It all came down to Cheyenne.

If Chad made it right, somehow.

If Cheyenne was cool with it.

If Cheyenne was cool with Natalie.

Once all those pieces fit together, then I’d take up my woman’s side. That was all I thought about regarding people I’ve known since I was a kid, or a teenager in Deek’s case.

Speaking of Deek, I saw him now.

I must’ve made a sound because conversations lulled around me.

Margo’s eyes were a whole lot more alert.

Natalie turned, approaching her ex-husband first. The two husbands were gracious toward each other. How fucking fitting.

Hendrix asked under his breath, “Cheyenne’s dad?”

“No. It was just his sperm that helped create her. That’s all he is to her.”

Margo’s eyes now had a mean glint to them. She touched my arm. “Go. Do whatever you’d like. I’ll run interference.”

Hendrix looked in love. “Margo, you are one fierce owner, and if you weren’t married, and I wasn’t your player, I’d try to get in your pants.”

Margo smothered a laugh. “Dear Lord, get lost, Hendrix. I say that with affection.” Margo skimmed me over. “But you have a few things to explain, hmm?”

I had lied to her in her office. But I didn’t care.

Hendrix motioned for me to walk with him. “I noticed your boy isn’t here.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Everything good there?”

I gave him a look. “You know it’s not.”

Another chuckle from him. “I know, but I’m just double-checking because I’m moving in on the Not-Russian. That okay with you?”

“That’s Chad’s problem if you make headway, but fair warning, if somehow he pulls his head out of his ass, I will be telling him about you and the Not-Russian.”

Hendrix laughed. “I’d expect nothing less. I’m almost looking forward to that.”

We headed over to the girls, and I drew Cheyenne to my side.

There was a lot of mingling. The donation buckets were brought around, along with drinks and the food they always had at these places. There was press set up by the corner, and Dean came over at one point to ask Cheyenne if she’d go and talk to them.

“No.” Her voice was flat. “Go away, Dean.”

He went, and then Melanie leaned over to whisper to Cheyenne, “You can be a beacon whenever you’d like.”

Cheyenne started laughing.

The Reba lady made a speech, and a few of the volunteers whom I recognized from my stint here yesterday came in, and each took a turn at the microphone. They all talked about their time helping out, and how they’d been touched or inspired by the individuals who ate there, and also the staff. That seemed to be the general consensus.

Each of the volunteers came over to hug Cheyenne, as well as Boomer and Reba.

I had no clue where the Dean guy went, but I also had ceased giving a shit about anyone except my teammates and Cheyenne and her group. It was at this point that I knew we’d done enough time at the event. People looked ready to keep drinking and celebrating, but I bent to Cheyenne’s ear. “Wanna head home?”

Her hand came to my chest and her lips to my ear. “Please.”

“I’ll bring the vehicle up. Want to ask your girls if they want a ride?”

“Okay.”

I was just leaving through the back door when I heard from behind me, “Do you know what you’re doing?”

I looked back as the door shut.

Deek was standing there, and he looked like he’d been waiting for me, smoking a cigar. He waved it around, motioning to me. “You and Chad were friends since you were little, and I used to think of you as a son. A long time, Cutler. A long time. Then, you moved on. You joined the NHL and that was around the time the divorce was happening. I thought to myself, “I gotta let him go. He’s Chad’s now.” And you were. You had your own family, good people. Great people. Solid people, but my heart was being ripped out of my chest.”

“Why are you telling me this, Deek?”

“Because of how you’re looking at me right now. You look down on me, and you’ve got no right. You’re a pup still in the world. You think you know what was happening when I let Cheyenne go, but you don’t. I lost everything. I loved Natalie. I loved Chad, and I lost both of them. And Hunter. She took him away from me. I only got to see him every other weekend, but I love those times with him. I look forward to them, and he’s such a good kid. He’ll be a great man someday. He’s going to big places. A big future before him.” His voice broke. “I’m proud of him. He’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

“You’re exactly right.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“You had nothing to do with Cheyenne and the kind of person she is today.”

He started to sneer, taking a long drag of his cigar. “You’re making a mistake with that one. She’ll be just like Donna. I already see it, the beginning. Those two friends she’s hanging out with. They’re into drugs and they’re probably hooking on the side. Same as Donna. She ask for money yet?”