Page 79 of Once Upon A Player
And kind.
My eyes burn, and I blink furiously. Shit, I can’t start crying.
Even when I said I was leaving, bailing on his party, what was his reaction?
To contact Chad, to make sure I got home safely. Except I was too upset to see that, and jumped all over him, like he was being a controlling dickwad.
I told him not to be so stupid.
Heat bursts through me, and I clutch the cushion as though it’s my lifeline. Lucas hardly spoke to me after that, except to saycall me.
Fuck, he didn’t really think I meant it, did he? It’s just a common phrase. I didn’t expect him to take it literally.
But is that what he thought? He’s got such a warped vision of things because of his brilliant family. Can’t he see how brilliant he is himself?
And I’m not talking about his football.
Horror fills me.He thinks I don’t believe in him.
My vision blurs as I remember the bleak expression on his face before we went to speak to the captain. It vanished instantly, and I barely even registered it at the time, but now it’s all I can see in my head.
I didn’t mean it.
I drag out my phone and search for the King’s Crest Hotel. I know of it, it’s not that far from here, but I want to find out what time the press conference is.
Two p.m. And right there and then, I make a snap decision. Tomorrow I’m going to see him and sort this out.
…
Lucas
Late Saturday afternoon I park on the driveway of my family home. I’m not sure why I’m here, but it was like I had to say another goodbye to Dad before I leave the country. Which is crazy, because I’ll be flying back to England on a regular basis, and it’s not as though I won’t be seeing him again.
“Hello, Lucas.” Dad greets me as though it’s not unheard of for me to turn up unexpectedly at three in the afternoon. “I’m just about to put the kettle on. Want something?”
“Whatever you’re having.”
“Mackenzie’s out with friends. You’re welcome to stay for dinner.”
I don’t remember the last time Dad and I had dinner by ourselves.
When he goes into the kitchen, I almost follow him, except something stops me.
Don’t do it.
But I have to. I hesitate for a second outside Mum’s office before squaring my shoulders and opening the door.
It’s like slipping back in time. Nothing has changed, and it’s too easy to imagine Mum’s just stepped out for a while and will be back, writing her papers, at any moment.
“Sometimes I still expect to see her.” There’s a wistful note in Dad’s voice as he stands beside me, and I hastily brush the dampness from my eyes before he notices.
“Yeah.”
“It’s not been easy, carrying on without her.”
Fuck, this is awful. I give him a gentle punch on the shoulder, and he smiles at me. “I couldn’t have made it without the three of you. We were very lucky with our children.”
“Even me?” I attempt to grin, but it’s hard, and not just because I was always the odd one out in a family of brilliant academics.
