Trade Deadline - Avon Gale Page 0,26

still early in the season.”

“Yeah.”

“It would be unfortunate if things don’t work out the way you’d hoped, but you’re not stuck here, Daniel. San Diego might still be interested, if you decide being with the Thunder isn’t what you want.”

“But you just moved here because of me,” Daniel said, setting down his glass on the table between them. “We uprooted the kids. I’d feel terrible doing that to them again.”

Tabby shook her head and met his gaze with her warm, dark eyes. “We won’t. This is where you plan to settle once you’re done with hockey, right? Near your parents?”

“Sure, but it can’t all be about me and what I want.”

“Daniel.” Tabby gave him a wry look. “Do you really think I’d let you talk me into anything I didn’t want to do?”

“No,” Daniel admitted with a chuckle. Doormat was not a word he’d ever use to describe Tabby.

“I want the kids to be near their father. I want to be wherever you are when you’re done playing. Besides, I like it here. If worse comes to worst, we’ll stay here and we’ll be here when you retire.” She hesitated, gnawing at her lower lip. “Have you given that any thought? Retiring at the end of the season, if things don’t improve?”

“I... I mean, broadly, I guess.” A part of him balked at the idea of never playing again, but Daniel was a pragmatist, and the thought had crossed his mind. He knew the reality of his situation. Between his age and his bad hip, he only had maybe a handful of good years left. Daniel could try to stay in the game until he absolutely couldn’t anymore, but would it be worth the effort if it meant spending the next few seasons separated from his kids by an entire country?

Tabby held up a placating hand, mistaking his contemplative silence for melancholy. “Sorry. I was just curious. You don’t seem happy with this team. I had to ask.”

“I’m not ready to quit just yet. I’m trying to keep the positivity up. Things have to get easier, right? In time.”

Tabby reached across the table to squeeze his wrist. “Even if it doesn’t get easier, don’t worry about me and the kids. If you decide you want to go somewhere else, we’ll figure out the traveling and visits and everything else. No matter what happens, we’ll work it out, okay?”

“Okay.” Daniel picked up his glass again, reassured by her words. “Oh, by the way, I’m taking the kids to that aquarium on Sunday. Did you want to come along?”

“And finally meet Mr. Dolphin?” Tabby grinned. “Gretchen showed me the Instagram account. He’s cute. A redhead too, I noticed.”

Daniel’s face warmed. He did have a bit of a thing for redheads. When they’d met in college, Tabby’s rich auburn hair had caught his eye before anything else.

“He is cute,” Daniel agreed. “It’s not like that, though. We’re just reconnecting. It’s been so many years since we were friends. We’re back in the getting-to-know-you stage.”

“But he was your first kiss, right? I seem to remember you mentioning a friend from Florida when we talked about all our firsts.” Tabby’s smile turned sly. “I’d be up for talking if he wanted to compare notes. I’m sure your skills have greatly improved since you were thirteen.”

Daniel almost choked on his sip of wine. “Oh my God,” he wheezed when he caught the amusement on Tabby’s face. “Don’t bring it up, Tabs, please. I don’t want him to think you and I were joking about it or anything.”

“Aw.” Tabby’s smile dimmed. “Sorry. I’m just teasing you. I won’t actually bring it up to him.”

“I know you were teasing. It’s just—he doesn’t know you, and I don’t want him to wonder, you know?”

“I get it. Don’t worry. I do want to meet him, though. I think it’s nice you’re reconnecting.”

Daniel thought it was nice, too. He didn’t really want to admit it to Tabby, or maybe he just didn’t want to admit it to himself yet, but whenever he and Micah were together, it felt like they hadn’t spent twenty years apart.

Micah still had the same bright, cheery smile, the same playful tone in his voice as when he used to knock on Daniel’s window and say “Come on, Danny, let’s go!” And now all their texting was making Daniel reminisce about their late-night walkie-talkie conversations. The only thing missing was the sleepovers, and Daniel tried his best to stop his brain from thinking about how it would