Legend (Arizona Vengeance 3)

“She not doing well?” I ask him.

Dax shrugs. “I can’t tell. She’s not telling me much. She seemed like she was holding her shit together the week I was there after he died. She handled everything with such grace. I mean…she’s all grown-up now and I wasn’t expecting that. In my mind, she was still a little girl.”

“When was the last time you saw her before Lance died?” I ask.

“It was when she graduated high school, I guess. She went to college in California after that.”

“And how old is she now?”

“Twenty-two,” he tells me with a grimace. “It makes me feel old as hell since I can remember her chasing me and Lance around the iced-over pond while we were trying to play hockey.”

I laugh, smiling at the memory he just shared. “Yes. At twenty-eight , you’re so old,” I tell him sarcastically. “But seriously…what’s your worry?”

Dax shakes his head with a perplexed expression. “I can’t put my finger on it. On the outside, she looks strong. She acts strong. Like I said, she handled everything with grace. She even gave an amazing eulogy. But I just get the impression that she’s not as okay as she’s trying to portray. Just a gut feeling, I guess.”

“Have you seen her this trip?” I ask him.

“I’m going to meet up with her tonight for some drinks. I think she’s planning to head back to California soon.”

“Here’s my advice.” I turn in my seat to face him. “If you think there’s something there, push her to tell you what’s going on. Otherwise it’s going to eat at you.”

“Yeah, I know,” he says with resignation. He looks back down to his phone, but then his head pops back up. “By the way, been meaning to ask…anything going on with Lida?”

I’ve kept my tight circle—Bishop, Dax, and Erik—they’re pretty up to speed on my impending legal woes with Lida. I’ve also kept Christian Rutherford apprised, because I know this team doesn’t need any negative media attention if this turns out to be a bunch of drama. So far, the media hasn’t even picked up on the fact that I’ve become an overnight father and I want to keep it that way.

“So far she’s been quiet,” I tell him. He already knows last week’s development which was Lida’s attorney filing a motion to share custody. It was a move that enraged me and I told my attorney to spare no expense fighting it. His plan is to request the court to order her to turn over her medical records as well as require a psychological evaluation. I don’t see how she can really fight against this, since she’s claiming a psychological illness is what caused her to abandon Charlie in the first place, but you never know what might happen.

I’d given a lot of thought to my feelings about Lida and I’m trying to have some empathy for her. I’ve even considered carefully what Pepper said but something inside of me keeps rebelling against letting Lida back into Charlie’s life. I can’t quite put my finger on why it’s bothering me so much, but I try not to worry about it too much right now.

The motion has been set for next month and until then, Lida is not something I want to give my attention to. I’d rather worry about my daughter, my team, and Pepper, and that’s in no particular order. I say that because Pepper is becoming more and more important to me as the days pass by.

“Is it hard being away from Charlie?” Dax asks me.

“Yeah,” I admit. “I’ve got a newfound respect for the dads on this team.”

“I expect it’s even harder on you since you’re all Charlie has,” he observes.

“I’d go crazy with worry if I didn’t have Lucy and Pepper back in Phoenix,” I tell him.

Dax’s eyes light up. “Speaking of Pepper…you two are getting serious, aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” I tell him without an ounce of hesitation. No sense in denying something that’s patently clear whenever anyone sees Pepper and me together. We had dinner the other night with Brooke and Bishop and Bishop told me I looked like a love-struck idiot every time I looked at Pepper.

Whatever.

“Pepper is going to bring Charlie to Boston this weekend for the All-Star game,” I tell Dax, not even trying to hide my smile of excitement at seeing them both. I won’t be returning with the team tomorrow morning to Phoenix but rather I’ll hop a commercial flight to Boston since I’m one of the two Pacific division goalies chosen to represent the best of the league.

“Bet your parents are happy about that,” Dax observes. I’ve told him how crazy they’ve been over their granddaughter and I was told, in no uncertain terms, that I’d be disowned if I didn’t bring Charlie.