Page 111 of Restricted List

“How’s her dad?” Nana asks. “Lane, right?”

“Yeah, Lane is her father. He’s good. Stressed, of course, but I think that just comes with being a single dad.”

“He seems like a nice guy,” Pap chimes.

“How close are you?” Nana asks, her look indicating she’s wondering if there’s something more.

“We’re friends, but that’s it. He’s like a brother to me. He literally calls me Aunt Rory to his daughter.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear,” my dad bellows as he enters the room.

“That Lane is like a brother?” I ask.

“Exactly that.”

I roll my eyes and scoff. “That’s because you’re weirdly obsessed with me not dating one of your players.”

“Not quite, baby girl. I don’t want one of my players datingyou, not the other way around.”

“Isn’t that a bit much, Paul?” Pap asks, raising his brow.

“Find them in the clubhouse after a game, Dave, and you’ll know what I mean.”

“That’s not any different than what I said,” I chide. “Either way, I can’t be with a baseball player. I’m in my mid-twenties and still have my dad making decisions for me.”

“Come on, Rory,” he pleads. “It’s not like that.”

“It’s exactly like that.” I stand now and brush past him. “I need some fucking wine.”

I hear my grandparents going to bat for me as I hurry to the kitchen, grab a bottle of Merlot, and pour myself a large glass.

I’ve been here ten minutes, and my dad is already reminding me that I don’t have the final say in my own goddamn love life.

I’m tired of it.

He wonders why I’ve been secretive lately, but did he really give me any other choice?

I’m not giving up on my relationship, so if he can’t learn how to let me live my own fucking life, he can just stay in the dark.

Apparently, he likes it there.

Dinner is awkward, but only my dad, my grandparents, and I know why. The rest of the family that shows up is completely clueless. I’m able to distract myself enough by talking with all my cousins, but I can still feel the tension in the air.

We open gifts after eating, and things feel a little less tense since we enjoy doing this every year with the family.

It’s a fun time. The gifts are nice, but the company is even better.

However, I was right about one thing.

My mom still doesn’t know me at all.

She got me a T-shirt.

A Denver Wildcats baseball T-shirt.

A sizesmallDenver Wildcats baseball T-shirt.

I haven’t worn a fucking small since I was in middle school.

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