I clenched my jaw. “You see him around here anywhere?” Bitterness crept into my tone. “He was the one who pissed off somewhere yesterday, took some of his shit with him. Who does that?”
Dad angled his head and took me in. “I imagine someone who was hurt and confused.”
“Well, I was fucking hurt and confused too.”
“And what did you do?”
I slammed my mouth closed. I up and left. “But I only went to a bar.” I sounded petulant.
“Isn’t being an adult in a grown-up relationship the best thing in the world?” Dad sassed. Before I could flip him off, his tone softened when he said, “I know your life is different than most, what with the whole stardom thing.” Somehow I managed to not roll my eyes, but I understood what he was getting at. “The rules are different for you. Fair or not. You’re under scrutiny, and you simply being here”—he twirled his finger—“means you’re stepping up and making a statement while trying to be a responsible adult.”
I sighed, and Dad chuckled. “Thirty-three years old, Dad.”
“Exactly.Tryingto be an adult. That means dealing with the hard shit. I know you, my boy, and you don’t run from the hard shit.”
Of course he was right. “I’m here and not running.”
He eyed me, and I returned his steady gaze, determination settling in my veins.
“Good.” He took a swig of his coffee, set it down, and stood. “Get your ass up and come with me. You’ve got a game to get to.”
CHAPTER22
SUTTON
Each time I called Jayden,it went to voicemail. Since six this morning, I’d been trying, hoping he’d wake and get the thing switched on. By seven, I’d donned my cap and sunglasses to escape the suite only to be stopped by Max, who pointed out the media outlets camped outside Montview and that we needed to stick to our arrangement.
While I didn’t know how he gathered his intel, I had no reason not to believe him.
Picking up my ringing cell, my heart tripped over itself, hoping it was Jayden. While it wasn’t him, I wasn’t too disappointed as Jayden’s mom’s name flashed on the scream. “Hey, Mrs. Moore,” I greeted.
“How many times have I told you to call me Daisy or even Mom?”
My heart constricted, hoping that would be possible one day soon. “Sure thing, Daisy. Maybe we can build up to Mom. Is everything okay?”
“Sure is. Just wanted to let you know Mike landed not long ago.”
I smiled. “That’s great. I wish you could have come too.”
Her voice remained light. “Pish, don’t you worry about me. You know I’m not a fan of traveling, and this contraption doesn’t make it easy. Plus, you’re doing me a favor.”
“I am?”
“A couple of days without Mike, and it’s like I’m the one having the vacation.”
I chuckled. Considering Jayden took after his dad in so many ways, I believed every word.
“And how are you feeling? You doing okay, honey?”
I smiled and sank down onto a chair. “Yeah, or I will be. Just wish I hadn’t left the academy yesterday, is all. Camping out there would mean I wouldn’t feel trapped.”
“I know, honey. Just don’t worry too much about everything, okay? Things will settle down soon enough. I’m just so pleased you called us yesterday and caught us up to speed. You know we love you boys, don’t you?”
I swallowed hard, surprised at the impact of her words. Yesterday when I’d called, I’d told them pretty much everything, or at least the bare bones of it all. How I loved their son. That we weren’t engaged. And anything they read or saw was before we were together, so they shouldn’t be concerned about Jayden.
The conversation had extended and gone deeper, hence why Mike had jumped on a plane. I’d been beyond touched, and regardless of what happened over the next few hours, I knew Jayden would love the surprise of seeing his dad.
“I do, Daisy. Love you too.”
