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Alycia is calling me. I’m genuinely surprised. After the box I gave her, I didn’t expect her to call me so soon, or ever again.
“Hello?”
“Dad,” she says. “I just wanted to check in. How’s everything at the Tide—I mean Predators?”
“I wouldn’t know. I’m on a temporary suspension, pending review.”
“Oh,” she says, and I can hear the surprise in her voice. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It hasn’t been going well, anyway. I should’ve done a lot more than knock on Caleb’s door when you told me what he did. I mean, after cheating on you, he blackmailed you too, so I shouldn’t be too surprised he stabbed me in the back.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m fine. They can keep their trophy, their club, their lies. I don’t care anymore. I just hope the girls are okay. I hope the fans are okay. I hope you’re okay. Everything else, I’ll figure out. It could be a good time to retire. Your mother always wanted to travel and see the world.”
She’s quiet for a moment, then she says, “I want you to know that I appreciate what you did. For me, for the club, for the league. It was brave and honest, and I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you,” I say, and my throat goes tight. “That means a lot to me. And I’m sorry, for everything. For not being the father you deserved, the husband your mother needed, the owner the fans wanted. I screwed up, and I know it might be too late, but I’ll still do everything I can to fix it.”
“You don’t have to,” she says. “We’re not your responsibility anymore. We have our own lives, and we’re doing fine.”
“I know,” I say. “But I still care about you, about all of you. And I want to be a part of your lives, if you’ll let me. Not right now. I don’t want to pressure you into anything. But please give me a call when you’re ready.”
“I will,” she says. “I promise.”
“Thanks,” I tell her. “And Alycia?”
“Yeah?”
“Tell your mom and Lexa that I’m sorry.”
“You should tell them that yourself,” she says. “But I will, just in case.”
The smile in her voice makes me smile too. I can’t believe how much this one phone call has changed things for me. I feel like I’ve been forgiven, or at least understood.
“Love you, Lyss.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
She hangs up, and I put my phone down. On the TV, there’s a Breaking News banner on the bottom of the screen. I turn up the volume.
“Declan Woods, the head coach of the Apex Predators, has been brought in for questioning for his alleged involvement in a sexual misconduct scandal that rocked the league this week. The allegations were first revealed by The Long Ball podcast, which accused Woods of having inappropriate relationships with several players, some of whom were underage at the time.
“The podcast also claimed that Woods had colluded with Apex Platinum Holdings, the new owners of the Predators, to sabotage the sale of the club to a consortium led by club founder Ewan Delvaux. Apex has denied any wrongdoing, and has expressed full confidence in Woods. Woods has not commented on the allegations. His lawyer has stated that he will fully cooperate with the authorities.”
I shake my head. I hope Declan gets what he deserves, and that Apex goes down with him. I hope the league becomes a safer and better place for everyone.
I should’ve been the one who made sure of that. The burden shouldn’t have fallen on Alycia. I should’ve protected my players, but instead, it was me who brought Declan to their dressing room.
I hired him at twenty-eight when nobody else in this league would look at him, and I walked my own daughter down the aisle of my garden to marry him.
Lexa played four seasons for him. I trusted him with my daughter’s team and with every young player at that club, and I never once asked what he was doing with that trust. I don’t know how to live with that yet.
I stand and walk out onto the terrace. I look out at the city and breathe in the evening air, smog and all. I don’t feel at peace. I’m not sure I’m supposed to. But I’m ready to start over.
A smile crosses my face as I think about my next move. Maybe I’ll write a book, maybe I’ll travel, maybe I’ll spend more time with my family. Who knows?
CHAPTER 24 – Lexa
