Page 101 of What Are the Chances
“And does Caufield know his idolised coach is your father?”
I gulped. “No.”
There was the ironic bombshell to my life.
My father, the man I’d despised growing up, was a man Will looked up to. Will loved a man I’d once hated. He spent extra time with a man I actively tried to avoid. Hell, he had probably spent more of his life with my own father than I had.
Laughing in disbelief, Tanner restlessly shifted. “How the hell are you hiding that?”
“Dad and I agreed to keep things professional. That way I can get Richard’s recommendation on my own credit.”
Before I’d accepted Richard’s offer, my first port of call had been to check in with dad. I’d convinced him that keeping our father-daughter relationship private was in each of our best interests. It was mainly true, but also a partly selfish request.
I didn’t want people knowing Bryce Hall was my dad. While I was officially Riley Hall on my birth certificate and Tanner was Tanner Hall, we’d both always used our mother’s maiden names. After all, they were the parents who raised us – not dad.
“How’d you find out about Will and me? Did he say something?”
Tanner shook his head. “I noticed him tracking your every move during the warm-up.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And that was enough for you to draw a conclusion that something was going on?”
“I’ve been wondering ever since you mentioned he was one of your student athletes. Call me cynical, but you’ve never been able to coexist with him, Ri.”
While I wanted to be offended, Tanner was right. Case in point, Will and I had relapsed almost immediately after being thrust back into each other’s lives.
“And you’re angry about it?”
“Not angry I’m...” Tanner trailed off. “Are you dating again?”
“No. You know the real reason we broke up. It’d never work.”
Tanner ran a doubtful hand through his drying hair. “Sure, Ri.”
At that moment, who better than to come over but dad and Marcus Lak, dad’s agent friend. Tanner stiffened, his entire body going rigid. My defences climbed sky-high on my brother’s behalf.
“Tanner Holbeck,” Marcus began, holding out his hand. “I’m Marcus. It’s great to meet you. Quite the game you played tonight, kid.”
Despite being beside dad, this guy didn’t look like a douche. He was dressed casually and there was a kindness in his features that dad didn’t possess.
“I wanted to introduce myself,” Marcus went on. “Your father’s told me a lot about you.”
Tanner cautiously glanced around the concourse. Like me, Tanner was very choosy about who knew about his relationship to Bryce Hall. Dad might’ve been a hockey hall-of-famer, but in terms of fathering, he didn’t even come close to being mid-tier. He was farm team quality. Forth line at best.
Guardedly, Tanner placed his hand in Marcus’s. “Is it a smart idea for you to be here?”
There were strict rules about NCAA players having contact with agents. This was risky, even for dad. Clearly he was desperate.
Marcus smiled politely. “I’m here to watch an old friend’s team – nothing more.” He winked at Tanner. “Though while I’m here, unofficially, I wanted to gauge your interest about what happens after you graduate.”
“Nothing,” Tanner answered hurriedly. “I have no plans to play hockey after graduation.”
I could literally feel the steam rolling off dad, though I knew him well enough to know this matter wouldn’t be settled in a public setting, especially with his friend standing right there.
Marcus extended a business card to me. “How about I give my card to your sister? If she calls me on speaker while you’re in the room and you’ve happened to change your mind, I’d be happy to talk to her.”
All Tanner managed was a nod. Taking the business card from Marcus, I slipped it into my jacket pocket. It felt much heavier than a small piece of paper.
News had it that dad had also introduced Marcus to Will and Levi, but Levi’s dad had intervened. Supposedly he had an agent in the wings for his son and Will. I’d heard that news filtered through dad. He’d divulged it over one of our many awkward dinners. That was the first time I’d learnt which team Will had been drafted to.
