Page 128 of Empty Net

“It’s real.”

“What?”

“With Lilah. It’s real. Just remember that.”

With that, he taps the doorframe twice, then takes off down the hall for good this time. I sit there for a long while, trying to convince myself he’s right.

With everything going on, the last thing I want to do is have breakfast with Lilah’s parents. However, it’smyparents’ last morning in Seattle, and there is no way I’m missing that, especially not with their flight a few hours away. If we’re lucky, this breakfast will finish on time so they can get to the airport. And if I’m lucky, I’ll get at least one glance from Lilah, who still hasn’t looked at me all morning.

When I came home from my game last night, she was passed out on the couch, a blanket half hanging off her and a notepad sprawled across her chest. As badly as I wanted to talk to her, I couldn’t bring myself to wake her. So, I scooped her into my arms and carried her to our makeshift bed, where she curled against me like she does every night.

We haven’t said much since then, and now, we sit beside one another, our legs pressing together as her parents ignoreeveryone’s existence likethey’drather be anywhere else. This was their idea, and I’m starting to think it was just to show off their betrothed daughter to all their stuck-up friends. We’re at the same restaurant we got engaged at, and my parents stick out like sore thumbs in here. My father’s cowboy hat sits on the edge of the table, and my mother’s dress—while completely gorgeous—is so far out of current trends it’s not even funny.

I should have never brought them here. Not because I’m embarrassed by them—that’s not the case at all—but because I canfeelthese people staring. I fucking hate it. I’d rather be in net taking shot after shot with no goalie stick while my team is down a man. Literally anything else than this.

“So, Lilah,” Mama says, breaking the silence. “I couldn’t help but notice your sketchpad on the kitchen counter this morning. Those designs you were working on were gorgeous.”

Selene snaps her head toward her daughter. “Designs? What designs?”

“Oh, uh.” Lilah tucks her long dark hair behind her ear, setting her fork on her plate. “Well, Bonnie, I…I’m starting a business. With Auden.”

I whip my head to her. “You are?”

“You are?!” her mother squawks over me. “This is the first I’ve heard of this. Deacon, are you hearing this?”

“I’m hearing this, my love.” He scoffs. “Can’t believe I am, but I hear it.”

Lilah ignores them, her eyes trained on me for the first time today.

“You’re starting a business with Auden?”

She nods. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you last night, but I fell asleep. We talked about it yesterday at the coffee shop and just dove right into planning. It’s been a whirlwind.” She nibbles on her bottom lip. “Are you mad?”

“Mad? No. Why would I be mad? I think it’s incredible. You’re going to be great at it.”

Red tints her cheeks, and she grins. “You don’t even know what it is.”

“I don’t have to, Lilah. I always think you’re great.”

“Well,Ithink it’s a terrible idea.” Selene titters. “Can you imagine the power imbalance with Auden’s net worth? And what happens when she decides she’s bored and wants to sell the company?”

“Actually, I’ll be the majority owner.”

“You’re kidding.” Selene laughs haughtily, and the sound grates on me so badly I have to grit my teeth to keep from saying anything.

“Majority owner?!” Her father laughs. Literally fucking laughs. “As if you have the competence or the skill. You’ve spent the last ten years being a secretary, Lilah. Running a business takes far more than that. There is no way you’re going to make it. You won’t even last a year. You?—”

“Enough!” My chair screeches against the floor as I stand, slamming my hand down on the table so hard every dish rattles from the force.

Everyone in the restaurant freezes, and now all eyes aredefinitelyon us, but I don’t care. I can’t bite my tongue any longer. I glower over at a startled Selene and Deacon.

“Do you have any fucking idea how incredible your daughter is? Any clue how smart she is? How talented she is? Hell, do you know anything at all about her? Huh? Do you?”

They don’t answer, not that I expected them to. They’re too damn busy staring at me likeI’mthe problem here. If they want a problem, I’ll give them one.

“I didn’t fucking think so. You should be ashamed. You call yourselves parents, riding on that high horse of yours, thinking you’re better than everyone else, including your own daughter.”I shake my head in disgust. “Her favorite color is a dusty rose. She drinks water and lemonade and just about every other damn thing there is out of a mug because she thinks it makes it taste better. She texts her sister every day, even if it’s just a thumbs-up emoji, to let her know she’s thinking of her. Even though she hates that hideous ring on her finger, she wears it anyway because it’s what youwant out of her. And when she workedalongsideAuden—not for, just to be clear—she was the one who schmoozed and impressed the contractors and investors and businesses that were brought in on each and every single Sinclair hotel. Lilah. Nobody else. She ran that company just as much as the woman whose name was on the building, and now she has an incredible opportunity to puthername on something, and you’re what? Shitting on her because it’s not whatyouwant her to do? Well, fuck that. She deserves this. She deserves to finally be recognized for her hard work. She deserves to not live in your shadow or anyone else’s. She deserves to fucking shine like the bright star she is. What she doesn’t deserve is your bullshit. So why don’t you do us all a damn favor and shut the hell up for a change.”

I’m out of breath by the time I finish, my chest heaving with a mixture of exhaustion and pure fucking rage. I’ve had to endure far too much of this, listening to Lilah’s parents trash her, and I’m done with it. I don’t care if it pisses Lilah off that I’ve said something. I can’t listen to it for another second.

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