“Come on, let’s take another.” Holding out my hand, hetakes it, letting me pull him to a stand.
What a fan-fucking-tastic way to spend my Sunday morning.
35
Colt Bishop
Walking up to the booth at Lou’s that my parents are sitting in, I slide in across from them, my stomach in knots. “Hey, guys.”
A smile spreads across my mom’s bright face. “Hi, honey. How’re you doing?”
“Great, actually.” Elation fills me as I glance between the two of them. “I had physical therapy this morning before coming here, and they cleared me.”
My dad’s brows shoot up. “Really? That’s great, son.”
Mom’s face brightens. “Oh, baby, that’s wonderful! Does that mean you can compete this season?”
“It’s looking like it.” I nod. Overall, my recovery has been a pretty smooth journey, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up and jinx myself, so I never let myself believe I’d get to compete. Hearing this today was an incredible feeling. The season doesn’t start for another couple of months, and anything could happen between now and then, but I’m finally allowing myself to think it’s a real possibility. It’s relieving.
“I’m so happy for you,” she gushes, placing her hand over mine on the table. “And so proud of you. You’ve worked so hard, and I know this hasn’t been easy on you, but you did it.”
“Thanks.” Hearing her say that lights me up inside.
Glancing awkwardly at my dad, I’m surprised to find a smiling face looking back at me. “I’m proud of you, Colt,” he grunts. “I know how hard it can be to come back from an injury that takes you out of the game. You did good, and you should be proud.”
My chest swells hearing him say that. Since finding out about my relationship with William, my dad and I have talked a handful of times, but never anything in depth. Things have been awkward, to say the least, and I was starting to think he may never come around until he invited me to lunch with them today. My dad’s never been big on his feelings. He’ll tell me he’s proud of me, but he won’t gush about it the way my mom does. So, hearing him say all this has my throat aching.
Our server comes, dropping off our drinks before taking our order.
“Is Will working today?” my mom asks before taking a sip from her Coke.
I nod, gaze darting subconsciously to my dad. “Doug’s out with the flu, so he’s busier than usual this week.”
An uncomfortable, stuffy type of silence falls over us at that, and I’m more than a little shocked when it’s my father who breaks it.
Fidgeting with the napkin in front of him, he clears his throat. “Listen, I know things have been tense between us, and I’m sorry about that.” My eyes dart to my mom, who looks as surprised as I feel. “Finding out about you and Will was… a shock, to put it mildly. I could’ve handled it better, I’ll admit that, but I needed some time to let it settle in. I mean, imagine if you had a kid and you found out Shooter was dating him.”
That makes me snort.
“That would be weird, right?”
“Yes.”
“I love you both and want nothing more than for both of you to be happy.” He pauses, fidgeting with the napkin some more. He’s nervous. “And if that’s with each other, then I’ll be supportive of that.”
My heart beats harder as my mind spins. “You will?”
“Yes, I will.” He nods. “But for Christ’s sake, I don’t want to hear about your guys’ sex life ever. That’s where I draw the line.”
My mom and I look at each other at the same time and laugh. “That’s fair,” I choke out. “I wouldn’t dream of discussing that with you anyway.”
“Okay, great.”
And that’s that. Our food comes, and no more discussion of William and I comes up, but I feel lighter and… happier. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear him say that until now. We all finish eating, and once my dad pays the bill, we go our separate ways, but not before my mom invites William and me over for dinner on Sunday.
Excited and kind of beside myself, I leave the diner and head straight to William’s office. I need to tell him face to face.
“Hi, Colt. Here to see William?”
