“I’m so sorry that we sent you there, baby,” my mom whispers. “If we had known he would be there, we never would have, I promise.”
“It’s okay,” I say, giving her a tiny smile just so she knows that I’m all right with it. “But please, don’t say anything to Dad. I don’t want him to think that I felt like he wasn’t enough.” I inhale a shaky breath. “I know, now more than ever, that he’s more than enough.”
Somehow, my parents never found out because Brody kept his promise to me—though I’m sure it killed him. But I meant what I said to my mom. That day was the one thing I needed to just let it go. I’m just sorry that it even took that one encounter for me to realize that I didn’t need that guy in my life.
Both my mom’s and grandmother’s mouths open to say something else, but before they get the chance, Papa and my dad land back at the table. And even though I know it’ll bother my mom to keep something from my dad, she knows deep down that it would only hurt him.
My dad plops down next to me. “Sorry about that. What did I miss?”
All of us girls look at each other, and my grandmother’s face is still pale from when I told her that I saw Nick. “You didn’t miss anything at all, Dad,” I assure him. “Nothing at all.”
No matter how over it I am, I know that if it wasn’t for Hendrix breathing with me through my panic attack that day … it would have been much worse. So, I guess I have at least that to thank him for.
HENDRIX
Lacing up my sneakers, I pull my phone out of my bag and read the highlights from the women’s game—not surprised at all that Isla fucking killed it.
Tonight, we played my old college, Casco Bay. And I felt two inches tall when I skated onto the ice, knowing that, after the way I acted there last year, I had a lot of hate coming my way.
I caused fights and was a complete dick, and to be honest, this was the game I was dreading the most out of the entire season. Playing against my old teammates was weird, but I never had friendships with them like I do the guys on my team now. That was my fault, too, because I never took the time to get to know any of them.
“You good, Hunt?” Coach Huff says, walking into the locker room. “I’m sure tonight’s game was weird, but I’ll tell you, if you were feeling off, I never noticed. You played a great game.”
“Thanks,” I say, tucking my phone into my pocket. I don’t want to talk to anyone right now, Coach included. But no matter how many times I fuck up, he seems to stick by my side, so I know that I need to respect the man and not be a tool just because I’m in a terrible mood. “I’m good, Coach.”
I’m not sure if he believes me, but he nods his head subtly.
“Glad to hear it.” He looks around the locker room. “All right, fellas, bus leaves in ten minutes. Get your asses outside,”he yells, clapping his hands together and prompting a bunch of guys to quickly scurry to get their shit packed up.
Standing, I follow behind Cash and Jameson as they make their way out of the locker room and down the hallway. I tune everyone out, creating tunnel vision while I head straight through the door and outside.
The bus is pulled up to the sidewalk, with the lights on and the players inside on perfect display as they move around to get their spots. I’m halfway there when a voice stops me.
“Hendrix,” the voice calls. “Son, can I talk to you for a minute?”
I know it’s my dad before I even look that way, but when I slowly dare to face him, Cash turns around.
“You good, man?” he asks, glancing from me to my old man.
I want to tell him no, and then I want to keep walking onto the bus and ignore the man who has suddenly shown up after a game, acting like he cares. My childhood was a fucking nightmare because of the man standing behind me. Maybe my mother played a role in it, too, but she’s dead now, so who the fuck knows? But more importantly, my sister’s life was a nightmare because of him, and now, it’s hard to tell where the fuck she even is. And yet, no matter how much I want to walk away from him, leaving him on the sidewalk, alone—because, truly, that’s what he deserves—I can’t.
“Yeah,” I sigh, slinging my bag higher on my shoulder. “I’ll be there in a second.”
Reluctantly, Cash heads onto the bus, though he turns around once more before leaving me alone with a man I’ve hated for most of my life. And I have no idea why he’s here.
“What are you doing at my game?” I mutter, taking a step toward him and out of the way of the other players loading onto the bus.
I don’t know how he knew this is where I’d be tonight, but out of all the people I expected to be outside this arena right now, he was last on the list.
Okay, Isla was last on the list, but he was pretty close to it.
“Hendrix, I’m so sorry,” he whispers shamefully. “I’m sorry for being such a bad father. I’m sorry for putting you through everything I did.” He stares at me. “The reason why I never came around after I got cleaned up is because I figured I had put you and your sister through enough. I didn’t think you’d ever want to see me again—and I wouldn’t blame you for that either.”
“You were right.” I nod. “I don’t want to see you.”
“I understand,” he murmurs. “But please don’t think for a second that I haven’t thought about you since I finally got off drugs. I think about you and Lilly every day. I ask myself how the hell I ever treated two kids, my own kids, that bad.” He looks down. “I’ve known where every single game of yours has been. I even came to one last year at this arena.”
“What?” I blurt out. “You’re lying.”
