Page 155 of Twisted Collide

“I’m crying because I love you, Dane, and I just want you to be happy.”

“I’ll be happy.”

“Promise me you’ll go to her. Promise me you’ll fight for your happiness.”

I look at my sister, who is wiser than her years. “Okay, Molly. I’ll fight for her.”

70

JOSIE

“Dad.”My soft voice is barely above a whisper.

My father looks up, and when he does, shock is clear on his face. “Is it okay if I call you Dad?” My voice cracks at the question, unshed tears filling my eyes.

“Of course, it’s okay, sweetheart. You can call me anything you like. As long as you’re in my life.” The moisture collecting in my eyes cascades down my cheeks.

“Okay, Dad. I’d like to.” I sniffle, trying to hold back more tears.

“Then that’s what you’ll do.” He smiles warmly, and I lie back on the bed and close my eyes. I’m not sleeping, but I’m resting.

I open my eyes a few seconds later, remembering that there was a knock on the door some time ago, and my dad was acting weird. I wonder if the doctor said anything. Maybe something is wrong. “Did I have any visitors?”

His eyes narrow, and I wonder what he must be thinking because he looks deep in thought. “Dad?”

“Are you calling me Dad to get a confession?”

“Um, no, but, um, is there something to confess . . .Dad?” I say his name in a mocking tone.

“Fine. You had a visitor. Actually, the waiting room was filled with the team, but one was more insistent that he wanted to see you.”

“And the visitor?” I lean forward, anxious.

“Dane.”

My heart pounds so hard it most likely will explode. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Is he mad at Dane? Does he know? No, he would have mentioned it to me, and he doesn’t blame Dane, so why did he not tell me?

I shake my head. “I don’t understand. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“To be honest, it had nothing to do with you. I saw him, sweetheart. He wasn’t in the right place. Emotionally, he was beating himself up. And he needed to cool down.”

“Don’t you think it should have been up to me to decide that?”

“Yes, and please forgive me, but you’re my daughter, and he’s like a son. He was hurting, self-loathing. I didn’t want him to do or say something he’d regret.”

“So you sent him home?”

“Yes and no.”

“I’m not following.”

“I sent him home, and then I sent him the one person at this moment who could get through to him.”

“Molly,” I finish for him. “That makes sense. I do wish you would have told me.”

“And I promise, moving forward, I will tell you. I wanted to protect you because when I saw him, I saw the self-destructive boy I had met when he was in high school, trying out for the college team. I saw the same look in his eyes, and I knew he would self-destruct, and I needed to help him.”

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