Page 39 of Game On

She nodded. “My mom was right. He’s just like my sperm donor.”

I arched an eyebrow at her phrase for her dad. “You don’t talk to your dad?”

She shook her head. “Left when I was a baby. I guess mom saw him in Seth, but I was so in love I couldn’t see it. I don’t still love him. That went out the window when I realized he cheated on me. But I’m afraid of him not being there for Rosie.”

I reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “You’re an awesome mother.”

“How do you know?”

“I saw you with Liam. You wouldn’t do that if it wasn’t the mama in you.”

“Thank you,” she muttered.

“Single parent life’s rough!”

She pinned me with a quizzical look. “I feel like you’ve said that before.”

I didn’t think I said that to her before.

Holy fuck.

I said that to FLOWERCHILD183. And something Lily said to me sounded an awful lot like something Flower said. It had to be a coincidence. There was no way Lily was the gamer girl I’d been playing Dragonspire with since I was sixteen. No way.

“Anyway!” her voice cut through my thoughts. “Let’s talk about something less depressing than my ex-husband. How’s hockey?”

“It’s…okay.”

“Just okay?”

I sighed. “I’m worried about not staying with the team next year. I want stability for Liam.”

She nodded in understanding.

I took a sip of my tequila. Talking about my career doubts wasn’t something I should do with her. She barely knew me. You didn’t unload on someone like that.

“Thanks for getting me in touch with your sister,” I said, changing the subject.

She beamed. “I told you Mari was perfect.” Then she frowned and glanced down at her empty place set. “You don’t mind if she has Rosie while she watches Liam?”

I shook my head. “Nope. Believe me, trying to find her was a nightmare. I owe you.”

She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded.

“You’re not taking advantage of me,” I reassured her.

Mari mentioned Lily wouldn’t take my money because of her pride, and I could see that now. She was too proud to ask for help, and she didn’t want to make it seem like she was taking advantage of my kindness.

“Mari’s working out then?” she asked.

I nodded. “She’s amazing. I think it’s partly because of you, but Liam hasn’t slept in my bed all week.”

Her eyes sparkled as she smiled. “I don’t think that was because of me, but that’s good. He’s growing up!”

I smiled back at her, but she was wrong. Liam kept asking me when Lily would come over and play with him again. He was still having nightmares, but he wasn’t sleeping in my bed every night.

Lily sipped on her margarita as she peered around the restaurant. “This place’s nice.”

I smirked at her. “Not a hole in the wall?”