Page 152 of A Major Puck Up

He shrugs, dislodging my hand, and backs up. “Don’t you dare compare what Lake and I have to this.”

“Why?” Now it’s my turn to scoff. “Because you were a saint when you slept with your son’s girlfriend?”

Ford’s eyes harden. “Ex-girlfriend. And it was different. He cheated on her.”

“And you fell in love,” I remind him.

Hands on his hips, he works his jaw, his nostrils flaring as he assesses me. “Are you telling me you’re in love with my daughter?”

“Do you think I’d have you over and sit you down to tell you about our relationship if I wasn’t? Come on, Ford, you know me better than that.” I pull in a deep breath, then another, my heart practically beating out of my chest. “When was the last time you saw me with a random woman? When was the last time I talked about dating, period? I saw you and Lake together. Then my brother and Liv, and something just—” I run my hands through my hair. “It shifted. I got what you’d been saying all along.” I let out a heavy sigh and meet his eyes, silently imploring him to consider that I could care about her. “And then I fell in love with your daughter.”

His hands claw through his peppered hair. “You don’t even know what love is.” His words are harsh, but his tone has weakened.

Jaw clenched, I stare him down. I’ll say it again. Over and over until he hears me. “I love her. I know it’s hard to wrap your head around, and if it was just me I was worried about, I’d be okay without your approval. I wouldn’t like it, but I’d accept your choice. But she needs your blessing. You don’t have to think I’m good enough for your daughter?—”

Blue eyes meet mine. “You’re not.”

I sigh, the adrenaline that’s kept me pacing all day draining from my system. “I know. But I’m who she wants. And no one will ever love her the way I love her. She and Vivi are my entire world.”

My phone chimes in my pocket then, startling me. I pull it out to silence it and catch sight of Daniel’s name on the screen. My guys rarely call, and seeing as though I’m eyeball deep in drama involving his family, my gut instinct is to answer. “I have to take this. Give me one second.”

Without a response, Ford walks to the window. Maybe the interruption is good. Maybe it’ll give him time to really mull over our conversation. Hear my words. Feel them.

“Hey, Daniel. What’s up?”

“Gav, you need to meet me at the hospital.”

My heart plummets, then takes off at a sprint. “What? Why? Who’s at the hospital?”

Ford spins around, the angry look on his face morphing to concern.

“It’s Millie. She’s been in an accident.”

The room spins. Accident? I blink, and his voice fades in and out.

“Gavin,” he says, pulling me back to the moment. “Get here fast.” He pauses, and then as the room seems to get smaller, he adds, “It’s bad, Gavin. It’s really bad.”

FIFTY-SIX

GAVIN

Heart galloping at a million miles a minute, I race through the glass doors of the hospital with Ford on my heels. I spot Daniel first. He’s huddled with Paul and their mother, Kyla.

“Where is she?” My desperation leaves no room for pleasantries.

When Kyla looks up, her face streaked with black tears, my stomach bottoms out.

Daniel points to the double doors behind him. “They took her through there. I got here right as the ambulance did.”

“How?” I grit out, my mind still spinning out.

“I’m her emergency contact,” he explains.

Chest tight, I force myself to breathe in deep. “Have they said anything? Who can we talk to?”

Kyla puts herself between Daniel and me and glares. “Why the hell are you so interested? Feeling a little guilty for letting her drive that fucking toy car of yours? The kid hasn’t driven in years, and you send her on her way in a death trap?”

My heart cracks in two. Dammit. I should have hired a driver for her. Hell, I should have driven her myself.

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