Only One Night (Only One 3)

“Auntie Evie,” Caleb says, running to me, and I bend down to hug him, kissing his neck. “You’re wearing a jersey.”

“I know,” I say, getting up and kissing my brother on his cheek. “Thanks for coming,” I whisper in his ear. I didn’t know what tonight would bring, and I somehow felt more comfortable having Tim here.

“Box seats,” he says. “It’s my dream.” He was shocked like everyone else when I told him about Manning and me. But for a whole different reason, and it had nothing to do with the fact he was married. Veronica, on the other hand, was thrilled that he was finally going to divorce Murielle, who I found out did not have friends anywhere.

“I’m going to go with Jaxon to get some pucks, apparently at the glass. I’m going to take Caleb. They have food and booze.” I point at the room, and he nods, then sees Nico, who comes over and shakes his hand and then looks at me.

“Wait a second,” he says, looking at me. “You’re Tim’s sister?”

“I am,” I say, and he looks down. “I heard about you.” And I smile at him. “I’m not going to tell Manning because well, I don’t know how he would react, but your father tried to set us up.”

I laugh, shocked now. “What?”

“Yeah, when you were coming back, he thought we would connect well,” Nico says, and it’s at that moment that I realize I don’t want to be with anyone else. I don’t want to go on another first date. I don’t want to have another first kiss. I don’t want anyone but Manning.

“Are you okay?” he asks, and I just nod and turn to walk out of the room. My head is spinning. I know I love him, there is no questioning that, but it’s a forever type of love.

I walk with the kids as they lead me down to the glass, and I see the players come on the ice. Caleb and Jaxon line up at the glass, and I stand behind them as kids come over. They slap the glass, and I wait there, and then I see him on the ice, sliding on one skate as he comes over to the glass. Picking up two pucks, he throws them both over for Jaxon and Caleb, and then he looks at me. His face changes right away when he sees me. The worry forms on his face, and he nods with his chin, mouthing, “What’s wrong?”

I try to play it off and smile at him as I watch the boys slap the glass. He looks at me and then the boys.

I wait until all the guys have skated off before heading back up, and I don’t even know what happened in the game. I don’t remember talking to anyone; I remember nothing. The only thing I’m trying to digest right now is the fact that he’s the one.

Tim and Caleb leave as soon as the game is over, and Jaxon sits next to me on the couch as we wait with some of the other family members for the teams to come out. He leans on me, and I open my arm to wrap it around him as he lays with his head on my lap.

I get a text from Manning forty minutes after the game.

Manning: Coming to get you.

I don’t move as I wait for him to come, and then I see him walking into the room. He is wearing a blue suit with a white button-down. “Hey,” he says when he sees me and then comes over to us.

“He’s sleeping,” I say, and he bends down, and I wait for the kiss. He kisses me softly once.

“I’m going to grab him.” He bends over and lifts him in his big arms. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I say, and he just looks at me. “Just tired.” He nods, slipping his hand into mine.

He doesn’t say anything when we get in the car, and the drive home is suddenly awkward silence. When we get back to his house, he carries Jaxon to bed. I walk to the kitchen and warm up some food for him.

He comes back in a couple of minutes later, and he’s wearing shorts with no shirt like he always does after a game. “What happened?” he asks right away, standing with his hands on his hips. “And don’t tell me nothing. When I saw you, you looked pale and like you were going to vomit or pass out.”

“It honestly was nothing.” I try to reassure him because I’m not sure how the fuck to explain what is going through my head.

“We said we’d never lie,” he says, and I shake my head. “In here,” he says. “In your house, it’s just us.”

“Can we not do this now?” I ask, and he just looks over at me. “You are so annoying sometimes,” I say, and he just continues to stare. “Fine,” I say, my voice rising a bit. “Tim came in, and Nico put two and two together, and then told me my father was trying to play matchmaker.”