Risking the Shot (Stick Side #4) - Amy Aislin Page 0,64

was hot and there wasn’t any wind.

Running back from where he’d raced ahead to look at the West Highland cattle, Andy slipped his little hand into Tay’s and kicked at a rock in his path.

Tay’s heart went to mush in his chest, and he sought out Dakota, committing the pleased smile on his face to memory.

“Tay, d’you think the yak and the cow are friends?”

“I don’t see why they wouldn’t be. Do you think they’re friends?”

“The yak’s best friend is the peacock.”

Eyebrows going up, Tay smiled down at the kid. “What makes you think so?”

“’Cause, see?” Andy towed him to the southern edge of the yak enclosure. “The yak’s looking at the peacock.”

Sure enough, one of the yaks was staring at the peacock in the neighboring enclosure.

“Huh.” He squeezed Andy’s hand. “I think you’re right, little man.”

Andy beamed up at him, then he took off again.

“Stay in sight,” Dakota called after him.

There were more people than Tay would’ve thought, at the zoo and in the park itself, for it being the middle of March and not exactly warm. Seemed like other parents and guardians had had the same thought as Dakota and taken their kids out while it wasn’t gloomy and overcast or snowing and freezing. Unconsciously, he reached for Dakota’s gloved hand, only to realize at the last second what he was doing. Fisting his hand at his side, he gritted his teeth.

God, it had been instinct to reach for him. To want to hold his hand as they strolled through the zoo.

Yager was right—he was one of the lucky ones.

Being a public figure sucked sometimes. It was the life he’d chosen; didn’t mean he didn’t sometimes wish things were different. He was mildly surprised he hadn’t been recognized yet. Likely it was due to his toque and the scarf up to his chin.

Or nobody was looking for an NHL player at the High Park Zoo on a Saturday afternoon.

Dakota’s answering smile was reassuring and understanding, and he bumped their shoulders together. Tay acknowledged the gesture with a forced smile. A shoulder bump wasn’t what he wanted, but it would have to do as he tamped back the longing for something he couldn’t have yet.

How did Dean and Grey do it? They were so affectionate at home. How did they turn that off and tuck it somewhere safe while they were out in public? True, they’d been together for years, so perhaps some of that was habit. Tay never wanted to get into the habit of hiding something he wanted—longed for—so badly.

And that meant he’d have to come out sooner rather than later, in the off-season like his agent had recommended. Having to hide longer than that would stifle him. Already the weight on his chest from having to hide, to watch his every move, stole his breath.

From up ahead, Andy waved.

“Has he always had this much energy?” Tay asked.

“Oh yeah.”

“That must’ve been hard to handle when your wife left.”

Sighing, Dakota shoved his hands in his pockets. “It was. Even with help, single parenting is hard. Calder was amazing when Fiona first left—still is. For the first couple of months afterward, my parents and a couple of my brothers took turns coming out to help for a week at a time, but . . .” He shrugged. “For the most part, I’ve been on my own, but I’ve managed.”

Tay side-stepped a wailing toddler. “You’ve more than managed from where I’m standing.”

A self-satisfied smile passed over Dakota’s lips. “I saw a therapist for about a year after Fiona moved out, and she really helped me . . . not understand why Fiona left, but come to terms with it. Accept it. For a long time after Fiona left, I kept expecting her to change her mind and come back. When she didn’t, I spent even longer being angry and sad and confused, on Andy’s behalf and mine. Therapy helped me deal with all that and learn to cope with things I can’t change.”

Heart full to bursting, Tay had never ached to hug someone more. He wanted to bundle Dakota and Andy close and love on them so hard they’d never again feel Fiona’s loss.

“That was really brave of you,” he said, brushing the back of his hand against Dakota’s hip.

Dakota just shrugged again. “I did what I had to do to make sure I could be there one hundred percent for Andy.”

Speaking of, the kid ran back to hug Dakota’s legs with a brief, “Hi, Daddy,” before he was running