Chapter 26—Third Period

The team flew to Pittsburgh a day early, and Drew met his father for a late lunch. He hadn’t talked to the man other than a few short words here and there for weeks.

Drew couldn’t blow him off before the final game for the Cup. Winning probably meant as much to his dad as it did to Drew.

“Any words of wisdom, Dad?” Drew asked, feeling magnanimous. Not even his father’s infamous criticism could ruin how Drew was feeling about Game 7. He’d played well in the last few games. Scored in every one of them, including his hat trick, and he was on a high.

Stafford stared at him and blinked. “I—uh, not really. I mean you’ve been playing like a man on a mission. I can’t improve on that.”

“Thanks, Dad.” Embarrassed by his father’s rare compliment, Drew could feel the heat rising up his neck and across his cheeks. He was glad none of the guys were around to see it. His father was bad enough.

“I’ve been hard on you over the years, and it took almost losing you, too, for me to see what an asshole I’ve been. I love you, son. I’ll love you if you play championship hockey or if you’re a flagger on a construction site. Doesn’t matter to me as long as your mother and I can share your life. Nor does it matter who else you share it with.”

“Like Marina?”

“Yeah, like Marina. It’s time to send the demons of our past packing. Marina has paid the price a thousand times over for her foolish mistake. We’re all guilty of dumbass stuff we did in our younger years.” He grinned and took a swig of his water. Drew noticed for the first time his father wasn’t drinking alcohol.

“Thanks, Dad. Your approval means a lot to me.”

“You’re welcome. Your brother would be proud of you, too.”

Drew stared at his hands and swallowed hard, working to compose himself before he spoke.

“She’s been good for you,” Stafford added.

Drew’s head shot up. His mouth fell open, and he struggled for words. “Marina?”

“Of course, you’re in love with her, aren’t you?”

Drew frowned and squinted at his father. He’d never considered him a romantic. “Yeah, but it’s not going to be easy.”

“Nothing good ever is or what would be the fun of living life? Look how close I came to winning the Cup and never did. The one thing I wanted most in my career, and I never achieved it. If it’d been easy to get, I wouldn’t have cared.”

“She has a job offer in Montreal.”

“That’ll make it tough, but hockey careers don’t last forever, and you can see her during the off-season.”

“Which is short.”

“Drew, do you love this woman or not? If you do, then you’ll find a way to make it work, just like your mom and I. Did you think it was easy for us with her coaching world-class figure skaters and me playing hockey and moving from team to team at the end of my career?”

Drew was duly chastised. His father was right, and he usually hated when Stafford was right. Not this time.

“You’ve never been much of a risk taker, Drew. The greatest rewards come from the greatest risks.”

“I take risks,” Drew said defensively, but his father was right. He tended to follow the easy path and not cause waves. He’d been a fly-under-the-radar guy until his brother had died, and he was the only child left in his parents’ world.

Stafford snorted. “Don’t take this a criticism, merely an observation. You don’t have the passion for hockey not like your brother or I did. Why are you playing? I’m damn sure it’s not for the money.”

“You don’t think I’ve been playing with passion lately?”

“Well, hell yeah, but who wouldn’t if they were playing in the Finals?”

Usually by this stage in the conversation, Drew would either check out or argue with his father. This time, he did neither. Instead, he listened. Stafford wasn’t being an ass or tearing him down. He was trying to help, and Drew recognized the difference.

“Drew, some of the most complicated problems have the simplest answers. Search your heart. You know what the right thing is for you.”

“I will.”

“All this deep thinking has given me a headache. I think I’ll find a couple of my buddies and get a drink.” Stafford stood and so did Drew, who held out his hand. Instead, his father wrapped him into his arms in a tight hug. For a moment, Drew stiffened, his hands rigid at his sides, then he hugged his father back. Hot tears stung his eyelids.

“I love you, son.”

“I love you, too, Dad.”

“Later, kid.” His father turned to walk away, and Drew called out to him.

“Dad, I appreciate the words of wisdom.”

His father saluted him and hurried to the door. Drew watched him go, the man’s words running through his head repeatedly.

* * * *

Marina arrived at the team hotel around two p.m., giving her plenty of time to catch a bite to eat. She hadn’t told Drew she’d be at the game. She wanted to surprise him. After she unpacked, she wandered downstairs to grab a bite to eat, hoping Izzy and the rest might be there and she could hang with them. They weren’t.

Sighing, she took a table by herself and ordered a Caesar salad.

“Imagine meeting you here.”

Marina looked up and smiled welcomingly. The woman’s expression was carefully neutral, and Marina took that as good sign. After all, Drew loved his parents, and she was most likely going to be a part of their family.

Yeah, she was. She wanted Drew any way she could get him. Even if they were both on opposite sides of North America and in two different countries. They’d have the summers, and eventually they’d find a way to end up in the same city.

Cassandra pulled out the chair across from her and sat, not bothering to ask to be invited to join her.

Marina didn’t want to have this conversation before Game 7, but it appeared she wasn’t going to get a choice. She sighed and found herself lacking patience.

“Cassandra, let me save you some time. Whatever you’re going to say, I love Drew, and we’re both in this for forever. I hope we have your blessing.”

The knowing smile on Cassandra’s face confused her. What was the woman up to?

“I heard you accepted a job with Montreal?”

“Not yet.”

“Being a thousand miles apart puts a decided strain on a new relationship.”

“I know.” Marina crossed her arms over her chest and raised her chin defiantly.

“I can help with that.”

Marina’s mind churned with possible implications of that simple sentence.

Cassandra’s Mona Lisa smile gave away nothing. “You’ve been good for Drew. You’ve helped him rediscover his enthusiasm for life. Stafford and I have been concerned this past year. Of course, now we realize we played a large part in his issues.”

Marina didn’t know what to say so she kept her mouth shut and waited for the “but.”

“Marina, I’ve done a lot of soul searching these past few months, as has Stafford. We made mistakes as parents, were too hard on Drew, but we love him and only want the best for him. It’s taken us a while to see the light, but that best is you.”

“Thank you.” Marina couldn’t say any more than that without embarrassing herself by turning into a babbling fool.

“With Ethan’s blessing, I’m offering you the job of assistant figure skating coach at the new facility.”

“You—you’re what?” If she’d been speechless earlier, now she’d been stripped of her ability to form coherent sentences.

“I’m offering you a position.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes. I warn you. I’m not easy to work with. I’m a task master. I expect things to be done my way to my exact specifications. I’ll demand everything you have and take nothing less.”

“I’ve heard that about you.” A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

“I’m sure you have firsthand experience.”

“I do. I’d be honored to work with you to create a world-class figure skating facility in Seattle.”

“It’s settled then. Can you start on Monday?”

“Yes, I learned my basics from you, and there’s no one better.”

“I know.”

They both shared a laugh, and the puzzle pieces of Marina’s new life began to fall into place. Now to tell Drew.