Page 91 of The Tryout

Me too. The thought hits me before I even have time to think about it, and I realize it’s true. I do miss him.

“Yeah, but it’s great that he got called up.”

She nods, dishing up what looks like enchiladas onto several plates. Trying to help, I grab two and take them over to the dining table that sits between the kitchen and the living area. The girls must catch sight of the motion, as they stop their attacks on Tomas and run over to me.

“You’re Daddy’s new partner, right?” asks the girl on the left.

I nod, wondering if I should be able to tell them apart. Both have dark, wavy hair and gray eyes. I’d guess they must be six or seven.

“Does your knee hurt?”

I look at Tomas, who at least has the grace to blush.

“Dia, it’s usually not polite to ask about peoples’ injuries unless they bring it up, okay?”

Dia doesn’t seem to buy this.

“But why not? If it hurts, we can get him ice. Maybe he doesn’t know we have ice.”

Honestly, my knee does hurt a bit. With Finn in Minneapolis, I haven’t been quite as religious with my icing protocol; there’s something about him lying next to me on the couch that makes it easier to remember. Without him there, I’ve just been going to bed instead.

“Well, if you have some ice, that would actually be really nice.”

Dia’s face lights up and she skips over to the kitchen to open the freezer.

“We have all sorts of ice packs. Daddy’s body hurts all the time. Right, Daddy?”

I press my lips together, trying not to laugh at the statement. Novak’s glare tells me I’d better keep it quiet if I can.

Sure enough, Dia comes back with a large ice pack, pushing me back into a chair and telling me to put my leg up. As I do, she carefully places the ice on my knee.

“Maybe you should be a doctor when you grow up. You’re very good at that.”

She beams at me. From Novak’s side, the other twin – Millie? – speaks up.

“Mama’s going to be a doctor.”

My eyebrows raise at this. I realize I’ve made the assumption that Elena is a full-time mom, like many of the wives of professional hockey players. I look to Novak, hoping he’ll come to my rescue.

“That’s right. We met when Elena was an emergency room nurse in Boston. I bruised a rib falling off a bike and was hoping I wouldn’t have to tell the team.”

Elena smirks as she places a bowl of salad and several dressings on the table.

“I wouldn’t want to tell my team either if I was a twenty-five-year-old who couldn’t ride a bike.”

This time I do laugh, in spite of Novak’s glare. Luckily, the girls join in, even little Rosie.

“So you’re in medical school?”

Elena nods.

“I start residency this summer.”

Oh, wow.

“That’s gotta be a lot of work.”

I catch sight of a shared glance across the table, but I’m not sure what it means. Finally, Tomas jumps in.