Page 104 of Against The Boards

He smiled at me. “Go to bed. I’ll come in when the game’s over.”

“I can’t wait to move into my apartment so these cock blocks are gone.”

“Me too.”

“I’m going to fuck you on every surface of my apartment.”

“Jesus, Rox. Please don’t say shit like that when I have to go watch the rest of the game with your dad.”

I laughed evilly and turned on my side. He shut off the light and went back into the living room. I couldn’t wait until I had my own place. It had been great when Tristan was in Russia, but now that he was back, I needed to get out of here. I was moving into my new apartment in a couple of days, so it wouldn’t be too long until I had Benny all to myself again.

“Dad, it’s fine!” I insisted and started unpacking the box for the kitchen.

I was finally moving into my new apartment, and already my dad complained it was too small.

Okay, do you want to pay my rent?

I wasn’t even gonna make that joke because he might have thought I was being serious. Dad had been frugal with his money when he was a player, so I knew he could pay for my rent, but I didn’t want my rent to be paid by ‘daddy.’ I was an independent woman, damn it!

I was glad I was finally getting my own space. Especially since last night we thought we’d had quiet sex with Benny’s hand over my mouth, but apparently not, judging by my brother’s annoyed looks over his coffee this morning. Oops! It was safe to say my six-foot-four boyfriend would be over here way more than I would be over there.

Benny and Tristan were currently putting together my bed, which Benny and I had to go to IKEA to buy. That had been a nightmare. I had to get so much furniture and then pack it all up to bring it over here. I never had to do that before. Benny and I got into a huge argument in the middle of IKEA because he wanted to buy my furniture for me. Ugh, that man! I loved him so much, but he didn’t need to buy me things. I know it was because he made so much more money than me and he wanted to help, but I didn’t need him to do that.

Noah and my dad were still bringing in some of my boxes. There was a ton to unpack, and I was already exhausted. That was with four ridiculously ripped men helping me get everything in and put together. Dinah had offered me her meathead brothers, but I didn’t think we needed them. I was still debating if I should have declined or not.

“I think it’s too small. What’s the neighborhood like?” Dad asked again.

I unpacked a beer glass and put it in the cabinet. “It’s fine. Aaron Riley’s wife used to live here. Tristan, please help!” I cried.

“Dad, she’s fine,” he grunted from the other room.

I gestured with my hands to my twin. “See? I’m good. Don’t worry about me.”

Dad scowled. “I worry about your safety.”

“Dad!” I screeched. “I carry pepper spray. My six-foot-four massive boyfriend will be over here all the time. I’m fine.”

I think that made it worse because he grumbled under his breath, but he let the argument drop. Thankfully, Noah asked him some hockey questions to distract him. I mouthed ‘thank you’ at Noah, and he smiled at me from over my dad’s shoulder. Everyone needed a Noah in their life.

When I got my stuff from Lisa’s, I realized how little I actually had. Most of the stuff that was mine in the apartment was clothes, books, and my hockey gear. I didn’t have any glass or cookware. That hadn’t clicked into place until Benny and I went to buy furniture, and I had to buy all that other stuff. Getting your own place was a lot of work. Today was about getting the big stuff like my furniture in. I’d unpack everything else later.

I ordered a pizza to thank the guys for helping me out. Luckily, they didn’t care about having to eat off paper plates.

Dad was flying back to St. Catharines in the morning, so I hugged him tightly goodbye. It had been good spending time with him for the past couple of days. He wanted me to call my mom back, but I wasn’t ready to talk to her yet. I wasn’t sure I ever would be.

“I want you to be happy, Roxie,” he said.

“Dad, I am happy.”

“I love you, kiddo. I know I should have been more supportive. I should have—”

“Dad, it’s fine.”

“Will you talk to your mother?”

I chewed on my lip. Her voicemail still sat on my phone, unanswered. “I’ll think about it.”

He gave me a big hug, wrapping me in his bear-like embrace, and I had to admit I missed my dad’s hugs. I hadn’t realized until he came to visit how much I had missed him. I wasn’t sure mom would ever accept my bisexuality, though. Despite his urging that we bury the hatchet, I didn’t want to call her back.