His body was growing tenser with each word, his eyes spilling over with emotion. I didn’t think he blinked once.
“So don’t try to tell me you’re not going to hurt me again by letting me get close to you or fall in love with you again. Because I’ve been close to you for the past fourteen years of my life, even when I never saw your face for half of those years. I’ve been in love with you those same fourteen years, and I will die still being in love with you, Ryan Hale.” Releasing my arms, he backed away a few steps. Just enough so I could release the breath I felt like I’d been holding ever since he stepped out of the bathroom. “So don’t treat me like my love’s some kind of light switch I can switch on or off depending on my mood. Because my love’s like the goddamned sun. It never goes out.”
He backed out of the room, his eyes never leaving mine. I just stood there, trembling and trying to keep the world from falling beneath my feet.
“When I get back from the game in Seattle, I’m taking you on a date,” he announced matter-of-factly when he stopped in the doorway.
“What?” My eyebrows came together. I was having a tough time keeping up. He’d just spilled his soul at my feet and one minute later he was proposing a date?
“Monday night, after I get back. I’m taking you on a date.”
“Grant—”
“Let’s say seven. I’ll make sure Mrs. Kent can stay late and watch Charlie.”
“Grant—”
“And I’m going to take you somewhere nice, so you might want to dress up.”
“Grant—”
“Perfect. Glad that works for you. Can’t wait.” Then before I could say anything else, he shut the door behind him.
“Neither can I,” I whispered long after he’d left.
“MY DAD KICKS serious butt,” Charlie announced after throwing her arms in the air when the Storm’s number eighty-seven had managed to tackle a defensive lineman before he could sack the quarterback. She covered her mouth a second later and gave me a sheepish look when she realized what she’d said. “Oops, sorry.”
“No, you’re right.” I motioned at the giant flat screen in the living room we were stationed in front of, fighting a smile as Grant celebrated with his fellow teammates by thumping their helmets together. “Your dad does kick serious butt.”
Hearing me say butt made Charlie giggle. “I wish we could go to one of his games. You know, be there in the stadium cheering with everyone else. I bet that would be awesome.”
I curled a little deeper into the sofa, trying to get comfortable. I hadn’t slept well the past couple of nights, and as much as I wanted to blame it on the Huntington’s, I knew it had more to do with trying to fall asleep in Grant’s bed. “Lucky for you, I think you just might have an in with someone who could score us some tickets to the next home game.”
Charlie was quiet for a moment—I couldn’t tell if she was focusing on what was happening in the game or what I’d just said—and the next moment, her whole face lit up like she’d just realized something. “You think he could do that?”
My teeth sank into my bottom lip to hold back my smile. “I think he could. Perks of being the star player on the team.”
Charlie grabbed my arm. “Next Sunday’s a home game.”
“It sure is.”
“Will you go with me?” She started bouncing in her seat.
I loved how Charlie knew who her father was, but was yet still ignorant to who he was. She knew he was an amazing football player, but she didn’t correlate that with privilege and the perks that came with it. I adored that she didn’t equate her parentage with being above the rules or going hand-in-hand with special exceptions. I knew this level of naivety couldn’t be sustained, but I hoped that in some measure, it always remained. I hoped that our daughter would always stay above thinking she deserved anything and everything just because of her name and who her father was.
I hoped she desired to carve her name on life’s tree instead of settling into the grooves already cut by her last name.
It was sobering to realize that all I’d get to have were hopes for Charlie’s future, because I wouldn’t be around, at least not the way I wanted to be, to really see the way it all played out.
“So Mrs. Kent will get to watch me again tomorrow?” Charlie’s attention was back on the television as the teams lined up.
“Yeah, tomorrow night. If that’s okay with you.” I still hadn’t fully committed to going out with Grant, but I figured I should be prepared. He was the kind of guy who’d just throw me over his shoulder and throw me into his truck if I told him no, so at least the babysitting angle was covered.