A thick swallow works its way down my throat.
“I could’ve been there for you,” he continues. “Fucking helped, or… something. I don’t know. And I get why you kept this from the world, but I hate that you felt like you couldn’t tell me.”
“It all happened so fast,” I try to explain. “One minute I’m this part-time dad, playing hockey, living the life of a pro-athlete without a fucking care in the world, and then suddenly, bam!” I clap my hands together for effect. “I’m a single father to this little girl who had been through more than any child should ever have to go through, who was so fucking broken, and I was terrified I was gonna break her even more.”
Logan drags a hand down his face, releasing a ragged sigh. He looks at me, shaking his head once, silently assessing me. “I need you to know that, no matter what, I’ve got your back, always, brother.”
I nod with another thick swallow, emotion pricking my eyes.
“And that little girl up there,” Logan continues, pointing up to the house, “I’ve got her back now, too, okay?”
Logan and I push up from our chairs at the same time, and I close the distance, grabbing his hand and pulling him into a hug. “Thanks, brother.”
“Always,” Logan returns.
CHAPTER 35
HANNAH
“Jonny, this chicken issogood,” Fran praises from the end of the table, and I have to bite back my smirk at the way she’s been fluttering her thick lashes like her boyfriend isn’t sitting right next to her.
I glance at Jonny across the table from me, trying but failing to see the appeal. Between the faded tattoos, the piercings everywhere, the overgrown hair, and the raspy voice that sounds like he used to smoke a pack a day, I don’t get it. Maybe it’s the wholerockstarthing, but whatever it is, I seem to be immune to it.
“Yeah, Jonny,” Dallas says. “Where’d you learn to cook?”
“Rehab.” Jonny laughs, and a chorus of nervous, awkward chuckles follows. He looks up from his food and shrugs. “Nothin’ else to do when you’re locked away for six months.”
“Locked away?” Happy snorts. “You make it sound like you were in a Peruvian jail instead of a five-star resort in Malibu overlooking the Pacific Ocean.”
Jonny shrugs again. “How’s that friend of yours doing, anyway?”
“Brookes?” I check, and he nods. “He’s doing okay. He sentme text today to let me know he was about to lose his phone, but he wanted to thank me before he went in.”
“Yeah, he’s been texting me the last few days. I think he’s nervous, but I think he knows it’s for the best.” Happy nods.
“Good,” is all Jonny says, getting back to his food.
“So, Lucky, are you excited to start kindergarten in the fall?” Emily asks, thankfully switching the topic of conversation to something a little less depressing than drug and alcohol rehab.
Lucky looks around at everyone, her little shoulders cowering beneath the weight of the attention.
“IlovedKindergarten,” Logan says, taking away some of the focus. He smiles at her. “You get to do so much cool stuff.Andtake naps.”
“And maketonsof friends,” Millie adds with a big smile.
“Yeah, I’m excited,” Lucky whispers. “But I’m scared.”
I wrap an arm around her, smiling sadly at Fran across from me because oh, my heart.
“What are you scared about, Lucky Duck?” Happy asks, giving her arm a little squeeze.
“What if kids are mean to me?” she asks as if she’s genuinely worried.
I go to assure her, but before I can say anything, Robbie unexpectedly pipes up, getting in first. “If anyone’s mean to you, you tell me, kid,” he says, his Bostonian accent more pronounced than usual. “I’ll take care of ’em. Don’t you worry. ’bout nothin’.”
“Okay, Tony Soprano,” Fran mutters under her breath, causing everyone to laugh.
“What?” Robbie looks around, shrugging his shoulders. “I’ll confront a six-year-old if I have to.”
