he would’ve liked the titty bar better than a casual café?”
Tay bit his lip, thinking it through. “I don’t think so. I wanted to be able to have a conversation without having to yell across the table.”
“Good thing you stayed away from the titty bar, then.” Toasting him with her mug, she said, “How did the date go?”
Tay’s thoughts bypassed dinner entirely and went straight to their nighttime activities. Which was certainly not what Mom was asking about, but it was where Tay’s thoughts had strayed more often than not the last few days. To Dakota’s strong hands gripping his thighs; Dakota’s lips kissing him, alternately hard and firm, then sensuous and soft; Dakota’s smoky eyes eating him up like he couldn’t get enough; the taste of scotch on Dakota’s tongue.
“It was good,” Tay said, keeping it simple. “Really good.”
“Tell me about him.” Thankfully none the wiser about where Tay’s mind had strayed, Mom smiled at him. “What’s he like?”
“He’s confident. Determined. Honest. Really easy to talk to. Great with his kid.”
The mug paused halfway to Mom’s lips. “Single dad?”
“Mm-hmm. Divorced.”
“Is the ex still in the picture?”
“Minimally, as far as I understand.”
“Hm.” She side-eyed him over her mug. “For some reason, it doesn’t surprise me that you fell for someone with a kid. That’d be a deal-breaker for your sisters.”
Tay gazed past her to the kitchen entrance; although he couldn’t see what was happening, he could hear the water running, dishes being put away, his sisters’ voices and, intermittently, Dad’s.
Mom’s fingers brushed his arm. “It’s been a long time since you’ve talked to us about someone you’re dating. You like him, huh?”
“A lot,” Tay admitted, huffing a laugh. “It’s been so long since I’ve clicked with someone—since I’ve wanted to click with someone—that I kind of jumped in with both feet and didn’t look back. We fit right away. Sounds stupid, doesn’t it? Oh, never mind.” Chuckling, he waved a hand. “I’m talking to the wrong person.”
His parents had gotten married two weeks to the day after they’d met. If anyone understood fitting with someone, it was them.
“What’s his kid like?”
“Andy?” Tay smiled. “He’s great. Never stops moving.” He’d only sat still when they were doing the campervan puzzle.
Mom’s lips quirked up. “Like someone else I know.”
“Hey, I slow down.”
“Says the busiest guy I know.”
Tay crossed his arms. “I’m not that busy.”
“Still visit your grandmother every week?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Still have a rigorous schedule of practices and games and team meetings? Still attending classes and labs and doing homework? Still—”
“Okay, okay, I get it.”
Moms—good for not mincing words.
“It’s okay to hit pause every now and again.”
Tay pursed his lips. “I’m pausing right now.”
A snorted laugh. “This doesn’t count. Your dad had to shoo you out of the kitchen.”
“Still counts,” he grumbled.
“So,” Mom said, her tone unconcerned but her eyes pinched at the corners, “speaking of school.” Tay’s muscles locked. “How’s that going?”
Consciously relaxing his shoulders, Tay found a sudden interest in the giant floral-patterned clock on the wall. It was one of the only pieces of wall decor his parents had brought with them when they’d downgraded to this two-bedroom bungalow once Tay and his sisters had all moved out. “It’s fine. Only another six weeks or so in the semester.” And then he had four classes this summer to make up for the ones he’d missed in the fall and winter terms. Fuck.
“You’re still liking it?”
“Yeah.”
Either he paused too long or he wasn’t convincing; Mom squeezed his forearm. “It’s okay if you decide it’s not for you.”
Moms—perceptive as shit. “Why do you say that?”
“I never got the sense that you enjoy it. More like you’re toughing through it because you feel like you have to.”
The kid can’t cut it in a four-year degree.
What could he say to that? That the entire family held jobs that actively helped people and he felt like he needed to do his part? That he was toughing through it because he wanted to prove that he was just as smart as his sisters?
Problem was, his sisters’ smarts lay with books. His didn’t. He was just as smart as them, just in a different way.
Didn’t mean he didn’t want to prove himself.
“I like it fine. I like some classes better than others. That’s true of any program, though, right?”
“I suppose.” She sipped her coffee. “All I’m saying is that if you decided to do something else with your life after hockey, your dad and I would be okay with that. We want you to be happy.” Another squeeze