Page 92 of Hate to Love You

Even though I don’t feel like smiling, I force my lips into some semblance of one. “You ready to take off?”

“Sure.” Natalie’s gaze roves over me. Her eyes sharpen as if she realizes something is wrong. The last thing I want is for her to catch a whiff of the conversation I had with Dad. It would only upset her. And that, I’m not willing to do.

When I threw the invitation out there for brunch, I knew she was nervous. Her mother is easygoing and laid-back which is the opposite of my father. He has a foreboding presence. He spent years honing that persona on the ice and then in the conference room, using it to his advantage. I don’t think he was rude to Natalie, but I felt her discomfort as if it were my own.

At this point, I’m sorry I brought her home to meet him.

It’s not a mistake I’ll make again.

“Oh, you’re leaving already?” Amber seems genuinely disappointed to see us go. Hailey squirms in her arms.

As I smile at my little sister, some of my anger dissipates. “Yeah, we both have work to finish up before Monday.”

When Natalie comes to stand by my side, I slip her hand into mine.

Our eyes meet and hold, a silent communication passing between us. I’ve never experienced that with anyone else.

I squeeze her fingers.

Dad joins us in the entryway. He turns to Natalie, and I stiffen, half-afraid he’ll say something to her himself. That he’ll try to reason with her since I refuse to listen.

As he extends his hand for her to shake, Natalie steps forward with her own.

“It was nice meeting you, Natalie,” he says. “We enjoyed getting to know you.”

“Thank you for inviting me,” she replies.

“Good luck with your job search. We wish you all the best.”

“Thank you.”

When Dad meets my gaze again, he merely gives me a nod. “Let me know what your schedule looks like.”

“I’ll text you,” I reply stiffly.

I’m pissed that at twenty-three years of age, he thinks he can tell me to get rid of someone I want in my life. Hopefully, he realizes that it’s not going to happen. Natalie is here to stay. Whether he likes it or not.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Brody

The next week flies by. I blink and almost miss it. There are tests to study for and assignments to finish typing. I swear I spend as much time hunkered down on the third floor of the library with Natalie as I do busting my ass in the arena. I make sure that when I skate off the ice at the end of each practice, I’m leaving everything I have out there.

Contrary to what my dad thinks, it’s important for me to finish this year strong. I know exactly what hinges upon it. I haven’t lost sight of my goals and what I need to do to reach them. The only difference is that Natalie now factors into those plans.

Reed and I haven’t had any further run-ins. I’m not looking to start shit with him, but I’m also not hiding out in a corner hoping to avoid that asshole either. If he needs another beatdown, so he better understands his place in the pecking order, I’d be more than happy to deliver it.

Fuck that guy.

I don’t want to waste another brain cell thinking about Reed Collins.

So, I’ll focus on Natalie instead. I spend as much time with her as I can, but it’s not nearly enough to satisfy the growing need I have for her.

Without us discussing it, I end up at her place every night. I know she doesn’t want to be at the hockey house. And I can’t blame her for that. Most of the time, I don’t want to be there either. Every night is a party with people passed out on the couch and beer cans strewn about the tables. I’m over it. Cooper and Sawyer have given me some shit about being pussy-whipped, but Luke gets it. Half the time, he’s hauling ass out of Zara’s bedroom at five in the morning to make practice like I am.

I wish Dad could understand that Natalie has changed everything for me. We’ve spoken a few times on the phone, and the Milwaukee trip is in the works, but he hasn’t brought up the subject of Natalie again. We’re both avoiding the issue.

I’m hopeful that if I give it a little time and don’t push matters, he’ll see for himself that I’m not going to fuck everything up because I’m dating someone. That’s the plan. This thing with Natalie has taken me completely by surprise, and now that she’s in my life, I can’t imagine one without her.

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