Unnecessary Roughness: An MM Sports Romance by Rheland Richmond & Emerson Beckett

Author:Rheland Richmond & Emerson Beckett [Richmond, Rheland]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-10-27T18:30:00+00:00

CHAPTER 20

JACKSON

Parker and I had our first grief counseling session today. The counselor reassured Parker that what he was feeling and that the shift in his mood was normal. Sometimes, he was sad and angry, but he could also be upbeat a little while later. She reassured him that he wasn’t forgetting Allison by being happy here in Portland but reminded him that was what Allison wanted for him—to be happy. The main point she made was we needed to talk about her, put her pictures up, or share memories. By doing that, we honored her memory. It would just take some time.

“Do you feel better after talking to her?” I asked.

“Yeah, I do,” he replied.

“You know you can talk about her with Simon or me or any of our friends for that matter.”

Parker shook his head, letting me know he understood but kept his gaze out the window. “I talk to Cooper sometimes.”

“That’s really good, Park. Keep talking to him when you need to.” I was ridiculously happy he felt close enough to Cooper to open up to him.

“It doesn’t bother you that I talk to him about it more than I talk to you?”

I reached out to take his hand, then squeezed it. “No, buddy, not one bit. Cooper is actually training to become a counselor. Did you know that?”

“Yeah, he told me. He and Callum are going to do something like that with the horse rescue.” He smiled a little bit.

“That will be really cool.” He still held onto my hand, so I didn’t let go.

“Yeah, it will be.”

The closer I got to downtown, the more I wanted to lift his mood. What better to do that with than something he loved. Okay, I loved them too.

“Wanna stop by VooDoo one last time before I have to stop eating all that deliciousness?”

Parker smiled at me. “Yeah, but you better not tell Simon you ate doughnuts.”

I huffed. “He’s not the boss of me,” I answered like a petulant teenager.

Parker giggled. “Are you sure about that?”

I tried not to smile, but it was inevitable when Simon was involved. And I was failing, and Park knew it. “Yeah, okay. Maybe he is.”

Parker laughed at my admission.

“But he is kinda bossy sometimes,” I added.

“I’m gonna tell him you said that,” Parker singsonged.

“You better not.”

I secretly loved that he liked Simon so much that he’d tell on me. They’d bonded in Atlanta over swimming and pancakes. Now they just enjoyed each other’s company.

We hopped into VooDoo to grab a dozen doughnuts, then headed home for a while. Parker’s new school, Portland Prep, had an Open House for new students today. Christian would be there, and we’d get to tour the school.

“Are you nervous about your new school?” Please say no.

“A little, but not really. Christian told me all about my teachers. I hope there are some other new kids besides me.”

“There will be. This school is private, and a lot of professional athletes' kids go there because they can adjust something, and blah, blah, blah.

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