Chapter 14—Fancy Stats

Vi didn’t want to go to the family skate. She was living in a fantasy, and she, more than anyone, knew fantasies didn’t last. Matt was a straight arrow. Straight arrows didn’t have girlfriends who were ex-cons or strippers.

Or perhaps she was overthinking the situation. She’d always been one to take chances and live life on the edge. She trusted in fate to work things out however stuff needed to be worked out. They were what they were. They’d progressed beyond just sex to what? Dating? She wouldn’t call going ice-skating a date, exactly. Or would she?

When they entered the SHAC, she’d been uncomfortable at first. The young guys and some of the WAGs had gaped at her and whispered among themselves. She met the guys’ leers with friendly smiles and soon she had them eating out of her hand, knowing they probably wanted to do more than eat out of her hand. Even the WAGs warmed up to her thanks to Amelia, Izzy, and Avery, who welcomed her into their inner circle and didn’t give the others a chance to pass judgment. They’d obviously been forewarned by Brick or Matt and shown up prepared for battle.

The staff, players, and their families were all there. Lunch was catered and included everything from prime rib to corn dogs. Ethan spared no expense for his team as usual. The Sockeyes were known as a players’ team, a fact that helped greatly when signing free agents, according to Matt.

After lacing up her borrowed skates, Vi took the hand Matt offered, and they skated slowly around the Sockeyes practice rink while Vi got her “ice” legs.

“Having fun?” Matt smiled down at her and squeezed her hand. She smiled back. She wished life could always be as joyfully simple as this.

“Do you know what it takes to make ice? Is the process environmentally friendly?”

He blinked several times at her and laughed out loud. “What? You’re thinking about making ice right now?”

She nodded. “Of course.”

“You’re crazy, you know that?”

“You’ve just figured that out?”

“Oh, hell, no. But I am learning to appreciate your brand of crazy.”

Before she could come up with a smart retort, Andy zipped by, spun in front of them and skated backward.

“Look at me, Vi,” he shouted as he began to weave in front of them. Another player’s son sped by, tapping Andy on the shoulder. Andy gave chase. Next came Joey, who raced circles around them several times, making Vi dizzy.

“Vi, watch me.” He powered ahead and did a sideways hockey stop, spraying ice into the air before speeding off again.

“They’re showing off for you.”

“They are?” She was seriously flattered and touched. In fact, her eyes got a little misty.

“Yeah, they are. They might give you and Lucifer shit, but they like both of you.”

“Luther,” she corrected.

He shrugged and laughed. “I think I had it right. That cat is evil. And why is he still at my house, anyway?”

She shrugged. She’d left Luther there the night before, assuming she’d be back. She’d been feeling guilty over leaving the poor cat alone so much. Besides, as fat as he was he could use a little exercise running from the boys.

“What’s this thing Brick is doing at two? He’s been cagey about it, and everyone is speculating. You’re pretty tight with Amelia, so I’m guessing you might be clued in.”

“You’ll have to wait and see.” Vi winked and tore off down the rink. She had a head start, but he was on her in two strides, skating effortlessly beside her while she gave it all she had. Her legs turned to spaghetti and her lungs screamed for air. Matt picked her up and spun her around. Setting her back down on her skates, he pulled her into his arms.

“You’re not getting out of answering me that easily. Do you know something about this?” he said.

“A little.” She batted her eyes coyly at him, and he laughed heartily.

“What is it?”

“If I told you, he’d have to kill me.”

“Something’s up,” Matt said, glancing around. The staff were shooing people off the ice and directing them toward the bleachers. Matt followed the crowd, tugging Vi after him.

Once the crowd was seated, the lights dimmed.

“What’s going on, Vi?”

“You’ll see.” She winked at him and slid onto the front-row bleacher seat. Matt sat next to her.

Matt squeezed Vi’s hand. “This is getting weird. Were you somehow involved in this?”

“In the smallest way.” Vi leaned into him, and he put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. She heard distinctive giggling and choruses of “gross” behind them. The boys were nearby.

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” floated from the speakers, and Vi grinned, as excited as if she were performing herself.

The spotlight followed Macy dressed as a glittery Dorothy as she smoothly skated onto the ice. Her long dark hair was in two ponytails. She was followed by a scarecrow, a very large scarecrow. Matt leaned forward, mesmerized. Amelia crowded next to Vi and hugged her arm, almost cutting off the circulation.

“She’ll do fine.” She patted Amelia’s arm.

“I’m not worried about Macy. It’s Brick. He’s been a basket case about this.”

“He’s a professional skater. He’ll be fine.”

“Thanks for your help,” Amelia said.

“I didn’t do much. Just helped them work out some of the routine.” Vi downplayed her part in the performance. She’d spent hours on the choreography, keeping it simple, yet moving. Her chest swelled with pride as Brick’s spunky little girl skated with her daddy in perfect synchrony. She did spins and spirals and jumps. Brick lifted her high into the air, holding her by her waist above his head as he glided around the rink. He lowered her, and she slipped between his legs and back to her feet, making it look easy, when the risky move was anything but. The routine was hauntingly poetic and touching.

By the time they skated to the center of the ice and took a bow, Vi didn’t see a dry eye in the house. Women were sniffling, and guys were rubbing their eyes. She glanced at Matt. His dark eyes were decidedly moist.

“Wow,” Matt whispered.

Holding Macy’s hand, Brick skated to the boards and took the mic Ethan offered him. “I want to thank Macy, the best daughter in the world and the best partner ever, for getting my pairs figure skating career off the ground. Gold medal, here we come.”

The crowd cheered and laughed and hooted. The guys stomped their feet.

“I also want to thank Amelia. Without her, I’d still be a dumbass who didn’t understand the important things in life.”

Laughter from the crowd.

“And lastly, a huge thank you to Vi for the choreography. Lady, you should be doing this for a living.”

More cheers as Vi’s face heated up. She ducked her head, but she could feel all eyes on her, especially Matt’s. Were they all thinking she should be good at choreography—after all, she was a stripper? She forced her head up, plastered a confident smile on her face, and gazed around. No one was looking at her with anything but admiration, especially Matt.

He squeezed her hand as the group in the stands dispersed to eat lunch, gab, or play a game of impromptu hockey. The pride shining in his eyes released a million butterflies in her stomach.

“My boys wanna play hockey. Do you mind if I join them?”

“Of course not.”

He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “You’re incredible. You know that?”

“Yes, I do.”

He shook his head and winked at her before vaulting over the boards and skating after his boys.

“Vi, check out the dessert table,” Izzy called, and waved her over. As the captain’s wife, she considered it her duty to make sure everyone had a good time and felt included, which was right up her alley since Izzy owned a professional party-crashing business. Vi hadn’t understood exactly what that entailed until she’d worked a few times as a fill-in. It was great fun. All she had to do was pretend to crash the party and then proceed to sing, dance, and entertain the guests.

Vi stood next to Izzy and drooled over the incredible array of chocolate madness. They filled their plates and took a seat to watch the hockey game. Macy was right in the middle of all the chaos, as were Joey and Andy.

“I hear you’ve had a bit of drama in your life lately?” Izzy said.

“Yeah, you could say that.”

“What are you going to do?” Izzy appeared to be fishing for information, but Vi wasn’t sure why.

“I don’t know.”

“If you decide to quit, I’d love to hire you. It won’t be as lucrative, but it’s still decent money and the tips can be good.”

“You would?” This was her second job opportunity in less than twenty-four hours.

“Of course. You’re a talented dancer, and I’m always looking for employees who can get men on their feet and dancing, especially the geeks, who have two left feet. Seattle is full of them.”

“I don’t know what to say.” Vi wondered if she should reveal her criminal record to Izzy. She doubted Izzy would run a background check, and she didn’t know her real name anyway. Yet keeping quiet seemed dishonest.

“Think about it,” Izzy said.

Matt had said those very words earlier. Vi could accept both offers. The party crashing could keep her going until she’d built her business. She was crazy to be thinking like this, but why not? Why shouldn’t she have some good karma after all the bad she’d suffered in the past seven years?

She was going to accept Matt’s offer and look to the future.

The past would stay buried where it belonged.

 

* * * *

 

Vi hadn’t gone home in a week, and Matt wasn’t complaining, except he could do without the cat. He’d left on a two-game road trip and was back for the weekend. He was getting used to having Vi in his bed every night, going to his games with the boys, and hanging out at home with them.

They spent a lot of time at Brick and Amelia’s houseboat. Matt toyed with buying one for himself. Downsizing appealed to him. They didn’t need all this space if the boys had a play area. He could keep his boat nearby. He loved being on the water and couldn’t get enough of it.

She still hadn’t told him her decision, but she’d called her boss and taken the week off. Matt hated the thought of her going back there, but Vi had to make her own choices. As hard as it was for him to keep his opinions to himself, he managed somehow.

Matt didn’t have a game until Sunday night, so they spent a lazy Friday night at home. They watched a kid-appropriate movie, then Matt switched on the evening news as he often liked to do, even though some of the story lines sparked a lively debate between Vi and him. The arguments always made for good sex afterward. And he was listening. She was expanding his horizons, making him see the world differently, which was a good thing for his family.

Matt went to the kitchen to pour the boys some milk before he sent them to bed. He heard an odd whimper, almost like a sob, from the family room and hurried from the kitchen, hoping the boys weren’t harassing Vi’s cat again. Last he’d seen, Luther had been lounging on the back of the couch spreading black hair everywhere. How could one little cat leave so much hair around a big house and not be bald?

Matt paused and took in the scene in the family room. Vi was sitting on the couch staring at the TV with tears streaming down her cheeks. He frowned, confused as to what had her so upset. She’d been laughing when he’d left the room a mere minute or two ago. He glanced at the TV. The reporter was talking about a young humpback whale who’d been spotted off the San Juan Islands. The whale had a net tangled around him. They showed a picture of him breaching, and Matt could clearly see the net covering the whale’s snout, fins, and all the way down his body. As he swam, he dragged it through the water behind him.

Boaters who saw the whale were requested to take pictures and immediately report his location to a group that specialized in extracting whales from nets.

Vi was crying over a whale encased in a net?

Joey, the more sensitive of his boys, if such a statement could be possible, crawled onto the couch and hugged Vi tight. Andy hopped on the other side and hugged her, too. Vi put her arms around them and pulled them close. Now all three of them were crying.

Shit.

Matt’s gaze flickered back to the TV, which now showed a close-up shot of the unfortunate whale wrapped in the net. Whales ate seals and salmon as far as Matt knew. This poor thing wouldn’t be able to open his mouth enough to catch and eat his food. The whale’s eye looked sad and stressed, as if begging for help.

The whale’s fate wasn’t looking good.

He shifted his gaze back to his boys and Vi crying over the poor animal. His heart squeezed tight, and he found it hard to breathe. Someone had to be the strong one in the group, even if he didn’t feel strong. Before Vi, neither he nor his boys would’ve given the whale story more than a moment’s thought. Vi had changed all that. She’d made them think about the world around them and how something as small as using insecticide on his weeds could have catastrophic effects on the local bee population.

He swiped at his face. He was not going to cry. On stiff legs, he walked to the couch and sat next to Joey. Reaching out, he pulled them all into the circle of his arms. By now, Vi was sobbing and the boys were, too. Matt blinked several times to prevent his own tears.

His youngest looked up at him, sniffling. “Daddy can help the whale,” Joey proclaimed. “Daddy can do anything.”

Matt opened his mouth to protest.

“Dad, help him, please?” Andy begged. “Vi’s sad. I don’t like her being sad.”

“Guys, it’s okay. I’ll be okay.” Vi hiccupped and wiped her wet cheeks on his T-shirt.

“Dad can fix it. Our dad is a superhero. There’s nothing he can’t do,” Joey said.

Well, shit. Matt grimaced.

“Can you help him, Dad? Please, can you? Please. Please. Please.” Andy gazed up at him with such admiration and trust, Matt’s heart stuttered a few beats before picking up again.

“Guys, I—” He stopped, thrown by the way Vi studied him. She believed in him. She thought there was something he could do. “I’ll call Al. See if he can contact the people trying to save the whale and offer assistance.”

A cheer went up from the boys, and Vi smiled with hope in her bright eyes.

“It’s time for bed now, guys.”

The boys jumped to their feet, already on to the next thing in their lives. Adults could take a page out of kids’ books. They lived for the moment. Matt dwelled too much on the past and worried too much about the future.

“Vi, would you read us a story?” Joey asked, suddenly shy. Matt hadn’t met a person yet who could resist Joey when he put on his sweet little-boy face. Vi was no exception.

“Sure. Run upstairs and get ready for bed. I’ll be there in a few.”

They didn’t wait. They ran for the stairs. A few seconds later, Matt heard their feet pounding in the hallway above.

Vi leaned her head on his shoulder and snuggled close. “Thank you.”

“Thank you,” he said.

“For what?” She leaned back and looked into his eyes, her pretty face puzzled and her arms looped around his neck. He liked the warm fuzzies he got from helping her and watching her bond with his boys. They’d been wary at first, but they were warming up to each other. He understood their reluctance to get close to another woman after the number their mother had done on them. His own mother had healed some of those wounds, and he greatly appreciated the sacrifice she’d made for them.

“For opening my eyes and theirs to the world outside our little bubble.”

She blushed. He couldn’t recall ever seeing her blush before. “You’re welcome.”

“But don’t expect us to eat rice cakes or kale anytime soon.” He grinned, and she smacked him lightly on the shoulder.

“Well, whatever you can do for that poor humpback, I’d truly appreciate it.”

“I hope I can help. I like whales, and I like having you around. You enrich our lives and make the world so much brighter.” The words came out before he could stop them. He rarely spoke before thinking what he was going to say. Matt was not spontaneous, or hadn’t been until now. Now that he’d said it, he wouldn’t take it back if he could. He meant those words.

She rewarded him with a teary-eyed smile so brilliant he was blinded by everything but her beauty, her uniqueness, her spirit.

In that moment, Matt realized he more than liked her.

He might be in love with her.

 

* * * *

 

Matt waited impatiently for Al to answer. Vi was in the kitchen making whole-grain pancakes or something like that, and the boys were “helping” her. He could hear their excited voices as they peppered her with questions. She answered each one with remarkable patience.

“Do you know what time it is?” Al grouched.

“Yeah, it’s ten o’clock on a Saturday morning, but that’s not why I called.” Matt grinned into the phone and chuckled, waiting for the imminent explosion of profanity by his cranky agent, and he wasn’t disappointed. He waited until Al ran out of steam.

“I need a favor.”

“Call Cindy. I’m out of favors. You’ve used up your quota for the month.”

“I don’t have her personal number.”

“If I wasn’t such a responsible dumbshit, you wouldn’t have mine, either.”

Mat had a good laugh about that.

“What do you want?”

“I need you to save a whale.”

“You need what?”

“For you to save a whale for Vi and the boys.”

The silence on the phone seemed to stretch into infinity. He’d rendered Al speechless. That was a first.

“Al? Did you faint?” Matt couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice.

“No, I’m loading my gun, and I’m going to shoot myself in the head.”

“I see. Before you do that, I need you to save this one whale.”

“Fuck you.”

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your unprofessional behavior,” Matt teased.

“Talk away. I’m turning away clients so it’s not hurting me any.”

“Okay, Al, about this whale—”

Al groaned, sounding resigned to his fate.

“Did you see the news last night about the whale entangled in a fishing net?”

“How do you know that I’m even in Seattle?” Al shared his time between Seattle and New York, but he had so many clients in Seattle, he’d been spending more and more time in the city.

“Are you?”

“Yeah. And I did see it. The pictures were…disturbing.” Al’s voice hitched. This was a side of Al Matt had never seen. The guy seemed so self-centered and driven, and all the while he’d been a closeted whale lover.

“Vi and the kids saw it, too. They want me to help.”

“You going to dive in and try to cut the net off?”

Matt ignored the sarcasm. Al practiced it to the level of master. “No, but there’s an organization that extracts nets from marine wildlife, but first they have to locate the whale.”

“And what are we going to do about it?”

The use of the word “we” wasn’t lost on Matt. “Contact them. Offer them whatever monetary help we can give them. Hire some whale-watching vessels out of Friday Harbor to locate the whale for the rescuers.”

“That could get expensive.”

“I don’t care. Whatever it costs.”

“I hate to say this, but I’m on it, and I’ll match whatever you put in.”

“I had no idea you were such a nature lover, Al.”

“Whatever,” he grumbled.

“I thank you.”

“You’re in love with this woman, aren’t you?” Al said, throwing Matt a curveball he hadn’t seen coming.

Matt’s entire face heated up from his neck to the top of his head. Thank God Al couldn’t see him. “It’s turned more serious that I thought it would.”

“I see. You know your ex has been sniffing around, trying to come up with ways to get money out of you.”

“I’m aware. What have you heard?”

“I’ve talked with your attorney a few times. Didn’t want to alarm you. She’s not making any serious attempts to get the boys back. We think she’s bluffing to see if you’ll buy her out.”

“I see.”

“Don’t worry about it. I have it under control, and Super Al will save your whale, too. All in a day’s work.” Al disconnected the call before Matt could tell him about Vi’s not-so-secret career.

He’d deal with that problem another day, once he convinced Vi to take him up on his offer and quit her exotic dancer job.

“Is Al going to help us?” Vi said from behind him.

Matt turned and went to her, wrapping her in his arms. She felt so damn good. So right. So…everything. If the boys weren’t in the next room, he’d take her to bed. He nuzzled her hair. She smelled like springtime promises, and he was developing an affinity for piercings, tattoos, and purple hair.

“Yeah, he’s going to help. Turns out he’s a nature lover.”

“Al?” She drew back and looked into his eyes, probably to see if he was pulling her leg or not.

“Yeah, seriously.” He tugged on her hand. “Come over here and sit with me. There’s something I need to tell you while the boys are still preoccupied.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“It’s neither good nor bad. It’s just an FYI.”

They sat on the window seat looking out at his big backyard.

“My ex’s attorney has been in touch with my attorney.”

Vi sat back against the window and made an odd little sound, like a wounded animal.

He grabbed her hand, not meaning to cause her distress but wanting to be straight with her. “I just wanted you to know.”

“My profession could jeopardize your custody arrangement.”

“I’m not going to lie to you. It could.”

She stared at their entwined fingers and lifted her gaze to meet his. “I’m going to quit. I’m not dancing anymore. I was already considering it.”

“Does this mean you’ll take me up on my offer?”

She nodded. “Yes, but I want a business contract drawn up. I don’t want this to be charity. I’ll make a go of this business or I won’t, but when we go our separate ways, I don’t want you to feel any obligation to me other than as a business investment.”

“Not when. If.”

Her brow furrowed. “What?”

“If we go our separate ways.”

“What are we doing here, Matt?”

“I’m not sure, but I’m taking a page out of your book and living for the moment instead of worrying about the future. You should try that. It’s incredibly freeing.”

She laughed, and a two-hundred-pound weight was lifted off his back.

“Vi, I’ve been struggling with naming this thing between us, but I’ve finally figured it out. Why it took me this long, I haven’t a clue. Maybe because you’re not the woman I pictured in my life, yet you’re exactly what I need. You’re my girlfriend, Vi. The only woman I want in my life.”

She sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Matt…you don’t really know me.”

“I know all I need to know. You’re the woman who claims she doesn’t like kids but weasels her ways into my boys’ heart, you look damn good on purple skates, and you cry over whales tangled in nets.”

“My skates aren’t purple.”

“We’ll have to rectify that.”

“Vi! Look at my picture!” Joey ran into the room and crawled onto the window seat between them. Matt swallowed hard as he watched Vi dip her head to study Joey’s drawing. He’d been wrong about her. She’d make a great mother. And soon she’d be a business owner. Then whatever happened, at least she’d be living her dream. Whether she was successful would be up to her, but Matt would put his money on Vi.