Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 74956 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74956 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Knowing my father the way I do, even my sleep-deprived brain eventually realizes that he must have known for quite some time. “How long?” I murmur. “How long have you known we were dating?”
“Since last fall, not long after the season started,” he says, sliding his hands into the pockets of his track pants while I mentally reel.
Nearly a year? He’s known that long?
“It was the day you gave the team that presentation on media literacy,” he continues. “Stone couldn’t take his eyes off you, and you refused to look at him at all.”
I blink. “Really? That was it? That was all it took?” I’m struggling to process the mind fuck of all this. All the effort we made to keep things secret—the sneaking around, the plotting and scheming, the crawling out of bars to avoid being spotted by other Badger team members—and my father knew about us almost the entire time? “Why didn’t you say anything?”
He arches a judgmental brow. “I assumed if you wanted me to know who you were dating, you would make an introduction.”
I arch an equally judgy brow back at him. “That’s never stopped you from sticking your oar in before. Like the time you introduced Matt to a surprise drug test in a public bathroom or Chris to the private detective who helped put him away for embezzling. Any of that ring a bell?”
He has the grace to acknowledge reality with a nod. “But in this particular case, I had no reason to be concerned. So, I kept my peace. Like I said, Stone’s a good man. Solid character, good work ethic, a sense of humor without getting too ridiculous about it. He respects the game, his superiors, his teammates, and women, as far as I could tell. If you were going to get involved with someone from the organization, he was by far the safest option.”
A huff of laughter emerges without my permission.
I can’t help it. I still feel like I’ve slipped into a parallel universe.
“Okay. I mean, very unexpected from you, but okay.” I frown as I add, “So, why are you saying he shouldn’t be top of mind? Obviously, he’s top of mind. He’s seriously hurt, and he’s my boyfriend.”
Dad’s lips pucker with disapproval. “Is that so? From the outside, it looked like you two were keeping things casual. As you should. A connection with Stone is fine, for now. But you need to keep your eye on what really matters—on your future. You can’t let some schoolgirl crush interfere with that.”
“My future,” I repeat, that familiar burn of frustration rising like acid in my throat. “You mean your version of my future. The Coach approved one, right?”
He sighs, that same, familiar sigh that makes it clear he thinks I’m being childish, foolish. “Listen, Remy—”
“No, Dad. I need you to listen to me for once. Stone isn’t a crush, and I’m not a girl. I’m a woman, and Stone is the man I love. I love him, Dad,” I repeat, a giddy sense of freedom rushing through me. Fuck, it feels good to finally be honest about it. And now that my father knows, there’s no reason for secrecy ever again. “And you don’t leave the people you love alone when they’re hurt or in pain.”
Dad’s expression darkens. “You’re making a mistake. Like I said, Stone is a good man, but he’s not—”
“Not what?” I interrupt. “Not good enough for me? Not worth my missing one networking event? Seriously, Dad, can you hear yourself? Do you really want your daughter to be the type of person who isn’t there for the people who matter most?”
“Of course not, but Stone shouldn’t be one of those people,” he says flatly. “He’s at the end of his hockey career. He’s in the market to settle down and have a family with a woman who’s happy to follow him to whatever comes next. That’s not you. You’re not a follower or the little woman who stays at home with the kids. That’s never been what you wanted.”
“You have no idea what Stone wants. Or what I want,” I say, my voice starting to shake. “You’ve never bothered to ask. You’ve just decided what was best for me and expected me to fall in line. And if I didn’t, you pressured me non-stop until I caved.”
His scowl deepens. “You wouldn’t have caved if deep down you hadn’t known I was right. You’re stronger than that, and we both know it.”
“Am I?” I ask, tears stinging at the backs of my eyes. “Or maybe I just couldn’t stand to lose the only parent I had left. Maybe Mom dying messed me up more than either of us wanted to admit.”
Dad stiffens. “Don’t bring your mother into this. This isn’t the time.”
“Then, when is the time, Dad? You’ve never wanted to talk about her, about how hard it was when she was suddenly gone, and it was just the two of us. How hard it was even before…” I push on, fighting the tears threatening to spill over. “You were so busy micromanaging her treatment, her diet, how long she could stay out of the house without going back home for a rest, or whether she was up for a walk on the beach… Even at six years old, I could tell that wasn’t what she wanted.”