“Glad to hear it.”
“Did you have a good day?”
“You know how travel days are.”
“How many minutes until you get home?”
“Uh…hang on.” He’s quiet for a few seconds. “2880.”
I laugh. “You did the math?”
“Well, yeah.”
“You’re awesome.”
“By the way, I booked your flight to New York. It’s the same one Chloe and the other ladies are on. It’s a first-class seat with priority boarding and a three-bag baggage allowance. In case you want to do some shopping.”
Anxiety immediately rears its ugly head, making my chest tight all over again.
There’s no way my dad is going to let me go to New York with him. Even if it’s Spring Break and I’m not paying for it.
“The ladies want to do a spa day on Saturday since we’ll have a morning skate and stuff anyway, so I booked that for you too. Is there anything else you want me to take care of? Hana said she wants to treat you to the Empire State Building.”
“Jordan.” My voice is almost a whimper and I battle my desire to go with the guilt I can’t seem to shake off every time I think of my dad’s blood pressure.
How can I tell Jordan I can’t go anymore?
How can I not?
Unfortunately, he mistakes my silence for appreciation or some other wonderful emotion that I should be feeling.
“Don’t worry—it’s all taken care of. You don’t have to decide everything now. It’s going to be a blast. And I have a few surprises for you too. I can’t wait for this trip, baby.”
Surprises.
A first-class ticket.
Fun with him and the other ladies, whom I desperately want to get to know better.
I hate myself right now.
And I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do.
Chapter 32
Jordan
We win our last two home games of the season and now we’re gearing up for the final three games on the road. But first, tomorrow is Aiden and Hana’s baby shower. Aiden and I were two peas in a pod before he met and fell in love with our teammate Johan’s sister. They got married and she got pregnant immediately, and today’s shower is co-ed.
I’m a little annoyed that Victoria couldn’t get the day off but because our road trip is coming up, she needed to save her days off for that. It makes sense but I hate it because I just want her to quit and move in with me, let me take care of her. School and work take up all her time and thanks to her father’s intervention, we barely see each other.
That was probably his plan, so I’ve been wracking my brain trying to come up with a way to make him like me. It sounds ridiculous to even think that way but it’s becoming crystal clear that although Victoria has changed a bit in four years, she’s still very much under her parents’ thumbs.
I just can’t figure out why.
They’re still going to love her. Her dad puts on his big, bad marine attitude but then I’ve seen him crawling on the floor with Charlie like a little kid. Personally, I think a ring is the answer.
My buddies—Jude and Vaughn and even Aiden—all disagree.
