Page 80 of If You Love Me

“Because that’s what we do. One person carries them, and we trade off every day.”

So only one person takes the heat. It’s smart and stupid at the same time. “When did you start vaping?”

“Just like…this year.”

“You’re a dancer, Fee. It’s a terrible habit.”

Her head bangs against the seat, and she rolls her eyes. “I don’t need a lecture.”

“Well, apparently you do, because you’re now suspended from school for the next five days! You’re grounded until further notice.”

“You’re not my mom! You can’t ground me!”

I know it’s not personal, but it still hurts. “I may not be your mother, but whether you like it or not, I’m responsible for you. Do you have any idea how hard life will be if you end up with a criminal record, Fee?”

“They’re fucking vapes!” she shouts.

I pull into the arena parking lot and find a spot, shifting into park before I turn to her. “Do not yell at me. I get that nothing about life is easy for you right now, but I didn’t make this bad decision for you.”

“You’re the one who moved us to Toronto!”

“You were on board with this move,” I remind her, then sigh. “Look, this isn’t a productive conversation. I’m heated, and you’re heated. But you can’t get suspended from school and expect there to be no punishment.”

“The suspension is the punishment.”

“The suspension is the consequence. The punishment is a result of the suspension.” I cut the engine. “Come on.”

“I’m staying here.”

“It’s minus fifteen. I’m not leaving the keys, and you’ll be frozen in five minutes. While I appreciate that you’re also unhappy with the situation you’ve put yourself in, I will not have you dying of hypothermia because you have the same stubborn gene as me,” I snap.

Her chin wobbles, and she dashes her tears away. “I need a fucking minute, okay?”

I struggle to keep myself in check, to not cry along with her. “I’m coming back out to get you in ten minutes if you’re not in the arena by then.”

“Fine.”

I open the door. “I might not love your current choice, but I love you, Fee.”

She sniffles but doesn’t say anything.

“I’ll check on you in a bit.”

I leave her in the car and head inside, where I stop in the bathroom and take a moment to get myself under control. I’m so close to a complete breakdown. I want to call Dred, but she’s at work, and calling Roman will add to the layers of complication I’m already buried under.

I get my shit together, leave the bathroom, and go to Callie’srink. But when I get there, Callie isn’t in the net. She’s not even in her goalie gear. Instead she’s sitting in the stands behind the bench with Glenda Barton, one of the assistant coaches.

“Is everything okay?”

Glenda gives me one of those smiles that tells me everything isnotokay. Callie’s arms are crossed, and she’s slumped in her seat. She looks like she’s on the verge of tears. Glenda pats her on the arm and meets me at the end of the row, motioning for me to follow her down the hall.

I don’t know what to do with my hands so I stuff them in my jacket pockets. When we get to her office, Glenda looks like this is the last thing she wants to handle.

“What did Callie do?” That’s the only reason I can see her being off the ice. If she was hurt in some way, Glenda wouldn’t have pulled me aside.

“She got into it with one of her teammates,” Glenda says.

“Got into it how?” I ask.

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