I’m fully breathing again.It’s going to be okay.
“I think we tell the team and media relations, so they’re prepared, but I don’t plan to make any comments about my players’ personal lives.”
“Thank you,” Aiden says.
“You’re to call me Coach at work,” Dad continues, rising from his chair. “But in my house? I’m Scott. Scarlett’s father.”
Now I begin to cry. I leap up from my chair and throw my arms around my dad, and his big arms wrap around me.
“Thank you, Dad,” I murmur into his chest. “I love you so much.”
He squeezes me tight. “I love you, Scarlett. I’m so proud of the woman you’ve become since coming to Miami. I’m sorry I didn’t fully understand that until today.”
I step back from him, and then he extends his hand to Aiden. “Hello, I’m Scott Rivershon. Scarlett’s father.”
Aiden grips his hand tightly. “Aiden Wentworth, sir. And I’m completely in love with your daughter.”
Then, to my shock, my dad hugs him. He claps his hand on Aiden’s back, and I’m wiping the tears that are falling from my eyes.
Dad lets him go and turns to me. “Your mom has her own things she wants to say to you two.”
“All right,” I say.
Dad opens the office door and stops. “Will you come over for Christmas Eve tonight? We went Columbian this year. Tostones. Empanadas. Chorizos and whatever else your mom has planned. It wouldn’t be Christmas Eve without you, sweetheart. Aiden and Wyatt are welcome, too.”
I turn my head and gaze up at Aiden. He smiles. “Only if we can bring some Cuban food,” he says. “We have a feast ordered.”
“Sounds like a perfect combination,” Dad says with a wink. Then he walks out the door, going to get my mom.
Before long, she’s in the room, in tears, apologizing for last night and saying she’s sorry it took Wyatt guiding them to see the truth.
“We’re guilty of being overprotective,” Mom admits, her voice breaking. “But I do trust you, sweetheart. If you love Aiden, then that’s all I need to know. I hope you can forgive the things we said. We not only judged Aiden unfairly, but you, too. I’m so sorry.”
I hug her. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too,” she says, hugging me tightly.
She steps back from me and smiles tearfully at Aiden. “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive us.”
“I already have,” he says.
She hugs him, too. “Come on out to the kitchen. You’ve got to see what Wyatt is doing with his gingerbread house. It’s so good!”
“Mrs. Rivershon, would you mind sending Wyatt back here for a minute?” Aiden asks.
“Please, call me Christine. And of course.”
She leaves the room. Aiden exhales loudly and pulls me back into his arms, his lips finding the top of my head. “I’m not dreaming this, am I?” he murmurs into my hair.
“No, you’re not,” I promise.
There’s a rap on the door, and we break apart as Wyatt steps inside. The first thing Aiden does is hug him. “I owe you everything,” he says, his voice thick.
Wyatt claps him on the back. “What are you talking about? You’re my brother.”
Aiden steps back from him. “But you called Coach anidiot.”
Wyatt smirks. “To be fair, he was being an idiot. Aiden, you’re the best man I know. Everyone in that dressing room knows it, and Coach knows it. I wasn’t about to let him talk about you like that. Or trade you or make you and Scarlett miserable for no good reason. That’s just stupid.”
