Page 174 of Broken Ties (Rixon High 4)

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t know what to tell you.”

“And you didn’t say anything to him?” My eyes narrowed because he was acting strange. Too strange. Maybe Aaron hadn’t come to talk to me, but something still didn’t add up.

“I told him he’s off the team.”

“What?” I shot up. “But you can’t do that… Aaron loves the team, he’ll be crushed. Dad, please, you can’t do that. Anything but that.”

“Huh.” He stared at me with an odd expression on his face.

“What?”

“I see it now.”

“See what?” I threw up my hands. “What is going on?”

“He’s your person.”

“I… what?”

“Aaron. The two of you have always been close, but I didn’t think too much about it because honestly, the idea of you dating too scares the shit out of me.”

“Gee, thanks, Dad.”

“And then you started seeing the Hannigan kid and I thought maybe your mom was wrong.”

“She talked to you about me and Aaron?”

“Sweetheart, she’s my wife. The love of my life. The mother of my kids. There isn’t a single thing we don’t talk about.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t look so worried.” He winked. “Although I’ve got to say, after talking to Aaron, I’m beginning to wonder if I should be worrying.”

“What, why?”

Dad pulled an envelope out of his back pocket and handed it to me. “He asked me to give you this.”

I snatched it off him and scowled at him. “You couldn’t have given me this in the beginning?” My heart fluttered at the words written across the front.

Poppy Star

“I wanted to make sure.” I frowned and he added, “That he deserves you.”

“And this brief conversation you two had gave you the answer?”

“No.” Dad’s eyes crinkled with a knowing smile. “But I saw how gutted you looked when I said he hadn’t asked about you.”

“I love him, Dad,” I blurted out. “I’m in love with him.”

“Yeah, sweetheart. I know.” His jaw clenched. “Think I realized it last night when I saw the two of you dancing.”

“Are you… upset?”

“I’m upset that he blew things last night. Really damn upset. But I’m not upset that it’s Aaron, Poppy.”

“He thinks you’ll disapprove.”

“That’s between me and Aaron,” he said. “I don’t want you to worry about any of that. All I’ll ever want is for you to be happy, sweetheart. To find someone who makes you smile and makes your heart soar. Someone who supports your dreams and pushes you to be the best version of yourself.

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