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As I pass through the kitchen to grab breakfast before I head to the Complex, my luck has run out. My dad sits at the kitchen table with his bowl of cereal, and he drops the spoon on the table with a clatter when he sees me.
“There he is,” he says. “The baby daddy of the billionaire.”
I close my eyes and draw in a breath as I wait for patience. “You really going to start in on me on a day like today when I’m trying to prepare for the Bills?”
He holds both hands up innocently. “Sorry, sorry. It must be nice to know you don’t have to worry about those things.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? I just got off the phone with my agent to figure out how to get more sponsorships, but nobody wants me because my dad fucked me over two years ago.”
“Oh, we’re back on that train?” he asks, and he rolls his eyes.
“You’re goddamn right we are,” I hiss. “We never got off it. Look, if I were more like you, I’d be happy to breeze through life and let her handle the finances. But I’m nothing like you, and I thank God for that every day.” I turn to let those be my parting words, but he jabs right back.
“You’re a hell of a lot more like me than you care to admit. You wouldn’t’ve knocked up the billionaire if you weren’t.”
I turn around, my jaw clenched. “Her money has nothing to do with my feelings for her.”
“No? Kind of strange that you never foundloveuntil you met her.” He sayslovewith a heavy dose of sarcasm.
“I’m not going to stand here and defend myself to someone who wouldn’t know love if it fucked him in the mouth.” I leavethatas my parting shot as I walk to the garage.
I call Des on my way to the Complex, and she picks up right away.
“Hey, stranger! How are things at the Complex?” Her voice is bright, and I can tell even over the phone that she’s having a good time with her friends.
“I’m on my way there now. To be honest, your dad is giving me hell physically, and my dad is handling the emotional side.”
“Oh, Asher,” she says, and the sympathy in her tone nearly breaks me. I wish she was here. I wish we were together. I don’t want to wait potentially three more weeks to move in with her even though I don’t want the season to end prematurely. “I’m so sorry. What can I do?”
“Nothing,” I mutter. I don’t want to lay all this on her and bring her down, so I fake my way through it. “It’s just nice to hear your voice.”
“Yours, too,” she says.
“I have a question for you.”
“Hm?” she hums.
“I spoke with my agent this morning, and he thinks I need to tell my publicist about, uh…about us.”
“Your publicist? Isn’t that Ellie?” she asks.
“It is. And that’s why I wanted to run it by you first.” I turn into the parking lot at the Complex and pull into my usual spot, and I sit idly as we talk.
“Oh. That’s really thoughtful of you. I appreciate that. Um…I guess people are going to start finding out, so that’s okay.”
“She won’t tell anyone. I just wanted to make sure you were prepared for me to tell her.” I watch as a black BMW pulls into the parking lot, and her dad steps out of the car. I sink down a little into my seat, not prepared to face him just yet.
He doesn’t even look in my direction.
“Oh, that reminds me. I actually need to call her today to talk about the 5K, so I’ll tell her. And I’ll tell her to get in touch with you, too.”
“You sure?” I ask, though, to be honest, it feels like a weight off me.
“Positive. Go get ‘em at practice, cowboy.”
“You only ever call me that when I’m about to be inside you.” My voice is a little raspy, but she can’t just lay a line like that on me and expect me not to have an instant erection.
She laughs. “Well, I’m coming home tomorrow, so there’s always that possibility. Bye.”
