“If you two don’t hurry it up, we’ll be late,” Seg shouted from where he stood by the front door.
Where he’d been standing for the past ten minutes because Roan insisted he had a surprise for him.
“Almost ready!” Roan called back.
Seg rolled his eyes. How many times had he heard that in the past week, even? A dozen? Two? They seemed to be in a constant state of waiting these days.
Then again, Seg had honed his patience over the past few years. Turned out, that was a crucial trait for a parent.
“All right. Are you ready?” Roan’s voice echoed from down the hall.
“As I’ll ever be,” he said. “Does that mea—”
Seg’s words halted instantly when Liam came marching out into the living room.
“I’m a hockey player,” Liam announced, spinning around to show off his Halloween costume.
“That’s a great costume,” Seg said squatting down so he was at Liam’s level. “Lemme check you out.”
Liam skipped over, a hockey stick in one hand, a puck in the other.
Seg’s gaze locked onto the jersey and his own number on Liam’s chest.
“This is great,” he said, looking up and meeting Roan’s gaze. “Where’d you get it?”
“I ordered it.” Roan stepped closer. “Along with a few more.”
Seg frowned, standing tall. “Because kids need more than one costume?”
“No, because a hockey team has to be outfitted in jerseys.”
“Hockey team?”
“I had a chat with Phoenix and he agreed to sponsor a youth league.”
Seg wasn’t sure he’d heard correctly. For the past couple of years he’d mentioned the idea of getting Liam into hockey, but Roan had never showed any interest. Aside from the fact they came to every one of Seg’s games when they could manage it, Roan hadn’t seemed interested.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Roan said with a smile. “I’m an overprotective father, so yes, it took me some time to come around to the idea, but ultimately you were right.”
Seg met Roan’s gaze, smiling for the first time. “Could you repeat that last part?”
“Which part?”
“Where you said I was right.”
Roan cocked an eyebrow.
“Maybe we could get that in writing?” Seg suggested. “Just to prove that it actually happened.”
“Can we go trick or treating now?” Liam mumbled, tugging on Seg’s shirt.
“Of course we can, champ,” Seg said, grabbing Liam up into his arms. “But when we come back, Dad’s going to write something down. We might have to remind him.”
Liam nodded. “Yeah, Dad. Write it down.”
