Page 103 of Stick By Me
“Uh, what?” My heart jolted. Was he offering because of the situation? “Why are you asking me this now?”
He shifted back in his seat and blew out a breath. “I was going to call and tell you after the holidays were over. The head coach approved it last week after watching some highlights of your last few games. He thinks you’d be a good fit with one of our other D-men we’re looking at.” He cocked his head. “Do you want to play hockey with me, knowing I’m your father?”
“Fuck yeah.” I slapped my hand over my mouth. “Sorry, I mean, yeah.” My heart soared. Why the hell wouldn’t I?
With a sharp chuckle, he fingered the bottom of his wine glass. “You can swear, Archer. We’re hockey players.” He focused on me.
I gazed into the brown eyes that mirrored my own. “That we are, Dad.” My eyes stung and I cleared my throat. Holy hell, I’d lost a mother, but gained a second father.
He reached across the table and patted my hand, resting on the table. “I’ve been waiting a long time to hear you call me that.”
The waiter dropped off our food and left.
“Now, tell me what you think about Boston this year.” He bit into a bruschetta slice, thick with salmon and cream cheese.
I stared at the bruschetta, so much like the bagel I made myself for my Sunday treat. This was weird. “Boston?Overrated. Seems to me they’ve got a lot of goons and grinders on the team this year.” I bit into my burger.
“My thoughts exactly.” He beamed at me.
Later that night,I sat on my bed with my phone in my hand, my head swimming with the conversation I’d had with Dad Richard. That’s how I’d decided to refer to him in my head and with my friends. Otherwise, it would get too confusing. Now, it was time to call Leo. I dialed him and held the phone to my face.
The phone barely rang before Leo picked up. “Hey, babe. How are you?” He gave me a tentative smile, the back of his couch showing through the screen behind him.
“I’m good, really fucking good.” With an exhale, I raked my fingers through my bangs. There was so much to say. “Richard is a good man. We had a great talk, and he really wants to be in my life. He wants to meet you and he formally invited me to join the Coyotes’ development camp.”
Leo’s face broke out in a full-on smile. “Seriously? That’s fucking great!” He pumped his fist. “You’re going to be a Coyote, I can feel it.”
I scraped my teeth over my lower lip. “Yeah, I think I can feel it, too.” I cocked my head, admiring Leo’s gorgeous face. “He’s so much like me, Leo. It’s uncanny.”
“You share DNA. I’m not surprised.” His smile waned. “Are you still angry you didn’t know about him sooner?”
I choked out a long breath. “I don’t know. I suppose if I really think about it, a part of me feels like I missed out on so much. But at the same time, my mom and dad gave me a stable home to grow up in and things Dad Richard wouldn’t have been able to give me. So, it is what it is.”
“Dad Richard?” The corner of Leo’s lips tugged up.
“Yeah, I called himDadtonight and he was happy about it.So, I’ve decided to start referring to him as Dad Richard.” I freed a soft giggle. It sounded childish now that I’d said it out loud.
“Okay, yeah, I mean, you have two dads. I guess you have to find a way to separate them.” Leo looked off camera. “Yes, I’m heading to bed now.” He came back. “Axel wants to watch something with Remy on the TV, and he’s been accusing me of hogging it all night.”
Axel’s face popped into the phone. “He refused to go to bed until you called.”
I chortled. “That’s my Leo.”
The next afternoon,I packed an overnight bag. Leo had made plans for us to stay somewhere, but he was keeping the details a secret. He’d be here any minute to pick me up.
Yelling and thumping swept in from the main room. “What the hell?” Grabbing my bag, I ambled out of my room and into the hallway.
“You’re so crushing on that guy!” Mason shouted.
“Fuck off. Am not.” Jonah slapped at Mason’s shoulder, but Mason ducked out of the way. “He’s a god damned coach.”
“A young and very hot coach.” Mason jogged around the other side of the dinette from Jonah.
“What the hell is going on out here?” I scanned the room, planting a hand on my hip. These guys had all decided to stay in for New Year’s this year.
Myles, Ace, and Tyler sat on the couch, playing a video game, drinking beer, and laughing, while Jonah gave Mason a death look.
“Shut up.” Jonah pointed at Mason.
