Page 92 of Scoring Grey

“Nonsense. Cal is family, which makes you family.He’snot playing his best when his mind is worried about you, and in case you haven’t figured it out, we need this guy in tip-top shape to beat the Stars. They are out for blood.”

Moon steps up to Roe’s right and elbows him in the side. “Plus, Cal said he’s buying the food tonight.”

I spot my dad in the corner with a tall glass of amber liquid and an endless gaze that says she told him. My mother left town this afternoon and the wayhe’sstaring into nothingness tells me she must have finally mustered up the strength to share her secret.

“Hey, I’ll catch up with you guys in a minute and grab a celebratory drink. I need to talk to my dad for a second.”

“You got it, crash,”Moon says and my brows pinch together before I put together the meaning.

“What, too soon?”

I laugh. “You’re ridiculous. Get out of here.”I jab him in the shoulder.

“Hey.”Cal pulls me back as I start toward my dad. Wrapping his arms around me, he nuzzles his face into my neck the way he always does when he greets me after we’ve been apart. Inhaling deeply, he says, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. I watched the game. I saw the goal you scored againstSullyand the hit you took after.”

His lips find my neck. “Then you saw my O.”

“I did.”I smile. “Thank you.”I turn in his embrace. “I think my mother told my dad about Dash.”I nod to where he’s sitting in the corner. “I want to talk to him.”

Before Cal can let me out of his embrace, the bell on the door behind us rings as it opens, and Austin walks in with a gust of cold air on his heels.

“Did you invite him?”

“Not exactly, but I won’t make him leave either. He’s on my team.”

He walks straight for us. “Can we talk?”

“Sure,”Cal says as he reaches for my hand, and we follow Austin to one of the booths across from the bar. Austin takes one side, and we slide into the other. “What’s this about?”

Austin’s eyestake their fill ofthe side of my face, and he winces. “I’m sorry about what happened to you the night of the gala… before and after.”He folds his hands on the table. “I’ve never seen that side of Blair. She’snot like that around me. I’ve known Blair for a long time.”

“You have?”I narrow my eyes. “I thought you only started dating a year ago.”

He quirks a brow at me. “Have you been Googling me?”

“Something like that.”I break eye contact.

“I played for Blair’s father in college. That’s where we met. We didn’t start dating until I got drafted to the Kings and her dad was no longer my coach.”The way he anxiously taps his thumbs on the wooden table, I can tell he’snot surehow to approach whateverit ishe’s about to say.

“Did Blair send you here tonight?” I ask, wondering if he’s here to do her bidding since she ran home with her tail between her legs as soon as she got wind of my accident.

“No, but I’m here because of her.”

“Austin, if you’re here looking for our help, you came to the wrong place. She’s done nothing but make our lives hell?—”

Austin holds up his hand, stopping Cal. “It’s not like that. Look, let’s set the record straight.”His eyes hold Cal’s.“Coming to the Kings, I didn’t like you because I wanted to be you. I wanted your spot, and then I found out you had history with my girl and that dislike turned to hate. It didn’t matter what kind of history you had. I didn’t like it. I went along with her plans because I knew they’d piss you off, and pissing you off is my favorite pastime, but it wasn’t until the night of the gala and the car accident that I realized just how deep the feud between the three of you ran. I care about her, but I’m also not trying to see anyone die.”

“How considerate of you,”I mock with a small smile.

His lips quirk to onesidefor the smallest of seconds before his dark gaze returns to Cal.“If your dad is behind this and you hate him, and me telling you what I know helps the two of you and her, then I want that.” He leans back, settling into the tufted leather booth. “Blair received two calls the night of the accident, one from her mom and the other from her aunt. Her mom told her to come home immediately, and her aunt said, ‘I’ll make sure he never lays a finger on you. I’m sorry.’”

“Thanks for letting us know,” Cal says.

It may not seem like it, but it does help. We now knowhermother andheraunt were aware she was caught up in Lucas’s web. If she hadn’t been, they wouldn’t have made the connection so quickly.

He nods. “Good game tonight.”Austin puts his fist up for Cal to bump.

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