Page 77 of College Hockey Bully

My father stares at me blankly. “Pro what?”

“Pro hockey. I’ll be heading to the NHL.”

Mom laughs, dropping onto the couch. “This must be a goddamn prank.”

“Son, to get into the league, you need to be the best of the best. Playing hockey like it’s a hobby won’t get you there.”

“Iamthe best of the best, Dad,” I reply fiercely. “If you came to a game even once, you would've known that.”

He throws his hands up. “I’ll take your word for it and yes, it’s my fault for not being there. You understand how busy I’ve been.”

Not too busy for other women, though. I nod, swallowing the bitterness.

Dad comes up to me and squeezes my shoulder. “If hockey is your dream, then I’ll support you wholeheartedly. There are plenty of execs at the company who are quite capable of taking over when I step down. Don’t worry about it.”

He pats my shoulder and I hug him back stiffly. “Thanks Dad.”

Mom sits quietly crying, which tugs on my heart strings. In her mind, she has nothing more to offer Dad, but I wish she would see the truth. Whether or not she succeeded, it wouldn’t have changed anything. Dad would still be running wild with women half his age.

“So.” He backs off with a cheerful smile. “The NHL, huh? I wish you’d said something to me. I’m still in contact with several of my college buddies who were in the league. Some are still involved in one capacity or another. I could’ve made some calls.”

I shrug. Getting Dad’s help would water-down my victory. For once, I want to earn something on my own merit, not because I’m Adrian Hunter’s kid.

“What teams are you hoping to get drafted to?” he asks.

“TheNew York Sabersor theNew Jersey Cougars, but at this point, I’ll take whatever I can get,” I reply.

Anything to get out of this town.

My dad then launches into what he thinks is a motivational lecture, but with each word, unease creeps further in. I can’t shake the feeling that he took the news way too easily. He pulls Mom into his arms and I think he’s being too over-the-top with how he’s loving on her. A sparkle fills his eyes as he sweeps Mom off her feet and carries her up the stairs.

I know that sparkle.

It’s definitely not a good sign.

Chapter 29

Scarlett

“Scar.”

My eyes slowly open to Aiden’s blurry image in front of me. I sigh, rubbing my weary eyes. “How long have I been out?”

“Not long enough.” He stares down tenderly at me, brushing my hair aside. “You’re exhausted.”

“Tell me about it.” I groan, pulling myself to a sitting position, then glance at my watch. It’s only five past seven. My parents won’t be home until nine. After what happened on Sunday, being home alone sounds quite unappealing. I could hang at Theresa’s, but it’s her husband’s first night off in ages. I don’t want to intrude.

“In other words, you should rest some more,” Aiden advises, rising from his knees. “Unless you’re in a hurry to get home.”

I shake my head. “No one’s home yet.”

“Well, in that case…” He reaches around to the side of the couch and it instantly slides into a reclining position. “Scoot over.”

Trying to hide a smile—and failing, I ease over while Aiden pulls a blanket from the other couch. He kicks off his shoes and joins me, his hand moving around my middle to pull me closer to him. I snuggle into his embrace, feeling extremelysafe for the first time today. Also for the first time, there are no inhibitions. I trust Aiden. I believe that he truly has my back.

What guy would let me meet his parents—well, officially—without being serious about me?

“You okay?” he mumbles in my ear.

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