Liar, but about which thing?
That stalled her brain with a screech. Tommy was the mission. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t poke around a little about Cal. There were moments when his cheerful, Southie Boston veneer slipped and in its place, was something edgier and a little sad.
“He can’t be that incapable of making a commitment. He was engaged once and I heard she broke up with him.”
“Yes, she did. I was standing up for him and he came into the church and said it was off.”
Her mouth dropped open. “You mean they broke up just before the ceremony was about to start? Why didn’t I know about this?”
“You were in college and you have never known Cal all that well. He told me that it would not be happening, that she had decided they were not a good fit after all.”
She decided? Sounded like a page out of the Cal Foreman playbook. What had he done to make this woman think she’d be better off without him? “You don’t know any more than that? Was he cheating on her? Did she find out?”
Vadim’s stare was stony. “Cal may be many things but he is not dishonorable. He would never do that to someone he cares about. He has not given me the details but I know it is not his fault.”
She repressed an eye roll. The hockey brotherhood was alive and well, defending each other to the last drop of sperm.
“Yet you’re still telling me to watch out for inappropriate behavior. With this man of great honor.”
“What is inappropriate in one situation isn’t always the same in another. Cal is a good man and friend but you are also reasonably pretty and probably have other attractions.”
“Shut up.”
He grinned, then turned serious again. “I know from personal experience that the coaching/player relationship can bring people into a dangerous intimacy. Which is all well and good when you have been in love with someone for years as was the case with my Bella and I. As much as I like Cal I do not approve of any unprofessional connection between the two of you. So has he been inappropriate toward you?”
“He’s been a total gentleman.” More’s the pity. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
“While you are here, everything is my business. And while you are elsewhere because you are my sister and I love you.”
“God, you’re obnoxious.”
“Yes, I am God in this situation. I missed out on the first fifteen years of your life and so I must make up for that.”
“You really don’t. You’ve made up for it a million times over.” He had literally saved her life with his bone marrow.
“I am your closest male relative, so you will allow me to take care of this. Of you.” Spoken like allow didn’t enter into it.
Mia pushed open Cal’s front door. “Hello?”
He called out. “I’m getting dressed. Meet you in the kitchen.”
Maybe she shouldn’t have called out at all. Maybe she should have walked in on a half-dressed Foreman with an oops, my bad.
She shook her head. This was not why she was here. Tomorrow was day one of her tryout weekend and she’d come over to get a last-minute pep talk and strategy briefing. Cal was headed for his first away game in New York, then on to Boston, so he’d be too busy to check in over the next four days of Mia’s practice, games, and scrimmages in Biddeford.
He walked into the kitchen, running a hand through damp hair.
“Hey, Wallace, you ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.” In truth, her stomach felt like a squadron of butterflies were in attack formation. “What about you? It’s been a while since you were on competitive ice. And away ice has to be weird for a start to the season.”
“No weirder than usual, especially when you’ve been traded. Not like I know the home ice well.” He placed two big hands on the counter. Had she noticed how big they were before? “We could order in or I could cook.”
“You cook?”
“Sure. I make a mean mac and cheese.”
She grabbed his arm. “We can’t be eating that while we’re training.”
He grabbed her arm back, equally dramatically. “We can because I’m gonna recommend you head to the gym for a quick run tonight before you go to sleep.”
“You’re evil.”
“Watch your mouth. I have mac and cheese.”
She laughed and sat at the kitchen island, making herself at home. She liked Foreman’s kitchen, all stainless steel appliances and cooking gadgets for the home chef. She also