Page 19 of He Has Santa (Boston Brawlers Hockey)
I shake his hand, saying, “I know who you are.”
“A hockey fan then? How do you like the Boston area? Must be crazy settling into a new town mid-season. Mid school year. I’ll have my wife call you and introduce you to people.”
“Thank you.” What else could I say? I was new to town, sort of. I’d been away for a long time and didn’t know many people anymore. If his wife were anything like Brady, I’d love to meet her. My smile is genuine, and some of my tension eases as Nicky yawns again, her eyes mostly closed. The night out caught up with her and overrode her precocious tendencies and curiosity.
“Time to get Nicky to bed,” Logan says. Brady nods.
“I’ll see you all again at the Brawlers Holiday family night,” Brady says and then takes off in the direction of the friends and family room.
“Jesus. Sorry about that,” Logan says when Brady is gone.
We both let out deep breaths. Then cradling Nicky, whose eyes are closed now, in one arm, he reaches out and takes my hand. Surprise shoots through me, feeling a lot like excitement, and as I walk with him hand-in-hand to the garage, the smile I show him is so much smaller than the smile inside me.
