Yet my reluctance to label whatever the fuck I was feeling for Geneva drove home that I might be more damaged than I’d realized. Regardless, I wasn’t running from the strong feelings surfacing whenever I was in Geneva’s presence. I was working to embrace them and welcome them. I would talk with her about how I was feeling because a relationship without honesty was on a rocky foundation.

While I didn’t know where this relationship was going, things would be easier if Jock wasn’t voicing his disapproval. I’d focus some of my effort on building Jock’s trust while working on my own trust issues.

I showed up early for dinner, probably because Geneva was already there, and I wasn’t able to stay away from her one minute longer. Thankfully, Eunice shooed us out of the kitchen. It was a beautiful evening, sunny, with temps in the upper sixties. We took a walk around the neighborhood, sneaking out before Jock’s kids tagged along with us. It wasn’t that I didn’t want them around, but now that Geneva was staying in town and so was I, I wanted to have a serious talk with her—about us. I had to make sure we were on the same page. I was pretty sure we were, but we needed to have this talk.

Jock lived in a family neighborhood of older upscale homes, not hugely ostentatious but nice, with manicured lawns and good-sized backyards. Huge old trees lined the quiet street. It was the type of place I’d love to live, compared to the small Vancouver, BC house on a tiny lot I’d grown up in.

We walked along holding hands, comfortable in our silence. As we strolled, I was more and more certain of the seed of an idea that’d popped into my head earlier in the day. The community in which Jock lived had a small park. I guided Geneva to a park bench, and we sat down next to each other. Birds chirped in celebration of spring, flowers bloomed, and the scent of fir needles hung in the air. This was April in Seattle at its finest.

Holding Geneva’s hands, I angled my body so I could see her face better. She smiled at me in an unsure manner, and I was flattered she’d allowed me to see beyond her tough-girl outer shell.

“I’m glad you’re staying with the Sockeyes,” I said, starting with a relatively safe subject as a segue.

“So am I.” Our eyes locked, and I saw the joy there. Right now, life was so damn good, and I wanted to make it even better.

“I had my own discussion with Coach today.”

“You did?” Fear and concern clouded her brown eyes.

“Yeah. He’s happy with how I stepped in and played. I’ll be a Sockeye into the distant future. He says I’m part of their rebuilding plan. So is Steele.”

“Oh, Axel, I’m so happy for you.” She hugged me hard, and I hugged her back. My throat closed off, and I fought off the sudden sting of tears in my eyes. I had family who cared about me. My teammates cared about me. But I’d never had a special woman who truly cared about me as a person. Geneva did, or I liked to think she did, and I was about to lay my heart on the line and find out.