“That you should hurry up. And…”
Something vibrating interrupted them and their eyes automatically flew to the dresser next to the door where Jack’s cell phone was lying. A picture of Anna lit up. Jack grabbed the phone but ignored the call from his sister.
The goalie had seen the picture, though, and his frown deepened. “Wasn’t that Dax’s sister?”
“What? No.”
“Yes. That was Anna.”
Fuck. “Ah, you meanthatsister.” Jack nodded quickly. “Ah, yes. That was her.”
“Why would Anna be calling you?” Moreau’s eyebrows met above the bridge of his nose as he shoved his fists in his pockets.
“No idea,” he lied. Wait, did Moreau and Anna know each other? Oh yeah, she had said she knew the goalie from the team meetings that Dax had taken her to.
“Apparently she’s got some reason,” Moreau stated soberly, rocking back on his heels. “Are you two dating?”
“Shit, no,” he said, shocked. Ugh, that was his sister! But obviously, Moreau didn’t know that and… God. He sighed inwardly. He was getting tired of the secrets. “I’m not suicidal. Dax would kill any hockey player who got involved with her.” As would he. “We’re just friends. That’s all,” he said, waving his hand. “Can you go now? I want to get dressed before I face the big boss and Coach Gray tells me off.”
“Hm,” Moreau said, looking at him one last time. Finally, he turned his back on him and walked down the hall just as Jack’s cell phone vibrated again. This time it was a text – also from Anna.
Did you seriously just snub me? So, you have a girlfriend? And I have to hear it from Dax?
He sighed. Dax had a big mouth. He and Penny hadn’t discussed whether they were just sleeping together or in a relationship, so he didn’t know if the wordgirlfriendwas appropriate. Before he could send Anna a text to that effect, the bathroom door opened.
“My dad’s here?” Penny asked, tugging nervously at her robe. “What’s my dad doing here?”
“I don’t know.” Jack wasn’t particularly keen to see him, either. Granted, fathers couldn’t determine who was sleeping with their daughter just by looking at her. However, if anyone in this world had enough money to buy that ability, it was Darron Clark.
“Wait.” Penny wrinkled her nose. “What’s the date today?”
Jack glanced at his phone. “February 15th.”
Penny blinked — then laughed dryly. “It’s half-time. Of course he’s here.”
“What?” Jack didn’t understand a word.
“Half of our time is over. Mine and Gareth’s. Do you know what my dad does when a new employee’s probation period is halfway through?”
“No idea.”
“He pays them a surprise visit.” She snorted and paced the room. “God, I know exactly what he wants. He controls how we do things! It’s part of his little business 101. He pays a surprise visit, watches the new employees, and asks how everyone is getting on with them. He always says you can tell a great leader by how well they get along with their subordinates.”
“Let me guess: We’re the subordinates in this scenario?” Jack concluded, narrowing his eyes.
She grimaced, stopped, and shrugged helplessly. “Yes. But don’t take it personally. He’ll question Lyle, too, even though he’s not really oursubordinate.” Sighing, she sank onto the bed and rubbed her eyes. “I don’t like being judged at all, yet everyone has been doing it my whole life. You know what my mother always said about it?Penelope, that’s the burden and privilege of the name Clark. At least back then, I was only judged by people who didn’t know me. Being judged by my own dad…” She shook her head. “I’m not a statistic.”
Jack sat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders but said nothing. Penny had a habit of pausing to think even when she hadn’t actually finished speaking. And if you waited, then…
“You know, I thought I’d feel closer to my parents when I returned, but honestly, the opposite is true.”
Yep, if you waited, she kept talking.
“Because I’m mad at Dad about the whole Hawks thing and I don’t want to see my mom because all she does is criticize me all day. So…whatever Dad was trying to accomplish with this crap, I think it backfired. I was more excited to talk to him on the phone from South America than to actually see him. That shouldn’t be the case, should it? And now he’s going to ask every damn hockey player if they think Gareth or me is the better choice!”
Jack was silent, his jaw clenched. He didn’t like her parents forcing her to fight like that for their affection or acceptance. He certainly wasn’t a good role model when it came to family relationships, but he knew what they shouldn’t look like. He didn’t know what to say to help Penny, although he wanted nothing more than to do so.
He just sat next to her, was there for her, hugged her tightly, and kissed her gently on the temple before murmuring, “Don’t worry. I’ll tell your father that you’re fantastic in bed and deserve not only the team but another promotion.”
