Page 120 of Ice Bet

“If you would have waited three more seconds before ripping open my office door, you could have saved yourself some turmoil.”

“What?” I snapped, becoming impatient. “Listen, if you want to punch my lights out, can you hurry and do it so I can regain consciousness before she gets over here?”

“The only person’s lights who are getting punched out are Graham Sullivan’s.”

I stopped breathing.

“You think I didn’t know that you were in love with my daughter until today?”

“Wait.” I took a step back. “You knew?”

He sighed. “I knew.”

I shook my head in disbelief.

“And the only reason I’m allowing you to continue on with my daughter is because you were just willing to give up everything for her. You should have told me about the bet. I know why you didn’t, thanks to Theo explaining your thought process behind that.” I watched his expression change. “But listen…if you ever shove Riley into a closet again, I’ll kill you.”

I put my hands up. “I didn’t shove her into a closet.”

I did, however, shove her into a locker.

He glared at me, but we both turned at the sound of Riley skating up to the side. “Dad. Please, listen. Aasher did nothing wrong. He—”

“Loves you,” I finished for her.

I leaned forward and put my hands around her waist, hauling her up and over the side wall.

Surprise took away whatever else she was going to say.

“And we’re so proud of you,” I whispered, staring down into her baby blues.

Is she really mine?

Riley slowly glanced up at her dad. She didn’t move away from me, though. Instead, she moved closer. Coach Lennon didn’t make a move to pull her away. He put his hands in his pockets, and his eyes glossed over. “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to be happy, sweetheart.”

Riley blinked a few times as she bounced her attention back and forth between us. She was just as stunned as I was.

Relieved too.

“Coach,” I said, seeing something out of the corner of my eye. “Can I do the honor?”

“If you’re already asking for her hand in marriage, Iwillkick you off the team.”

“I’ll save that for later.” I winked at my girl and then dropped the good-guy act real fast to ask his permission to lay Graham Sullivan out.

“Will you kick me off the team if you find out I’ve punched one of my teammates?”

Coach pulled Riley into his side and placed a kiss on her temple. “Graham is no longer on our team.”

A devious smile curved onto my mouth, and when Sully saw me coming, he panicked. “Coach!”

“I’m not your coach!” he shouted. Then he took his daughter, and they disappeared, leaving me alone with my fist and Sully’s face.

EPILOGUE

AASHER

Ten YearsLater

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