Page 108 of Timelessly Ours
“Well, let’s be honest. Nicole is a born pathological liar. And she’s good at it…but they’re harmless fibs really. Oh no. You don’t give her the stare-down, do you? Dad, it’s so embarrassing, please don’t.”
“Nicole isn’t a liar. She’s just…” Afraid to be herself. I sigh. “Don’t worry. I won’t embarrass you.”
She mumbles something under her breath like she doesn’t believe me, but I let it go. She pulls my door open. “See you at the gala Saturday night.”
Shit.
“Angel,” I call out.
She pauses and turns.
“I asked Nicole to…be my date to the gala.”
With a smirk, she steps back in and closes the door. “Tell me more.” Then quickly shoots up a hand. “But not too much. It’s still weird.”
My eyes narrow. “What do you mean, still weird?”
“Dad, she’s my best friend, and I’m not blind—I see the way she looks at you.”
“How does she look at me?”
“Oh no—I’m not going there. It’s…a look.”
I nod and stand, rounding my desk. “And…you don’t mind?”
She shakes her head. “Dad. I love you both. And…I accepted the idea of it some time ago.” She strolls over and pats my shoulder. “Just don’t go wearing your reading glasses and telling dad jokes.”
I smile at my very grown-up daughter.
If only everyone else’s reaction—including a certain member of my team—would be just as supportive.
Friday night’s game is the last chance I have to win before I’m forced to recommend a trade for next season.
I huddle my team in the locker room and do the only thing I can at this point. Give them my all.
“Look guys, I know we’ve faced our fair share of setbacks on the ice so far this season. But I don’t dwell on losses. And you shouldn’t be either. Every game is a new game. Not a continuation of the last. Start seeing a turning point. Start seeing the win. It’s the only way to keep the head in the game.”
I get several nods.
“You have a choice –yield to despair or to rise above it.” I watch them carefully, unable to keep my own head in the game and feeling like a complete hypocrite.
“The scoreboard hasn’t been in our favor lately, but our commitment to each other will not be measured in numbers. Stay focused and communicate. Most importantly…trust your teammates.”
Garret’s jaw tics and he glances to the side.
His head is either somewhere else or…he heard every word I said.
Either way—I’m not happy.
With a nod to my team captain, I step out and get on the ice.
Nicole and Rory are here again tonight. And I’m taking them both to dinner later. We’ll likely get a booth so that Rory can spread out on my lap and fall asleep after a bowl of mac and cheese.
And Nicole and I can spend some time together. She’s been nervous all week about tomorrow night—which means I have one night to make her realize she belongs on my arm.
“Lay it on a little thick tonight, don’t you think?” I ask Nicole on the drive home from Bridges, trying to keep my tone neutral because while I was planning dinner in town after the game—a game we lost—Nicole made plans of her own.
Meet up with the team at Bridges. Insisting that as head coach, I needed to be there to show support and keep spirits up. She had a point, but I still didn’t like the idea of being around anyone but her and my little girl tonight.
