he shook his head at me.
“What? I told you I love the fights. Now who’s staring?” I narrowed my eyes at Evan. He laughed as he put his arm around me to pull me closer.
“You know I may have my old college jersey somewhere at home. I can pretend to be a decent hockey player and you can be the sexy, blonde puck bunny who can’t get enough of my stick.” Evan trailed slow kisses down my neck. I giggled and tried not to get turned on in the middle of a crowd.
“That wouldn’t be role playing for me, now would it? If you want to up the ante, you could maybe pick up a Lundqvist jersey on the way out. I could call you ‘King Henrik’ if you want.” He bit my neck and made me yelp.
“You’re lucky I love you.”
Yes, I was. And it was time that someone showed Evan they loved him back.
I gazed out the window at the Long Island Sound. My dad had a sweet view of the water, and a pretty nice private room. You wouldn’t know it the way he grumbled around with his walker as we settled him in. I could tell Paige being here with us made him hold back what he normally would be saying to me right now.
“Mr. Jacobs, I hung up the rest of your clothes in the closet. The shoes are on the bottom. Let me know if you want me to fix anything.” Dad settled into the chair next to his bed as he nodded at Paige.
“Thank you.” He was being polite, almost pleasant. I would take her with me for every visit if it made him so damn amiable, but it wouldn’t last. No one else should have to put up with him as much as I did. Paige sauntered over to me and rubbed my back.
“I’m so sorry I have to leave. I couldn’t move this client meeting and they insisted on meeting in person rather than just over the phone. If I can make it back from White Plains in time, I’ll come back . . .” I shook my head and kissed her temple.
“You did enough. And you need some rest. You can’t keep your eyes open past nine o’clock lately and you were sick again all last week. If you get back early from White Plains, you go straight home and I’ll meet you there later.” Paige was taking on too much work between her main job at the agency and freelance projects on the side. She needed to slow down before she collapsed, but I failed to convince her to not come with me today. I had to admit it was a battle I was glad to lose—having her with me made a huge difference.
“Bye, Mr. Jacobs. It was nice meeting you. I’ll come back with Evan and see you again soon.” Paige made her way over to where Dad was sitting and squeezed the top of his hand. Dad nodded in response. She gave me a quick kiss and then rushed out the door.
“Reminds me of your mother.” Dad stared blankly out the window after Paige left. The stroke affected his entire right side, but he still spoke clearly. Unfortunately, his way of speaking was usually yelling. This is the first time in a while I could remember him talking to me without malice in his voice.
“Who does? Paige?”
Dad chuckled. The hint of a smile on his face as he gazed in my direction was also pretty foreign to me.
“Pretty and sweet, but I caught a dirty look from her when I snapped at you. Reminded me of when you were a kid and your mother would tell me to get off your back. You love her?”
I nodded. “I do.” I grabbed Dad’s suitcase from the floor and lifted it to put it at the bottom of the closet. He grabbed my arm.
“God knows you deserve a little love. Just don’t blow it.” Dad turned his attention back to the window. For once, I didn’t feel like a fuck up son who couldn’t do anything right. For the first time in years, I got a glimpse of the father I hoped still existed somewhere, even if only for a moment. That’s when the guilt came crashing down on me. Maybe I could have done better, had more patience. Sure, he was a nasty bastard at times, but he was the only father I had, and the only parent I had left. And I just moved him into a nursing home.
“I think they come around with a snack truck in the late afternoons.” I reached in my back pocket to take out my wallet to give him a few bucks to get something.
I was surprised to find a piece of white folded paper next to the five-dollar-bill. I was religious about not stuffing my wallet with receipts and other junk, so I had no idea where this came from. From the back it looked like a handwritten note. I unfolded it and recognized Paige’s handwriting.
I stuffed this note into your pristine wallet hoping you’d find it while you were still with your Dad. I know you’re thinking what an awful son you are. You were a boy without a mother who took care of his father without a second thought. You dropped everything to help a sick friend get back on his feet. You are the most wonderful man I’ve ever known. I’m the luckiest woman in the world for being able to call you mine. I love you.
Just thought you may need to be reminded of that today. Paige
I never felt sorry for myself for not having it easy. I learned to live on my own and take care of myself without needing anyone—until Paige. I didn’t remember when she went from the girl of my dreams to the love of my life, but now she was as essential as the air in my lungs and the blood in my veins. She was it for me, forever. I had never been surer of anything in my entire life.