Page 31 of Over the Line

Happy Thanksgiving, honey! Looking forward to seeing you at Christmas!

Happy Thanksgiving. Looking forward to Xmas too!

We miss you!

Miss you too!

Sadness tugged at me as I put the phone back down. Holidays like this were a double-edged sword. It was amazing to have my house full of people. All the kids running around, people chatting and bantering, everyone eating—I loved it.

But it was still lonely in its own way.

At the end of the night, everyone would go back to their own homes. I’d be the only one left in a house full of silence and discarded paper plates. Tomorrow morning, I’d be eating Thanksgiving leftovers alone.

Some of the guys managed to go home for the holiday, but they’d be on their way to the airport after dinner to be back in time for practice tomorrow. For me, it just wasn’t worthwhile to travel, not even to Minnesota, during the country’s busiest travel period.

I’d be fine, especially since my parents would be here for Christmas along with my brother and his family.

Just a few more years, I reminded myself. I loved hockey, and I loved this career, but that was one thing to look forward to when I retired—a more normal, sedate life where I could travel and visit family at my leisure.

I didn’t know if that would be a salve on the empty space where hockey used to be, but it was something. I didn’t even know how to live as a normal person who wasn’t beholden to the schedule and training regimen of a professional athlete. I wondered how long that novelty would take to wear off.

Well, it was still a few years down the line. Tonight, I was grateful to have some teammates and their families at my house to share Thanksgiving.

My gaze slid toward Garrett, and my breath stuttered. Not enough for anyone else to notice, but enough to make my stupid brain record scratch.

I was spending the holiday with a ridiculously hot man in my house. Eye candy wouldn’t keep my bed warm, but it could sure take the edge off my suddenly melancholy mood.

And hadn’t his son told me there was something I should ask him about?

I cleared my throat as I reached for my beer. “So Chris said to keep you out of trouble while you’re here.” I inclined my head. “And something about not letting you play Uno?”

The sudden laughter that poured out of Garrett made me hot all over. “Oh God. I mean… I guess it’s fair?”

“What?” Temo chuckled, gesturing at Garrett with his beer bottle. “You cheat or something?”

“No, no, nothing like that. I play fair. But I will absolutely throw a Draw 4 at one of my kids and not apologize for it.”

The guys all laughed.

“Man, that’s cold.” Temo gestured at Barns. “We should make you two play against each other. See who gets more pissed off.”

Garrett eyed Barns. “You don’t play nice?”

“Not at Uno,” the goalie said without a shred of repentance. “I follow the rules and all, but I’m like him”—he nodded at Garrett—“I’ll make my grandma Draw 4 and not feel bad about it.”

“Uh-huh,” I said. “And you’ll subject all of us to your house rules just so you can beat everyone.”

Barns grinned and didn’t gainsay him.

“House rules, huh?” Garrett grinned. “Let me guess—stacking Draw cards?”

“Damn right,” Barns said. “And Skip cards. Nothing like making someone draw half the deck, then skipping their turn for the next three rounds.”

Garrett whistled. “And you do that your grandma?”

Barns shrugged. “She taught me to play that way!”

“Oh, so we can blame your grandma, then,” Temo said. “She’s the one who taught you to be a prick.”