I’d officially asked Holland if I could take her to the father-daughter dance and she squealed so loud Ranger, Bear, and even Noodle had come running to see what was going on.
All in all, it’d been a good week, and this one seems to be even better. Dinner cooks on the stove as Holland and I sit on the floor and play a card game she made up that I still don’t understand. Unsurprisingly, she’s won every round.
Lana’s making the kids’ lunches at the counter when Beck flies into the door like a bat out of hell.
“He didn’t do it, Ma! He said he was gonna take care of it!” Beck roars as he slams the door closed behind him and throws his backpack onto the floor, his shoes in a pile next to it. “Now I’m never gonna make the team!”
“Beck, maybe…” Lana tries but the kid is too wound up, too emotional to be thinking straight.
“Holland, go upstairs, okay?”
“Why is he yelling?” she whispers, her bottom lip quivering.
Dropping a kiss on the top of her head, I give her a reassuring smile. “He’s upset, and sometimes we just need someone to help us work through it. Go play upstairs and I’ll send your mama up in a minute. Take Noodle with you.”
“Everyone is going! The coaches will know I’m not there! They won’t think I’m serious about playing! And you don’t even care! You just wanted Dad to fail and then you could be right—so it’s all about you!”
Holland doesn’t hesitate, leaving the cards on the coffee table before darting up the stairs as I stand slowly and close the distance to where Beck is standing with his fists clenched.
“Beck!” Lana starts but he cuts her off.
“This is such bullshit and you know it!” Beck yells the words, snapping like a whip and sucking all the air from the room. Lana blanches, her hand flying to her mouth as tears well in her eyes before she seems to come back to herself.
“That isnothow you talk,” Lana says, her voice gaining strength but still so clearly shocked by his outburst.
“Put your sneakers on and get outside,” I murmur low and full of warning as Beck’s angry gaze slams into mine.
“You’re not my father!”
“Beck!” Lana scolds, but I shake my head because I’ve been here before and I know what he needs.
Be a good partner, father, and friend.
Grandad’s words echo in my head, and I’m thankful for it because right now, Beck needs a friend whether he wants one or not.
“Out. Side. You want to be a man? Talk like one? Act like one? Then get outside because that’s not how a man talks to a woman, and it’s sure as hell not how he talks to his mother.”
Face red and fists still balled at his side, Beck slams his feet into his shoes and pushes out the door. I don’t have time to change out of my jeans or grab sneakers, but I’ll manage. I dropmy keys and phone on the counter before turning to cup Lana’s face.
“I’m going to help, okay? He didn’t mean it and I know that because I see the way he looks at you. Trust me to help, Dream Girl.”
“I trust you, I just?—”
“I know,” I breathe, placing a kiss on her forehead before dropping a soft one to her lips. “He needs to know how to channel his anger, and I’m going to help him do it in a way that’s safe for all of you, okay?”
“He’s hurting,” she whispers, her heart breaking right along with Beck’s.
“He is, but he can’t take it out on you like that either.” Grabbing two waters from the fridge, I tilt her chin up, the tears still holding steady in her beautiful green eyes. “We’ll be a while, okay? Don’t worry; we’ll be just right outside.”
“Okay.”
“Go get Holland into the shower and get her settled. She likes that new chapter book you picked up from the library.”
“God, I don’t deserve you.” She chokes out a laugh and I narrow my eyes which makes her laugh for real.
“I’ll be back and then we’ll talk about that too.”
“Can’t wait,” she says wryly, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
