Page 178 of Rules

My cheeks flush instantly, but Max doesn’t let me back down. “I wanted you to meet somebody.” He pulls at my hand he’s holding, bringing me to his side. That’s when I see the man sitting on the barstool looking at us with interest—Max’s dad. I saw him a few times in passing after hockey games but never exchanged more than a polite greeting with the guy. “Mom, D-dad.” Max’s eyes dart to the man for a second. I can see the pain flash in them, his hand gripping mine tighter, before he pushes the unwanted emotion away. “This is my girlfriend, Brook.”

The dead silence that falls over us is almost palpable. I debate whether I should go and shake their hands, maybe introduce myself, but when I see no indication they would accept it from me, I settle for a small wave.

“What the hell is this?” Dr. Sanders asks, first to break the silence as his eyes take me in. “You got a girl pregnant?”

His words are sharp, and although they’re directed at Max, I can’t escape the burn of his disapproval.

“Now, Samuel,” his mom says, her finger twisting the row of pearls around her neck. “I think we should let them explain.”

“Explain? What is there to explain? He knocked up some random co-ed and ruined his future before it even started!”

“Enough!” Max shouts, his hands falling on the counter. He looks between his parents. His face is red with anger, breathing heavy. My instincts scream at me to run away, but I ignore them. Taking a step closer, I put my hand on his back, rubbing away the tension.

“Brook is not some random co-ed. We’ve been together for months, but we kept it quiet. Either way, we’re not here for your approval.”

A little stretched but…

“Oh. this is rich,” Dr. Sanders says, but his wife throws him a death stare that shuts him up instantly.

Max frowns at them, but continues. I’m surprised how calm his voice sounds considering the vein throbbing in his forehead.

“I’m here to tell you that we’re together and that yes, she is pregnant, and we’re having this baby.”

“And where exactly are you having the baby? I’m not sure your new coach will be too happy with his star player distracted by his family.”

“As a matter of fact,” Max grits through his teeth. “I called the coach and explained the situation.”

A surprised gasp parts my lips. I can feel Mrs. Sanders’s curious gaze on me, but I ignore her, too stunned by Max’s words to care what she thinks. I knew Max said he wanted me to go with him to Boston, but I never thought it could have consequences on his scholarship or spot on the team. I didn’t even know the terms of his scholarship, much less that he called his coach to tell him about me.

“Coach agreed to let me stay off-campus if Brook decided to live at BU with me. If not, I’ll do my year as promised and then try and transfer somewhere closer to home.” He looks over his shoulder at me, those gray eyes softening around the edges, although I can still see the anger burning inside them. “He also said he’ll pull some strings if you want to enroll at BU once the baby is born, given the fact that up until now your GPA was stellar.”

“How did you know that?” I breathe out.

“Lia,” he says as a means of explanation.

I want to ask more questions, but his father interrupts our moment.

“That all sounds amazing, but are you aware how much work it is having a family?”

Max’s whole body tenses. “And you’re one to talk?” he throws back at his dad, turning around to face him. “You, who destroyed our family. You, who was never home because you had to work. You want to school me on how hard it is having a family? I’m not stupid,Dad. What I am is willing to try and give it my all. I don’t expect it to be easy, but I do know Brook is worth it. My family,ourfamily, is worth it. And if it comes to it, I’d rather give up hockey than give up her.”

Tears well in my eyes. Hockey is his life, his future, I should know because I was there helping him reach his dream this past year. And when he told me he did it, I couldn’t have been more proud of him. And now he says he’s willing to give it all up for me. Like I needed another reason to fall even harder for him.

“Now if you’re done throwing accusations at us, I’m going to take my girlfriend out to eat.”

And with those words, he pulls me out of the room and away from his family.

Chapter Sixty-Seven

BROOK

“How are you feeling?” I ask him, taking a sip of water.

Max all but dragged me out of his house. I could feel all the emotions swirling inside him, so I let him be. I thought he’d take me home, but instead he stopped at a deli to grab something to eat for us and then continued driving around until we got to the park, the same one where we met for the first time.

It felt like déjà vu, but we were so far from the kids who met each other a year ago in this very place.

“Is it okay to be disappointed?” he asks, swaying lightly on the swing next to mine.

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