Beautiful: Just pulled into the player’s parking lot.What’s up?
Covey: I just need to see you.
Beautiful: Meet me outside the locker room.I’ll be there in a minute.
I practically jump out of my chair and rush towards the door.I can’t hide the smile on my face.Wyatt’s a smart man.Cici’s exactly what I need to get out of this funk.She’s what I was missing.
Cici’s walking down the hallway when I exit the locker room.I take off at a sprint, closing the distance between us as quickly as I can.I'm about to pull her into my arms, when I hear a voice behind me.
“I hope you run that quickly out on the field today,” Owen’s deep voice has me dropping my arms to my sides and spinning around to face him.
“I mean, I’ll try my hardest.”I swallow hard.Owen’s watching us carefully.He’s criticizing my every movement and I have a feeling his attention will be on me and only me the rest of the day.
“Maybe I need to put Cici at every base and then you’ll get there quicker.”He folds his arms over his chest, making me feel about three inches tall.
“Daddy,” Cici growls.
“You said nothing was going on, Cici.”He marches towards us, each step he takes has my stomach rolling, making me wonder if I’ll even make it onto this field for the game or will Owen kill me now.
That would be dumb on his part, right?Without Cord and me, they’ll never win… Does he even care?
“And like you pointed out, I have a history of lying when it comes to boys.”Cici arches a brow, giving Owen the most disappointed woman look I’ve ever seen.
“What’s going on, Cici?”
“It’s none of your business.”
“Yes, it is.You’re my daughter and he’s my employee.I can fire him in a second.”He snaps his fingers, making me jump.
“You cannot.”She rolls her eyes.“If you do that, he can sue you and I’d encourage him to do so.Plus, what will that accomplish?He’ll get a new position on a new team in days.You’ll lose an amazing player because you don’t know how to keep your emotions in check.That’s kind of dumb on your part.”
“Cici,” he growls.
“You can’t control who I date, Daddy.If you mess with my boyfriend, you’ll regret it.”
“Oh, yeah?Who’s going to make me regret it?”He narrows his eyes, daring her to make the threat I can see on the tip of her tongue.
“Me.You’ll get to explain to Mom why I don’t come to family things.You can be the reason Cord needs to pick between inviting me or you to events for Emmett.I’ll never speak to you again if you mess with Covey’s career because you want to control my dating life.”
My eyes are practically bulging out of my head by the time she finishes ripping into Owen.There’s no way she just picked me over her dad.We’ve been dating for like twenty-four hours.Man, this is getting out of hand.
“C’mon, Covey.Let’s go talk before you have to get out on the field.”She takes my hand in hers and has to physically pull me down the hallway.It takes me stumbling a solid ten steps before I'm able to figure out how to make my legs work.
My brain is trying so hard to process what just happened.I'm having a hard time with all of it.
By the time we get to a private room, I’m finally able to speak.I shake my head and grip the back of my neck.This can’t be happening.I'm going to lose her and I know it.
“Cici, you can’t do this,” I whisper, my heart already breaking.
“I can’t do what?”
“Pick me over your family.You love your family.I don’t want to come between you guys.”
“You’ve overreacting.”She grins, shaking her head.
“I'm overreacting?You just told your dad and my boss, you’ll never speak to him again.You said you won't come to family gatherings anymore and Cord will have to pick between the two of you!How am I the one overreacting?We’ve been dating for less than twenty-four hours and you’re walking away from your family for me!You can’t do that.”
My chest is rising and falling quickly, my lungs desperate for the oxygen I can’t seem to suck in fast enough.
