Under Fire: A Florida Glaze Hockey Romance, page 19
“Just trying to give the people what they want, Lacy. And you know they’re chomping at the bit for a good story.”
I shake my head, resigned to this fate I’m now part of and yet less irritated about it than I could be. There are worse things that could happen than having my face on SportsCenter for a couple days. I know. I’ve lived through it.
“Life is never going to be boring with you, is it Hayes?”
“Not if I can help it,” he says with a laugh.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
TUCKER
It took a couple weeks of hashing a few things out for Lacy and I to get into a better routine, one where we worked together to run the house and made sure the kids were the number one priority.
That’s not to say I didn’t still have a job to do. Games and practice are what put food on the table, and camaraderie is still part of that. When I explained to Lacy the importance of our superstitions, she told me we were a bunch of idiots, but agreed to help me find a solution to poker night.
We tested out the media room to see how loud things could get before noise made its way into the bedroom area. Turns out, the walls are thicker in this house than I realized. I got the television almost to full volume before she could hear anything at all on the other side.
I admit to feeling a little stupid to not have thought of hosting poker night back there in the first place. Such a simple solution if I had only pulled my head out of my ass sooner, and admittedly, given Lacy a heads up that it was going to happen in the first place.
Regardless, as we settled into a state of domestic bliss, we got into a good groove faster than I expected. We even toured a few daycares and settled on one we all think the kids are going to like when Lacy’s classes start next month. We got a few odd looks when Ellie, Lacy, and I toured the places together, but when we explained that Lacy is Kody’s current caregiver, everyone seemed to understand.
Except the lunch lady at one of the places we toured. She kept giving me the side-eye and I swear I saw her taking notes every time she looked at us. I’m sure I’ll get a call any day now from my publicist regarding my supposed polyamorous relationship.
All things considered, everything seems to be rolling smoothly. The hardest part is Lacy still being a little uncomfortable taking my money, but I made sure to inform the state child support office so they could oversee it all. I think that helped her a bit. It seems to take away the feeling of me providing “charity” and cleared up that this is the bare minimum of what I’m required to do, per state law. So, I was glad to do it.
What I was not glad to do, however, was put my mom off any longer. She’d had enough. I appreciate that she’s given us time to get our bearings straight, but after a few months of having a granddaughter she’s never met, she put her foot down. She also put me on a guilt trip, reminding me that as an empty nester, she was alone for the holidays.
That one did me in. So here I am, standing inside the airport, waiting for her to exit the gate area.
Once we put out our statement to the media regarding Sutton, the one Maks randomly came up with, the attention died down a lot. But I’m still not interested in having yet another conversation about what a good dad I am with random strangers. So with my beanie pulled down over my ears and some fake glasses on, I do my best to blend into the crowd as I wait.
My size probably gives me away, but at least it gives me a height advantage. I’m easily able to spot my mom over everyone else and she’s able to see me, too. As soon as she smiles, the dimples on her cheeks popping, the wrinkles around her eyes crinkling, I wonder why it took me so long to say yes to her visit.
I bend down halfway as she reaches her arms up and wraps them around my neck. “Oh my baby boy. I am so happy to see you.”
She hugs me tightly and I inhale the scent that has always reminded me of home. She smells like sugar cookies and ginger, just like a new grandma should smell.
“Welcome to Florida, Ma. Did you have a good flight?”
She hands me her carry-on and wraps her hand around my bicep so we can walk to baggage claim.
“As good of a flight as possible. You know I hate air travel.”
“Turbulence still scaring you?”
“Not much this time.” That is a surprise. My mom has always been terrified of flying. She does it because she knows that fear is irrational, and she would rather white-knuckle it on an airplane than miss an opportunity to see something amazing. She’s pretty strong that way. But that’s how she’s always done life—white-knuckling her way through the hard parts. I guess you don’t have much of a choice when you’re raising five boys. “I started a new breathing and meditation program that really helped this time. I stayed very Zen.”
“Zen?” I ask with a laugh. “Were you smoking your hookah pipe, too? That’s the real reason you stayed calm, isn’t it?”
She slaps me on the chest lightly. “You hush. I’ll have you know it was the easiest flight I’ve ever had, which was my goal. Now I can visit my new granddaughter more often.”
We get to baggage claim and thankfully the carousel is already moving. The less we wait, the smaller my chance of being spotted.
“Oh good.” She points to a bright pink suitcase as it glides by. “That’s mine right there.”
I have to jog past a couple people to catch up to it, but it’s better than standing around waiting.
“I guess we’re ready to go,” I say as I roll the suitcase next to her other bag.
“Oh no, son. I’ve got one more.”
She points back to the carousel and my eyes widen as I take in the huge pink monstrosity waiting to be claimed.
“Think you may have overpacked just a little? We’re in Florida. You didn’t need to bring your winter clothes.”
“Now Tucker, this is my first Christmas with your family. If you thought I was coming empty handed, you thought wrong.”
I should have expected her to go overboard with gifts. I have a sneaking suspicion there are more waiting to be picked up at a local big box store, too. Once again, I’m grateful I picked an SUV.
By the time I turn around, I have to wait for the bag to go through the maze again. In hindsight, I should have taken advantage of the breather while I waited. I vastly underestimated how much shit she can pack.
Struggling to maneuver the suitcase to the floor, I strain every part of my body to wrestle the damn thing. “Did you pack a body in here or something,” I grunt. “This must weigh like three hundred pounds.”
Leave it to my mother to be proud of her overpacking. “Oh poo. Put a little muscle into it. I know you can. You’re a big strong hockey player,” she announces much to my chagrin.
Thankfully, the suitcase falls on the floor with a thud right then so the likelihood of a viral video of me playing WWE with a pink suitcase is slim. However, her words weren’t missed by several people standing in the area. I’m getting a lot of curious stares and one person even holds up his phone, very obviously taking a picture of me. It’s clear by the blank look on his face that he doesn’t have a clue who I am, he just doesn’t want to miss an opportunity.
I roll the monstrosity to where she waits and give her my best irritated stare. “Thank you for announcing that while I was trying to be incognito.”
“Is that what the glasses are about? I thought your age finally caught up with you.”
Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I kiss the top of my mom’s head. I’ve missed her and her sense of humor. “Very funny. Can you roll the small bag so I can get this one?”
“Of course.”
It doesn’t take long to get to the car loaded, even with her amused reprimands about spending too much money on my Porsche. Once she climbs into the passenger side and the cooling seats kick on, her tune changes. The full-body cooling in this part of the country makes even the strongest skeptic a believer.
As soon as we hit the highway, my excitement starts to kick in. It’s clear my mom’s does, too.
“Now, is there anything I need to know about Sutton before we get there?” she asks. “I’m so excited to finally meet her.”
“Remember there’s two of them, Ma. That’s the most important part. Kody isn’t mine, but I make damn sure he knows he’s wanted even if his dad isn’t around.”
She pats my arm gently. “There’s the man I raised you to be. That little boy didn’t do anything wrong. No reason to make him feel lesser than.”
“Absolutely. The kids insist they’re twins and none of us bother to correct them. They’re so funny, though. Sutton started calling me Daddy. And now Kody calls me Not-Daddy.” I smile at the memory of the first time it happened. I wasn’t sure I’d ever stop laughing, which of course encouraged them to keep using the new moniker.
“That is hilarious,” Mom agrees. “It’s amazing how easily kids sort things out in their little minds to make hard concepts understandable.”
“Yeah, they’re definitely a pair. Honestly, I can’t imagine having one without the other. Is that weird?”
I catch the shake of her head out of the corner of my eye. “Not at all. Families come in all shapes and sizes. Ours didn’t look like your best friend’s and his didn’t look like the next-door neighbor’s. What it looks like doesn’t matter. Only that you love and protect each other.”
“That’s what we try to do. Well, sort of. I feel like my role is mostly providing right now, while I get used to the other parts of parenting, but I know Ellie, that’s Lacy’s best friend, Kody’s mom”—my mom nods in understanding—“she really provides the emotional support for Lacy. And Lacy is basically running the house, so, it’s weird, but it works so far.”
“Can’t wait for the tabloids to pick up on it and start sharing stories that you’re in a throuple.”
I choke on a laugh. “Mom!”
“Don’t ‘mom’ me. You know those rag mags love a good scandalous story. It won’t seem so far fetched when the four of them start going to all your hockey games wearing your jersey.”
That never even crossed my mind before, but she’s right. The family friend explanation worked once, but everyone loves speculation, especially when it’s juicy. I better give Lacy a heads up. She handled the last breaking story really well, but it’s probably better to tip her off anyway.
Within minutes, we pull into the driveway. Mom looks out the window appreciatively.
“Oh Tucker, it’s lovely! So much nicer than that dump you were living in in Texas.”
I furrow my brow as I throw the car into park. “It was a twenty-five hundred square foot home in one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in San Antonio.”
“And it needed a ton of work you never got around to doing.”
I can’t argue there. I had grandiose plans that never worked out. What I learned, though, is that I’m not a handyman. At all. This is why I hired someone to get everything ready for us before we moved into this place.
Wrestling with her bags again, I lead Mom up to the front so we can go inside. The door is barely shut behind us when the kids come running. I only have time to drop the bags before they jump into my arms yelling, “Daddy, Not-Daddy!”
“What’s this about?” I ask with a laugh. “I was only gone for an hour, guys.”
Sutton shrugs a little. “You always catch us when we jump.”
My heart squeezes. She has no idea that I’ll always catch her, no matter what the situation.
Clearing my throat before emotion overtakes me, I turn to my mom.
“Guys, I need to introduce you to my mom. She’s your grandma.”
Both kids stare at her, taking her in. I can tell by the way Kody lays his head on my shoulder, he’s a little nervous by this situation. And maybe he’s staking his claim on me a little as well.
My mom, though, gotta love her, she doesn’t skip a beat. She puts her hands over her heart and smiles at both of them, tears shining in her eyes. “My grandbabies! You must be Sutton and I bet you’re Kody. Am I right?” Sutton nods. Kody, on the other hand, keeps giving her a critical eye. Mom doesn’t even seem to notice. “I’ve been waiting for so long to meet you two! I even brought presents from my house for you!”
“Mom!” I admonish. “It’s not even Christmas yet!”
“Don’t you ‘mom’ me,” she shoots back, stroking Sutton’s hair and rubbing Kody’s back. “These are my grandbabies and I’ll spoil them if I want.”
Kody’s head shoots up from my shoulder. “I have a present?”
I shake my head with humor. The grandma bribing has begun.
“You sure do. I’ll get them as soon as Daddy/Not-Daddy takes my suitcase to my room.”
I groan. Now she’s done it. Just when I thought I’d have a small reprieve from wrestling suitcases again, she says shit like that. The kids proceed to wiggle out of my arms and begin jumping up and down, demanding I take them all to the media room where we’ve got a sweet set up for Mom’s stay.
“Okay, okay!” I hold my hands up, trying and failing to get the kids back under control. “I don’t want to run over anyone with this tank, so you guys show Grammy where we’re going, and I’ll follow you with”—I take a deep breath, resigning myself to my bellhop fate—“with all these suitcases.”
“Let’s go Grammy!” Sutton grabs one of my mom’s hands and starts to drag her forward. Kody is still a little unsure, so he takes Sutton’s other hand. I can’t help myself and snap a quick picture before trailing behind like I promised.
I only get halfway through the living room when I look over and see Lacy, standing stock still except for her hands that are wringing together. No one except me seems to notice her which is probably good considering she’s got a look of fear on her face. Immediately I go on alert.
Abandoning the bags, I round the couch until I’m standing right next to her. “What’s wrong.”
She attempts a smile, but it’s not even close to where it should be. “Nothing.”
“Um, that’s a lie.” Lacy narrows her eyes at me so at least I know whatever is happening probably isn’t critical. “Seriously, Lace. Is it my mother?”
She worries her bottom lip for a second before taking a deep breath. “It’s stupid.”
“Not if you’re panicking it’s not.”
“I guess I just don’t have the best track record with mothers.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Because you’ve met so many?”
“Only my own,” she grumbles.
And that’s when the lightbulb goes off. The last grandmother who was introduced to Sutton slammed the door in their metaphorical face and left them out on the streets. No wonder she’s nervous about my mom visiting. I want to kick myself for not putting it together sooner.
Turning her to face me, I run my hands up and down her arms.
“Listen, this is different.”
“Yeah? Your mom is going to be super cool with the woman who trapped her son into fatherhood after a one-night-stand?”
“You make it sounds so nefarious.” I waggle my eyebrows, trying and failing to break the tension for her.
“It was, Tucker.”
I chuckle because she’s not wrong. It was a pretty wicked night. My laugh does the trick, though.
Lacy shoves me as she tries to fight back a smile. “Stop laughing.”
“Sorry, sorry. My mom doesn’t need to know the…very dirty details of that night.” Trying not to remember those details myself so as to not sport a hard on in front of my mother, I turn serious. “Lacy, my mom brought a present for Kody. Kody. Why do you think she isn’t going to accept you, too?”
“Because Kody is an innocent and I’m the one who should have known better.”
“I am also the one who should have known better. You weren’t the only one there. But listen, if it’ll make you feel better, I promise if she is anything less than kind to you, I’ll get her a hotel room and make her leave.”
Lacy gasps. “You can’t do that! That’s your mother!”
“And you are Sutton’s mother, and this is our house. No one gets to disregard you or make you feel lesser than in your home.”
“Oh,” she breathes out and then shakes her head. “I don’t ever expect you to fight with your mother over me, Tucker.”
“Please. Healthy families fight all the time. And we make up all the time. You think we haven’t fought over the last few months as I kept putting off this visit? It was almost daily. That’s how she finally wore me down. Listen, she wants to be here. She wants to get to know you and Sutton and even Ellie and Kody. We’re family now and she won’t be kept out of it.”
“That’s…really nice in a weird way.”
“I know. And I know it’s not what you’re used to. But try to trust me on this. It’s going to be great.”
The kids come running back in just then, demand in their voices.
“Daddy, the suitcase! It has our presents! Hurry!”
I glance back at my baby mama who is so much more than that, and I intend on making sure she knows it. “See? Grammy is already spoiling them rotten.”
“Daddy!” Sutton yells again.
“I’m coming baby girl.”
I pull Lacy close and kiss her on the forehead in reassurance. Then, taking a deep breath, I situate myself with the bags again and follow Sutton out of the living room, curious what these presents could possibly be.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
LACY
As much as I hate to admit when Tucker is right, he’s right. His mother is lovely.
Holly didn’t just introduce herself to me, she hugged me and thanked me for giving her a grandbaby. Then she pulled back and said, “Actually, thank you for giving me two of them! I’m not giving that little Kody back. He’s just too precious!”
That doesn’t mean I’m not still fighting my anxiety with her being here. I can’t get over the fear that she’s going to change her mind about me at any minute.
Fuck, I hate the aftereffects of parental rejection.
“Mommy! Catch me!” Sutton yells, her new bathing suit is a little droopy in the rear from being in the water for so long. I used to think having a heated pool was a ridiculous luxury in Florida where you can swim for at least eight months out of the year, but even I have to admit, it’s nice to be hanging out in the water on Christmas Eve.
