Page 32 of Unforgettable
He looked straight ahead. “Why are you here?” A muscle ticked in his strong jaw. “I’m also curious why your old man is here.”
“I asked him to come with me.” Arlene had gotten a bug at the last minute. If I were being honest, it was her idea for my father to attend. After all, he donated money to the university, and its star quarterback was grieving.
Or at least I assumed he was. At the moment, he didn’t seem to have a grieving bone in his body. He had earlier when he’d emerged from the back of the church, looking strung out and like he was about to cry. He’d certainly shown how distraught he was during the service as friends and loved ones spoke about each of the deceased. The one who had affected him the most, though, was the young lady who had spoken about his sister. The way he’d held her and consoled her had left me shedding tears.
Losing a loved one was hard. Losing four at the same time had to be downright gut-wrenching.
“Why are you even in my life, Haven Hale?” He sounded mortified yet heartbroken.
“That’s an odd question,” I returned.
“Look,” Ryker said. “Forget the fundraiser. I don’t need the hassle of your old man on my ass.” He rose, and in a flash, he was gone without even a quick look back at me.
My father was scaring away potential suitors.
Bastard.
Yet I didn’t know why I was complaining.
He told you to stay away from Ryker. Now Ryker will stay away from you. So you can party, live it up, stay out of the media, and not have to worry about your father on your butt.
Nevertheless, I scratched my head at Ryker’s question. Why was I in his life?Hell if I know.Maybe my father had a good point about me staying away from Ryker. Because in a freaky kind of way, the quarterback reminded me of my father—bold, aggressive, possessive, and an ass. All those qualities told me Ryker wasn’t the right guy. Yet there was one major difference—Ryker had a heart.
Whatever.I didn’t need the headache.
Then why do I feel like I’ve been dumped on the curb?
11
Ryker
Dark clouds skated by as the threat of rain hung in the air. I took off my tie and jacket then rolled up my sleeves, staring at four coffins, four graves, four souls that had gone to heaven. I still couldn’t shed a tear. Not when the preacher had said his final prayers as he blessed each coffin. Not when the football team had carried the caskets from the church to the hearse and then to the gravesite. Not even when my aunt Kari had broken down in a fit of tears, practically throwing herself at the coffins.
The cemetery had emptied out. Lucas was waiting back at the limo. Franklin had taken my aunt home, and all the guests had scattered. I needed a moment to collect my thoughts and say one final goodbye.
But I had no words. My brain was empty. My heart hurt, and I searched for reasons why my family had been taken from me.Why wasn’t I on that plane with them?It should have been me in one of those coffins rather than my baby brother or sister.
I dropped to my knees, throwing my head in my hands. If I could switch places with them, I would. My brother had had so much ahead of him, as had Leigh.
I pulled on my hair, hoping the pain would seep into me, hoping to feel something other than the numbness coursing through my body or the way my heart was beating out of my chest.
Breathe, man. Get up. Do what your father envisioned for you. Play football. Get married. Have a family. Do the impossible.
I couldn’t. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know if I wanted to do any of those things without my mom telling me that I would make a good husband one day. Or Leigh coaxing me to find a girlfriend. Or my brother Randal talking football and sports and seeing how excited he would get when I won a football game. Or hearing my dad’s words, “I’m proud of you, son. The NFL is in your grasp.”
Football meant nothing at the moment. Playing wouldn’t be the same without my old man or my family.
“Ryker,” Lucas called from behind me before he gripped my shoulders. “I got you.”
I blinked several times as I lifted my head.
Lucas knelt down. “They will always be watching you, man.” His voice cracked. “I miss your pain-in-the-ass brother.”
I half smiled. “He loved playing jokes on you. Remember that bearded dragon he put in your bed?” Lucas wasn’t a fan of bearded dragons, at least not the one Randall had had.
Lucas laughed. “It got me out of bed.”
I chuckled. “Hell, man, you ran home so fast, we couldn’t track you.”
