Page 137 of Twisted Collide

“I think you get your logical side from me.”

“Don’t get too ahead of yourself. It rarely comes out.” I laugh, and he follows suit.

“I won’t lie to you, Josie. I was in shock.”

“So was I.”

“I can’t imagine. When I grappled with the notion that it might be true, I felt devastated by what I’d missed. I always wanted a family of my own, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. Sure, I’ve had Molly in my life since she was a girl, and I love her like a daughter, but I could have had you too.” His voice cracks. “I missed so much . . .”

My eyes fill with tears. I can’t imagine how hard this all must have been for him. My breath feels heavy and labored. All this time I wasted. If only I had been strong enough to ask these questions when I arrived. But no, I was hurt and wounded and afraid.

“I can’t believe she called you and you let me come here. You didn’t even know for sure that I was yours. Why?”

He sucks his cheeks in. “I might not have remembered herwell, but I could hear in her voice that she needed help. That you needed a place to stay and a job. I didn’t hesitate. I told her to send you here immediately. I didn’t know for sure you were my daughter yet, but in my heart, I did.” He leans forward in his chair. “I’d never have allowed you to grow up without me if I knew.”

A tear falls down my cheek. “I believe you. And I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“For the way I’ve treated you. For avoiding you. For being so—” I bury my head in my hands, breathing in deeply to calm down. Once the pounding in my veins calms, I drop my arms. “I was horrible, and I have no excuse. Mom wouldn’t talk to me, and my brain made up its mind about what kind of person you were. Growing up with her . . . it hasn’t been easy, and—No. There’s no excuse for how I’ve acted.”

My dad takes my hand in his. “There’s nothing to apologize for. I have you in my life now, and you have me. That’s all that matters.”

And just like that, he’s no longer Sperm Donor, Coach Robert, or my father.

He’s simply . . .Dad.

59

JOSIE

The thingabout a breakup is that you eventually bump into your ex, which is why I am not looking forward to returning to the practice arena today to grab the few things I left behind. The team isn’t always here, but seeing as there’s no game today, there is a good chance I’ll bump into Dane.

Rip off the Band-Aid.

Bumping into him is inevitable.

Since I’m working in the marketing department now, I’m not dressed in my typical casual attire. Today, I’m wearing a knee-length skirt, a pair of heels, and a lightweight sweater, and while my outfit fits in perfectly with all the high-level publicists, I do not fit in near the rink.

My heels click sharply against the concrete floors, and the familiar smell of ice permeates the air. Memory after memory attacks me the farther I walk into the space. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to go in and get out without being noticed, but something tells me I won’t be so lucky. In the distance, Ican hear chatter and try my best to make out who’s talking, but I can’t. Most likely, it’s not Dane. He is often a man of few words.

It’s fine. It won’t be too awkward.

Can’t be worse than some of the other embarrassing stuff I’ve lived through. Like the time I slipped and fell into a snowbank in front of my whole sixth grade class. I lived through that, so I can live through this.

This will be faster and far less painful, and I won’t inherit a nickname. It took a while to get the kids to stop calling me frosty after I stood up covered in snow.

I don’t think I’ve ever walked this fast in heels. My feet are going to kill me tonight. Well worth it if I can get out of here undetected. Of course, fate has other plans, as I see Hudson waving at me.

Great job, Hudson. Way to out me.

I take a deep breath and hope it ends with a wave, but again, no such luck on my part.

And since the Moirai sisters of Fate seem to have it out for me, Dane walks off the ice when I pass him.

My guess is he’s going to the locker room, and I’m going to the office beside the locker room.

Great.

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