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“It took time.” His expression softened. “Finding out I was a father scared the hell out of me, but Ellie and I wanted the same thing. To give Kenny the best life we could. For her, that meant being there, being a stellar mom. For me, it meant providing for them financially so that they could live in a nice place and Ellie wouldn’t have to work around the clock to put food on the table. Over the years, we figured out how to become teammates.”

“You make it sound like a hockey game.”

Dean laughed. “Not exactly. There were definitely some growing pains at the beginning, but eventually we figured out that life goes a lot smoother when you’re on the same side.”

“McKenna is lucky to have you both.”

“I’m the lucky one,” he corrected.

The sincerity in his voice moved her. “Fine. Then I’ll revise my question. First love, last love.”

His response came quickly. “My first love was hockey.”

“Of course, it was,” she deadpanned. “Same holds true for Victor.”

Dean smiled. “I was six years old when my dad deemed me old enough for my first pair of skates. My folks owned a cabin in Canada, and we spent the holidays there. Dad flooded the backyard every winter for the tiny rink he’d built with crooked boards. Half the ice was always rough because we never got it level.”

“That sounds awesome. Victor would have killed for his own personal backyard rink.”

“It was heaven on earth. I’ve never skated on anything better, and I’ve played in some of the best arenas in the world. Every single day, I’d stay out there on the ice until my toes were numb.” Dean sighed. “I haven’t thought about that rink in a long time. My parents sold the cabin after I graduated from high school. Damn, I miss that place.”

“And last love?” she asked, reminding him that her question had two parts.

“Kenny. I’ve loved plenty of people before her, my parents, friends, teammates, but when I walked into Ellie’s tiny apartment the day after she called to tell me that I was a father, and she put that sweet baby in my arms… I might not have been mature enough at the time to understand what a gift I’d been given, but lately,” he paused, “reconnecting with her at her high school graduation, then building a relationship with her…” He seemed to be struggling for the words to describe his feelings. “I’m grateful to Ellie and McKenna for giving me a second chance, for being loving and generous enough to let me be a part of their lives. I’m just sorry it took me so damn long to figure out how much I needed that wonderful girl in my life.”

“McKenna would probably remind you at this point that she’s a woman, not a girl,” Vivian said lightly.

Dean chuckled. “I’m sure she would.”

His responses hadn’t been what she expected, but she liked the answers very much.

“What about you?” Dean asked. “First love, last love?”

“I’ve talked about myself enough tonight,” she countered.

“Answer anyway.”

“You already know the answer. My first love and my last love are the same.”

Dean looked surprised by that. “No high school boyfriends? Phil was your first love?”

“He was the first,” she whispered.

“And since then?”

“Right after Phil died, I believed there would never be another.”

“And now?” Dean asked gently.

Vivian bit her lower lip, searching for an answer. “Now…I don’t know.”

It was the most honest answer she could give him. Yet, somehow, sitting across the table from Dean in this restaurant in Boston, not knowing didn’t feel nearly as frightening as it once had.

Before either of them could continue the conversation, they were interrupted by a quiet cough.

They looked up to find the waiter standing there with an apologetic smile. Vivian glanced around the restaurant and realized they’d talked so long, the place had emptied.

“I’m very sorry, but we’re closing for the evening.”