It takes five minutes to get out of my seat, many parents stopping to tell me how awesome Matthew played, with me agreeing. It was the best game of his life. When I make my way to Allison, she is with James and Tiffany.
“Good game,” I say, looking at both of them.
“Yeah, he played his heart out there,” James says with a proud smile on his face.
“He sure did,” I agree, wrapping my arms around Cooper’s waist, leaning into him. It’s like I’ve been made to do this, to be here, to be with him.
Chapter Sixteen
I watch my father make his way to us from the locker room. I’m a little nervous because I haven’t had the chance to tell him about Cooper.
Well, I have, but who wants to tell their dad they are having sex. Ummmm, no one.
Cooper must feel me start to tense up and pull away. My father and James had a great relationship, but that was before he fucked over his baby girl. Now he can barely stand him in the room. So it’s no surprise that he grunts when he sees him and Tiffany next to us. “Hey, princess, how’s my girl doing?”
“Grampy. I had pancakes today. Cooper came over and pwayed hide and seek. I found him because I’m a super spy.” Allison is totally oblivious to the stink eye my father is giving Cooper.
“Hey, I’m Steven, Parker’s dad. Nice to finally meet you.” He reaches out to shake Cooper’s hand. “I’ve heard good things about you, and your training is going full force.” He’s treading in the water before bringing out the big guns. I can feel it, and then he goes in for the kill. “I can see Parker has shown an interest in you. Hope you don’t fuck it up like some schmuck I know.”
Tiffany gasps, putting her hand to her mouth while James glares at him. I cross my hands over my chest, but Cooper just tilts his head back and gives a great big belly laugh.
“Yes, sir, best person I’ve ever met. Trust me, there will be no mistake with Parker.” When I think that is the end, of course Cooper adds in, “Once you have gold in your hand you don’t go down to brass like some people we know.” He looks straight at James, while Tiffany turns on her stilettos and storms out. Now you think to yourself, you are going to a hockey game, so what the fuck are you doing wearing fucking stilettos?
“Listen, you can hate me, but please respect Tiffany and her feelings,” James says.
I turn to him, ready to attack his fucking jugular when Allison’s voice breaks through the tension when she leans into my father.
“Gramps, is it because her panties are all twisted up?”
Oh my God. I glare at my father.
“Allison Marie, don’t you say that ever. Tiffany is Daddy’s friend, and we will treat her with respect, or you will be getting a time-out”—I look at my father—“with grandpa.”
We are all waiting to see what comes next, but that thought is interrupted by huge cheers, which means the team has made their way out. I look over at Matthew, hoping to catch his eye. He is being tossed and turned every which way, and I couldn’t be prouder.
When he finally makes his way to us, I run over, hugging my little boy. Little is a stretch since he is five foot eleven now. “I’m so proud of you.” I tiptoe up to place a kiss on his cheek. “You played your heart out, and it paid off.”
He squeezes me. “Thanks, Mom, it was a hell of a game. It was shaky at the beginning, but then it got better in the second.”
“So I won’t bring this up now, but your mouth on that ice is unacceptable, young man.”
He looks down with a sheepish look. “Mom, it’s part of the game. Tell her, Cooper.”
I let him leave so he can go get his congratulations from everyone waiting in the corner.
He makes his way to James first where they share an awkward hug. No one but Cooper and I notice, but we don’t say anything. He then approaches Cooper where they do the side hug men thing. “Good play out there. Good stick handling. Good head. You took some of my pointers, I see. You did good.” And with that, he beams up. It’s like the approval he needed. “I have to say no one but a true hockey player will know how good it is to get that sense of you did good.” With his head nodding up and down while he listens to Matthew talk about the different plays he wanted to make, we see Artie making his way to us, and my heart starts beating faster. My mouth gets dry, making my hands shake. This could be that moment in his life he never forgets.